OSU vs. USC (state school vs. private school) (debt vs. dream) (Buckeyes vs. Trojans) (#help)

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OSU or USC?

  • OSU

  • USC


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Good luck with finding a job. Putting down schools in the 30's range as middle-of-the-road is about as flawed a perception as you can have.

Alright guys, enough with the personal jabs...I also don't agree with the "middle of the road" designation because that phrase comes with the connotation of mediocrity, but I do agree that USC (or OSU) isn't "top tier".

Financially, why wouldn't you prefer OSU? Also, relationships don't always last. You aren't married (not saying divorces don't happen) or engaged. Medical school is stressful as is--it would be frustrating to choose USC for the SO and breakup within a year

Of course I prefer OSU financially. But that's just a single preference. I'm just trying to understand whether that single preference should outweigh everything else I prefer about USC.

You're right, relationships don't always last, but from my current perspective, picking OSU would put more strain on our relationship if she can't find a job in Columbus. You mention stress, which is certainly the overarching concern for me when I'm trying to compare these two schools (in addition to cost). I feel like USC comes with the least potential stress, outside of LA traffic...I'm watching the heavy snow in DC from my window as I type this, and although it's beautiful, warm sun and blue skies would be a godsend right now.
 
Just don't go to OSU if you plan on going into urology...
 
I tried my best to search through SDN and find similar comparison threads, but none of the other applicants seemed to be in a similar situation as me. The two schools I’m trying to decide between are Ohio State and USC.

TL;DR - I’ve felt pretty set on USC for a number of school-specific and personal reasons, but I just can’t get myself to turn down OSU with it’s significantly cheaper tuition.

USC Pros:
  • LA County Hospital
  • Substantially more diverse patient and student population
  • Strong residency programs for my current interests (ophtho especially)
  • Proximity to the coast, so greater connections to global health initiatives (maybe?)
USC Cons:
  • Cost of attendance (~350k)

OSU Pros:

  • In-state, cost of attendance (~180k)
OSU Cons:
  • Might limit my future to the Midwest/Ohio
Essentially, I think OSU has very few cons, and in my mind it’s equivalent to USC overall. USC has a few strong suits, but OSU is still half the cost. I doubt I’ll get any need-based or merit-based scholarships at either school, but at OSU I do save a few thousand each year on tuition since one of my parents works there (already factored into COA figure).

However, USC has a number of pros in specific areas that are important to me, and also a number of “intangibles” that I haven’t mentioned yet.
  1. The weather - After growing up in Columbus and going to school in Chicago, living in almost perfect weather year-round would be like waking up to a dream every day. I do feel like that would help keep me going when studying gets overwhelming.
  2. A fresh start - Being in SoCal would be such a huge change from what I’ve grown up with that it would be a genuine fresh start. Some people don’t want that, but I do. I feel like I want to start off my professional training with a fresh mindset compared to my unfocused undergrad and high school years.
  3. Bigger job market for my SO - My significant other and I have been long distance for almost five years now, and LA would provide the biggest job market for her to find a job and finally move to where I am. Columbus could potentially have jobs that fit her interests too, but I am fairly confident that LA would have many more opportunities.
  4. Exploring while I can - since my family (and my SO’s family) live in Columbus, we would probably go back for my residency, especially if we decide to start a family. Going to OSU would likely mean that the next decade of my life is spent in Columbus, while going to USC would give me the potential to either go back home for residency or stay in California if we find a life/community that we like there.
If debt and finances were my foremost concern, then I would choose OSU in a heartbeat. But I wouldn’t say they are my main concern. My parents said that they would support me financially if I chose USC and try their best to limit the amount of loans I would have to take out. For that, I am thankful and fortunate, and I will do as much as they’ll let me to pay them back.

