Full Tuition WashU vs. 75% Tuition Northwestern

[ChemistryisFON]

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WashU
Pros

• Full Tuition
• Great hospital system
• Mobile health research
• Innovation track
• Sling Health/Dedicated incubators/accelerators

Cons

• Consulting isn't as large as it could be in Chicago
• The curriculum seems a little less flexible compared to FSM, but still need to have a deeper conversation with current students.

Northwestern
Pros

• Chicago is a great city for networking
• 75% Tuition Scholarship
• The curriculum appears to offer more free time
• One of the top mobile health researchers in the country is there

Cons

• Costs would put me $100K more in debt.
• AOSC seems kind of forced, which is okay since I will do research but kind of just is "meh."

Summary: I am interested in creating startups/entrepreneurial endeavors while in medical school (along with consulting). Northwestern has the network that is Chicago, but WashU has more of that in its curriculum. I am definitely a niche case and most have told me that WashU is a better school overall, but I feel like not being in Chicago could be a detriment in the future.

 

[camnewton1]

ask northwestern to match wash u

 

[ChemistryisFON]

ask northwestern to match wash u

I did they said they will see if they can "move money around."

 

[deleted555445]

WashU
Pros

• Full Tuition
• Great hospital system
• Mobile health research
• Innovation track
• Sling Health/Dedicated incubators/accelerators

Cons

• Consulting isn't as large as it could be in Chicago
• The curriculum seems a little less flexible compared to FSM, but still need to have a deeper conversation with current students.

Northwestern
Pros

• Chicago is a great city for networking
• 75% Tuition Scholarship
• The curriculum appears to offer more free time
• One of the top mobile health researchers in the country is there

Cons

• Costs would put me $100K more in debt.
• AOSC seems kind of forced, which is okay since I will do research but kind of just is "meh."

Summary: I am interested in creating startups/entrepreneurial endeavors while in medical school (along with consulting). Northwestern has the network that is Chicago, but WashU has more of that in its curriculum. I am definitely a niche case and most have told me that WashU is a better school overall, but I feel like not being in Chicago could be a detriment in the future.

I am on the WL for both schools so my biases conflict with each other, no matter what you choose you're helping me. So thank you!

Anyways, I agree that WashU is the better school in terms of clinical/research reputation, but if you are truly interested in consulting/entrepreneurship then having the NU relationship with Kellog would be extremely beneficial. Not to mention Booth has a campus a few blocks away from Feinberg, and of course there's the rest of Chicago as well. These schools are both excellent in reputation, choosing NU over WashU is not gonna be the reason you don't match a certain program down the line, so I guess its just a question of whether its worth the extra cost to be in Chicago. I myself would not pay $100k more for that, however, based on your pros and cons I get that feeling that it would make you much happier.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Do you have experience consulting? Firms aren’t really going to hire somebody in medical school unless they can add value without being trained and what not. So I wouldn’t really make the decision based on which would allow you to do consulting in med school.


Being able to consult while in med school would be largely dependent upon existing connections. More important would probably be mandatory classes at each school. If attendance is required and you have to be at a client site, then you’ll be in a bind

Otherwise, both give you equal opportunity for consulting after med school imo but MBA would be far more beneficial than an MD

 

[m1redsox]

Seems simple to me— if you think you can make $100k + the COL difference (plus interest if you’re doing loans) more in Chicago as a consultant than in St Louis, then pick NW. If it’s a toss-up ($60k/year vs ~$95k), then I’d go with the better hospital system at WashU.

 

[ChemistryisFON]

Do you have experience consulting? Firms aren’t really going to hire somebody in medical school unless they can add value without being trained and what not. So I wouldn’t really make the decision based on which would allow you to do consulting in med school.


Being able to consult while in med school would be largely dependent upon existing connections. More important would probably be mandatory classes at each school. If attendance is required and you have to be at a client site, then you’ll be in a bind

Otherwise, both give you equal opportunity for consulting after med school imo but MBA would be far more beneficial than an MD

Yeah, I do have experience. I am definitely weighing Kellogg's in but didn't want to seem like an idiot letting an MBA program tilt the scale on my MD decision. Thank you!

 

[ChemistryisFON]

I am on the WL for both schools so my biases conflict with each other, no matter what you choose you're helping me. So thank you!

Anyways, I agree that WashU is the better school in terms of clinical/research reputation, but if you are truly interested in consulting/entrepreneurship then having the NU relationship with Kellog would be extremely beneficial. Not to mention Booth has a campus a few blocks away from Feinberg, and of course there's the rest of Chicago as well. These schools are both excellent in reputation, choosing NU over WashU is not gonna be the reason you don't match a certain program down the line, so I guess its just a question of whether its worth the extra cost to be in Chicago. I myself would not pay $100k more for that, however, based on your pros and cons I get that feeling that it would make you much happier.

Thank you! I definitely am thinking Chicago is the move now. Good luck with your cycle!