Columbia vs Penn

[alexissanchezatarsenal]

School 1: Columbia
OOS
Pros:

• Amazing for specializing
• Integrated med curriculum
• P/F
• Small Class Size
• Less competitive/cutthroat
• Good research

Cons:

• COA (584k
• Clinical xp is bad
• Basically a guaranteed GPR/AEGD
• Living costs a bit higher

School 2: UPenn
OOS
Pros:

• Good for specializing
• Good clinical xp
• Living costs a bit cheaper
• Good research
• I know 2 upperclassmen
• Block education
• Can retake tests up to 80%

Cons:

• Not P/F
• Large class size with bad faculty to student ratio
• no med integrated curriculum
• COA is also high (584k)
• more competitive environment (from what i've heard from my upperclassmen friends)

Summary:

I'm a michigan resident so location is honestly not a huge thing for me; they're both far lol. I think it is worth noting that I am on the waitlist at ohio state so If I get in there I would take it in a heartbeat. Overall I'm honestly leaning more towards Columbia because im interested in doing omfs having shadowed a lot at an oral surgeons practice. At the same time, however, I know this may be a little naive and a lot of students who want to do omfs end up changing their minds and wanting to be a gp which is why I cant decide between the two schools. My thought process is that if I am going to be about 600k deep in student loans then I basically have to specialize in something lucrative or else i'm going to be drowning in debt for the next decade or so. any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

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[Wisetoothshucker]

Both are great schools, I personally went to a P/F and really had a great experience. So I'd recommend Columbia, it's helpful for OMFS (and really all specialties, keeps the doors open by being P/F). Both are expensive, if your state school is cheaper you can consider that. But I'd go with Columbia. Loans suck but you'll pay it off.

 

[alexissanchezatarsenal]

Both are great schools, I personally went to a P/F and really had a great experience. So I'd recommend Columbia, it's helpful for OMFS (and really all specialties, keeps the doors open by being P/F). Both are expensive, if your state school is cheaper you can consider that. But I'd go with Columbia. Loans suck but you'll pay it off.

I appreciate the insight! Unfortunately my instate school (umich) did not even invite me to interview. Sucks especially considering I had damn near 100th percentile stats. Praying I get off the waitlist at ohio state lol.