So here’s one of my main questions: is debt really that bad if you are willing to accept the loss of future income? So many people on SDN advise avoiding debt like the plague. Is that because of the accruing interest? Is that because they don’t want to sacrifice more quality of life after residency? I’m fairly certain I want to go into a specialty with above average physician’s salary, and ending up with "just" an average salary after paying back loans doesn’t bother me (yet).

The other question: are any of my pros, or any of my “intangibles”, for USC rational, or am I just being naïve/starry-eyed about how great USC (and County) is? Is early patient contact and autonomy at LA County really that helpful? Does the strength of residency programs at a school affect opportunities as a med student?

Apologize for the long post...tried to be thorough. Posting in the general pre-allo forum since some of my questions are more general, but if it has to be moved to school-specific, that's fine too.
Are you not in Ohio now, with the frigid temps?? I'm in Michigan, and Florida and Southern California are looking better and better right now. The downside of California is the cost of living and the taxes (my Dad left Stanford after residency to return to Michigan, as the cost of living in Michigan is really cheap in comparison). Can't beat the weather, but with midwest COL, you can afford to travel during the worst months of the year to warmer places. Best wishes to you.
 
is a higher debt load justifiable in my situation? Am I unwise to choose the twice as expensive school, despite being around the same caliber? Why does taking on more debt seem like such a cardinal sin?

It's not a sin, it's just (arguably) fiscally irresponsible...

What's important to keep in mind is that, eventually, the extra tuition money will come out of your own pocket.

Essentially, by going to USC, you're paying 2x+ tuition so you can feel warm and fuzzy on the inside for "following your dream" to a medical school you've presumably only visited a couple of times, heard about from others, and read about online.

Someone else said this earlier in the thread, but I will reiterate it here. Go to USC (or Cali or wherever) for residency, when you'll be paid to live out the dream.

Medical school is only 4 years...debt can lasts for decades.

 
I'll keep digging through past SDN threads to see if I can get some more opinions.

Also...
Keep in mind that you won't find more answers than you've already seen in this post (the above is entirely comprehensive). What you are looking for isn't sitting somewhere in a SDN thread.

Go off and do some soul searching.

Make your own decision.

Talk to the people that will actually be the ones supporting you through your medical career (fiscally or emotionally).

Ultimately, there is only so much us strangers can do for you at this point. You've been accepted at two AWESOME schools. You'll do fine at either.
 
While the idea of a fresh start sounds awesome, have you ever lived far away from your family? I've been able to go home for Christmas and spring break but I really miss my family. I'm pretty close with my family, and while I've made some great friends here it's just not quite the same. Maybe that's not something that matters to you, but I almost always get jealous of the people that can drive home for the weekend- home made meals and discussions about something other than med school. On the other hand, med school is what you make of it- you can definitely make new connections in a new place, but if you already have connections where you are that's one less thing to worry about. Just my $.02.

Also my thoughts on debt: I don't understand why people get so flustered about debt (unless their SO doesn't work or they are a much older non-trad). For 4-7 years you'll be making ~$60k which is double what I made coming in, and after that you'll be making at the very least $100,000. So if you can live off of $30,000 during residency (which from my understanding isn't hard as you have no time) and then for 2-3 years once you're a clinician you should have no trouble paying off your debt. And if your SO makes money too, then it should be even easier.
 
You're right, relationships don't always last, but from my current perspective, picking OSU would put more strain on our relationship if she can't find a job in Columbus.

Can you explain why you think it's much more likely that she can get employed in LA than in Columbus? I feel like this is a crucial aspect of the situation that is rather unclear right now.
 
If debt and finances were my foremost concern, then I would choose OSU in a heartbeat. But I wouldn’t say they are my main concern. My parents said that they would support me financially if I chose USC and try their best to limit the amount of loans I would have to take out. For that, I am thankful and fortunate, and I will do as much as they’ll let me to pay them back.

Here is what I think: You should sit down with your parents and find out exactly how much they will help you with COA (both tuition and rent bc LA is significantly more expensive) then figure out the marginal cost of going to USC: ($USC + cost of living LA) - ($OSU + cost of living in Columbus).

