Penn State (hershey) vs SUNY upstate vs NYMC

[trying2bdoc]

Hi all!
So I was recently accepted to NYMC, Penn state, and SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, NY. Here are my pros and cons --

NYMC: close to home for me (in long island) but is a lot more expensive, heard to be a bit competitive, and I haven't heard great things about the happiness of the students

Penn state: loved their humanities curriculum, nice campus/ facilities, students seemed pretty happy
but it seems to be in the middle of no where

SUNY Upstate: my state school and the students seemed very laid back and happy but syracuse is pretty cold and doesnt seem like the best area/city

SUNY upstate and Penn state seem to be around the same price for total costs

Id love to hear what people think is the best option based on happiness of the students, reputation/matching, location, etc!! None of these schools are ranked on US news at least.
Also recently got a II to buffalo NY and wanted to hear more about that school and how it compares to my other acceptances prior to going!!!

Thank you!!

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[trying3bfob]

hello

 

[freedoctor17]

hello

Usually you wait longer than 7 minutes before bumping a thread back up

 

[trickydick]

Hi all!
So I was recently accepted to NYMC, Penn state, and SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, NY. Here are my pros and cons --

NYMC: close to home for me (in long island) but is a lot more expensive, heard to be a bit competitive, and I haven't heard great things about the happiness of the students

Penn state: loved their humanities curriculum, nice campus/ facilities, students seemed pretty happy
but it seems to be in the middle of no where

SUNY Upstate: my state school and the students seemed very laid back and happy but syracuse is pretty cold and doesnt seem like the best area/city

SUNY upstate and Penn state seem to be around the same price for total costs

Id love to hear what people think is the best option based on happiness of the students, reputation/matching, location, etc!! None of these schools are ranked on US news at least.
Also recently got a II to buffalo NY and wanted to hear more about that school and how it compares to my other acceptances prior to going!!!

Thank you!!

Based on your comments it seems like you liked Penn St the best. The advantage of going to your state school is usually lower cost but that doesn't seem to be the case in this situation.

Buffalo will probably be similar to upstate but will be even colder/snowier. It is a bigger city with more going on however (i.e. NFL team). They also have a brand new building if you're into that sorta thing.

 

[MedScat]

I interviewed at all of these places (except NYMC but i live 5 mins away from it so I know it pretty well). When it comes to research and community engagement opportunities, out of the 3, I would say Penn state has the most. BUT if I were you I would definitely check out Buffalo because the new facility is absolutely amazing. They already had a lot of research and community opportunities but with this new building and new facilities, these opportunities will exponentially increase. Yea the weather is cold and snowy but, there is definitely more to do in Buffalo than Hershey Penn. Plus, I think tuition at Buffalo is cheaper than Upstate but don't quote me on that. Also, I don't know about you, but I thought Upstate was sooo ugly and depressing.

 

[trying2bdoc]

Gotcha!! ya i heard a lot about the new building i just wanted to weigh the chance that i would end up there in the end since its kinda far from me (i live on LI) but thanks for all the info everyone!!
Ill probs check on buffalo but i think at this point penn state is where im leaning towards

 

[trying2bdoc]

I dont know how accurate it is but like on the overall costs (including tuition and room and board and all that) idk why when i looked it up penn state seemed to be around the same as upstate (67K vs 70K?) but then i also saw on some part of penn state's website that the overall cost was 65 or something but i definitely could be wrong (please tell me if im like completely misinterpreting things haha)

 

[trying2bdoc]

well according to MSAR, Suny Upstate's tuition is around ~41K and total cost is around ~63K. PSU's tuition is 50.5K and total cost is around ~75K per year. Not sure what their indiv. websites say

Yeaa it was on their individual websites that I compared their total tuition which I feel like should be more accurate than MSAR I think

 

[IWillMakeIt1]

If i was you, I would def go with Penn State even though I’m IS for SUNY’s as well.

 

[MedScat]

Yeaa it was on their individual websites that I compared their total tuition which I feel like should be more accurate than MSAR I think

Wouldn't Upstate be way cheaper for you since you get in state tuition?

 

[Dr.PEP]

Cost of living at Penn State might offset the tuition saved from going to your state school. Rent in Hershey where a lot of the students live can be as low as like 450 a month

 

[trying2bdoc]

Cost of living at Penn State might offset the tuition saved from going to your state school. Rent in Hershey where a lot of the students live can be as low as like 450 a month

Yea I think it might be something like that because for some reason with the total costs even as an IS for SUNY upstate the tuition is still around the same.

