Jacobs SOM (Buffalo) vs Renaissance SOM (Stony Brook)

[everythingbutthebagel]

Quick Background: NYS resident (give me that SUNY tution) and currently interested in OB/GYN 🙂

Buffalo
Pros

• Went here for undergrad- already know the area, the hospital system, and many of the incoming and current medical students
• Closer to home (~1.5 hours)
• Prefer to live and work in a city
• Brand new medical campus !!!
• Can afford to live alone within walking distance to the school or possibly w/ my SO (he's currently on the waitlist at Buffalo so fingers crossed)

Cons

• Quintile rankings during pre-clinical so more competition
• Haven't heard back about scholarships but currently $15k/year more expensive
• Ranked a little lower (not sure if this matters to me or not)

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Stony Brook
Pros

• Received $15,000/year of need-based aid
• Shorter pre-clinical (18 months) with lots of free time during M4
• Pre-clincial grades don't contirubte to your quartile rank
• Would be convenient to have an attached university hospital
• Impressive match list and slightly better name recognition
• smaller class size (130 vs 185)

Cons

• Lack of a support system- family would be ~7 hours away
• High cost of living- would probably need roommates and would be commuting by car to campus
• Not super interested in staying in the NYC/LI area for residency

Summary: Are my reasons for choosing Buffalo worth $60,000 (plus interest) if I don't receive any scholarship or aid?
There is something to be said about staying where I feel comfortable and have a pre-existing support system, but I know there are benefits to moving to a new place and getting out of your comfort zone. I think location-wise Buffalo is a better fit for me, but Stony Brook may be a better fit for me academically. Please help!

(Edit: Also got into Upstate which I think I've ruled out at this point, but I'm open to hearing people's opinions)

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[saintbernard95]

I don’t think 60k is that much in the grand scheme of things. Also I think the area around stony brook is more expensive to live in compared to buffalo, so you may not be saving as much money as you think.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Cost of living near Stony Brook is quite high. I believe much higher than Buffalo. The new campus at Buffalo is pretty impressive from what I've read / seen on-line. Stony Brook seemed disorganized when I dealt with them a couple years back. Documentation stale, questions went unanswered. Felt like I could get lost in the shuffle there without a lot of support from the staff. Just a sense, no hard data.

 

[traveler15]

I think having a support system may be more important. I do not think 60k will be much in the grand scheme of things as well.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I think Buffalo

 

[everythingbutthebagel]

Thanks to everyone who responded! I ended decided on Buffalo for a lot of the reason you all mentioned