Mayo (MN) vs. Columbia P&S

[JoHar]

Redacted for anonymity


I ended up choosing Columbia. This was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I do not believe there was a right or wrong answer but my heart was in Manhattan and despite the incredible facilities, faculty, and students at Mayo I couldn't bring myself to withdraw from there.

Thank you all for your advice! Go Lions!

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[Goro]

Which do you like more: covered dishes and casseroles, or NY pizza and deli food???

Congrats on the accepts!

 

[LizzyM]

Do you know where P&S is relative to the place where graduate and undergraduate students are located?

Do you have what it takes to live in a densely populated urban setting or do you need more elbow room?
Do you want to be in a setting where the number of students is small? You may bond with such a small group or you may feel that you never find your people because the pool is so small. The converse may be true in a large school where it is perhaps easier to get lost but easier to find a like-minded cohort for work and play.
How tolerant are you of really cold weather vs just moderately cold weather?

 

[byunprime2]

A few thoughts:

You describe Columbia’s location in upper Manhattan as perfect. That setting is far different from what you’ll encounter in Rochester.

The thought of leaving a puppy behind for med school makes me sad

You say you’re torn on this decision even without having gotten aid from Columbia yet. Couldn’t this be indication that your heart hopes that you end up there? I say wait for financial aid and then reevaluate how you feel then. There is likely too little difference in the prestige/resources of these institutions to have an appreciable effect on your matching outcome. As LizzyM noted, there is certainly a difference in the academic setting and class sizes between the two schools. These factors, along with money, location, access to hobbies, and your support system will factor in to how happy you’ll be at either school. In the end, nobody can make this final calculus except for you.

Sorry if that doesn’t give you a definitive answer. But I don’t think there is a wrong answer in this scenario! Keep us updated on your decision

 

[SCN1a]

I think Columbia because of your word use seems to favor it more than mayo “perfect” is hard to beat. But I do have to tell you I’m on the WL at mayo so I could be biased (though I’ve tried to be objective because I know my chances are slim to get off the WL at this point anyways) honestly congrats dude these acceptances are one hell of an achievement!!

 

[JoHar]

Do you know where P&S is relative to the place where graduate and undergraduate students are located?

Do you have what it takes to live in a densely populated urban setting or do you need more elbow room?
Do you want to be in a setting where the number of students is small? You may bond with such a small group or you may feel that you never find your people because the pool is so small. The converse may be true in a large school where it is perhaps easier to get lost but easier to find a like-minded cohort for work and play.
How tolerant are you of really cold weather vs just moderately cold weather?

Great questions! I am from southern california so I have no frame of reference here. To me: both are freezing haha. I think the undergrad is pretty close but not directly attached to the Med School. It probably wouldn't make a huge difference, but the MPH school is right accross the street so it would be nice to interact with those folks a little bit.

I have had a difficult time trying to assess whether I would perform better in a small group or larger group. I think ultimately a smaller group setting would be beneficial, but I can see pros and cons to either situation.

I was born in a pretty densely populated area so I am familiar with it. I know just from being back east a few times now that NYC is a totally different type of dense though and would be a huge adjustment. However; I think adjusting to a suburbon place like Rochester would also require some time.

Thank you for your response!

 

[JoHar]

I think Columbia because of your word use seems to favor it more than mayo “perfect” is hard to beat. But I do have to tell you I’m on the WL at mayo so I could be biased (though I’ve tried to be objective because I know my chances are slim to get off the WL at this point anyways) honestly congrats dude these acceptances are one hell of an achievement!!

SCN1a, you and I have been through the ringer this application cycle. I know you will get some good hits off of the waitlist and I am praying for you to get a spot at Mayo. If I end up chosing Columbia I hope you get mine!

I do think that my heart is with Columbia, but the price is not right. I will have to wait until I get some financial info from them to fully decide.

Thank you for the advice, my friend! I know good things are coming your way.

