MUSC (cheaper) vs. Vanderbilt (better)

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MUSC or Vanderbilt

  • MUSC

    Votes: 35 36.8%

  • Vanderbilt

    Votes: 60 63.2%
  • Total voters
    95
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Dr Gerrard

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EDIT:

UPDATE: Full tuition + 5000 at MUSC. $7300 need based scholarship at Vanderbilt. I'd say at this point, MUSC is it!




Update for new readers

All right guys, I did some thinking and this is what it came down to.

As a medical school, I would hands down choose Vanderbilt. No question about it. The opportunities there are far greater than MUSC. For example, many of my friends at MUSC right now, after first year, are scrambling around looking for something to do. Some may not even do anything. At Vanderbilt, I would be given 3500 over the summer as a stipend just to do something interesting as my emphasis project. This is given to every student. Just an example of opportunities.

Also, name recognition is something that I am considered, whether right or wrong. I worked hard in undergrad and it would be nice to have something immediately show that, like saying I go to Vanderbilt would. I know in the long run, this name recognition means very little, but its just something that would show me that my hard work pays off and may be an additional motivating factor.

The students I met at second look were so cool, but I also have many friends at MUSC or going there that are also a lot of fun, so this is a moot point.

MUSC is nice because it is close to my current life. I don't need to be near my family and old friends, and if I went to MUSC, I'm not even sure how much I would see them, but if I had to choose between being 8 hours away and being 30 minutes, I would no question choose the closer one.

This would also let me take things as far as I wanted with my girlfriend. I could see us going far, even though I am not 100% sure.

It is also $70,000 cheaper.

At this point, I think I would rather be at MUSC. But, I know once I move to Nashville, I would easily be able to adjust and be just as happy there.

Now the big question... is the name and better opportunities of Vanderbilt worth sacrificing the comfort I feel right now if I attended MUSC?

Just to further clarify, my choice right now comes down to this 100%. $70,000 less and a very comfortable choice vs. significantly better school (name and opportunities)

thats really it. i know down the line, i WILL become comfortable at vanderbilt too. but mothers day was yesterday, i had such an incredible time spending it not only with my mother but all of my friends in charleston too and she told me how nice it would be for me to stay close to home

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Original topic

Hey guys, I know I made this before but I just got a more definitive idea of what financial aid will look like, which is a huge consideration.

MUSC

Pros
$70000 cheaper over 4 years
Close to family, friends and girlfriend
Have solid connections with the hospital (especially if I want to do neurosurgery)

Vanderbilt

Pros
Much better school
See new places and meet new people
Loved second look
People go here bc they love it, not bc it's the best place they got into
---awesome people when I visited

The cons of each are that they don't have the pros of the other.

Thanks guys!
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I know it's not ALL about the money....but 70k+ interest is considerable. 70K cheaper AND closer to family? That's a lot to weigh.
 
I'm 100% sure you will pick Vanderbilt, just based on your description in this, and other threads, of your experience there.

Edit: what's 70,000 more if you're going to be a neurosurgeon?
 
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Don't forget 70+ stacks with interest AND capitalization. If you have your heart set on neurosurgery (you will most likely change your mind), I would be lying to you if I said school choice didn't make a difference for such a competitive speciality. However, in all honesty, Vanderbilt probably boasts a number of gifted students, and going to a less-renowned school would probably would make it easier for you to stand out (although every school, top to bottom, has at least a handful of very capable students and the playing field is dramatically more level in medical school vs. undergrad). Also, having family close is nice for those times when you're about six feet from the edge, a la Scott Stapp. But the most important thing is your happiness, and if you feel like you won't be happy anywhere else but Vandy, then I think you have your answer. Otherwise, show me the money!
 
I'm not sure if it's entirely true that people go to MUSC because that's the best place they got into. Many people don't like to uproot their lives and move to an entirely new city if they don't have to. Vanderbilt is a great school and from your posts, it seems you will feel happier there but I doubt it's worth $70k more. You can get in a great residency by doing well on the boards and rotations at pretty much any school.
 
Flip a coin for it and when it's in the air you'll realize what side you hope it lands on.
 
