Penn v Pritzker

[ToBeMD2025]

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Hi y'all,

I've been incredibly lucky this cycle, and have narrowed down my options to two big ones- Penn and Pritzker. A little about me: I want to enter a competitive surgical specialty- most likely cardiothoracic surgery. I also want to engage in biotech so I would like to be engaged in research/work along the lines of artificial intelligence and device engineering as well, so an MBA/MS in computer science is also in consideration. Here is what I think:

Penn (Half-tuition)
Pros
+++ Really awesome match list! 3 matches in thoracic surgery (at top places too!) is unheard of
++ Strong engineering/comp sci departments where I could pursue interdisciplinary research
++ Bigger hospital system and stronger home residency programs in areas of my interest
++ Really vibed with the folks there and felt like I'd be a great fit
++ Lots of community health engagement opportunities
++ Wharton is quite an amazing place for MBA and taking classes there would be wonderful!
+ Prestige/Ranking (?) The PD rankings seem to put Penn quite high and the Penn name seems to have greater recognition than UChicago
+ Philly seems awesome!
Con
- The cost compared to Pritzker

Pritzker (Full-tuition)
Pros
+++ That scholarship
++ Booth is quite a solid place for an MBA as well
++ Community health engagement in the South Side of Chicago is very woven into the programs
++ The match list was good, did not see that many surgical matches but also saw someone match into Cleveland Clinic's cardiothoracic surgery program!
++ Smaller school and I felt that students were quite tight!
+ Having been here, I have some solid connections I could further bolster
Neutral (maybe con?)
> Chicago is a fun city but having been here for my undergrad I could use a change of scenery too
Cons
-- Very little in terms of engineering at the school so I am not sure what happens here in terms of device research
-- No integrated cardiac surgery program at their hospital
- The hospital system is not as vast as Penn's

Honestly, if the costs weren't different, I'd have committed to Penn already, but the difference of nearly $120K in the cost of attendance is not a trivial number. I am lucky in that my family is fine with either choice and can support me all the way through, but I do not want to unnecessarily burden them either. I have asked Penn if they can raise their financial aid, but I am not sure what to expect.
Thanks for your opinions everyone!

 

[wondervisions]

UChicago hands down. I guarantee you can find medical device research there- UChicago is an absolute powerhouse in medicine. This was just from 5 seconds on googling: Heart & Vascular Technology & Innovation - UChicago Medicine

 

[deleted1100653]

I'm actually in a really similar position with two different schools, where one is giving me much more money and the other has a very specific program in my area of interest.

I'm trying to remind myself that I am choosing a school for the medical degree. If I want to do a dual degree, I don't have to do it at my institution. For example, if you go to Pritzker you could always apply for a prestigious scholarship like the Marshall or Knight-Hennessy to do an MBA. If you went to Penn, you would probably never seek out an opportunity like that. Or maybe you do the dual degree during fellowship and have them pay for it, lol.

Also, if one school has a program and the other doesn't, you could always start a similar program at the second school. That shows so much initiative and is really quite impressive. I'm sure Pritzker has enough resources and support to help these sorts of student initiatives.

I'm sure you'll be happy no matter what, but these are just a few things I'm telling myself as I navigate a similar scenario. 🙂

 

[wondervisions]

I think I'd ask Penn if they might be able to match (or get closer to Pritzker's ask price). I think the cost is a reasonable concern, but if you want to specialize in a field like cardiothoracic surgery (competitive specialty with high future salary) and your family is willing to cover the difference, I would go to Penn and think of the extra 130k as a reasonable investment (Now if Penn had offered you no scholarship money, then I'd have said Pritzker). Also, I've heard Penn usually provides really great funding for students pursuing dual-degrees, and if you're interested in an MBA that could make up a good chunk of the difference. Congrats on having a tough decision on your hands!

UChicago will get you anywhere you want to go in cardiothoracic surgery. Penn does not offer anything for a medical student in that regard that UChicago does not. 130k is an unreasonable investment for that reason.