 

[SCN1a]

SCN1a, you and I have been through the ringer this application cycle. I know you will get some good hits off of the waitlist and I am praying for you to get a spot at Mayo. If I end up chosing Columbia I hope you get mine!

I do think that my heart is with Columbia, but the price is not right. I will have to wait until I get some financial info from them to fully decide.

Thank you for the advice, my friend! I know good things are coming your way.

Hey dude! Thanks for the confidence we really have been through it haven’t we! (lol if you ever do give up your spot tell them to give it to me!). Mayo just sent out five more “interest emails” and I didn’t get one so my hopes aren’t high though I can always dream. Honestly, go where you’ll be happiest even if it is mayo. I hear the dorms at Columbia are pretty reasonable but I don’t know anything about the fin aid. Say hi to your pup from me

 

[DBC03]

I’m from Florida and NYC weather is tolerable, but not enjoyable. Minnesota is ridiculously cold. If you need a tie breaker, there ya go. Go with Columbia (one of my faves from this year, but didn’t get an interview). Hoping financial aid comes in for you!


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[artist928375]

Where is home for you again? Even though both are far from home, it would probably be a lot easier to actually get home from Columbia since NYC has 3 airports! I would think you would have more opportunities in NYC, it's a great city and there's just nothing quite like it. Sure, Mayo has a good faculty:student ratio, but you've got access to faculty at Cornell, Rockefeller, Memorial, Sinai, and NYU when you're in NYC. They're just a subway ride away. Remember, you're not limited to Columbia's campus!

 

[JoHar]

Where is home for you again? Even though both are far from home, it would probably be a lot easier to actually get home from Columbia since NYC has 3 airports! I would think you would have more opportunities in NYC, it's a great city and there's just nothing quite like it. Sure, Mayo has a good faculty:student ratio, but you've got access to faculty at Cornell, Rockefeller, Memorial, Sinai, and NYU when you're in NYC. They're just a subway ride away. Remember, you're not limited to Columbia's campus!

This is a really good point. I also have friends currently in school at Cornell and other NY programs but I don't know anyone in the MN area.

I am from Southern California.

 

[JoHar]

I’m from Florida and NYC weather is tolerable, but not enjoyable. Minnesota is ridiculously cold. If you need a tie breaker, there ya go. Go with Columbia (one of my faves from this year, but didn’t get an interview). Hoping financial aid comes in for you!


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I agree with you! I have a hard time even imagining how cold MN is because I am from Southern California. But I have been to NY in the winter and it's cold but definitely survivable. Thank you for this input!

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Where is home for you again? Even though both are far from home, it would probably be a lot easier to actually get home from Columbia since NYC has 3 airports! I would think you would have more opportunities in NYC, it's a great city and there's just nothing quite like it. Sure, Mayo has a good faculty:student ratio, but you've got access to faculty at Cornell, Rockefeller, Memorial, Sinai, and NYU when you're in NYC. They're just a subway ride away. Remember, you're not limited to Columbia's campus!

This is a really good point. I also have friends currently in school at Cornell and other NY programs but I don't know anyone in the MN area.

I am from Southern California.

So I'm a Mayo student and originally not from the midwest/from a much bigger city and I can tell you that you will for sure be able to go home/travel in general much more often if you come to Mayo. First off there is actually an airport in Rochester (it's small tho) and there is also the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport (not small) which is only an hour and 15 min drive away. How I know you will have more time to go home/travel at Mayo is because we have selectives, so you get between 1-4 weeks off during selectives that are after each block. I have friends at different med schools and none of them have the freedom we do thanks to selectives and Mayo's generous funding. You can get funding for up to 3 trips per year for selectives from the med school, plus it's very easy to get additional funding for travel if you do research and go to a conference; I've had multiple trips covered through department funding at Mayo and have gone to conferences all over the country. In 3rd and 4th year you also have the option to do rotations at Mayo's hospital in Phoenix, AZ (not too far from SoCal) and/or Jacksonville, FL. If you choose to do rotations at another Mayo campus they hook you up (housing, rental car, stipend).

