Midwestern or Western?

[eyestayfocused]

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Hey all!
So, I have been accepted to both Western and Midwestern but am totally torn about deciding on which school to attend. Western had been my number one choice from the beginning. I'm from California and would love to stay in California, but a part of me wants to experience something new. As far as academics, I feel like both schools are amazing, and both schools have amazing facilities. The only thing that's making me lean more towards Midwestern is that cost of living is so much cheaper.

I've never moved a way from home and am scared that moving to AZ would be a huge change for me, but I wont know until I'm out there 🙁
Also, I don't want to regret passing up my number one choice school to go to Midwestern. I've never had to make such a huge life decision...feedback would be very much appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[eyenerd10]

Hello!

I have lived near Western my entire life until I went to college in Arizona near Midwestern. I didn't realize how cheap rent is in Arizona (gas too!) until I got accepted to SCCO and had to look for apartments near school. The only difference between the surrounding Western and Midwestern areas are about 10 degree increase in temperature during the fall/summer at Midwestern and increased traffic near Western. Midwestern also has a safer surrounding community than Western does, but as long as you stay aware of your surroundings near Western then it wouldn't really be a big issue.

When I visited Midwestern, I felt that they would allow me to develop into a great optometrist and the technology that they offered was unreal. The professors and dean were extremely nice and they almost persuaded me to stay in Arizona.

I would have chosen Midwestern over Western, but this is also a decision that you have to make that you feel comfortable with.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[eyestayfocused]

Aww, thanks for your response!
You make valid points. Don't you feel like Western also has amazing professors, and amazing technology? They seem more experienced because they are older than most of the professors at Midwestern.

If I chose Western, I'd live in Claremont, which is a very safe community. I feel like the AZ heat would drain me, and that there isn't much to do in AZ...yes, I'm gonna be busy studying, but I'm sure there will be some down time. California has so much to offer.

Lastly, I feel that I would see more diverse patients at Western's clinic, and that there are so many more rotation sites offered at Western. These are some things that I have been thinking about. Please feel free to give more insight. 🙂

 

[EyeCaptain]

It sounds like you've already decided.

 

[eyestayfocused]

It sounds like you've already decided.

Haha! Yea, thinking about the previous post and responding back made me realize some of the key things that Western has to offer that Midwestern doesn't. That's the whole point of these forums, right? 🙂

 

[EyeCaptain]

We can certainly give experiences and advice, but when it comes down to it, you will need to decide which factors are most important to you and base your decision on that. I just wanted to point out that because you had so many things to say in defense of Western, that may be the school you are really leaning toward.

 

[eyestayfocused]

We can certainly give experiences and advice, but when it comes down to it, you will need to decide which factors are most important to you and base your decision on that. I just wanted to point out that because you had so many things to say in defense of Western, that may be the school you are really leaning toward.

You're absolutely right! And yes, I am choosing to go to Western 🙂