Case Western vs. Keck (vs. Less Debt)

[EmilyRoseMD]

Just seeking advice from all the places I can find...

So, I'm an Indiana resident - have been for all of my life. I chose IU for undergrad for an amazing scholarship, but I've always wanted to get away.

My three accepted schools now are...

1) Indiana University
2) Case Western
3) USC/Keck

I know that IU is kind of random up there, too. I know it's not as much of a name as either of the schools, and I had originally already wiped them out of my mind. But this week I just got notice that they would give me $10,000 a year if I matriculated. That would make IU cheaper for FOUR years than anywhere else for ONE (especially with my parents bribing me with room and board if I stay in state). I know you shouldn't pick JUST based on money, but it's still an issue.

Any ideas? And if you're a student at any of these or accepted at any of these, let me know what you love and hate about the schools?

Thanks!

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[Chaz Michaels]

def. IU - no brainer

 

[copperfrog09]

I feel you.. I am an Indiana resident and have lived in Indy or Fort Wayne my whole life, and really want to get out of Indiana for the next four years. When I tell people I am not applying to IU because I would rather re-apply than stay in Indiana for the next 4-6 years, they tell me I'm crazy (which I likely am), but I know that, even with the price, I would not be content staying in Indiana.

I don't have any advice to offer on any of the schools other than that. If you feel that you want to get away, go with your gut and don't end up regretting it, especially with those two GREAT acceptances in hand. Take chance, go to California (or Ohio!) and if you want to come back, then you always can.

 

[braintrust]

All three are great schools but I would personally be leaning towards Case because they have such and incredible program and LA culture really disgusts me. Cost for me doesn't mean that much since I opted out of my in state school from the beginning for a desire to leave. Thats my two pesos.
Good luck , and besides wherever you decide to go you'll still be on track to be a doctor

 

[EpiPEN]

eh...do you want a CA residency? cuz if you do, the choice is more obvious. on a side note, I hear USC has hot nurses.


Imho, between case and usc it's really just where do you want to live more later down in life.

If it don't matter to you, then go for the cheap school

 

[EmilyRoseMD]

Thanks, everybody! Especially to my fellow Hoosier! (PS... I'm from around Fort Wayne!)

Anyone else have any other info they would like to share about either Case or USC?

Thanks again!

 

[CCLCMer]

I want to start out by saying that I really love Case. (I'm a student in their CCLCM program.) That being said, if you are seriously considering paying four times as much money to come here instead of going to IU, all I want to know is if your parents would be willing to adopt me as your older sibling, because I'd sure love to share that wealth!

Seriously, Emily, unless your parents are crazy rich, go to IU. Don't mortgage the next couple of decades of your life because some rag of a magazine doesn't think IU gets enough research funding. If you really want to come to Case, they have residencies here too, and the cool thing is that then you'd be getting paid to come here instead of paying them $42,000 a year just for tuition. There's also a lot to be said for being close to home. I am an OOS student, and I envy the people who have family close by when we have long weekends and they can go home but I can't because it's too expensive to travel that far for just a few days.

 

[dr midnight]

Case is awesome!!!!!! I don't know about IU, Keck has great clinical. Where do you see yourself living. Do you get along with your parents???? You can't go wrong. it boils down to where do you want to live life style...... Case has the best matchlist... you could pick almost any res program. If I had to choose I would pick Case.... it would be nice to grad, without 250,000 in debt. Keck is a commuter school so everyone lives off campus so there it makes it harder to get together with other students. diff CASE good luck

 

[SoccerMD12]

I too am in your situation with a 10k/year scholarship from IUSM...

Just a little notice about how "cheap" IUSM is...

IUSM
Year 1 52101.44
Year 2 51801.24
Year 3 43299.24
Year 4 43599.24

Summer1 14595.82
Summer2 16519.82

TOTAL 221916.8

W/ SCHO 181916.8

One thing I didn't know was that their fees (in their little pdf) don't include the summer fees for in between years 2/3 and 3/4, which adds quite a bit of money. Even with scholarship the debt is 182k (although it would be cheaper because of your parents)... but I'm not sure it is as cheap as you think it is...