Also does anyone know any information about the grading policies at these schools? is its pass/fail or not?

 

[gottabeMD17]

Hey - so I've interviewed at all four of the schools in question and I'm in at Buffalo and NYMC. (HPA at Upstate and haven't heard back from PSU yet).

To me Buffalo was the best of the four. I'm still considering NYMC and would definitely consider Upstate if I were to get in. However, to me, Buffalo has the best program. The building is obviously amazing but I just got a very different vibe there than I did from the others. Loved the sense of community and felt like the community outreach opportunities and hospital situation were better. NYMC was great too but I felt like the campus was pretty small for such a large class size and the price is a little intimidating. I am also a Downstate NYer so the location is better for me as well. I'm kind of surprised by your views on PSU. I had more or less written it off in my head after a disappointing interview day. However, your comments make me want to give it a second look if I were to get in. (There were only two other interviewees the day I went so I'm wondering if it was just an off day.)

Grading policy is graded at Buffalo and NYMC. Can't remember for the other two.

 

[trying2bdoc]

Hey - so I've interviewed at all four of the schools in question and I'm in at Buffalo and NYMC. (HPA at Upstate and haven't heard back from PSU yet).

To me Buffalo was the best of the four. I'm still considering NYMC and would definitely consider Upstate if I were to get in. However, to me, Buffalo has the best program. The building is obviously amazing but I just got a very different vibe there than I did from the others. Loved the sense of community and felt like the community outreach opportunities and hospital situation were better. NYMC was great too but I felt like the campus was pretty small for such a large class size and the price is a little intimidating. I am also a Downstate NYer so the location is better for me as well. I'm kind of surprised by your views on PSU. I had more or less written it off in my head after a disappointing interview day. However, your comments make me want to give it a second look if I were to get in. (There were only two other interviewees the day I went so I'm wondering if it was just an off day.)

Grading policy is graded at Buffalo and NYMC. Can't remember for the other two.

Hey! Do you mind explaining more what you mean by a different vibe? I haven't yet gone on my interview so I was just curious. Do you feel like you liked buffalo a lot more than upstate on your interview day? I think the biggest thing about buffalo is that I wouldn't be able to drive it from Long Island. Also, as you said, buffalo is graded and im not sure how that would affect the competition amongst the students.

And yea I can totally see with penn state how the interview day can be weird (there were only 4 of us as well). I think I really liked the campus and their progressive curriculum but I wil try to go to second look day to better understand student happiness/ the other accepted students.
Penn state and Upstate are p/f!

 

[gottabeMD17]

Hey! So update: I've been accepted at Penn State! (Maybe I'll see ya at second look day!)

SUNY Upstate and Buffalo were VERY different. Upstate gave me more of a classy/traditional vibe. On a more concrete note the campus was smaller and older but definitely still nice. Buffalo is nothing short of state of the art and the campus is massive. Everyone there was buzzing about the new building. Additionally, the dean specifically compared the hospitals at both and she noted that at Upstate everyone is at the same hospital for rotations (unless you're in the Binghamton program obviously) whereas at Buffalo there are like 15 affiliated hospitals in all different environments and you can choose where you go. (This was appealing to me but obviously some might prefer being all in one system).

I don't think I knew PSU was P/F. Very enticing. Any thoughts on their STEP 1 being 3rd year rather than 2nd?

 

[master_debater]

I would go with penn state, it has the greatest amount of research and clinical opportunities, as well as international outreach programs.

It is also pass fail which makes life as a med student a whole lot easier.

Also, penn state has a wide variety of affiliated teaching hospitals, including some of the only tertiary care facilities in the area which will allow you to see a variety of cases and provide great experience in deciding what you want to pursue.

 

[Terror Billy]

If all things are equal or relatively close (cost, opportunities, etc.) the P/F curriculum should be the tie-breaker

 

[trying2bdoc]

Hey! So update: I've been accepted at Penn State! (Maybe I'll see ya at second look day!)

SUNY Upstate and Buffalo were VERY different. Upstate gave me more of a classy/traditional vibe. On a more concrete note the campus was smaller and older but definitely still nice. Buffalo is nothing short of state of the art and the campus is massive. Everyone there was buzzing about the new building. Additionally, the dean specifically compared the hospitals at both and she noted that at Upstate everyone is at the same hospital for rotations (unless you're in the Binghamton program obviously) whereas at Buffalo there are like 15 affiliated hospitals in all different environments and you can choose where you go. (This was appealing to me but obviously some might prefer being all in one system).