Kyotoh said:
I know it's not ALL about the money....but 70k+ interest is considerable. 70K cheaper AND closer to family? That's a lot to weigh.
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I know. And tbh I am kind of leaning towards musc right now. I don't know if that's for the best though. Right now I would be very comfortable in charleston and I am kind of afraid this is bc I don't want to leave my comfort zone
 
Dr Gerrard said:
I know. And tbh I am kind of leaning towards musc right now. I don't know if that's for the best though. Right now I would be very comfortable in charleston and I am kind of afraid this is bc I don't want to leave my comfort zone
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You can leave your comfort zone when you start residency. I don't think that going to MUSC will stop you from becoming a neurosurgeon. If you show some initiative while in school- do summer research with a big name researcher, maybe (if there's someone there in neuro who interests you), hook up a rotation for clinicals at a well known neuro dept., bang out the boards etc etc,, you shouldn't have a problem getting in somewhere.

But I understand your dilemma- the name is kind of a draw! But is the name worth 70 big? That is a lot of money, and what if you change your mind after 4 years and decide to go into peds or family med ( you NEVER know)?

But then, there are people with 70 grand of debt b4 entering med school, so you could see yourself as being in a similar boat. Either decision won't kill you.
 
Right now I have no particular interest in being a neurosurgeon. In was jus saying I do have strong ties with the neurosurgery department if I wanted o go that route.

I am so lost now. The line in my head was blurred but 100000 cheaper would have been no question. 50000 cheaper would have been no question. This is righ in the middle!!
 
OP, I say go to Vanderbilt. You will make back the money eventually, no question about it. Perhaps it'll take a few more years to pay back, but it's not gonna be some tremendous hardship that you'll suffer day to day.

I've heard nothing but fantastic things about Vanderbilt, and it seems like you will be happier there. Vanderbilt's name will definitely be a strong selling point. Definitely don't go there for the added prestige or name-brand recognition though! But if you feel like you'd be happier in Vanderbilt, then don't let the extra money be a deterrent.

Remember, you won't have to pay back that extra money forever... but you will forever be able to say that you went to Vanderbilt School of Medicine, and if that's a source of pride for you, then I say go!
 
If it were me, I would do what my heart told me to do, even with the 70,000 difference. Take the money out of the picture and make a decision and see how strongly you feel. If you feel equivocal, let the money be your guide.

You have expressed some concerns about going to a new area. If you feel that leaving your comfort zone would be difficult, not a small consideration, what are you going to do when it comes time to match?

Some posters say you can get the same education at MUSC, but will you? Will you have the same motivation at MUSC as at Vanderbilt? Will the same residencies really be available for you? I do not think the answers to these questions are as black and white as some posters.

Good luck with your decision, whatever it may be.
 
thats what worries me though guys. right now, i think i would rather be at musc. but i know that has nothing to do with school and has everything to do with me just being comfortable at home. i wouldn't have to start over, make a completely new friend group, etc. and at this point, that is a comforting thought.

basically, i am worried that i want to go to musc for the wrong reasons
 
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Dr Gerrard said:
thats what worries me though guys. right now, i think i would rather be at musc. but i know that has nothing to do with school and has everything to do with me just being comfortable at home. i wouldn't have to start over, make a completely new friend group, etc. and at this point, that is a comforting thought.

basically, i am worried that i want to go to musc for the wrong reasons
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man the fuk up and go to vandy (srs)
 
Vanderbilt. Yeah 70k is a lot of money, but graduating from Vanderbilt?!? So worth it. I did research at VUMC over this past summer... Beautiful place to go to school, amazing hospital system and (probably) a better choice at residencies.
 
In your description you never listed of what you thought about MUSC. Did you think the school's facilities/faculties/opportunities are on par with your standards? Did you like the second look? Did you like the people when you visited?

If you answered yes to at least two of those questions my advice would be : MUSC.

If no to more than 2 then you have to prioritize what is most important to you.
 
MUSC, connections mean more than prestige IMO. If you rock the boards, won't matter where thee degree came from. Also friends/family/less debt=happier Gerard.
 
That you can get into Vandy speaks to your potential. It comes down to how much more (if any) you think the Vandy education is worth...

