CCOM vs ACOM

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A well thought-out decision indeed. Whatever the outcome may be, you won't regret it. As for folks who assure you the debt will not be overbearing, they aren't mistaken as well. Perhaps income based repayment + public service loan forgiveness is an outlook for you.
 
peptide said:
I am currently in $70,000 of debt + interest from an SMP and am having a very hard time deciding between these two schools. I LOVED CCOM, but the tuition/fees (currently $57,577) plus cost of living is VERY VERY expensive (for example ~$650-800/month rent even when sharing with a roommate). They have also raised their tuition 5% every year for the past few years, and will probably continue doing so.

ACOM just opened this year, but I get the feeling they will not raise their tuition/fees (currently $40,945) as much as CCOM will. Their facilities are nice, and I did not mind their location (it isn't that far from home). Cost of living is much more reasonable than Downers Grove, and I think ACOM has a lot of potential for a new school.

I estimate that my debt from CCOM would be roughly $450,000 after interest and tuition hikes, which really scares me. For ACOM, about $350,000 would be realistic. At either school, I would receive some assistance from family with living expenses.

I know that CCOM will give me a top notch education, but I don't think ACOM is so bad in comparison. Everyone says "don't worry about the debt/you'll be able to pay it off easily", but all these repayment/forgiveness plans are always changing, not to mention our future incomes less certain than ever with healthcare reform and such.

I already paid a deposit awhile ago for ACOM ($2k). But anyway, what does everyone think?
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Are you kidding me?
Ccom is fully accredited and one of the oldest COM's around
ACOM is unaccredited and does not have a reputation yet
 
premed1001 said:
Are you kidding me?
Ccom is fully accredited and one of the oldest COM's around
ACOM is unaccredited and does not have a reputation yet
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What do you mean by unaccredited? I thought all DO school, including the new ones, are accredited by COCA.
 
CCOM is very expensive. It is well established, but with the SAMC system setup at ACOM, I'd choose ACOM..I'm sure their students will have great rotations because that looked like a very nice hospital. ACOM is a nice school too 😀
 
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
What do you mean by unaccredited? I thought all DO school, including the new ones, are accredited by COCA.
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Provisional accreditation until they graduate their first class in 2017.

CCOM is one of the most established DO schools in the nation. Normally I would say pick the cheapest one but this is a difficult choice.

OP, how come there is nothing in the middle?
 
Shizz I am REALLY hoping that this doesn't happen to me next cycle. This is like my biggest fear through all this... I have a super strong feeling that for me it is going to come down to a newer school closer to home or an awesome school in somewhere I absolutely do not want to live. Bet you $1000 that's what is going to happen.

The only advice I can give is anecdotal from living here in the Midwest. After spending some time with a lot of DOs who went to ccom. They comment it is a good school. Got them into pretty solid allopathic residencies in Chicago and Wisconsin and Michigan. Not that where you go to school binds you to that place forever. But its something to consider. Which place would you would be willing to possibly be signing on for 7+ years... You can get residencies wherever, but I imagine it will be easier in a place where you've had ample opportunity to rotate and get your foot in the door. So really it comes down to where you see yourself in roughly 10 years.

Sit on it, pray on it, meditate on it, whatever you need to do haha. That's a tough choice. Good luck to you

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New schools always have terrible match lists, at least initially.

I don't think it's worth going to a new school unless it's your only option or you are 110% gunning for family medicine.
 
I understand that the cost of schooling for CCOM is horribly high and having chosen this school I am already dreading just the thought of having so much debt weighing me down, BUT it is CCOM. In the long run you want to be taught by some of the best (medical school and training) so that you can attain being a leader in whatever field you choose. Just look at it as an investment that will NEVER decrease in value, not many like that are out there.
 
The only way ccom might pay off is if you're trying for a Chicago or surrounding area residency. Otherwise, don't be fooled by name into paying 100k more. There's no way ccom offers something worth that much money that acom can't give.
 
Go to CCOM and don't look back. ACOM will likely turn out to be a great school, but we won't know that for sure for another 10+ years. CCOM is a sure thing. I understand the financial stress, as I'm losing hair myself, but CCOM will put you in a much better spot for residency come 2018.
 
cliquesh said:
New schools always have terrible match lists, at least initially.

