Well, let's do the math. Assuming the costs will NOT increase for either school each year over four years (I'll make this assumption only because I don't know what the amount will be in any event, and the assumption applies to both schools anway) the budgets for the two schools are as follows:
OSU:
1. Approx. 60,000
2. Approx. 35,000
3. Approx. 45,000
4. Approx. 39,000
over four years that works out to: 179,000. Your notice at OSU the first year budget is HUGE for out of staters, but then goes down. However, the third year budget is greater (extra months in class, I guess).
The budget at Case is:
1. Approx. 52,000
2. Approx. 52,000
3. Approx. 52,000
4. Approx. 52,000
Over four years that's $208,000.
Case will cost you approx. an extra $30,000 over four years, or only about $7.5k a year each year. TO ME, that is NOT a siginificant difference, and the extra opportunities that Case offers are probably worth it. Don't get me wrong - OSU is a solid school. BUT, it is also a more "regional" school and if you are looking to get out of Ohio after school, I've no doubt that Case offers the better "value" in this respect.
Another way to look at it is this: Over the life of the loans, $179,000 is such a staggering figure anyway, what difference does owe $208,000 make anyway? I'mm not sure it makes much of a difference.
ON THE OTHE HAND, financial aid could change this picture enormously, no? Assuming you demonstrate "full need" you can expect something on the order of $11,000 a year from Case in free money. That cuts your loans to something like $160,000. The question is whether OSU will also give you as much money. Would tend to doubt it only because it will generally have less money to give AND it may be more stingy with it for out of staters, at least during the first year.
But this is accademic. You have to see what the financial aid packages are. Assuming they are the same (or you are rick), I think Case is the better "value" because of the opportunities it gives you.
I could NOT make the same claim if OSU were offering you $20,000 a year in free money. That cuts loans to only about $100,000, and quite frankly that's almost "free" when it comes to med school. I'm quite certain I'd go to OSU if that were the case. But, assuming your packages are comparable, I would go to Case, particularly if you want the maximum opportunities to go outside of Ohio later.
I think Kashue is in a different boat than you are. I would be very tempted to go to downstate if I know I was graduating with only about $60,000 in loans. But just to save 30k over four years, I'd choose Case.
Judd