If that difference is going to impact your decisions to get married or start a family then I would say go to OSU bc in the long run THOSE are the most important decisions (and are very much economically based). If you think you'll make the same decisions regardless if you are in LA or Columbus then pick USC.
 
USC where you will have a hands on opportunity for patient care earlier than OSU
 
honestly, before this whole process started I was always someone who supported less debt over "dream school". However, I now understand that fit can be a very real thing and it's hard to put a price on being happy and proud of where you go, but there does have to be some kind of limit (to me at least).

it sounds to me like you've already made up your mind. the last thing you want to do is go to OSU, have something negatively impact your happiness, then live the rest of your life (or at least the next four years) with serious regret. if you truly understand the financial argument and it doesn't phase you, go with what you know will make you happy.
 
Osu man....dat in state tuition doe. Also come here for residency or fellowship or attending
 
OP--
Debt is a very heavy burden. Another poster earlier in your thread showed the true payback over time of $170K, it is staggering. You have a SO, debt or financial burdens are not good for relationships. As far as a job, Columbus is a booming city, they are building like crazy in the city. As far as research and opportunities, it will be what you make of it. OSU has the Nationwide Childrens Hospital, they have the Ross Heart Hospital, and the new James Cancer Center. It does not get better or more impressive than that. Yeah, the winters can be rough, but they don't last forever, debt lasts a long long time.
 
Debt is an anchor. Either place can get you where you want to go. My school is very middle of the road and yet we have had multiple people last year go to derm, ent, ortho, plastics, top programs in various fields, etc. The school you go to doesn't close any doors but sometimes connections in high places at great schools can open some doors much more easily
 
I'm just another med school applicant, but I've worked with a lot of doctors (read: people that know the experience of loan debt...not pre-meds or med students) and they almost always told me to go to a state school, if possible. 90% of your education will be the same whether you pick OSU or USC. It's very hard to justify paying twice as much to go to USC. After 4 years, you will move and be happy in a residency with significantly less debt.

You are concerned that your SO will be unhappy, if she can't get a job in Ohio. First of all, if her career is more important than your relationship, then you shouldn't be marrying her. If you are afraid that attending OSU could risk your relationship with her, you should find out now. If you choose OSU and she stays with you even when her career struggles, then you know how strong your relationship is. If you choose USC, you may still have these same doubts about your relationship 4 years from now when you are applying to residencies. Bottom line, it sounds to me like you don't want your relationship to be tested, because you are afraid it won't survive the challenge. If this is the woman you will spend your life and have a family with, shouldn't you be able to overcome 4 years living in Ohio? Doesn't sound so bad, does it? You said you may move back there for residency, anyway.

Think long term. If your relationship lasts, it will be stronger than it is now, because you will have no doubts. After you graduate, you will be in the same position as you would be at USC minus $170k + interest in debt. The rest of the lives for you, your SO, and your future kids will be significantly better because you chose OSU.

I'm just trying to add another viewpoint that I haven't seen on here yet.
 
You are concerned that your SO will be unhappy, if she can't get a job in Ohio. First of all, if her career is more important than your relationship, then you shouldn't be marrying her.
This...is not good advice. Your premise appears to be that OP's goals matter and hers don't.

In the rest of your post you seem to be advocating for OP to move to Columbus as some kind of test of his SO's willingness to sacrifice for him. That is an immature idea.
If you are afraid that attending OSU could risk your relationship with her, you should find out now. If you choose OSU and she stays with you even when her career struggles, then you know how strong your relationship is. If you choose USC, you may still have these same doubts about your relationship 4 years from now when you are applying to residencies. Bottom line, it sounds to me like you don't want your relationship to be tested, because you are afraid it won't survive the challenge. If this is the woman you will spend your life and have a family with, shouldn't you be able to overcome 4 years living in Ohio? Doesn't sound so bad, does it? You said you may move back there for residency, anyway.