I'm in a similar situation of my own with similar figures -- save at least $80K at Colorado vs Pitt -- so I feel you. There's really no 'wrong' choice here though.
 
I'm not going to comment on the relative quality of the schools because I don't know MUSC at all, but I think you're making WAY too big a deal of moving from SC to TN. Seriously, this is so not a big move. You're not going from the deep south to oregon, here. Many/most of your classmates will be from the South and the midwest, and you'll likely have a bunch of SC people to carpool with when you want to go home. Also, it's unlikely that if you're so gun shy about making this minor a transition now, you'll be totally open to living wherever when you apply to residencies. Yeah you might not have a choice if you're going for something very competitive, but if you don't, you'd probably be pretty capable of staying in-state without a huge amount of effort.

I'd also be very careful about making inferences about how you'll perform in med school based on how you did before. The fact that you got into Vandy doesn't mean that you'd be a top student at MUSC, nor does it mean that you'd be a top student at Vandy. This is where the school's name might make a (admittedly minor) difference. If you're going to be average or below average (50% of your classmates will be below average!) you might as well do it somewhere with a recognizable name.

Some things you actually SHOULD consider: whether you liked the students at MUSC (regardless of whether you think you're "above it" or not), how sure you are that your girlfriend is "the one" (I dont think the parents being close is a good thing to consider cause you need to cut the umbilical cord- but if you're pretty sure you and your girlfriend are going to get married and she really can't move to Nashville, I think that's important to keep in mind) and whether there's a strong chance you'll want to go into primary care, in which case 70k will actually make a difference.
 
Renaissance Man said:
MUSC, connections mean more than prestige IMO. If you rock the boards, won't matter where thee degree came from. Also friends/family/less debt=happier Gerard.
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I'd be careful about throwing out phrases like. Premeds do this all the time- "if you rock the boards and do well on clinicals, you'll be fine". Sure! But soooo many things play into that. A school like Vandy has an average undergrad gpa that's around a 3.8 and an average MCAT of about 35. There really aren't weak students coming in- but still, 50% will be above average and 50% will be at the bottom. It's unavoidable. Our exams have pretty small standard deviations most of the time- but they're still there. And our average Step 1 score may be high, but nothing is guaranteed, especially if you're leaning toward plastics/ortho/neurosurgery/ent/ophtho/rad onc/derm etc or residencies at places like MGH or UCSF.

Don't assume that because you were strong enough to get into Vandy or other top schools, you're guaranteed a high step 1 score or great grades and a fantastic performance in clinicals. Not everyone who gets into Vandy gets those grades and those step 1 scores. Even people who get into Wash U- who probably have a 40 on the MCAT etc- get step 1 scores in the 220's and 230's, which are fine but maybe not for rad onc at memorial sloan kettering or plastics at ucla.

Keep as many doors open as you can from the get-go, cause you have no idea where you'll be in your class.
 
ButImLETired said:
I'd be careful about throwing out phrases like. Premeds do this all the time- "if you rock the boards and do well on clinicals, you'll be fine". Sure! But soooo many things play into that. A school like Vandy has an average undergrad gpa that's around a 3.8 and an average MCAT of about 35. There really aren't weak students coming in- but still, 50% will be above average and 50% will be at the bottom. It's unavoidable. Our exams have pretty small standard deviations most of the time- but they're still there. And our average Step 1 score may be high, but nothing is guaranteed, especially if you're leaning toward plastics/ortho/neurosurgery/ent/ophtho/rad onc/derm etc or residencies at places like MGH or UCSF.

Don't assume that because you were strong enough to get into Vandy or other top schools, you're guaranteed a high step 1 score or great grades and a fantastic performance in clinicals. Not everyone who gets into Vandy gets those grades and those step 1 scores. Even people who get into Wash U- who probably have a 40 on the MCAT etc- get step 1 scores in the 220's and 230's, which are fine but maybe not for rad onc at memorial sloan kettering or plastics at ucla.

Keep as many doors open as you can from the get-go, cause you have no idea where you'll be in your class.
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Woah...all I said was "if you rock the boards"....nowhere in that statement did I guarantee him success based on anything. I think we all know that other factors come into play. Just as we all know how averages work. As much as this simple pre-med should stop "throwing out phrases" the truth is that no matter where he goes, a high board score will determine his next destination more so than the prestige of the institution, and before I get flamed nowhere did I say prestige isn't at least somewhat of a factor.