I disagree that you'll have more opportunities simply by being in NYC. You will have endless opportunities at Columbia or Mayo. It's more about fit; where you would prefer to live and which school you think you will be happier at (what LizzyM and Goro said), but it's not like you won't have as many opportunities at Mayo as you would at Columbia. Also Mayo has a lot more than just a good faculty:student ratio. There is a reason why Mayo Clinic, in this tiny city in MN, is ranked the best hospital in the country with people who come here from all over the world. There are only like 100k people who live in Rochester yet Mayo had 1.3 million people come here for care last year from all 50 states and over 150 countries. Mayo also has the oldest and largest residency training program and around 5k physicians on staff. This still boggles my mind because other hospitals this size are in much larger cities.

FWIW most of my classmates aren't from MN and didn't know anyone before coming here either. You will make friends quickly if you come to Mayo. Classes are super tight because there are only ~45-50 people per class and you spend a lot of time together. There are a lot of people from CA in my class too and they don't love the MN winters, but they deal. Have yet to meet anyone who doesn't think Mayo is worth it. The worst months are Dec-Feb and there's like 5 weeks off for selectives during those months when you could go home or go to AZ or FL campuses. When you get to 3rd and 4th year it's also very common for people (especially those from states that don't really do winter) to do rotations in AZ or FL during winter months.

Good luck and congrats on your acceptances. You can't go wrong either way! Let me know if you have other questions about Mayo

 

[JoHar]

So I'm a Mayo student and originally not from the midwest/from a much bigger city and I can tell you that you will for sure be able to go home/travel in general much more often if you come to Mayo. First off there is actually an airport in Rochester (it's small tho) and there is also the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport (not small) which is only an hour and 15 min drive away. How I know you will have more time to go home/travel at Mayo is because we have selectives, so you get between 1-4 weeks off during selectives that are after each block. I have friends at different med schools and none of them have the freedom we do thanks to selectives and Mayo's generous funding. You can get funding for up to 3 trips per year for selectives from the med school, plus it's very easy to get additional funding for travel if you do research and go to a conference; I've had multiple trips covered through department funding at Mayo and have gone to conferences all over the country. In 3rd and 4th year you also have the option to do rotations at Mayo's hospital in Phoenix, AZ (not too far from SoCal) and/or Jacksonville, FL. If you choose to do rotations at another Mayo campus they hook you up (housing, rental car, stipend).

I disagree that you'll have more opportunities simply by being in NYC. You will have endless opportunities at Columbia or Mayo. It's more about fit; where you would prefer to live and which school you think you will be happier at (what LizzyM and Goro said), but it's not like you won't have as many opportunities at Mayo as you would at Columbia. Also Mayo has a lot more than just a good faculty:student ratio. There is a reason why Mayo Clinic, in this tiny city in MN, is ranked the best hospital in the country with people who come here from all over the world. There are only like 100k people who live in Rochester yet Mayo had 1.3 million people come here for care last year from all 50 states and over 150 countries. Mayo also has the oldest and largest residency training program and around 5k physicians on staff. This still boggles my mind because other hospitals this size are in much larger cities.

FWIW most of my classmates aren't from MN and didn't know anyone before coming here either. You will make friends quickly if you come to Mayo. Classes are super tight because there are only ~45-50 people per class and you spend a lot of time together. There are a lot of people from CA in my class too and they don't love the MN winters, but they deal. Have yet to meet anyone who doesn't think Mayo is worth it. The worst months are Dec-Feb and there's like 5 weeks off for selectives during those months when you could go home or go to AZ or FL campuses. When you get to 3rd and 4th year it's also very common for people (especially those from states that don't really do winter) to do rotations in AZ or FL during winter months.

Good luck and congrats on your acceptances. You can't go wrong either way! Let me know if you have other questions about Mayo

This is so helpful, thank you! The selectives have definitely been an intriguing reason for me to attend Mayo.

