Harvard vs Stanford vs Yale vs NYU vs…

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

chaos

  • Harvard

    Votes: 40 60.6%
  • Stanford

    Votes: 7 10.6%
  • Yale/UPenn

    Votes: 3 4.5%
  • NYU/Columbia

    Votes: 3 4.5%
  • Mayo/WashU/UChicago

    Votes: 3 4.5%
  • F*ck it, we ball (UCSF)

    Votes: 10 15.2%

  • Total voters
    66

meticulousex36

Full Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2024
Messages
59
Reaction score
258
Hiiiii everyone. First, thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to read (or skim) this mind dump… I’m genuinely 50/50 (I am doing the “he loves me, he loves me not” of picking a school at this point), so I really appreciate y'all for offering your perspective. Also, yes, i know this reads a bit like a reddit **** post, but I am also really grateful to have this kind of a difficult decision to make.

Some key factors:
• I’m a non-trad (28F), so I really would like to graduate in 4 years.
• Low SES/first gen, so finances are a big deal. I am very debt averse.
• My fiancé is starting a biotech company, so Bay area or Boston are best, but NYC is good too.
• My fiancé’s entire family lives in central Cali, so the long-term goal is to move close to them to start a lil family.
• I will keep an open mind, but I do think I want to match into a specific competitive surgical sub-specialty. I am also heavy into research and policy/program implementation.

Pros and Cons of Each

Harvard – Tuition & Fees Covered (~80k total)

✅ Literally my professional dream. I like the curriculum, research opportunities, and hospital system. I even like mandatory classes because I like seeing the same people every day and getting into routine.
✅ Amazing classmates, diverse patient population, and three hospital systems to learn from / in.
✅ Strong surgical match (generally and in the specialty I am potentially aiming for).
✅ Did a one-year RA here, so I have connections to labs and could jump right in without too much effort.
✅ Partner can live with me and has tons of connections to start his company here.
✅ My mom wants me to go here (for no real reason, she just likes the name lol)
❌ Boston winters suck, regional match bias means I’m less likely to end up on the west coast long term, and would need to take out some loans for living expenses (unless my partner’s company pops off lol)

Stanford – Tuition & Fees Covered (~80k total)

✅ Oh, I would be so happy. I recharge by staring at trees and getting a lil sun burnt. Perfect weather, close to Big Sur / Tahoe / SF / ocean.
✅ Near my partner’s family. Built-in support system (meals, laundry, and if we wanted to start a family, babysitting…).
✅ Regional matching bias means I’m more likely to be able to match and stay in central California.
✅ Great research opportunities. I’ve done work at Harvard before, so Stanford could offer a fresh perspective.
✅ Smaller class size would be nice.
✅ My mother-in-law would love me forever for bringing her only son back lol
❌ It seems like there’s less clinical emphasis. Stanford is more innovation-heavy, and something like 40% don’t go on to residency.
❌ Most students take 5-6 years to finish, and I’ve been told you have to petition to be able to graduate in 4.
❌ They match competitive specialties like Derm, but their surgical match list was a little… funky. Am I reading these right?? Even after taking 5-6 years, Stanford students SOAPed??
❌ Even though they have the residency program I want to go into, they don’t match their own students into it? Their residents are mostly from the east coast (UPenn, Harvard, JHU), and their graduates matched, eg, UC Irvine.
❌ Would still need to take out some loans for rent unless moving in with family / friend.

NYU/Columbia - Tuition Covered (~80k total)

✅ Could be done in 3 years (NYU), have tons of friends and connections in New York, my partner could start his company here.
✅ Still have the opportunity to get COA at both NYU and Columbia, but that’s unknown.
❌ Regional matching bias, cold, potential living expense loans, and news has been circulating about Columbia 🗞️

Yale/UPenn - COA Covered ($0 total)

✅ Chill vibe (Yale), no debt, great research, great name-recognition, great clinical training.
❌ Partner won’t be able to live with me, but will live in Boston nearby (so as a unit we will still be paying for Boston rent and travel back and forth).

Mayo/WashU/UChicago - COA Covered ($0):

✅ Arguably the best clinical training (especially Mayo), small class size (Mayo), great research opportunities, no debt, closer to my home in the Midwest.
❌ Partner won’t live with me (so 2x rent) and regional match bias.

UCSF - Finances Unknown (but OOS public school might mean $300-400k)

✅ Close-ish to partner’s family, great clinical training, great matches, SF is perfect for his company, we have tons of friends there already.
❌ Finances will probably make this a ridiculous choice.

TLDR:
• Harvard is the best program fit, Stanford is the best life fit, NYU is the quickest, and Mayo/Yale/WashU/UPenn/etc. are the best deal.

What else should I be paying attention to?? Am I an absolute idiot for not just taking the cheapest option?? Is long distance for four years fine?? Is it easier to start a small family during medical school or residency?? What questions should I be asking while I’m at Second Look??

