Case vs. MCO

[Funshine0123]

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Okay, so d-day is tomorrow and everytime I reach my "final" decision, I'm not so sure that it's final anymore.. Obviously, tomorrow I can't change my mind, it's just too bad this didn't come with an instruction manual. I've got it narrowed down to the top 2 where I was accepted (if I get one of my waitlists, then everything goes to hell LOL). I'm between Case & MCO. I've tried talking to some current students, but I'm having much better luck getting ahold of MCO students. Some people have told me that Case is a much more competitive atmosphere & the professors and other students are much more helpful at MCO. Is there truth there? Also, what else did you guys use to make your decisions? I know the rankings of both schools, although (being from Cleveland originally) I don't know much about the hospitals out in Toledo. ANY feedback you can give me would be greatly appreciated at this time. Is Case really worth the $20K more/year?

 

[mellotron]

there's tons of info on Case on this website. Search for Case or CWRU - lucky for you, pretty much everything about Case has been discussed at one time or another.

On the other hand, I loved my MCO visit. Toledo is my hometown, so I left feeling very proud of what MCO has achieved in the mere 30 years it's existed. The things that stuck out the most to me were the commaraderie (sp?) of the students and faculty. I mean, Dr. Myers seems like someone you could go out and drink a beer with, you know? From my tour, MCO seems to be the place that students drop OSU, Case, and UC in favor for a tighter "family" educational experience.

As for the hospital system, I really haven't a clue. I grew up there, but I also grew up destined to be an engineer, so I hardly paid attention to Toledo's health care system.

As for competition, my impression was that Case's P/F for the pre-clinical years did a good job of hiding, if not eliminating it. MCO does the H/HP/P/F thing. Maybe that motivates, maybe not, so that one's up to you. The way I looked at it was that stat wise, I was above avg. at MCO so the grading may have helped me. Whereas, at Case I'd be avg., so P/F was a big selling point, allowing me to focus on being comfortable above being competitive.

In the end, I'm holding my OSU spot and sitting on the Case waitlist. But to address your last question - I've had the mindset for 2 months that I was going to OSU. As excited as I was about Case initially, if they came knocking on my door tomorrow, I really think I'd have a hard time dropping OSU for Case's sticker price.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Originally posted by mellotron
From my tour, MCO seems to be the place that students drop OSU, Case, and UC in favor for a tighter "family" educational experience.

I went to my MCO interview, and was literally blown away at the quality of the facilities, and the "family" like atmosphere. Seriously considering out of state, even if I get an instate UC acceptance. In the end, MCO tuition costs for out of staters would be the same as UC instaters (given that you apply for state residency after the first year). Kind of excited. Hope they give me an acceptance after my interview there.

 

[Resident Alien]

Originally posted by Funshine0123
Some people have told me that Case is a much more competitive atmosphere & the professors and other students are much more helpful at MCO. Is there truth there? Also, what else did you guys use to make your decisions? I know the rankings of both schools, although (being from Cleveland originally) I don't know much about the hospitals out in Toledo. ANY feedback you can give me would be greatly appreciated at this time. Is Case really worth the $20K more/year?

Totally not true about the competition.

And Case is expensive, tuition for next incoming class is $37,200. how could you not know this? 😕

 

[Auricae]

If you plan on entering a competitive speciality, Case may give you an edge. If not, then go where you are happier and where it is cheaper.

 

[sophiejane]

Originally posted by Resident Alien

And Case is expensive, tuition for next incoming class is $37,200. how could you not know this? 😕

Holy crap. I hope everyone who graduates from CWRU is going to be a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. How can people who want to do FP or IM or peds justify spending that kind of money? How can anyone?

 

[osar92]

If you are trying to get a more competitive residency, then I would definitely choose case. But otherwise, MCO is a solid school, too. I definitely liked MCO when i interviewed there... the facilities were good and the faculty seemed really interested in helping out the students. The main thing that turned me off from MCO was the town of Toledo itself, but that's just me.

Case on the other hand is a really great school, albeit super crazy expensive. Lots of research opportunities and clinical exposure is great - I thought that it was cool that every first year student gets paired up with a pregnant woman from a clinic and follows her throughout her pregnancy and goes to all of her appts and is even there for delivery! But even though case has a P/F system and lots of people claim that the students are so cooperative, the students that I had lunch with did say that sometimes people do get competitive and can be a little cut-throat. THis is, I think, where MCO is better than case.

But its your decision and you should go where you feel most comfortable... you dont want to be doing the toughest studying of your life in place that you dont really love and feel totally comfortable in.

 

[DrQuinn]

Do not worry about one school or another giving you a better "edge" in applying to residencies. Neither Case or MCO are powerhouses, anyways.

Go where tuition is affordable to you (hey if your parents drive Porsches than 37k a year isn't too bad) but for most of us that's a lot of cash.

Go where you want to live for 4 years. Also go with your gut.

That's it.

Use that criteria and you'll be happier in the long run.

Q, DO

 

[DrQuinn]

Hahhaha I just reread this thread... the OP was from MAY of 2003!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Q, DO

 

[Da Vinci2]

I also saw the original post is from MAY of LAST YEAR! Anyway, I will have to disagree with QuinnNSU on Case. While its no Harvard, Duke, or Hopkins, its still a very well regarded institution, easily belonging to the top 20% of all medical schools. I don't know what the cost is of going to Case Medical School but, at the very least, its Medicine and Peds residencies are both top notch! OSH is alright too judging from the NSNEWS rankings, although I am not familiar with that school.