I am curious to get your opinion on activities outside of the class room that students can get involved with and also the general atmosphere at Mayo. Is it competitive or cut throat in any way? Do students participate in teams and is there anything like intramural games at the Mayo clinic. For example: I love playing pick up basketball. Is this something I could easily find with my classmates in Rochester?

I love the idea of being connected to 3 different campuses in totally unique parts of the country. I think this would be a huge advantage for residency.

I am also curious about the research requirement. I am really interested in clinical sciences but I think it could be interesting to pursue a basic science or other research interest while in medical school also. Do students generally do clinical research or do they branch out and perform basic science research or pursue other interests?

Thank you again for this response. I am really struggling with this decision!

JoHar

 

[Leopold23]

Great questions! I am from southern california so I have no frame of reference here. To me: both are freezing haha. I think the undergrad is pretty close but not directly attached to the Med School. It probably wouldn't make a huge difference, but the MPH school is right accross the street so it would be nice to interact with those folks a little bit.

I have had a difficult time trying to assess whether I would perform better in a small group or larger group. I think ultimately a smaller group setting would be beneficial, but I can see pros and cons to either situation.

I was born in a pretty densely populated area so I am familiar with it. I know just from being back east a few times now that NYC is a totally different type of dense though and would be a huge adjustment. However; I think adjusting to a suburbon place like Rochester would also require some time.

Thank you for your response!

Just chiming in on the distance between P&S and undergrad: a little over 50 blocks between them or 6 stops on the 1 train.

 

[MarineMDHopeful]

This is so helpful, thank you! The selectives have definitely been an intriguing reason for me to attend Mayo.

I am curious to get your opinion on activities outside of the class room that students can get involved with and also the general atmosphere at Mayo. Is it competitive or cut throat in any way? Do students participate in teams and is there anything like intramural games at the Mayo clinic. For example: I love playing pick up basketball. Is this something I could easily find with my classmates in Rochester?

I love the idea of being connected to 3 different campuses in totally unique parts of the country. I think this would be a huge advantage for residency.

I am also curious about the research requirement. I am really interested in clinical sciences but I think it could be interesting to pursue a basic science or other research interest while in medical school also. Do students generally do clinical research or do they branch out and perform basic science research or pursue other interests?

Thank you again for this response. I am really struggling with this decision!

JoHar

Well if you choose Mayo I would be your classmate and I love pickup basketball. So we just need a few more...and I met plenty of sports type at SLW. And yes there are intramural sports that everyone in the Mayo Clinic has access too so you could have an attending on your team or nurses.

And the cutthroat thing is nonexistent there. Thats why Mayo was my top choice from day 1. I think the only school that would compare to the lack of competition is Yale because they also don't internally rank or have AOA.

 

[JoHar]

Well if you choose Mayo I would be your classmate and I love pickup basketball. So we just need a few more...and I met plenty of sports type at SLW. And yes there are intramural sports that everyone in the Mayo Clinic has access too so you could have an attending on your team or nurses.

And the cutthroat thing is nonexistent there. Thats why Mayo was my top choice from day 1. I think the only school that would compare to the lack of competition is Yale because they also don't internally rank or have AOA.

Thank you so much for this advice! and MY MAN! If I attend we gotta get some games going. Do you happen to know if there are any intramural games or extra curricular non-medicine activities at Mayo. One of my concerns is that because I interviewed at the Florida I don't really have any idea what the MN campus is like. Is there a nice gym for students (not trying to be douchy but genuinely curious)?

I am happy to hear that Mayo isn't super competitive. Thanks agian for the post, I would be honored to be your classmate MarineMD!

JoHar

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

This is so helpful, thank you! The selectives have definitely been an intriguing reason for me to attend Mayo.

I am curious to get your opinion on activities outside of the class room that students can get involved with and also the general atmosphere at Mayo. Is it competitive or cut throat in any way? Do students participate in teams and is there anything like intramural games at the Mayo clinic. For example: I love playing pick up basketball. Is this something I could easily find with my classmates in Rochester?

