BU vs. Vanderbilt vs. UF

[mcdreamy_wannabe]

Hi all, I've been having a kinda anxiety-filled weekend after getting an unexpected A and now I'm freaking out and worrying that I need to rethink everything that I thought I had figured out lol.

Context: Current UF undergrad originally set on going to UF, found out I got into BU and now I'm wondering if I need to rethink BU (and Vandy too). Trying to make a pros/cons list, but need help to know if I'm skewing myself towards UF just because it's in my comfort zone (and if I am, is that technically a bad thing?). Also, for additional context, highly interested in either a peds subspecialty (likely peds heme/onc), although recently reconsidering if I want to do adult heme/onc instead.

Edit: also unsure about where I want to be geographically 4 years from now. I know med school geography goes hand in hand with residency geography, but I genuinely don't know if I'd want to stay in the Southeast or Northeast for residency.

UF:
Pros:
Super familiar with the Gainesville area, super comfortable driving, know where to shop/eat/etc.
Love the school energy/environment/campus (goes hand in hand with familiarity)
Close to home (parents/siblings in state)
P/F pre-clinical
$37k a year tuition (have not yet heard about FA/scholarships; trying to possibly leverage other schools' scholarships for $$)
Current personal connection with research (doing research in UFCOM as an undergrad, can carry over at least a little into med school)
Least expensive cost of living of the 3
More research funding than BU (according to NSF and NIH)

Cons:
Lowest ranked of the 3 @ #37 (yes, I know rankings aren't everything)
A/B/C/D/F clinical grading (I think, according to Google)
Ultimately, it is the most in my comfort zone out of the 3 (concerned that I may subconsciously be settling somehow/could do better but don't realize it because of comfort/undergrad influence)
Less research funding than Vanderbilt (according to NSF and NIH)

BU:
Pros:
P/F pre-clinical
H/HP/P/F clinical
Extended family <1hr away
So much cool stuff in Boston!!
Boston Children's Hospital! Being able to do peds rotations at the #1 children's hospital in the country is huge!
I'm sure there should be lots of research opportunities, right? (I mean, it's Boston!)

Cons:
Immediate family 1500 miles away
Never lived in a big city before, afraid it'd be overwhelming/scary
Cold. Just Cold.
$50k a year tuition (originally $65k but got $15k scholarship)
Cost of Living is huge
Unsure if worth relocating for a slightly higher ranking (#32) (again, I know rankings aren't everything)
Bottom ranked of the 3 in research funding (from NIH and NSF)

Vanderbilt:
Pros:
P/F pre-clinical
P/F core rotations
H/HP/P/F 3rd and 4th year (I think)
1 year pre-clinical
T20 (#13)
Reputation
Top ranked of the 3 in research funding (from NIH and NSF)
Cost of living less expensive than Boston

Cons:
Immediate family 800 miles away
Never been to Nashville (can't attend second look b/c it's same weekend as UF's)
$$$$ 65k a year tuition
Cost of living more expensive than Gainesville

Appreciate any help/reassurance! I know my family definitely has a preference and I know that I ultimately have to make this decision on my own but it's hard to tell how much of my potential preferences are my own vs. family vs. practicality. I've also grown up firmly middle class so thinking about the $$ to go to Vandy or BU (both tuition and cost of living wise) scares me, but at the same time I know that I'll have to take loans no matter what and I'll obviously be able to pay it off, but those differences are hard to think about.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bob12364747474]

Seems you already ruled out Vandy before so between UF and BU I’d go UF. Not worth paying all that extra tuition/COL and being far from immediate family for a marginal prestige difference

 

[PuzzlesMD]

I don't quite see where/why you've ruled out Vandy? It seems to have the same cons as BU except cheaper cost of living + warmer. If going for extra prestige, Vandy no question. If you'd rather be closer to your support system, then UF.

All three would set you nicely for peds -> heme/onc, or IM-> heme/onc, though Vandy's extra prestige and research resources would win that competition.

I don't mind being away from family, so I would go Vandy 100%. But there are others who highly value that time, and it's important for their wellbeing, so they would pick UF 100%.

 

[mcdreamy_wannabe]

I don't quite see where/why you've ruled out Vandy? It seems to have the same cons as BU except cheaper cost of living + warmer. If going for extra prestige, Vandy no question. If you'd rather be closer to your support system, then UF.

All three would set you nicely for peds -> heme/onc, or IM-> heme/onc, though Vandy's extra prestige and research resources would win that competition.

I don't mind being away from family, so I would go Vandy 100%. But there are others who highly value that time, and it's important for their wellbeing, so they would pick UF 100%.

I didn’t rule out Vandy necessarily! I had just kinda put it slightly on the back burner mostly for financial reasons (100k more than UF, just for tuition alone) but after I got into BU, I just started reassessing all three again

 

[mcdreamy_wannabe]

@PuzzlesMD @bob12364747474 thank you both for your comments, they’re super reassuring! I needed to hear unbiased opinions lol so I appreciate it!

 

[Arsartium]

Just curious -- why not attend the Vanderbilt second look instead of U? UF will be local for you after all. Probably a better value proposition to attend Vandy second look if Vandy truly being considered.

Congrats on your excellent choices. Rest easy that there isn't a "wrong" choice.

 

[mcdreamy_wannabe]

Just curious -- why not attend the Vanderbilt second look instead of U? UF will be local for you after all. Probably a better value proposition to attend Vandy second look if Vandy truly being considered.

Congrats on your excellent choices. Rest easy that there isn't a "wrong" choice.

Definitely a fair question! Ultimately it came down to cost/logistics. Having to travel several states away for like 3-5 days, depending on if I wanted to arrive the day before and/or leave the day after (their second look weekend is literally Friday-Sunday) vs. walking 5 minutes from my apartment. I had originally planned on going to both as UF was originally offering 2 different weekends, but they had to eliminate one, only leaving the one that overlapped with Vandy.

Also, thank you so much for the reassurance about there being no “wrong” choice, I really appreciate that

 

[deleted1145155]

Any of the three can set you up for a strong IM residency. Vandy ofc wins but all three are a good choice. It sounds like your leaning between Vandy VS UF. Consider family, where you would excel the most, cost, and practicality.

BU vs UF doesn't really matter that much in terms of rank. Also def use the scholarship offer from BU to try and get more money from others schools but inquire about their scholarships and financial aid first.

LMK if you wanna discuss anything.