Icahn vs. Dartmouth

[DorianDinosaur]

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Hi everyone! I've been very fortunate to receive multiple acceptances this cycle, and I've narrowed it down to these two schools at this point. I have a couple days until 4/30 to finalize my decision, and I'd love to hear your thoughts:

Dartmouth
Pros

• Really cohesive community
• Relatively close to home (NYC) and Boston, so could visit both on the weekends/breaks
• I've been a city person all my life - might be nice to experience a different environment?
• Lots of cool initiatives, especially in global health (but this isn't something that's very important to me)
• 1.5 year preclinical

Cons

• pretty expensive (didn't get much aid)
• Rural location - I'd need to buy a car/learn how to drive
• Not a lot of diversity, which doesn't align with my goals
• Scattered all over the country for clerkships - a lot of traveling according to current M3s
• Would have to really strive for urban opportunities to match back to a city for residency
• Not as much research, which is important to me (I also want to leave room for upwards mobility in terms of specialty competitiveness)

Icahn
Pros

• in NYC (home) - able to stay close to family and friends
• Unbeatable rent for dorming on the UES next to Central Park (which is an area I am very familiar with)
• Tons of cool initiatives - student body is very outspoken/has major activism vibes, which I greatly appreciate
• Tons of research opportunities
• Ability to work with a diverse community in an urban setting
• Opportunities to do research and rotate at other institutions/hospitals in the city
• I hope to stay in NYC/the Northeast for my medical career, so would be significantly easier to achieve by going here
• Take-home testing over the weekends
• have friends who are currently students there
• More prestigious

Cons

• 2-year preclinical
• Don't know the price yet, but if I don't get much aid, it might be slightly more expensive than Dartmouth (difference would be about 20-30k over 4 years - is this difference significant enough to impact my decision?)
• Didn't mesh with fellow students as much as I did with Dartmouth, but everyone was nice

Summary: Currently leaning towards Icahn, but wanted to hear y'all's thoughts about it. Is there anything I missed/didn't know about these two schools?

 

[SpreadKindness20]

Congrats on great choices! Don't have too much to add, and it sounds like you're already quite familiar with Icahn.

I also have an A at Dartmouth and have looked at their match lists. There are plenty of people at urban academic centers. To the extent that some people match at/near Dartmouth, that's likely their choice to stay in the area. I don't think you would have any issue matching at an urban residency in the Northeast. You can do an away rotation if you want (which people from most medical schools do anyway). Don't know if you're into hiking/skiing/outdoors stuff but tough to beat the Upper Valley for that.

Maybe wait to see the aid situation before making a final decision between the two. Best of luck!

 

[doktoralya]

Just looking at your post, you seemed more excited about icahn than dartmouth to me! Both are awesome choices and i don't think you can go wrong either way. Is there any way you can know more about the aid before the 30th?

 

[gomernation]

Icahn

 

[Grogu]

Seems like Icahn matches your goals more. Best of luck

 

[applicant20]

Based on your pros, cons, and where you're already leaning, Icahn 🙂

 

[Banco]

Easy for Icahn unless you have some major compelling reason for Dartmouth, which it doesn't sound like you do.

 

[rep_the_don]

You sound like you have better pros for Icahn than you do for Dartmouth. The unbeatable rent is also great to stay in NYC!

 

[DorianDinosaur]

Thanks so much for your input everyone!! I actually was able to see my financial aid package from Icahn before 4/30, and it ended up being about the same (and actually a little better) that Dartmouth's. I've decided on Icahn! So grateful for all your support~