Boston vs. Toledo

[another premed]

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Hello SDNers, I am torn between 2 schools, and I was wondering if you would be able to help me in making my final decision. I was all set on going to BU's med school, but I recently got off the waitlist at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. I am not a resident of either state. Please find below my thoughts on the attributes of each school:

BUSM:
+ The city of Boston
+ P/F
+ "Top 30"
+ Great clinical opportunities
+ Research powerhouses in the area

- High cost of living
- BU doesn't excel in any particular residency field (so less incentive to stay in the BU system after graduation)
- Overshadowed by Harvard?
- Total cost of attendance is 40k more than Toledo

University of Toledo:
+ Low cost of living
+ Total cost of attendance is 40k less than BU

- Unranked medical school
- H/P/F
- The city of Toledo

Since I am also concerned about the residency match, below are the matchlists/info about the 2013 match. While I understand that pre-meds do not know how to interpret match lists, I think it is important to look at the geographic locations people end up. I would preferably like to settle down in either California or in the North East.

http://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/hsc/MatchResults2013.html

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm-osa/fil...s-hospitals-and-programs-only-for-posting.pdf

The class sizes are approximately equal. Thanks in advance!

 

[Warriors90]

I'd look at the cost of living differences again if that is an important factor to you. I believe after your first year at Toledo, you would get in-state tuition.

 

[sdfoijffdso]

Congrats! Both schools are great, cost is an important factor to consider for medical school in general. At all the schools i interviewed at they made the point that after the first year you qualify for instate tuition as long as you do what is needed

 

[battousai]

Is living in the city of Boston really worth $40k extra per year? I say go with Toledo, you'll be glad to be $160k in debt when you come back to Boston for residency.

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

- The city of Toledo

'nuff said

Seriously though. Toledo is my home, and it's a good place for me. With that said, it's not a great place for people our age. UT itself is a commuter campus and I wouldn't want to live in the neighborhood. I'd embrace an opportunity to go to Boston. Awesome city, great school, get you in the market for great residencies. To me, a top 30 school in one of America's great cities is worth an extra $10k/yr.

 

[SilverCat]

I would probably pick Boston if I were in your shoes. I think the research opportunities, top 30 status, and good match history would give you a better shot at competitive residencies than Toledo, which may make BU's higher cost worthwhile.

However, I wouldn't choose a school based on the city itself-- unless you have family obligations or personal reasons for preferring one city over another. Most of med school will be spent in the library or apartment studying; in that regard, it doesn't matter if you're in NYC or Nowheresville, North Dakota.

 

[another premed]

Thanks for the responses guys! Just to clarify a few things:

1) The 40k cost differential is over 4 years (so 10k/year) and it assumes that I will be getting in-state tuition at Toledo for medical school years 2 through 4.

2) I was also considering the differences between the "reputation" of the schools. Current fourth year medical students emphasized the importance of med school ranking during the residency application process. Will I be more likely to get residency interviews at competitive programs because I am coming from BU over Toledo?

3) Will the P/F system at BU result in a less stressful time than the H/P/F at Toledo?

Thanks.

 

[Omppu27]

BU over Toledo. Period. I live in Columbus... Toledo is a **** hole.

 

[battousai]

Thanks for the responses guys! Just to clarify a few things:

1) The 40k cost differential is over 4 years (so 10k/year) and it assumes that I will be getting in-state tuition at Toledo for medical school years 2 through 4.

2) I was also considering the differences between the "reputation" of the schools. Current fourth year medical students emphasized the importance of med school ranking during the residency application process. Will I be more likely to get residency interviews at competitive programs because I am coming from BU over Toledo?

3) Will the P/F system at BU result in a less stressful time than the H/P/F at Toledo?

Thanks.

Oh, I misunderstood you. Does that factor in housing in Boston as well?

 

[hunterjumper14]

BU over Toledo. Period. I live in Columbus... Toledo is a **** hole.

I don't think $40k when all is said and done would be enough to convince me to live in Toledo over Boston.

 

[Banned]

BU is a much better school.

FYI, several of Toledo's GME programs are terrible IMG sweatshops--looking at you Toledo IM.

 

[alpinism]

Not even close. BU all the way.