Asking for input from current students or alumni from either school (or any school) to tell me what they like/dislike most. I've gotten accepted to both but indecisive on which school I should send my deposit to. Any input would be great. My gut is pushing towards KCUMB but DMU is a great school as well.
Here is what I posted in a similar question on the DMU specific thread:
You can't really go wrong with either school. Make a list of non-school priorities that you are looking for and find out which school has the most of those.
Here's what is probably equal between the two:
- Both have a huge alumni base/solid reputation
- Both schools have solid clinical rotation opportunities
- Both schools have excellent faculty (from what I have heard about KCUMB)
- There isn't a huge price difference between the two, not like a LECOM/in-state school type of price difference
- Curriculum is slightly different between the two, but I don't know enough about KCUMB's to comment although I have heard good things, I do know DMU's curriculum is good, there are always some tweaks that could be made at every school
- DMU does have more emphasis on OMM/OMT (two full years of it, all mandatory lectures, also have a 40 hour cranial elective (don't even get me started on that), DMU does have some excellent OMM faculty who are incredibly talented at what they do)
- Research wise, DMU isn't particularly lacking in the area, but most DO schools aren't exactly geared toward research
If you want a competitive specialty, you are gonna have to work your *** off no matter where you go and both schools would help you in that area. I know DMU's board pass rates are well above the national average, and I'm pretty sure KCUMB does just as well. There simply aren't that many differences between the two schools in terms of quality and I don't know much about KCUMB's new curriculum, but I know DMU's curriculum does quite well in terms of boards preparation.
So it's time for you to look at the "intangibles" so to speak: family (do you want to be close to them to have opportunities to go home? Do you have a significant other to consider? Children?), Living expenses (Des Moines average COL is 10% below national average), Area of living (there aren't many areas of Des Moines I would consider bad and I'm from Chicago), Atmosphere of the school (approachability of faculty and students alike), peer mentorship/guidance opportunities (DMU has plenty, I don't know enough about KCUMB to comment on it).
My best advice is don't discount the importance of the gut feeling when you visited each school. Take some time to reflect on each visit/interview day and think about how you felt throughout it and consider how you felt interacting with students and with faculty.
Feel free to me pm me if you have other specific questions.
P.S. Go Gunners!
KCUMB seems to have good support for students despite the hard curriculum (Learning specialist...) but then again I was only on campus for a day...