I love the idea of being connected to 3 different campuses in totally unique parts of the country. I think this would be a huge advantage for residency.

I am also curious about the research requirement. I am really interested in clinical sciences but I think it could be interesting to pursue a basic science or other research interest while in medical school also. Do students generally do clinical research or do they branch out and perform basic science research or pursue other interests?

Thank you again for this response. I am really struggling with this decision!

JoHar

Selectives are really the best and I can't say enough positive things about having them in our curriculum. If you haven't had a chance yet I would check out the med student run blog, mayomedicalschoolblog.mayo.edu and also the student reflections on selectives page to read more about what people have done with them.There is also this blog that is run by a mayo med student and she has written a lot about different selectives she did - All blog posts

It isn't a competitive or cut throat environment at all. Everyone shares resources and helps each other. We are one of the few medical schools that does not participate in AOA (the medical honor society). This was a decision made by the med school to foster a collaborative and non-competitive environment, since med schools that offer AOA internally rank their students to figure out who is in the top 10% of the class or whatever the AOA requirement is. There is no internal ranking of students at Mayo. Some med schools will say they are pass/fail, but if they have AOA then they aren't truly pass/fail in the sense that student grades are still being recorded and students will be ranked internally for selection into AOA. I'm really glad to be at a school where this isn't a thing.

You can definitely still do intramural sports. Some of my classmates are on teams within the med school (so like only med students participate but from all classes) but there are also teams open to anyone within Mayo Clinic which anecdotally seem to be the most popular. Even though there's not a typical university, Mayo does have the school of health sciences and grad school, so there are opportunities to meet cool people from outside the med school too. I've met friends who are doing nursing, social work, physical therapy, pharm, and in various phd programs at Mayo. As med students we can also join any of the Mayo Clinic employee resource groups (these are basically interest and activity groups open to anyone at Mayo). Basically anything you are interested in, you can find.

I also really love having access to Mayo's campuses in AZ and FL and took advantage of doing selectives there pretty early on in 1st year. It's a great opportunity to see a different part of the country, different patient populations, and meet additional mentors in your field(s) of interest.

Most of my classmates do clinical research, but there are definitely opportunities to get involved with basic science research if that's your thing. Off the top of my head there are 8 people in my class who I know are doing basic science work. There are probably more that I'm forgetting. But yeah absolutely you can find projects and support for whatever your interests are

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Thank you so much for this advice! and MY MAN! If I attend we gotta get some games going. Do you happen to know if there are any intramural games or extra curricular non-medicine activities at Mayo. One of my concerns is that because I interviewed at the Florida I don't really have any idea what the MN campus is like. Is there a nice gym for students (not trying to be douchy but genuinely curious)?

I am happy to hear that Mayo isn't super competitive. Thanks agian for the post, I would be honored to be your classmate MarineMD!

JoHar

That's really a bummer that you didn't get to see the MN campus! It blew my mind first time I walked through the Gonda building when I interviewed. There are some good pictures of the MN campus and med school on instagram but none really fully do it justice. Anyway, the gym we use (which is also free because the med school pays for our memberships) is ridiculously nice. It's called the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center (Mayo people just call it the DAHLC or the Dan) and has over 150 classes a week, a bunch of wellness programs (even cooking classes). It also has 2 indoor salt water pools, whirl pools and saunas in the locker rooms, and one of my favorite things - hydromassage beds. we are pretty spoiled lol

 

[Meredith92]

Hey Everyone,

Firstly, thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to this thread. I appreciate any and all advice that I can get.

I will preface this by saying that I have already recieved financial aid info from Mayo and am waiting to hear back from Columbia. I will try to update this thread when I do hear back to give more perspective.