Edit: OP, go to UChicago and donate the 130k to charity if you want to use that money in a productive way.

 

[16ccjones]

I would truly go Penn, the ability to easily get the MBA from Wharton is incredible and worth the extra money. The name alone will help you a lot in terms of both medicine and business should you want to pivot.

 

[deleted1100653]

I would truly go Penn, the ability to easily get the MBA from Wharton is incredible and worth the extra money. The name alone will help you a lot in terms of both medicine and business should you want to pivot.

Curious because I just saw you post in multiple X vs. pritzker threads and say the other school each time--are you on the WL at pritzker or something?

 

[Lemonlime98]

with the price difference, def pritzker

 

[wondervisions]

I think it's absolutely insane that some of you folks think the prestige difference between UChicago and Penn is worth 130 thousand dollars. That is a life changing amount of money.

 

[KendallJennerSniperLady69]

I think it's absolutely insane that some of you folks think the prestige difference between UChicago and Penn is worth 130 thousand dollars. That is a life changing amount of money.

130K when it comes to high paying occupations is nothing lol

think about how many parents in high paying professions drop hundreds of thousands of dollars for their children to study art history at a no name LAC

 

[wondervisions]

130K when it comes to high paying occupations is nothing lol

think about how many parents in high paying professions drop hundreds of thousands of dollars for their children to study art history at a no name LAC

130k is NOT nothing, that is an absolute lie.

OP, go to Chicago and donate the 130k to someone who actually needs it.

 

[Banco]

You can be successful in CT surgery from either place - you will have to put in the work for it, it's not an easy specialty to match. Penn is amazing, but so is Chicago, and here I would go with the cheaper choice because I don't see it limiting you at all. If you really know for sure you want to do an MBA, then I'd be inclined to consider Penn more seriously. See if they can come closer with some more aid. If not, then go to Chicago and have a successful career.

 

[10942863]

You will be similarly successful at either school if you put in the work.

As others have mentioned, if you are serious about an MBA, definitely consider Penn and see if you can negotiate the scholarship. (And this is coming from someone who is on the WL at Penn btw)

 

[proudofmykids]

Follow the money with this choice and ask Penn to offer more due to Chicago offer. Neither will inhibit you.

I don’t know the intricacies between cost of MBA at each MD program but factor that in since you seem interested. Chicago Boothe MBA is just as recognized as Wharton, although I don’t know current rankings, in past years has even been higher.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

I wouldn’t use MBA as a yardstick here. Booth is equally, if not more, prestigious as Wharton.

 

[C.elegans]

I wouldn’t use MBA as a yardstick here. Booth is equally, if not more, prestigious as Wharton.

Just curious, in what world is Booth equally or more prestigious than Wharton? Based on what little I know as a layman, the "holy trinity" is Wharton, HBS, and Stanford GSB no?

 

[BritainKittenMittens]

Just curious, in what world is Booth equally or more prestigious than Wharton? Based on what little I know as a layman, the "holy trinity" is Wharton, HLS, and Stanford GSB no?

Yeah Booth is definitely not more prestigious than Wharton. It's a fine school though. But you're right, stanford, harvard and Wharton reign over the business world.

 

[proudofmykids]

Just curious, in what world is Booth equally or more prestigious than Wharton? Based on what little I know as a layman, the "holy trinity" is Wharton, HLS, and Stanford GSB no?

No.
Chicago Booth and Northwestern Kellogg have been top five, even top two some years. This year both are ranked above Harvard,, but just behind Stanford and Wharton to round out the top five. There has been no difference in prestige for over 30 years.

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools

 

[ingobingo]

No.
Chicago Booth and Northwestern Kellogg have been top five, even top two some years. This year both are ranked above Harvard,, but just behind Stanford and Wharton to round out the top five. There has been no difference in prestige for over 30 years.

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools

Rankings are a bit meaningless for B-schools once you get to the M7 - regardless of the fluctuations, it’s definitely still HSW that are at the top in terms of influence/networks/outcomes.