gut feelings

[Faustus]

Has anyone ever gone with their gut feelings when deciding between schools and ended up feeling like they got burned? Oppositely, are there people who decided to go to a more prestigious school instead of a place they had a great feeling about, and later regretted it?
I am totally torn right now between 2 schools, and the easy decision would be to go to the more well-known one, but I am almost possessed with this idiotic idea that I would be SO much happier at a different school (my friends think I have lost my mind). I don't know how I can make such an important decision based on less than a day's worth of impressions (I'll be going to 2nd looks at both places, but I get the feeling that they'll only confirm how I feel about both).
Any thoughts out there, o wise people of the student doctor network?? Ultimately do you have to trust your instincts or is this the time to play it smart and hedge your bets for your future?

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[Oceandust]

What schools?

 

[Faustus]

I don't think the names are important, and it's really not the point, but for the sake of argument let's say Penn and NYU (in terms of prestige and rankings, that's pretty much the difference).

 

[omores]

If you're really stuck, maybe you should create some kind of algorithm for yourself. First, take all the qualities that are important to you and give them a percentage, so that you'll end up with a total of 100%.

For example, Gut feeling: 50%. Reputation of school: 20%. Financial aid: 20% Location: 10%. Be sure to include anything that's remotely important to you, and maybe you want to break the "gut feeling" category into subdivisions (what the students are like, facilities, educational program, and so on.)

Next, rank each school from 1-10 in each of those categories. Multiply the ranking by the percentage, add everything up, and voila...

It's an awfully mechanical way to make the decision, but it might serve you better than trying to decide between "gut feeling" and "reputation" alone.

Good luck.

 

[Jamier2]

I've never had the luxury (yet, hopefully) of your predicament. However, in my whole life, I have almost always regretted going against my gut feeling on anything. Might not be the same for you, but I am definitely a person who follows their gut feelings, albeit after a few mistakes along the way.

 

[EMDrMoe]

I usually go with my gut feeling. I used to go against it, especially with assessing injuries, and it has come back to bite me you-know-where more often than not. (yep, even when the clinical symptoms do NOT indicate what my gut is telling me). Don't make the decision solely on your gut, but don't ignore it, either. I like the algorithm. That way, the importance of your "gut" is accounted for. Good luck, and know that you make the best decision you can at any given time.