I think this question requires a personal answer. Think about your own personal interests and see if your mission aligns more so with one of the schools versus the others. I believe each of the three are distinct enough to separate out what the schools primary mission is. Think about your past experiences and what field, clinical setting, and early exposure you may want.
Undoubtedly, you can practice anywhere after going to each of these schools, but where will you feel the most comfortable, study, and learn best? The generally consensus is board scores and match rates may potentially be hard to gauge as a pre med, but "fit", mentorship/clinical opportunities, patient population, clinical setting, and importance of location are tangibles easy enough to assess if you reflect from your own perspective. Utilize revisit days/ reach out to current students to reassess the student body's perspective without the stress of interview day looming over you.
I am currently deciding between schools as well but am happy in my selection. Thus, I hope to present as unbiased a recommendation as possible since I am not angling for anyone's waitlist spot. I look forward to the comments of others as well.
For the newark vs camden vs New Brunswick debate, the clinical populations are all very different but you will also be spending time at other clinical sites for varying amounts of training. The clinical sites in northern nj for NJMS include the VA and private hospitals alongside students from St. George and Ross, in some cases. Cooper Rowan clinical has outpatient offices as an increasing part of the integrated clerkship, including areas in wealthier parts of south jersey. RWJ just added St. Peter's along with Princeton and jersey shore; also had an integrated primary care clerkship for third yr for a few students at jersey shore for primary care interested folks.
As long as you are motivated to learn and put in the work, the clinical opportunities should not limit you at any of the in state schools. For certain trauma oriented specialties, njms/cooper may give you a slight edge, but the clinical at each of the three should not put you at a disadvantage for residency applications. Think about where you want to practice, do you see yourself in an inner city hospital or ER? What patient populations are you motivated to work with? Also, away rotations between njms/ rwj have the fees waived, I believe, and the possibilities to rotate at any of the three schools are available come third/ fourth yr.