Good luck Doc G :thumbup:
 
Renaissance Man said:
Woah...all I said was "if you rock the boards"....nowhere in that statement did I guarantee him success based on anything. I think we all know that other factors come into play. Just as we all know how averages work. As much as this simple pre-med should stop "throwing out phrases" the truth is that no matter where he goes, a high board score will determine his next destination more so than the prestige of the institution, and before I get flamed nowhere did I say prestige isn't at least somewhat of a factor.

Good luck Doc G :thumbup:
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I'm sorry, I really didn't think I was "attacking you", it's just that I notice people saying stuff like that all the time. I used to do the same thing as a premed too. It's just important to remember that the best case scenario might not happen. I really didn't mean to make it sound like I was flaming you.
 
I have a friends who are MS1 at both school. Both love their school. Both are getting a good medical education. Both came from the same undergrad school/major. Both got into both schools. Both are SC residents. The friend at Vandy chose that school because she loved it. The friend at MUSC chose that school b/c of a full scholarship. Neither would change their decision. Moral: Where you go is what you make of it.
 
Hah said:
In your description you never listed of what you thought about MUSC. Did you think the school's facilities/faculties/opportunities are on par with your standards? Did you like the second look? Did you like the people when you visited?

If you answered yes to at least two of those questions my advice would be : MUSC.

If no to more than 2 then you have to prioritize what is most important to you.
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that is another con of musc tbh.

i would say there are enough opportunities at musc and the facilities are good enough, but its definitely not something that blows me away.

and musc didn't even have a second look weekend which was a huge negative to me.

one of my best friends goes to musc now. i met all of his friends and love them. i know a lot of my potential classmates and i love them all too. i would be way closer to my girlfriend. i would be way closer to family.

again, its like money and comfort zone vs. more and better opportunities, more esteemed faculty, everything associated with being a "better" school and seeing a new place
 
And girlfriend is a big deal for me. She may very well be the "one" and she will not be able to move to nashville.

TBH i only said parents because i felt obligated to haha. Its the friends I already have at MUSC and the friends I know will be in my incoming class, plus the girlfriend that make the biggest difference here.

I am literally torn in half. As I said before, any other price difference would have made this so much easier. 100,000 is definitely too much to ignore but 50,000 is too little to make a difference. some times i am leaning musc, other times i am leaning vanderbilt. i am leaning musc more often, but as i said earlier, that has very little to do with the actual institution and more to do with being comfortable there.
 
There are so many nice people at MUSC, and it's a great school for research, if that's something you're considering. Charleston is a great area--Southern hospitality, great restaurants, lots of culture and history, a beach within walking distance of MUSC, not much winter...
There's also something to be said for cost and proximity to family during medical school. It's intense, and having a built-in support network from the start is a huge help during those why-the-heck-am-I-doing-this-again moments.
 
ButImLETired said:
I'm sorry, I really didn't think I was "attacking you", it's just that I notice people saying stuff like that all the time. I used to do the same thing as a premed too. It's just important to remember that the best case scenario might not happen. I really didn't mean to make it sound like I was flaming you.
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Hey, I didn't mean to come off as rough, I probably got a bit defensive. Let us know what you decide Doc Gerrard.
 
I'd be careful about throwing out phrases like. Premeds do this all the time- "if you rock the boards and do well on clinicals, you'll be fine". Sure! But soooo many things play into that. A school like Vandy has an average undergrad gpa that's around a 3.8 and an average MCAT of about 35. There really aren't weak students coming in- but still, 50% will be above average and 50% will be at the bottom. It's unavoidable. Our exams have pretty small standard deviations most of the time- but they're still there. And our average Step 1 score may be high, but nothing is guaranteed, especially if you're leaning toward plastics/ortho/neurosurgery/ent/ophtho/rad onc/derm etc or residencies at places like MGH or UCSF.
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I think this is comparing two populations, someone below average at Vandy might be above average at another school. I agree with you that other factors are involved, but I'm willing to bet that if you are 90% in terms of MCAT score at your school, you are going to be a top student.