I don't think it's worth going to a new school unless it's your only option or you are 110% gunning for family medicine.
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New schools always have super low incoming class stats too.
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Mehd School said:
Go to CCOM and don't look back. ACOM will likely turn out to be a great school, but we won't know that for sure for another 10+ years. CCOM is a sure thing. I understand the financial stress, as I'm losing hair myself, but CCOM will put you in a much better spot for residency come 2018.
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I mean if it were me I'd be going to CCOM. It's got an enormous alumni base and as such is a boost come residency time.
 
serenade said:
I mean if it were me I'd be going to CCOM. It's got an enormous alumni base and as such is a boost come residency time.
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Same bull**** they say about undergrad, frats and clubs. At the end of the day, you are on your own to make it.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Same bullcrap they say about undergrad, frats and clubs. At the end of the day, you are on your own to make it.
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Kinda... I think there are some advantages to coming from a school that had chief residents, PDs, etc as graduates in an assortment of fields. But idk, I'm weird.
 
There no way I would pass up ccom for a brand new school. And I don't come from a wealthy background so I understand the freak out factor regarding the tuition. But new schools have kinks to work out and no reputation. Just me though, u have to make the right decision for u.
 
peptide said:
Well I am on one other waitlist (OU-HCOM), and was also accepted at WCU. I have interviews at Touro-Ca and AZCOM in April. AZCOM is almost a carbon copy of CCOM in terms of costs, and Touro-Ca is very, very far from home. Being late in the cycle, I doubt either will be an option anyway. I also interviewed at Western-Ca and Touro-Nv but was rejected from both.

I also applied to NSU and PCOM-Ga but heard nothing from either.

Having already paid ACOM's deposit I am shocked to say really leaning towards this new school over one of the most solid DO programs out there. Attending a newer school might put me at a disadvantage, but I feel CCOM's price tag is simply unacceptable and that I will regret it down the road.

Meanwhile, I will pray to get off OU-HCOM's waitlist.
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You got accepted in the CCOM but rejected at WesternU and Touro-NV. Did you not show interest in those schools or something?

Send interest to PCOM-Ga and that might land you an interview.
 
Listen to the med students and residents here. Go to CCOM. Much more established. Having people come before u who PD's respected is not something that can be undervalued.

Also, i choose my school for monetary reasons, and was left wondering had i paid the extra amount and went else where would I had been happier,

Choose based on happiness as well. I choose monetarily and sort of regret it a little. I love my school but wonder if i had been happier elsewhere.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
$100,000 worth?
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Agreed. I am coming from a newer school (dcom) but I knew going in boards+auditions were going to be my saving grace. Focus on passing the curriculum and doing on boards and you will be fine come residency time.

I couldn't fathom paying an extra 100k....
 
Makati2008 said:
Agreed. I am coming from a newer school (dcom) but I knew going in boards+auditions were going to be my saving grace. Focus on passing the curriculum and doing on boards and you will be fine come residency time.

I couldn't fathom paying an extra 100k....
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I can understand OP though. Money doesn't become "real" until you actually matriculate into one school. Then you start thinking "Mother F... I could buy a Ferrari with this..."
 
Whew what if you actually did. Like what if you were able to actually spend four years saving that much money instead of spending that much. That would be cool

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I'm glad I'm attending ACOM for the reasons the OP is having such a quandary about - 41K a year is below average for DO schools and cost of living is about as low as it gets there.

It's a 100K decision. CCOM is a GREAT school. But like everything in education, it's mainly about what you did LAST. Where you went to high school is eclipsed by where you went to college. Undergrad by masters/doctorate. Doctorate by residency.
Residency is mainly determined by board scores and your effort. I'm not saying there aren't secondary roles by esteemed professors, connections, etc. Me, I'd rather save myself 100K and go to ACOM as I'll be spending my time studying my butt off regardless if it's in Chi town or Dothan.

If the COA were the same you'd have an easy decision; but it's really about your personal values and preference.
 
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This is a tough call OP.

CCOM is a really impressive school, but is it worth 100k to you? That's a lot of money. Personally I would pick CCOM because of location and reputation but I would totally understand someone else picking ACOM.
 
What it really comes down to is, do you feel that the cheaper school will give you the tools you need to succeed? If you feel it will, then I would go there. If not, go to CCOM. I picked my school over a substantially cheaper PBL school not because I felt their approach to PBL didn't work well with my personality, and the more expensive school would better prepare me for success on the boards. If you're applying to allo residencies (with the merger, that doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot anymore) going to CCOM versus ACOM doesn't really mean much, so pick the one that works better for your learning style and where you see yourself practicing.
 
chizledfrmstone said:
You got accepted in the CCOM but rejected at WesternU and Touro-NV. Did you not show interest in those schools or something?

Send interest to PCOM-Ga and that might land you an interview.
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Unfortunately, I think PCOM-GA is done with interviews.
 
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