Hello all, I've been having some trouble weighing between the two acceptances I got this cycle. Both of the curriculums feel very similar to each other after visiting both locations, so it's mainly down to the finances and location. I'm interested in doing psych or peds down the line for specialty. I've lived in Michigan my whole life and have been in Ann Arbor for the past 6 years (undergrad + research assistant job).
Any suggestions either way based on what I've put below? I appreciate any help you all can provide!
MSU CHM (Lansing Campus)
Pros
Cons
Neutral
Geisinger
Pros
Cons
Neutral
Any suggestions either way based on what I've put below? I appreciate any help you all can provide!
MSU CHM (Lansing Campus)
Pros
- In-state, hour away and would remain close to family
- Very established program, lot of faculty I talked to were students before
- Past and current students were very happy
- Lots of support for step prep throughout
- Highlighted Academic Achievement office that gives individualized aid/resources as well as practice tests 2x a semester
Cons
- Unsure how much aid I will be getting, if any, until May at latest (this was the timeframe they mentioned at visit)
- Will definitely have lots of loans regardless, no family financial support available
- $480/yr parking pass
Neutral
- Campus felt similar to current surroundings/wouldn't be as much of an adjustment to get used to
Geisinger
Pros
- Accepted as an Abigail Geisinger Scholar, no debt w/ $2k monthly stipend and can do psych or peds
- Also comes with more access to resources, mentoring, etc. earlier on (according to them)
- Liked the city, surrounding nature, and would be a nice change of scenery
- Every student and faculty I talked to were happy with the curriculum and level of support
- Scranton cost of living overall lower
Cons
- Is 8 hours away, farther from family and moving would be quite a pain
- Unsure how Step prep is handled throughout
- Mentioned there is longitudinal support and some dedicated time in curriculum but didn't have many specifics; I reached out for more clarification
Neutral
- AGS program has service requirement, don't mind coming back for 4 years after residency to not have debt and basically guarantee a job but unsure how it is working there
- Tax implications for loan forgiveness, would still be way cheaper than paying off loans though
- Starts on July 28th, but has some more "break" weeks throughout in the schedule; just makes moving more stressful