Mayo:
1. small class size (I think 54 this year)= rediculous student:faculty ratio. Also all of the things that come with that i.e closer relationships with professors, more intimate classrooms, more Aid.
2. Unique curriculum (science of health care delivery and selective opportunities scattered throughout first and second year)
3. Can do rotations associated with 3 campuses (Arizona, Minnesota, Florida)
4. Associated with best hospital according to USNWR. Can make great connections for residency.
5. Will most likely graduate with less debt (TBD pending Columbia Aid package).
6. Ranking according to USNWR (tied for 6). I honestly dont care about this, but it is probably worth noting that Mayo students tend to do slightly better on both Step 1 and Step 2.
7. Cheaper cost of living (could probably bring my pup with me).


Columbia:
1. Ivy League and everything that comes with that endowments, prestige, etc
2. Pretty much perfect location: just outside of downtown Manhattan (20 min train) giving some breathing room from the craziness that is NYC.
3. 18 month preclinical curriculum followed by immersive clincal experience. I really like the idea of the MCY and would love to hear someone elaborate it.
4. High residency director rating (4.5). I have also heard that residencys like Columbia grads because of the generally poor ancillary services at most NYC hospitals. This means that med students end up doing a lot more work and are very well trained when entering residency.
5. P&S club. This is probably the most talked about thing with Columbia. I think it is pretty unique and cool but it is not really a deal breaker for me. I do think it is awesome that it exists and that students have such a crazy range of extra-curriculars to get involved with
6. Not only a medical school. There are also graduate and undergraduate students around studying a variety of different topics. This could be refreshing rather than just being in a medical environment 24/7


Both are very far from home for me, both have a research requirement (Mayo's is generally more clinical in nature vs Columbia where you can basically do anything), both have very high step 1 and step 2 averages. I am pretty much torn right down the middle with this decision and have gone back and forth in my head a million times. I don't want to make a decision until I can get more advice from you brilliant peeps. I will try to add to these lists as I think of stuff, but I just wanted to get the ball rolling.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to help me out!

JoHar

Hey-- Columbia med student here. I just want to say that the P&S club (and the vibe from the students on second look) was a huge reason why I decided to go to P&S. Being able to be involved with incredible volunteer opportunities-- clinics, mentoring, teaching-- as well as the arts made my education in medical school extremely balanced and well rounded. I think it also helped me form lifelong friendships with people who I had so much in common with. In addition, the wellness department is incredible at Columbia. We are very supported and can walk into the Wellness office anytime if we need someone to talk to. Let me know if you have any other questions about P&S!

 

[JoHar]

That's really a bummer that you didn't get to see the MN campus! It blew my mind first time I walked through the Gonda building when I interviewed. There are some good pictures of the MN campus and med school on instagram but none really fully do it justice. Anyway, the gym we use (which is also free because the med school pays for our memberships) is ridiculously nice. It's called the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center (Mayo people just call it the DAHLC or the Dan) and has over 150 classes a week, a bunch of wellness programs (even cooking classes). It also has 2 indoor salt water pools, whirl pools and saunas in the locker rooms, and one of my favorite things - hydromassage beds. we are pretty spoiled lol

This sounds incredible. I am actually going to try and fly there this week and take a tour. I feel like I cannot rightfully make this decision without touring the campus.

Hey-- Columbia med student here. I just want to say that the P&S club (and the vibe from the students on second look) was a huge reason why I decided to go to P&S. Being able to be involved with incredible volunteer opportunities-- clinics, mentoring, teaching-- as well as the arts made my education in medical school extremely balanced and well rounded. I think it also helped me form lifelong friendships with people who I had so much in common with. In addition, the wellness department is incredible at Columbia. We are very supported and can walk into the Wellness office anytime if we need someone to talk to. Let me know if you have any other questions about P&S!

Thank you so much for the reply!

I am curious what the environment is like. Is it competitive, is there AOA or internal ranking. When I interviewed I definitely got the impression that it was very laid back but I do not recall if there is any AOA or internal ranking for the preclinical curriculum.

Also, do you know what the plan is with the large donation by Vagelos? Will any students see that money reflected in tuition cuts in the coming years or is this something that will not roll out for many years.

Thank you so much fo the help!

JoHar

 

[Meredith92]

This sounds incredible. I am actually going to try and fly there this week and take a tour. I feel like I cannot rightfully make this decision without touring the campus.