I'm kind of in a similar dilemma, deciding between my state school (100k+ cheaper) and a private school that is higher ranked and farther away from home.
 
I'd be careful about throwing out phrases like. Premeds do this all the time- "if you rock the boards and do well on clinicals, you'll be fine". Sure! But soooo many things play into that. A school like Vandy has an average undergrad gpa that's around a 3.8 and an average MCAT of about 35. There really aren't weak students coming in- but still, 50% will be above average and 50% will be at the bottom. It's unavoidable. Our exams have pretty small standard deviations most of the time- but they're still there. And our average Step 1 score may be high, but nothing is guaranteed, especially if you're leaning toward plastics/ortho/neurosurgery/ent/ophtho/rad onc/derm etc or residencies at places like MGH or UCSF.
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I think this is comparing two populations, someone below average at Vandy might be above average at another school. I agree with you that other factors are involved, but I'm willing to bet that if you are 90% in terms of MCAT score at your school, you are going to be a top student.

I'm kind of in a similar dilemma, deciding between my state school (100k+ cheaper) and a private school that is higher ranked and farther away from home.
 
Wherever you go, there you are.


I agree with those above talking about "comfort zones." I hate to be frank, but you are an adult, and you will have to leave your comfort zone eventually (if not, have fun 3rd year). Everyone is telling you "Vandy" because it has a nice ring to it and they would go there if they could. Problem is, they aren't in your situation.

Medical school education is remarkably consistent and you will learn the same material as someone from Pitt, Indiana, Texas, and Stanford. How well you do is not going to be based on the competitiveness of your class or name of your school. It is going to be how driven you are to study, how well you manage your time, how interested you are in your field, etc. There are superstars at every school, top to bottom, and slackers at every school, top to bottom. Thus don't be fooled into thinking you will be a better doctor by going to Vandy (you won't). However, by going to Vandy, you will have some good connections and networking shouldn't be a problem. You can still make these connections at MUSC, but it will probably take some more effort on your part.

I also agree with the above info about how you view the students at each place. Which did you like more? Which did you feel more a "part" of? I'm not going to lie, having good friends, family, and a girlfriend close is huge in medical school. There will be times when you need to escape or need some encouragement and having them close by is awesome. And unless you absolutely think this girl is worth it, I would advise against changing your career plans to accommodate her (you are young and you never know what could happen).

70 G's is a lot of money, but it shouldn't stop you from going to Vanderbilt if you absolutely love the place. It comes down to what I said above. Where are you going to be happy? Are you going to regret not going to Vandy in 30 years? Take a weekend and do something fun and don't think about school at all. Afterwards maybe it will just come to you.
 
Dr Gerrard said:
100,000 is definitely too much to ignore but 50,000 is too little to make a difference.
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I don't really get this. A difference of $5k a year would suddenly make this an easy decision for you, with what you've described as your draws to MUSC? That $20k make your girlfriend, friends, etc. a non-issue?

If MUSC had given me a big scholarship last year I would've attended, but I was prepared to pay a lot more to attend my current school. I liked MUSC - Charleston is great and thought I'd learn medicine well - but it's hard to ignore the special feeling you get about certain schools. Sounds like you have that with Vanderbilt. $70k will definitely end up being a considerable amount of money in the future, but sometimes it's worth it.

And while I intend on returning, it's also nice to get out of SC.
 
yeah the whole 50,000 making it much easier is only because if eel like i had to draw the line somewhere, because i knew this was going to come up.

i have been spending a lot of time with my girlfriend lately and thats not helping. we have been having a great time together making me want to stay close but she is being so supportive of me going to vanderbilt that it is difficult
 
Lil Mick said:
There are so many nice people at MUSC, and it's a great school for research, if that's something you're considering. Charleston is a great area--Southern hospitality, great restaurants, lots of culture and history, a beach within walking distance of MUSC, not much winter...
There's also something to be said for cost and proximity to family during medical school. It's intense, and having a built-in support network from the start is a huge help during those why-the-heck-am-I-doing-this-again moments.
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They must keep this one secret from all of us who grew up around charleston ;)