Think long term. If your relationship lasts, it will be stronger than it is now, because you will have no doubts.
 
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Go to USC (or Cali or wherever) for residency, when you'll be paid to live out the dream.

From what others have told me, it would be significantly harder to go to LA/CA for residency if I went to school at OSU, especially since I have zero ties to the state.

While the idea of a fresh start sounds awesome, have you ever lived far away from your family?

I've been far away from family since undergrad and I would say I'm comfortable living near or far from family.

Can you explain why you think it's much more likely that she can get employed in LA than in Columbus?

Like I mentioned previously, that's something I'll have to confirm. It comes from the experience of growing up in Columbus, with the majority of my childhood to high school friends still living in Columbus. Columbus is a (relatively) booming city like @GoWiththeFlo mentioned, but for the field she's going into, I would say Columbus has a much more limited number and variety of positions.

First of all, if her career is more important than your relationship, then you shouldn't be marrying her. If you are afraid that attending OSU could risk your relationship with her, you should find out now. If you choose OSU and she stays with you even when her career struggles, then you know how strong your relationship is. If you choose USC, you may still have these same doubts about your relationship 4 years from now when you are applying to residencies. Bottom line, it sounds to me like you don't want your relationship to be tested, because you are afraid it won't survive the challenge. If this is the woman you will spend your life and have a family with, shouldn't you be able to overcome 4 years living in Ohio?

Those are all valid insights given the limited amount of info I've provided about myself and our relationship (not something I want to lay bare on a public forum 😀). The five years we've already spent long distance is probably the primary instigator of this dilemma. First, I tried to find a job near her, didn't work out. I tried to apply to med schools near her, didn't work out. So this is our 3rd best option, moving to me after she finishes her graduate degree. Also, she's not the one emphasizing her career, I am. This is her passion and I want to do my best to support her, not cost her. If she can't find an adequate job in Columbus, I would tell her to keep looking for other options, rather than give up and move to me without a job. I do believe we'd be able to overcome another four years of long distance, and then we would have another opportunity to move to each other when I apply for residencies. Maybe it's just some tiny insecurity that worries about the greater potential strain I would be putting on our relationship by choosing OSU over USC.

This is definitely my personality showing where I try to minimize remorse as much as I can. Not the best of attributes. If I choose OSU and for some reason we can't survive the additional years apart, then I would feel an immense amount of regret over my initial decision. I've been trying to ask myself if the potential for regret is greater with choosing OSU, or with taking on more debt at USC. So far, I've concluded that although greater debt is a huge burden, it is something that I can deal with as a physician. But losing my SO who I want to marry? My future career as a physician doesn't guarantee that I'll be able to deal with that one.

All that being said, the dilemma with my SO is just one of the issues I'm trying to reason through. It's the most emotionally charged one though, which is probably why it's evolved into the focus of this discussion...
 
This...is not good advice. Your premise appears to be that OP's goals matter and hers don't.

In the rest of your post you seem to be advocating for OP to move to Columbus as some kind of test of his SO's willingness to sacrifice for him. That is an immature idea.

Like I said, I was trying to share a different point of view...but thanks for criticizing. We are talking about the OPs career decision here, so I think it's approriate to focus on his goals. I discussed his SO's career as a worst-case-scenario. Who knows...maybe she'd find a job in his first year of medical school! Then this argument wouldn't even matter, would it?

I never said anything about testing his SO...I mentioned that THEIR RELATIONSHIP may be tested. Yes, she would be unhappiest if she struggles to find a job. Sacrifices must be made in any serious relationship...and usually the sacrifice is made by one person. In this case, she would sacrifice the *risk* (it's not even a certainty) of not finding work now to save an extra $170k + interest with her SO for their future. 4 years from now he could make a sacrifice for her and get a residency somewhere that will help her career...then they would have all that money saved and both would be happy with their careers going forward.