Thank you so much for the reply!

I am curious what the environment is like. Is it competitive, is there AOA or internal ranking. When I interviewed I definitely got the impression that it was very laid back but I do not recall if there is any AOA or internal ranking for the preclinical curriculum.

Also, do you know what the plan is with the large donation by Vagelos? Will any students see that money reflected in tuition cuts in the coming years or is this something that will not roll out for many years.

Thank you so much fo the help!

JoHar

Hey there is AOA for clinical grades (pre-clinical is pass fail which is sooo amazing), and no internal ranking. I did not feel it was competitive. I love my classmates. Of course, there are some people are more intense or striving for competitive specialties, but overall I felt that it was extremely collaborative and a very supportive environment.

From my understanding is students will be seeing that money used for aid now. But I'm graduating, so I'm not the best person to ask!

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm a 4th year Columbia medical student, feel free to PM me if you have questions, sorry don't have the time to respond immediately to this here (and I can give more specific details in PMs).

If you're worried about price, call the financial aid office and see if they'll match Mayo's offer (or even just give you some more money) - we just got a huge endowment and have a lot of money allocated towards financial aid.

 

[JoHar]

I'm a 4th year Columbia medical student, feel free to PM me if you have questions, sorry don't have the time to respond immediately to this here (and I can give more specific details in PMs).

If you're worried about price, call the financial aid office and see if they'll match Mayo's offer (or even just give you some more money) - we just got a huge endowment and have a lot of money allocated towards financial aid.

Thank you for this! Unfortunately, I did call them today and they do not seem likely to budge. My dad is pretty well off and is in no way estranged to me although he’s not willing to pay for my education (understandably cause it’s so expensive). I will try one last hail marry tomorrow morning. Thank you for all of your help Wedgedawg!

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Thank you for this! Unfortunately, I did call them today and they do not seem likely to budge. My dad is pretty well off and is in no way estranged to me although he’s not willing to pay for my education (understandably cause it’s so expensive). I will try one last hail marry tomorrow morning. Thank you for all of your help Wedgedawg!

Just saw your edits and wanted to say that if Columbia is going to end up costing you about 123k more over 4 years, IMO that is not such a huge difference and would be worth it (to me at least) if you do in fact think that you would be happier at Columbia and find you prefer Columbia. While obviously I chose Mayo, absolutely love Mayo and couldn't imagine myself happier anywhere else (as you can probably tell from all my other posts), that said everyone is different and I'm a firm beliver that fit and happiness are really important. so I personally wouldn't let a 123k difference be the major deciding factor and would think more about where you see yourself being happier for 4 years. I do hope that you are able to visit the Mayo MN campus before deciding though! I think it would be so tough to make this decision without having seen the campus

 

[wonder12]

.

 

[JoHar]

Just saw your edits and wanted to say that if Columbia is going to end up costing you about 123k more over 4 years, IMO that is not such a huge difference and would be worth it (to me at least) if you do in fact think that you would be happier at Columbia and find you prefer Columbia. While obviously I chose Mayo, absolutely love Mayo and couldn't imagine myself happier anywhere else (as you can probably tell from all my other posts), that said everyone is different and I'm a firm beliver that fit and happiness are really important. so I personally wouldn't let a 123k difference be the major deciding factor and would think more about where you see yourself being happier for 4 years. I do hope that you are able to visit the Mayo MN campus before deciding though! I think it would be so tough to make this decision without having seen the campus

So I have to say that I am currently on a plane back from a short visit to Mayo. It was awesome. I have 1 day to make a decision (less because I need to let Columbia know by 5PM tomorrow which is 2PM my time) and I still am not certain what I will do. I think that 4 years in Manhanttan would be a unique experience that I might not get ever again but I also think that the small town vibe of Rochester could be refreshing.