That being said, beach is only 10 minute drive away :D
(I would be willing to wager MUSC is a top-3 medical school for proximity to beach)

To Dr G - seems to me that your girlfriend is the deciding factor in this so only you can really make this call.
 
i tried the flip a coin thing. thought about which side "i would hope it landed on" and couldn't hahaha.

but thanks for the advice everyone. at this point i feel the two options are pretty much equal and i need to decide for myself

money
friends
gf

vs.

new place
better overall institution
awesome new people i can meet
 
Dr Gerrard said:
i tried the flip a coin thing. thought about which side "i would hope it landed on" and couldn't hahaha.
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you weren't excited/disappointed when you saw what side it landed on? that's rough. the coin flip is my go-to decision maker... looks like i'll be using it some time this week.

best of luck, man.
 
i emailed vanderbilt hoping they would be able to help me out with financial aid and got nothing :(
 
As I posted earlier, I am still not convinced that there is no difference between med schools. It would be interesting if posters who suggest the learning experience is so similar to indicate where they are headed later this summer or where they attend school now. I believe that when you study and work with very bright students you work harder and learn more - Vandy has a 35 MCAT average and a 3.8 GPA. That shouldn't be taken lightly. Residency directors take notice. At second look at Vandy, it was pointed out that the class that just matched had an AVERAGE Step I score in the low 240's.

More than that, it seems like the money isn't driving your decision. It is your personal situation that you are largely asking others to decide for you. No one can do that. It is your decision to make and yours alone.

Good luck with your choice.
 
Dr Gerrard said:
i emailed vanderbilt hoping they would be able to help me out with financial aid and got nothing :(
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i tried that with one of my schools too. sucks realizing you're an expendable spot to them :(
 
All right guys, I did some thinking and this is what it came down to.

As a medical school, I would hands down choose Vanderbilt. No question about it. The opportunities there are far greater than MUSC. For example, many of my friends at MUSC right now, after first year, are scrambling around looking for something to do. Some may not even do anything. At Vanderbilt, I would be given 3500 over the summer as a stipend just to do something interesting as my emphasis project. This is given to every student. Just an example of opportunities.

Also, name recognition is something that I am considered, whether right or wrong. I worked hard in undergrad and it would be nice to have something immediately show that, like saying I go to Vanderbilt would. I know in the long run, this name recognition means very little, but its just something that would show me that my hard work pays off and may be an additional motivating factor.

The students I met at second look were so cool, but I also have many friends at MUSC or going there that are also a lot of fun, so this is a moot point.

MUSC is nice because it is close to my current life. I don't need to be near my family and old friends, and if I went to MUSC, I'm not even sure how much I would see them, but if I had to choose between being 8 hours away and being 30 minutes, I would no question choose the closer one.

This would also let me take things as far as I wanted with my girlfriend. I could see us going far, even though I am not 100% sure.

It is also $70,000 cheaper.

At this point, I think I would rather be at MUSC. But, I know once I move to Nashville, I would easily be able to adjust and be just as happy there.

Now the big question... is the name and better opportunities of Vanderbilt worth sacrificing the comfort I feel right now if I attended MUSC?

EDIT: Just to further clarify, my choice right now comes down to this 100%. $70,000 less and a very comfortable choice vs. significantly better school (name and opportunities)

thats really it. i know down the line, i WILL become comfortable at vanderbilt too. but mothers day was yesterday, i had such an incredible time spending it not only with my mother but all of my friends in charleston too and she told me how nice it would be for me to stay close to home
 
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i think you should base your decision off what is best for you, not your g/f, not your mom, you. it's easy to let other people's feelings influence your judgment, but you have to live with the choices, not them. i am facing a similar decision myself and still haven't made up my mind.

if you think you want to enter some competitive specialty, the name recognition of vandy matters and the extra 70k is very manageable debt on a specialist's salary.
 
in terms of specialty, i have always seen myself doing IM then a fellowship afterwards, in something like endocrinology

what do you think would be the best route like that?

also, since there is more to life than a career, whats best for me may also be staying close to girlfriend, family and friends
 