 

[SoccerMD12]

p.s. The above calculations are for an INDIANA resident in INDY... it's about 2k lower if you are at a regional campus...

Just an FYI

 

[EmilyRoseMD]

Thanks, SoccerMD12! That was very helpful. I AM an Indiana resident so those figures were VERY helpful. How is it possible that they can quote the 27K plus tuition fee for Indy? Are there REALLY that many other fees because living in Indy isn't THAT expensive, is it?

Thanks!

 

[SoccerMD12]

http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/financialaid/2008-09AcadYrTuitionFees.pdf
http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/financialaid/2008SummerTuitionFees.pdf

And I realize you might not have to pay certain fees (like new laptop, as much as they say for books, exc), but those same reductions will be similar to other schools, so I usually just find it best to compare maximums.

Although, obviously you could remove a certain amount for rent...

 

[Picklesali]

http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/financialaid/2008-09AcadYrTuitionFees.pdf
http://msa.iusm.iu.edu/financialaid/2008SummerTuitionFees.pdf

And I realize you might not have to pay certain fees (like new laptop, as much as they say for books, exc), but those same reductions will be similar to other schools, so I usually just find it best to compare maximums.

Although, obviously you could remove a certain amount for rent...

But when books, supplies, personal, and travel expenses that make that figure so high are also added in at every school, so isn't it just as easy to compare the base tuition rate? It's not like Indy is secretly charging 20 grand in fees. So when you include the lowered cost for travel? and housing along with the instate tuition and scholarship, it's very clear that Indy would be the cheapest school for the OP to attend BY FAR. Now if you want to call the grand total cheap - I think that's a judgment call.

 

[Doctor Doogie]

Case Western hands down!

 

[se2131]

Just to add to the info here, here are the budget estimates for Case Western: http://casemed.case.edu/financial_aid/FAcurrentacademicbudget.cfm .

Year 1: 66,566
Year 2: 64,046
Year 3: 67,126
Year 4: 64,766

Total: 262,504

This number includes everything (tuition, fees, room and board, books, etc.), and of course assumes absolutely no scholarship/grant money.

So if SoccerMD12's estimates are correct, then there's a difference of about $80,000 total over the four years (accounting for your $10K/year scholarship already). I dunno how much the room and board gift from your parents will change that figure, but that's the figure you should be looking at (i.e. is Case Western worth $80K more?)

And you haven't gotten the financial aid package from Case Western yet, and I dunno if you've gotten it from IU. It is possible that Case gives you more need-based money than IU, which would narrow down that figure.

Sorry for leaving USC out of this, I know very little about that school

 

[Ella Shepherd]

Go to Case!

 

[SoccerMD12]

But when books, supplies, personal, and travel expenses that make that figure so high are also added in at every school, so isn't it just as easy to compare the base tuition rate? It's not like Indy is secretly charging 20 grand in fees. So when you include the lowered cost for travel? and housing along with the instate tuition and scholarship, it's very clear that Indy would be the cheapest school for the OP to attend BY FAR. Now if you want to call the grand total cheap - I think that's a judgment call.

I'd agree that just comparing the tuitions works for figuring out the difference.

For me though, when I look at it...
1) 262k at Case vs. 182k at IUSM is different than
2) 174k at Case (tuition) vs. 68k at IUSM (tuition - 40k scholarship)

In case one you are looking at the whole package while in case two you are just looking at tuition (w/ scholarship). The problem with this is that you "imagine" that Case is 3x as much due to unproportionally appropriating all of the scholarship to tuition, when in reality the difference is 80k.

Ultimately, you are right, in that it is to a degree irrelavent, but I'm just saying that mentally it helps me look at the whole package.

 

[LovelyMD]

OP, I think you should calculate exactly how much it would cost to attend all 3 schools, and wait for the financial aid packages from all 3. Sometimes a school looks more expensive on paper, but then they offer you enough grant aid so that the school turns out to not be as expensive after all. Also, what did you think of IU (aside from it's ranking)? Do you think you would be happy there?