The money has been a major factor in my decision. Columbia's estimated student budget is about 89-95K per year but that is with only about 22K estimated in living expenses. I have a very hard time believing this is even possible in manhattan and I could see it costing more like 30-40K. I know that I would recover from the debt, but at the same time it would be nice to feel like I could make decisions free from finances after graduating.

Also, I thought I saw the match list for Mayo but I have not been able to find it recently. Do you know where I could see this?

Thank you!

 

[JoHar]

I think I would choose Mayo if I were you (I’m from Minnesota so I’m biased, admittedly.) Rochester is a small city but there’s plenty to do and I think the slow pace would be great while in med school. Everything’s cheaper, there’s ample parking, you can afford a better apartment, and everyone’s nice. Being able to keep your dog is a big plus, too.

You really can’t go wrong either way. Congrats on two amazing acceptances!

Thank you wonder12! I appreciate the input and I completely agree that everyone is nicer in Minnesota I am on my way back from Rochester as I type this.

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

So I have to say that I am currently on a plane back from a short visit to Mayo. It was awesome. I have 1 day to make a decision (less because I need to let Columbia know by 5PM tomorrow which is 2PM my time) and I still am not certain what I will do. I think that 4 years in Manhanttan would be a unique experience that I might not get ever again but I also think that the small town vibe of Rochester could be refreshing.

The money has been a major factor in my decision. Columbia's estimated student budget is about 89-95K per year but that is with only about 22K estimated in living expenses. I have a very hard time believing this is even possible in manhattan and I could see it costing more like 30-40K. I know that I would recover from the debt, but at the same time it would be nice to feel like I could make decisions free from finances after graduating.

Also, I thought I saw the match list for Mayo but I have not been able to find it recently. Do you know where I could see this?

Thank you!

Glad you were able to visit Rochester and had an awesome time! Do you feel like you could see yourself being happy here? since you are pressed for time with making this decision, one thing I've heard recommended is to think about which school you would be more upset about withdrawing from. Sorry not sure how much that will help. Is money still the major factor? Regarding the estimated living expenses from Columbia, if I'm not mistaken don't they have on-campus housing that is more affordable? although even if that's the case, 22k does seem a bit too low because even Mayo's financial aid estimates like 30k in living expenses for us in Rochester

The match list for Mayo isn't published online but you did probably see it because they give it out to accepted students. If you email admissions I'm sure they can send it. in the meantime if you want to get an idea you could also check the official instagram and twitter accounts and go back to when match day was because they posted like generic stats and institutions where people matched

 

[MarineMDHopeful]

So I have to say that I am currently on a plane back from a short visit to Mayo. It was awesome. I have 1 day to make a decision (less because I need to let Columbia know by 5PM tomorrow which is 2PM my time) and I still am not certain what I will do. I think that 4 years in Manhanttan would be a unique experience that I might not get ever again but I also think that the small town vibe of Rochester could be refreshing.

The money has been a major factor in my decision. Columbia's estimated student budget is about 89-95K per year but that is with only about 22K estimated in living expenses. I have a very hard time believing this is even possible in manhattan and I could see it costing more like 30-40K. I know that I would recover from the debt, but at the same time it would be nice to feel like I could make decisions free from finances after graduating.

Also, I thought I saw the match list for Mayo but I have not been able to find it recently. Do you know where I could see this?

Thank you!

Someone posted this in the 2018 match list thread. I watched the bedcast live. It's impressive bro.

 

[JoHar]

Thank you all for the advice, I could not have made this very difficult decision with out your help. After much contemplation I have decided to attend Columbia. I think that for better or worse my heart was in Manhattan, but turning down Mayo was one of the most difficult decisions of my life.

I hope that my spot goes to you @SCN1a !

 

[SCN1a]

Thank you all for the advice, I could not have made this very difficult decision with out your help. After much contemplation I have decided to attend Columbia. I think that for better or worse my heart was in Manhattan, but turning down Mayo was one of the most difficult decisions of my life.

I hope that my spot goes to you @SCN1a !

Thanks dude I hope so too someone tell the adcom lol! Congratulations once again man you’d be one hell of a classmate