Yes, the OP can sacrifice loan debt for his SO and go to USC. The benefit of that would last 4 years but the sacrifice would last as long as his loan debt. If he goes to OSU, her sacrifice would last 4 years and the benefits would last the rest of their lives, if they live happily ever after. For all we know, they could be just as happy at OSU for half the cost and they wouldn't be sacrificing anything.
 
From what others have told me, it would be significantly harder to go to LA/CA for residency if I went to school at OSU, especially since I have zero ties to the state.



I've been far away from family since undergrad and I would say I'm comfortable living near or far from family.



Like I mentioned previously, that's something I'll have to confirm. It comes from the experience of growing up in Columbus, with the majority of my childhood to high school friends still living in Columbus. Columbus is a (relatively) booming city like @GoWiththeFlo mentioned, but for the field she's going into, I would say Columbus has a much more limited number and variety of positions.



Those are all valid insights given the limited amount of info I've provided about myself and our relationship (not something I want to lay bare on a public forum 😀). The five years we've already spent long distance is probably the primary instigator of this dilemma. First, I tried to find a job near her, didn't work out. I tried to apply to med schools near her, didn't work out. So this is our 3rd best option, moving to me after she finishes her graduate degree. Also, she's not the one emphasizing her career, I am. This is her passion and I want to do my best to support her, not cost her. If she can't find an adequate job in Columbus, I would tell her to keep looking for other options, rather than give up and move to me without a job. I do believe we'd be able to overcome another four years of long distance, and then we would have another opportunity to move to each other when I apply for residencies. Maybe it's just some tiny insecurity that worries about the greater potential strain I would be putting on our relationship by choosing OSU over USC.

This is definitely my personality showing where I try to minimize remorse as much as I can. Not the best of attributes. If I choose OSU and for some reason we can't survive the additional years apart, then I would feel an immense amount of regret over my initial decision. I've been trying to ask myself if the potential for regret is greater with choosing OSU, or with taking on more debt at USC. So far, I've concluded that although greater debt is a huge burden, it is something that I can deal with as a physician. But losing my SO who I want to marry? My future career as a physician doesn't guarantee that I'll be able to deal with that one.

All that being said, the dilemma with my SO is just one of the issues I'm trying to reason through. It's the most emotionally charged one though, which is probably why it's evolved into the focus of this discussion...

If you made it 5 years long-distance, I think you will both be very happy just to be in the same city. Like you pointed out, if she needs to begin her career elsewhere, you can temporarily go back to being long-distance and try again when you apply for residencies. Whatever you decide, I hope everything works out! Good luck!
 
If you're in a committed relationship, you don't just do sh**y things to make sure the relationship is "strong enough". You make a mutual decision about what is the best for both parties involved, weighing the various factors. You don't deliberately choose the option that is worst for one partner because, if it's meant to be, they'll get over it.

That is some messed up logic.

Are you saying that choosing OSU is a s**ty thing to do to his SO? Because that is the only decision OP is making. He cannot predict how it will play out for his SO. Maybe she'd have better luck in Ohio and USC would be the poor choice. What if the OP didn't have a choice other than OSU? They would take it and look ahead to the future. His SO would move to Ohio with him and they would go through the same challenges as they would if he had turned down USC. The only difference is that he couldn't possibly regret turning down USC and she couldn't possibly blame his decision for her trouble.

Where did I tell him to choose OSU *because* it's bad for his SO? Lol I was trying to shed some positive light on a decision that could challenge the relationship but in the end benefit the both of them. Working through difficult times together generally makes a relationship more meaningful. And 10 years from now would they be better or worse off? I already explained how it would be mutually beneficial for them, if they end up getting married. The OP made multiple quick comments about the possibility of ending up alone, if he chose OSU. Do you think the fear of being alone should influence his decision to go to USC? I don't. But unfortunately, our emotions can have that effect on us. Which is why I pointed out what I saw and tried to put a positive spin on making the choice that's more difficult for his relationship now but not for their future.
 
