BU or UMASS

[mitch cumstein]

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i need some help choosing...

 

[Orthodoc40]

i need some help choosing...

Are you serious??
What would make you choose BU?

 

[blueicyrose]

I'm jealous.

 

[Hebrew Hammer]

i need some help choosing...

UMass baby!! It would be an easy choice for me.....but I am not you...so good luck

 

[Orthodoc40]

I'm jealous.

Me too! Chose BU!

 

[silas2642]

i need some help choosing...

UMass all the way.

 

[Hari Kari]

Worcester or Boston? Think about it very carefully...

I'd consider renting a hotel room in Worcester and spending a weekend there before deciding.

Also consider residency placement, and where you would be doing clinical rotations.

BU may throw money at you and make what you ultimately owe pretty comparable to what you'd spend at UMass.

Just food for thought.

 

[diosa428]

Worcester or Boston? Think about it very carefully...

I'd consider renting a hotel room in Worcester and spending a weekend there before deciding.

Also consider residency placement, and where you would be doing clinical rotations.

BU may throw money at you and make what you ultimately owe pretty comparable to what you'd spend at UMass.

Just food for thought.

Have you actually ever spent time in Worcester? No, it's not Boston, but there is plenty to do and it is considerably less expensive. I agree that it's probably best to wait for financial aid packages and see what BU offers, but outside of tuition you will have to pay rent and buy food, and it's going to be waaaaay cheaper in Worcester (and so will parking and gas if you have a car).

 

[Hari Kari]

Have you actually ever spent time in Worcester? No, it's not Boston, but there is plenty to do and it is considerably less expensive. I agree that it's probably best to wait for financial aid packages and see what BU offers, but outside of tuition you will have to pay rent and buy food, and it's going to be waaaaay cheaper in Worcester (and so will parking and gas if you have a car).

Yes, I have. Define waaaaay cheaper, please. The difference isn't going to amount to more than a few thousand each year. Maintain a little perspective here. Happiness over a four year period is definitely worth the difference.

Anywhere in Metrowest is costly, and it has spread to Worcester as well. The real estate boom in Worcester in the last five years is RIDICULUS. Real estate values have literally doubled in that period, and that results in increased rental income for landlords.

 

[diosa428]

Well according to US News, the average indebtedness of a BU student is $138,743. Average debt of a UMass student is $85,393. I'd say $53,350 qualifies as waaaay cheaper.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Well according to US News, the average indebtedness of a BU student is $138,743. Average debt of a UMass student is $85,393. I'd say $53,350 qualifies as waaaay cheaper.

It is cheaper, but if money is the only reason this person would go to UMass, (and they haven't said if it is or not) then it's true that it may not be worth that much to them. Especially if BU gave them a great financial deal - in which case it would be less of a difference.

BU already rejected me, so I am voting that the OP goes to BU, just in case I still have a wait list chance at UMass !! 🙂

 

[diosa428]

It is cheaper, but if money is the only reason this person would go to UMass, (and they haven't said if it is or not) then it's true that it may not be worth that much to them. Especially if BU gave them a great financial deal - in which case it would be less of a difference.

BU already rejected me, so I am voting that the OP goes to BU, just in case I still have a wait list chance at UMass !! 🙂

Yeah, I was arguing with the other poster more than I was trying to be helpful. 🙄 It is true that everyone should go where they think they will be happy. I know that I would go to my first choice if they accepted me regardless of how much financial aid I got.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Yeah, I was arguing with the other poster more than I was trying to be helpful. 🙄 It is true that everyone should go where they think they will be happy. I know that I would go to my first choice if they accepted me regardless of how much financial aid I got.

Well good luck with that - maybe you still will!

 

[Hari Kari]

Well according to US News, the average indebtedness of a BU student is $138,743. Average debt of a UMass student is $85,393. I'd say $53,350 qualifies as waaaay cheaper.

Fine, so you have consulted the bible, and now preach its gospel. Did you read the small print where it says individual results may vary? The entire point was to wait and see how much money was thrown this kid's way. Someone who, by the way, just joined today, and may be trolling...

