mountain_man
New Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 1
Hey all. I recently got off the waitlist at University of Rochester and I'm really torn between there and my current acceptance at BU. They're both solid mid-tier schools with similar match lists, so I mostly feel like I'm struggling to decide between prioritizing $$$ vs. location (also fit somewhat). Here are my pros and cons:
Boston University:
Pros:
-Slightly higher rank (#29)
-Location. I've always lived in major cities and think I would do better in an urban environment. I grew up near NYC so I would be closer to family. I also have a few friends from college living in the area which would make settling in easier. I feel like there would be more opportunities to do research and make connections throughout the city (BU, Harvard, tufts).
-Mission: I'm really excited by the school's commitment to working with underserved populations. My experience working with those communities are a big reason I chose medicine in the first place, and would want to build on that work in my career. BMC being a safety net hospital would allow me to see a more diverse caseload/patients with unique complications.
-Strong opportunities for public and global health. I may be interested in doing research/work in those fields as a physician, and I think BU would set me up better for that.
Cons:
-Expensive. All loans, ~$355,000 COA ($80k of which are subsidized institutional loans, so they wouldn't start to accrue interest until I graduate).
-Felt the school lacked a sense of community.
Rochester:
Pros:
- Combination of need-based and merit scholarships would bring total COA to ~$280,000.
- Really vibed with the school on my interview day. There was a strong sense of community and everyone was really down to earth. It felt really collaborative and genuine.
Cons:
-No recorded lecture.
-Location. I don't know anyone here and it's got more of a suburban feel. I'm afraid that I would regret choosing to live here when I could have lived in Boston. I don't think I'd be interested in staying for residency.
I need to decide by tomorrow so I'd really appreciate any input!
Boston University:
Pros:
-Slightly higher rank (#29)
-Location. I've always lived in major cities and think I would do better in an urban environment. I grew up near NYC so I would be closer to family. I also have a few friends from college living in the area which would make settling in easier. I feel like there would be more opportunities to do research and make connections throughout the city (BU, Harvard, tufts).
-Mission: I'm really excited by the school's commitment to working with underserved populations. My experience working with those communities are a big reason I chose medicine in the first place, and would want to build on that work in my career. BMC being a safety net hospital would allow me to see a more diverse caseload/patients with unique complications.
-Strong opportunities for public and global health. I may be interested in doing research/work in those fields as a physician, and I think BU would set me up better for that.
Cons:
-Expensive. All loans, ~$355,000 COA ($80k of which are subsidized institutional loans, so they wouldn't start to accrue interest until I graduate).
-Felt the school lacked a sense of community.
Rochester:
Pros:
- Combination of need-based and merit scholarships would bring total COA to ~$280,000.
- Really vibed with the school on my interview day. There was a strong sense of community and everyone was really down to earth. It felt really collaborative and genuine.
Cons:
-No recorded lecture.
-Location. I don't know anyone here and it's got more of a suburban feel. I'm afraid that I would regret choosing to live here when I could have lived in Boston. I don't think I'd be interested in staying for residency.
I need to decide by tomorrow so I'd really appreciate any input!