double post

[ecoscuba]

Ok, so I got accepted into a few schools including my state school and some nifty private schools.

However, after going over the financial aid forms, the financial reality of the situation is starting to sink in. I want to go into academic medicine, and am not after a large paycheck and am consequently having trouble justifying the additional $100K in debt that I would accrue if I went to a private school.

My pros for going to the private instead of state are:
1. better reputation
2. better curriculum

Cons:
1. significantly higher cost (both tuition and cost of living)

My pros for going to the public
1. know people here (have some political sway)
2. own a house here already (living costs go toward mortgage)

Cons:
1. Ok reputation

Arguments:
I could svae a buttload of money going to a state school and still do my residency and fellowship at more prestigous instituitions.

Summer opportunities for research are the same as I plan on going elsewhere for both private and state.

The crux of the matter is:
Is a neater curriculum and better rep of a med school really worth $100K extra in debt when my residency and fellowship are going to be what matters most in my research career? Especially if I am after an academic research position (meaning it will be much more difficult for me to pay off debt).

Thanks for the input.

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[housemd]

Ok, so I got accepted into a few schools including my state school and some nifty private schools.

However, after going over the financial aid forms, the financial reality of the situation is starting to sink in. I want to go into academic medicine, and am not after a large paycheck and am consequently having trouble justifying the additional $100K in debt that I would accrue if I went to a private school.

My pros for going to the private instead of state are:
1. better reputation
2. better curriculum

Cons:
1. significantly higher cost (both tuition and cost of living)

My pros for going to the public
1. know people here (have some political sway)
2. own a house here already (living costs go toward mortgage)

Cons:
1. Ok reputation

Arguments:
I could svae a buttload of money going to a state school and still do my residency and fellowship at more prestigous instituitions.

Summer opportunities for research are the same as I plan on going elsewhere for both private and state.

The crux of the matter is:
Is a neater curriculum and better rep of a med school really worth $100K extra in debt when my residency and fellowship are going to be what matters most in my research career? Especially if I am after an academic research position (meaning it will be much more difficult for me to pay off debt).

Thanks for the input.

why would you double post? And yes, reputation does matter, if you are looking to go into academic medicine. Any school in the top 20 will get you where you want to go. That is not to say that your state school will not get you there, it will jus be a bit more difficult.

 

[tinkerbelle]

why would you double post? And yes, reputation does matter, if you are looking to go into academic medicine. Any school in the top 20 will get you where you want to go. That is not to say that your state school will not get you there, it will jus be a bit more difficult.

i think ecoscuba gets the idea I bet he (or she?) didn't realize his first thread acutally worked b/c the forums are being weird today.

i hope evo and lee fix it soon

 

[Graat]

Supposedly you can use part of RO1 NIH grants you receive to pay off student debt from medical school (most academic NIH grants are RO1). This was hearsay, but from an admissions director at a medical school.

 

[beep]

which state school? whoch private school?

 

[DrMom]

closing. you can respond to the open version of this thread.