The dispute here was over cost of living differences, which realistically shouldn't amount to more than $5K/yr. If you want to debate something, do so. Introducing extraneous material when it seems your position is failing accomplishes nothing other than obfuscating the shortcomings of your argument.

Let's not overlook the fact that while it may strike you as a great deal of money, it might be insignificant to the next person. Even if the entire $53K difference was all attributed to cost of living differences, happiness is priceless in high stress situations. If one is stressed out and miserable, how much success can they expect to find in such a situation? If your goal is a competitive residency, wouldn't an additional investment of $53K to reach your goal be worth it? Let's not overlook that a surgeon would make up the difference in a matter of months over a GP.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Fine, so you have consulted the bible, and now preach its gospel. Did you read the small print where it says individual results may vary? The entire point was to wait and see how much money was thrown this kid's way. Someone who, by the way, just joined today, and may be trolling...
.

Probably was trolling since they haven't written a peep since starting this thing. Who would seriously have trouble deciding between these 2 schools??

 

[Orthodoc40]

Let's not overlook that a surgeon would make up the difference in a matter of months over a GP.

Surgeon's have a much longer time in residency, making $25k to $40k for like, 5 years or something. So if they got out at the same time they might make it up faster, they still spent at least 2 more years making very little, and thus, likely accumulating more debt.

 

[Hari Kari]

Surgeon's have a much longer time in residency, making $25k to $40k for like, 5 years or something. So if they got out at the same time they might make it up faster, they still spent at least 2 more years making very little, and thus, likely accumulating more debt.

You're right, a surgeon would spend an additional two (or more) years in residency, but you aren't really hurting for income. Here is compensation at a Massachusetts hospital:

PG Year Salary 2006-2007

PG1 $46,500
PG2 $48,200
PG3 $51,000
PG4 $53,000
PG5 $55,900
PG6 $58,300
PG7 $60,300

If you can't live on that sort of money, then you have a big problem. Many household incomes in this country don't approach that much.

 

[diosa428]

Fine, so you have consulted the bible, and now preach its gospel. Did you read the small print where it says individual results may vary?

Obviously financial aid packages vary. I have agreed (more than once) that he should wait and see what his financial aid package looks like. However, we weren't debating which was cheaper for HIM, we were debating which is cheaper. Also, it may be ridiculous to base your choice of school on the USNews RANKINGS, but the admissions and financial aid information that USNews provides is taken from the schools themselves, and is therefore probably very accurate. So don't act like I'm just a typical pre-med quoting from USNews.

The dispute here was over cost of living differences, which realistically shouldn't amount to more than $5K/yr. If you want to debate something, do so. Introducing extraneous material when it seems your position is failing accomplishes nothing other than obfuscating the shortcomings of your argument.

Ok, so 5k/yr x 4 yrs = $20,000. Still a significant portion of the $50k additional. Btw, introducing extraneous words when it seems your position is failing accomplishes nothing other than obfuscating the shortcomings of your argument.

Let's not overlook the fact that while it may strike you as a great deal of money, it might be insignificant to the next person. Even if the entire $53K difference was all attributed to cost of living differences, happiness is priceless in high stress situations. If one is stressed out and miserable, how much success can they expect to find in such a situation?

I have also clearly already agreed with this in a previous post, stating that I would pay whatever to go to my top choice. But this still does not make the information I provided irrelevant - the OP (or anyone else trying to make this decision) may want to take cost into account.

If your goal is a competitive residency, wouldn't an additional investment of $53K to reach your goal be worth it? Let's not overlook that a surgeon would make up the difference in a matter of months over a GP.

Yes, if your goal was a competitive residency, an extra $53k would be worth it - IF you actually thought school would matter. And I would agree with you if we were arguing between Harvard and UMass. But we're not.

 

[Hari Kari]

Obviously financial aid packages vary. I have agreed (more than once) that he should wait and see what his financial aid package looks like. However, we weren't debating which was cheaper for HIM, we were debating which is cheaper. Also, it may be ridiculous to base your choice of school on the USNews RANKINGS, but the admissions and financial aid information that USNews provides is taken from the schools themselves, and is therefore probably very accurate. So don't act like I'm just a typical pre-med quoting from USNews.