Look Gerrard, I understand that this is a tough decision, but there's clearly no right or wrong answer here, so just pick one and move on with your life. It sounds to me like you're hoping for someone to make a really good argument for staying at MUSC besides "that way you'll be close to your family and friends". There really isn't one- not because MUSC isn't a great school, but because as a school, you obviously like Vandy better. If you pick your med school because of family and friends, then just do it and own it. People have picked med school for far dumber reasons (the whole "how many people are there to a body" thing always makes me laugh) and everyone does just fine. You want to do IM? Great. You can get IM from absolutely anywhere, although if you ultimately want to do cardiology or GI you'll likely want to go to a top IM program. Will the Vandy name help? Of course. Is it the be-all and end-all? Of course not. If you're gonna get a 260 anyway, you'll get into the IM program of your choice. If you're willing to put in the extra work to look for research opportunities at MUSC, then great.

I don't think you'll be inherently happier or less happy at either place, and I'm confident that you'll rationalize your choice after you make it and be at peace with it. So just do it. If you want MUSC, then forget the people who'll judge you for having picked the lesser-known school, your own pride that wants to shout the name of your med school from the rooftops- just kiss your girlfriend and focus on being the best student you can be at MUSC. If you want Vandy, then count your blessings for having such a supportive girlfriend, put that thing right on your facebook status and find an apartment in Nashville. This isn't rocket science, neither option is perfect but both can take you where you want to go, so just pick one and be done with it.
 
ButImLETired said:
Look Gerrard, I understand that this is a tough decision, but there's clearly no right or wrong answer here, so just pick one and move on with your life. It sounds to me like you're hoping for someone to make a really good argument for staying at MUSC besides "that way you'll be close to your family and friends". There really isn't one- not because MUSC isn't a great school, but because as a school, you obviously like Vandy better. If you pick your med school because of family and friends, then just do it and own it. People have picked med school for far dumber reasons (the whole "how many people are there to a body" thing always makes me laugh) and everyone does just fine. You want to do IM? Great. You can get IM from absolutely anywhere, although if you ultimately want to do cardiology or GI you'll likely want to go to a top IM program. Will the Vandy name help? Of course. Is it the be-all and end-all? Of course not. If you're gonna get a 260 anyway, you'll get into the IM program of your choice. If you're willing to put in the extra work to look for research opportunities at MUSC, then great.

I don't think you'll be inherently happier or less happy at either place, and I'm confident that you'll rationalize your choice after you make it and be at peace with it. So just do it. If you want MUSC, then forget the people who'll judge you for having picked the lesser-known school, your own pride that wants to shout the name of your med school from the rooftops- just kiss your girlfriend and focus on being the best student you can be at MUSC. If you want Vandy, then count your blessings for having such a supportive girlfriend, put that thing right on your facebook status and find an apartment in Nashville. This isn't rocket science, neither option is perfect but both can take you where you want to go, so just pick one and be done with it.
Click to expand...

Can we copy / paste this in every decision thread?

As someone who went through this very recently as well...this is really good advice and something that took me a longgg time to figure out for myself. No amount of time will end up changing one school into the PERFECT school that has everything for you. What does your gut tell you? Does thinking about one of the schools in particular excite you more? When you catch yourself thinking about your next four years, where do you picture yourself? If its at home close to family/friends/girlfriend then that's great. If its exploring a new environment that could take your life in so many new and exciting directions then that's great too. Seriously you cannot go wrong here because both options offer something that is important to you. Pick a school and don't look back...even if you find yourself wanting to.

Oh and I had a very similar decision and made a thread similar to yours. But ultimately, no matter how many points were made (for one school or another), what it came down to for me was blurting out to the world what I already knew inside. It was tough, because there were things that made the decision not ideal, but in the end it was the correct one for me. Something I know I will be extremely happy with both now and in the future.

Best of luck to you
 
all right thanks guys. definitely a decision that no one in this topic can make except me.

i think vanderbilt would be best for me in the future, even though right now i want to choose musc because it would be more gratifying immediately. im definitely leaning vanderbilt, but going to talk things through with the family one last time before i do.

girlfriend is already happy with me going to vanderbilt :)
 
New update:

Got a full tuition + $5000 stipend at MUSC.

Is Vanderbilt worth it?
 
No, go to MUSC. Full tuition is awesome.
 
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