NYU vs UCLA (DGSOM)

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sc130

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Hi All,
This application cycle is finally winding down for me. I've narrowed it down to two schools, NYU and UCLA. I'm California born and raised, and eventually I would love to settle down in Northern California, near my family and significant other. UCLA seems like a great fit in terms of weather, proximity to home and lifestyle. However, NYU offers a smaller class size and obvious financial perks. I would love to hear what you all think about my situation!

NYU
Pros
  • Cost of attendance would be less than $100,000 for all 4 years!
  • Rising reputation
  • Smaller class size by almost 1/2
  • 1.5 Year Integrated curriculum
  • Possible 3 year pathway
  • Higher step 1 exam average of 241

Cons
  • Exams every other week
  • Weather in New York is not ideal, and I would much rather stay in the West Coast to be close to family
  • Not a fan of public transportation


UCLA
Pros
  • Great national reputation and reputation within California
  • Very reputable affiliated hospitals
  • Good schedule of classes etc. Students say they have quite a bit of free time for relaxing and enjoying life.
  • Exams after each block (only 9 exams over 2 years?)
  • California weather
  • Great match rate for California hospitals
  • Close to family

Cons
  • Cost of attendance for me would be $200,000 higher than UCLA
  • 2 year curriculum opposed to 1.5
  • Traffic is awful in LA
  • Still a 7 hour car drive from home

Summary: Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

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Have you tried asking UCLA to match NYU scholarship? Did you get any financial grant/loans?
 
Have you tried asking UCLA to match NYU scholarship? Did you get any financial grant/loans?
I talked to the Dean and he said there may be more scholarships coming out in March/April, but I'm not hopeful.
 
I doubt driving in NYC is any better than driving in LA lol. All jokes aside, I would choose UCLA. They already have a strong reputation, nice weather, and you will have a support system already in place. Although I would wait to see what other scholarships UCLA has to offer. Also look into the private scholarship opportunities available for years 2-4. There is a thread floating around here with a whole list of scholarships.
 
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