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You can't predict what the future will hold, which is why you make the decision based on the best available information at the time. The OP could move to timbuktu and his SO could get the job offer of a lifetime. Doesn't mean it was a smart decision a priori.

Fortunately, the OP has 2 good choices that are both smart decisions. Just looking at the big picture for a relationship that could last the rest of his lifetime...

And that's all I have to say about that
 
Do you think the fear of being alone should influence his decision to go to USC? I don't.

Definitely not the fear of being alone...that makes me seem needy and clingy. More like the fear of ruining my most cherished relationship for the past five years.

What if the OP didn't have a choice other than OSU? They would take it and look ahead to the future. His SO would move to Ohio with him and they would go through the same challenges as they would if he had turned down USC.

That's a good point. But that's also not my situation now, and I would be actively choosing OSU over USC, disregarding the fact that she feels like she has more opportunity in LA. I'm actually trying to justify the greater debt at USC using logic similar to yours. As in, what if I only got into a lower tier private school like Rush? (Nothing against Rush, but that was just another school I was considering.) I would take on a lot more debt than if I had gotten into a state school, but I would still be happy accepting my only offer. And what if I had to choose between Rush and USC? I would immediately choose USC. So debt is relative to the situation. Of course, again, none of those hypotheticals are my current situation.

Just looking at the big picture for a relationship that could last the rest of his lifetime...

I appreciate your thoughts, so don't worry if I (or others) disagree! Hearing an alternative perspective also helps solidify my own position.
 
Out of curiosity, are you taking out the full COA at USC in loans, assuming no merit scholarships?
 
Out of curiosity, are you taking out the full COA at USC in loans, assuming no merit scholarships?

Parents have mentioned that they would be willing to personally loan me at least the living costs, so not the entire COA in government loans. Doubtful about any merit scholarships, but we'll see...
 
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.​
 
Like I mentioned previously, that's something I'll have to confirm. It comes from the experience of growing up in Columbus, with the majority of my childhood to high school friends still living in Columbus. Columbus is a (relatively) booming city like @GoWiththeFlo mentioned, but for the field she's going into, I would say Columbus has a much more limited number and variety of positions.

Hmmm ok. Well I mean I feel like you probably don't know the LA area that well at all so I'm not sure that you can be positive that her future will be much better out there than in Ohio. But I agree it'd be much much better for yall to not have to do long distance any longer than you have to. What does she want you to do?
 
OP: At core US med schools are essentially same. First two years are mainly basic science. Third year required clinical experiences are dependent on your (randomly generated?) schedule of clerkships (or in case of fourth year electives, what one’s interests are or what one’s residency interview schedule may be), where you are assigned (hospital, clinic, office, etc), what patients with what history/needs shows up on day(s) or night(s) you are assigned there, who are attendings/fellows you are is working with, what attendings let you do, if anything, etc, etc. Because there are so many variables, trying to compare USC and OSU’s medical schools is like comparing snowflakes, every student’s experiences will be unique. You’ll graduate knowing a lot from both USC or OSU, but you won’t know anything as the real on the job education comes post med school.

As to post med school, you may now be interested in optho but that could easily change during med school. Med schools are meant to give students a taste of different fields to help them decide. Where or what specialty you end up could easy change and will depend more so on your unique experiences and on what you put into it (e.g. Step prep/performance, etc), not name on the diploma. Take a look at residency program director’s survey below of what factors they deem important in whether to offer interviews/ranking. Graduating from any US med school is more important than name on diploma.

http://www.nrmp.org/match-data/main-residency-match-data/

Bottom line, 4 years of med school will go fast. I’m not saying name on diploma has zero meaning, but your med school experiences/performance (and Steps) and your ability to interact with people will be far more important to where/what you end up doing, not the name on your diploma. All things considered, I’d choose the least costly option, OSU.
 
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