The entire basis for debate was cost of living expenses in the two cities, assuming comparable tuition expenses. Perhaps we aren't talking about the same thing? Please refer back to my original post if this doesn't sound quite right. Having said that, I have no doubt of the accuracy of the figures you quoted, however I feel that mode would be a more valuable measure of central tendancy here. Averages are easy to skew, and as such not the best indicator of what most students get in compensation.

Ok, so 5k/yr x 4 yrs = $20,000. Still a significant portion of the $50k additional. Btw, introducing extraneous words when it seems your position is failing accomplishes nothing other than obfuscating the shortcomings of your argument.

Huh? Sorry, I figured that since you've gotten this far in your education you shouldn't need me to curtail my vocabulary use for you to understand what I am trying to convey. I still doubt that I do, and take this as an act of pettiness.

I have also clearly already agreed with this in a previous post, stating that I would pay whatever to go to my top choice. But this still does not make the information I provided irrelevant - the OP (or anyone else trying to make this decision) may want to take cost into account.

I hadn't read that post until now. In fact, you do say exactly that. In the future, if you wish to provide information to others as a service to humanity, please refrain from doing it in a manner that baits others into argument.

Yes, if your goal was a competitive residency, an extra $53k would be worth it - IF you actually thought school would matter. And I would agree with you if we were arguing between Harvard and UMass. But we're not.

My argument isn't about the school, but class standing. Happiness= better class standing= better shot at a competitive residency. I'd say that 1st in your class at either UMass or BU is more impressive than last in your class at Harvard.

I'd say that we've pretty much argued this to death. If you have any rebuttal, feel free, but I'm growing bored.

 

[kingcer0x]

You guys are missing a key point: UMASS is indeed focused on providing primary care physicians to Massachusetts. It is a CENTRAL part of their mission and its why their school is subsidized so darn well by the state. Their standardized patient program is pretty good; we use it to some extent, but they realy emphasize patient care there.

So, it is cheap, which is GREAT if you want to go into primary care. If you don't want primary care, then the money shouldn't matter anymore, as you will be debt free at most 10 years from the start of your residency.

I dont know what the UMASS match list is like, but we match 40% into primary care, but half of that 40% are IM matches, which are almost always to academic programs.

 

[Hari Kari]

You guys are missing a key point: UMASS is indeed focused on providing primary care physicians to Massachusetts. It is a CENTRAL part of their mission and its why their school is subsidized so darn well by the state. Their standardized patient program is pretty good; we use it to some extent, but they realy emphasize patient care there.

So, it is cheap, which is GREAT if you want to go into primary care. If you don't want primary care, then the money shouldn't matter anymore, as you will be debt free at most 10 years from the start of your residency.

I dont know what the UMASS match list is like, but we match 40% into primary care, but half of that 40% are IM matches, which are almost always to academic programs.

I would say that it was more understood than missed. I recently heard what the primary match rate was, and I think it was ~60%, but don't quote me on that. Maybe diosa could look this up in the USNews and verify this for us.

Really, both schools have a great repuatation, and you'll still end up with the golden fleece at either one. There's simply no going wrong here. The point is that one shouldn't suffer through 4 years of schooling in a location if it doesn't make you happy simply to save a couple of bucks.

 

[kingcer0x]

Really, both schools have a great repuatation, and you'll still end up with the golden fleece at either one. There's simply no going wrong here. The point is that one shouldn't suffer through 4 years of schooling in a location if it doesn't make you happy simply to save a couple of bucks.

I agree... to the OP: just by posting, you are infuriating fellow pre-meds who would die to be in your shoes... lol

Why don't you visit both schools again and then decide... you have until May 15th afterall. Come to BU's second look weekend, April 29th I think... I just volunteered to cart all you guys over to dinner.

 

[topher2338]

You would be a ***** to go to BU over Umass!

 

[Hari Kari]

You would be a ***** to go to BU over Umass!

Thank you for your insightful reply. Where were you last week when we desperately needed your input?