Thank you again for taking the time to read all this 🫶🏼😚

Members don't see this ad.
 
Based on your pros and cons alone, it sounds like Harvard would be the best fit from the cost, proximity to partner, and excellent clinical training. However, I do want to add that based on what I've heard from several people and faculty I have spoken with at different medical schools, Harvard's students and faculty can also be some of the most competitive. Further, you would be limited to one hospital during clerkships rather than the big 3 Boston hospitals during rotations (of course having the other 3 as options for electives later).

I would seriously consider negotiating very hard using all of your offers for UCSF because it sounds like by far your best options with the excellent location and clinical training if the cost could be brought down. With full COA at schools like Mayo and free tuition at Harvard and Stanford I feel like it's very reasonable they will match with how insane your cycle has been.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
This has to be the best cycle of all time, congrats and I vote harvard because only 80K is worth more than any other option. YOU WILL MATCH to the west coast if that is what you want, their match list reflects regional preferences and they have many UCSF matches every year. Good luck legend
 
I vote Harvard based on your list mainly because of your partner and agree that you can easily match back to California if you invest time and effort to do so - just plan to do some aways there!
 
First off, congrats on your amazing options!! Tbh, my vote is for Harvard

I'm an M1 at Stanny and can address a couple of your cons tho

❌ It seems like there’s less clinical emphasis. Stanford is more innovation-heavy, and something like 40% don’t go on to residency.
Honestly, this is one of the largest misconceptions of the Stanford curriculum. Would highly recommend you speak with upper year med students or program residency directors at discovery days (if you'll be going) because my word won't mean as much as an M1. Just my 2 cents tho, we have a ton of clinical exposure and training in our curriculum - I've been happy with it so far

Most students take 5-6 years to finish, and I’ve been told you have to petition to be able to graduate in 4.
Hahah not sure if you're joking with the petition thing, but you def don't have to fight the admin to stay for 4 years. While it's true ~80% of students take more than 4 years to graduate, it's because the school makes it veeery easy to stay longer (fully funded chill research gap years, fully funded masters, etc.). That being said, you can definitely bounce after 4 years, no petition required

Can't speak on the other cons since they are out of my wheelhouse, but def bring those points up to faculty at discovery days to hear what they say. Lmk if you have any Qs about stanny and I can try my best to address them - congrats again on your cycle!!!
 
Based on your pros and cons alone, it sounds like Harvard would be the best fit from the cost, proximity to partner, and excellent clinical training. However, I do want to add that based on what I've heard from several people and faculty I have spoken with at different medical schools, Harvard's students and faculty can also be some of the most competitive. Further, you would be limited to one hospital during clerkships rather than the big 3 Boston hospitals during rotations (of course having the other 3 as options for electives later).

I would seriously consider negotiating very hard using all of your offers for UCSF because it sounds like by far your best options with the excellent location and clinical training if the cost could be brought down. With full COA at schools like Mayo and free tuition at Harvard and Stanford I feel like it's very reasonable they will match with how insane your cycle has been.

I agree with geriatric: it’s clear UCSF is your favorite due to your partner! If they don’t match, I would pick one of the full COA options.

Well this was unexpected, I guess I had kinda written UCSF off as too expensive as an OOS student. But y’all are right that it might be my #1 if financials come back competitive (still waiting). Does anyone else have experience negotiating with UCSF financial offers?? If so, could you shoot me a dm?!?

Thanks for y’all’s input on this!
 
First off, congrats on your amazing options!! Tbh, my vote is for Harvard

I'm an M1 at Stanny and can address a couple of your cons tho


Honestly, this is one of the largest misconceptions of the Stanford curriculum. Would highly recommend you speak with upper year med students or program residency directors at discovery days (if you'll be going) because my word won't mean as much as an M1. Just my 2 cents tho, we have a ton of clinical exposure and training in our curriculum - I've been happy with it so far


Hahah not sure if you're joking with the petition thing, but you def don't have to fight the admin to stay for 4 years. While it's true ~80% of students take more than 4 years to graduate, it's because the school makes it veeery easy to stay longer (fully funded chill research gap years, fully funded masters, etc.). That being said, you can definitely bounce after 4 years, no petition required

Can't speak on the other cons since they are out of my wheelhouse, but def bring those points up to faculty at discovery days to hear what they say. Lmk if you have any Qs about stanny and I can try my best to address them - congrats again on your cycle!!!
Omg thank you for clearing these up!! I guess I had just talked to a bit of a jaded student, and I would love to dm you to get another perspective from someone happy with it!!
 
Omg thank you for clearing these up!! I guess I had just talked to a bit of a jaded student, and I would love to dm you to get another perspective from someone happy with it!!
Ofc! Feel free to shoot me a dm, will keep it 100 about my experiences here 🫡
 
Top