I don't think I knew PSU was P/F. Very enticing. Any thoughts on their STEP 1 being 3rd year rather than 2nd?

Congrats!! yea im going to try to go to second look date! and I can completely see that-- upstate also gave me a more traditional vibe. Due to weather issues I pushed my buffalo interview to like mid april but ill see if I end up going that late in the game.

I heard a lot of NE schools like (harvard, columbia, etc) are changing their step 1 to being after 3rd year. apparently it helps to have the information stick but its a new policy so I am not really sure. It does reassure me tho that there are a lot of other schools who are moving towards this option.

 

[trying2bdoc]

Thanks everyone!! yea I think P/F is a big proponent of medical school so at this point, Ill be leaning towards penn state unless I really dislike second look!!

 

[trying3bfob]

Penn state!!

 

[PelicanNation]

..

 

[trekker94]

Hey! Do you mind explaining more what you mean by a different vibe? I haven't yet gone on my interview so I was just curious. Do you feel like you liked buffalo a lot more than upstate on your interview day? I think the biggest thing about buffalo is that I wouldn't be able to drive it from Long Island. Also, as you said, buffalo is graded and im not sure how that would affect the competition amongst the students.

And yea I can totally see with penn state how the interview day can be weird (there were only 4 of us as well). I think I really liked the campus and their progressive curriculum but I wil try to go to second look day to better understand student happiness/ the other accepted students.
Penn state and Upstate are p/f!

Just another opinion, but I interviewed at Upstate and Buffalo. If you're really into research, I would probably choose Buffalo cause there did seem to be opportunities. One issue I found with Buffalo was the vibe of the students there during the day was not the greatest. Like they all seemed awesome, but just really stressed out. Maybe the M1s were just in the middle of a difficult unit? Upstate seemed more traditional and more for those interested in straight clinical practice, though there were research opportunities there too. I remember students being more laidback at Upstate, but I also did not talk to as many students at Upstate as opposed to Buffalo. The city of Buffalo seems more exciting than Syracuse, but being from NYC, it doesn't really hold a light. So thats a difficult choice. I'm also from downstate NYC, so I'm leaning towards Upstate.

 

[trying2bdoc]

Just another opinion, but I interviewed at Upstate and Buffalo. If you're really into research, I would probably choose Buffalo cause there did seem to be opportunities. One issue I found with Buffalo was the vibe of the students there during the day was not the greatest. Like they all seemed awesome, but just really stressed out. Maybe the M1s were just in the middle of a difficult unit? Upstate seemed more traditional and more for those interested in straight clinical practice, though there were research opportunities there too. I remember students being more laidback at Upstate, but I also did not talk to as many students at Upstate as opposed to Buffalo. The city of Buffalo seems more exciting than Syracuse, but being from NYC, it doesn't really hold a light. So thats a difficult choice. I'm also from downstate NYC, so I'm leaning towards Upstate.

I actually just came back from a second look at both penn state and upstate. Penn state kids idk why they gave me the weirdest vibes... i couldnt tell how happy they were and some of them seemed kinda odd.
On contrast, i went to upstate and the students seemed really happy and laidback but it definitely has more of a traditional vibe. I think I personally do not like research but I want to specialize so ill probably need research either way
I think if anything between upstate/buffalo I would probably go to upstate just because I could still drive that to long island and the pass/fail cirriculum seems pretty solid to me! hopefully, even though research isnt as plentiful, i think its still very accessible if you need to do research

 

[tiramisucheese]

I actually just came back from a second look at both penn state and upstate. Penn state kids idk why they gave me the weirdest vibes... i couldnt tell how happy they were and some of them seemed kinda odd.
On contrast, i went to upstate and the students seemed really happy and laidback but it definitely has more of a traditional vibe. I think I personally do not like research but I want to specialize so ill probably need research either way
I think if anything between upstate/buffalo I would probably go to upstate just because I could still drive that to long island and the pass/fail cirriculum seems pretty solid to me! hopefully, even though research isnt as plentiful, i think its still very accessible if you need to do research

SAME with the weird Penn State vibes. They were very socially awkward. I was honestly shocked because I didn't get that at all on my interview day. Plus, it was strange how there was little to no interactions with anyone besides M1s...

 

[trying2bdoc]

SAME with the weird Penn State vibes. They were very socially awkward. I was honestly shocked because I didn't get that at all on my interview day. Plus, it was strange how there was little to no interactions with anyone besides M1s...

I just messaged you separately!! but basically same I had really weird vibes and really couldnt see myself liking the people that much

 

[trekker94]

Penn State man.