Pitt vs. BU vs. Stony vs. Hofstra (please help!)

[turtleny]

Hi everyone! I'd appreciate the help here because I'm quite stuck. I'm currently interested in academic medicine/surgical specialty and med devices. My long term SO is also in NY.

Pitt:
Pros

• great research and clinical training
• great match list
• seems like the most "prestigious" of the bunch
• great tech/innovation opportunities
• liked this school the most when I visited

Cons

• furthest from NY

BU:
Pros

• also good for research, clinical training, etc.
• great match list
• NY is easier to get to from Boston than from Pittsburgh
• good tech/innovation opportunities

Cons

• still not in NY
• something felt off to me in terms of how I fit with the school's culture (could have been an isolated interview day experience)

Stony Brook
Pros

• in NY
• good research opportunities
• standard medical training with limited mandatory classes

Cons

• not nearly as prestigious
• not nearly as many "extra" opportunities in tech development/innovation
• okay match list

Hofstra
Pros

• in NY
• good match list
• good research opportunities and clinical training

Cons

• a ton of mandatory class and flipped classroom learning (definitely not my preferred learning style)
• not nearly as prestigious
• not nearly as many "extra" opportunities in tech development/innovation

Thanks so much!!

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[Rachapkis]

Pitt: It is the best school, it is a great school for someone interested in academic medicine, and you can visit your SO by plane.

 

[deleted915325]

Pitt: It is the best school, it is a great school for someone interested in academic medicine, and you can visit your SO by plane.

NY and Pittsburgh really aren’t that far. You wouldn’t even need a plane. Just a car and 5 hours of free time

 

[puahate]

Pitt

 

[Shubniguroth]

Pitt. It's the best school for everything you've described as your interests. Proximity to Carnegie Mellon also enhances entrepreneurship opportunities.

If it helps, I was choosing between the same schools (minus Hofstra) and chose Pitt without a second thought. It's a major airport and by driving is pretty close to NY.

Besides, in med school, 2hrs vs 4hrs vs 5hrs is not different enough in travel time to mean substantially more visits... It's going to be hard no matter where you go.

 

[turtleny]

Thank you all!! Appreciate the responses and am leaning Pitt at this point, but have to see how second look goes.

@Shubniguroth do you mind if I PM you regarding your decision?

 

[Shubniguroth]

Thank you all!! Appreciate the responses and am leaning Pitt at this point, but have to see how second look goes.

@Shubniguroth do you mind if I PM you regarding your decision?

Oh absolutely! Please do. Happy to help in any way I can...

 

[lalalallala]

I think it really depends on how serious you are about the SO. Some people are saying just drive 5 hrs to visit. Yes that is true but you won't be able to see them during the week for ex. Making that drive during 3rd yr may be tougher with limited free time. It is certainly not impossible I'm just saying if seeing your SO on the day to day for the next 4 years is important to you then I think it's totally reasonable to not pick Pitt

 

[deleted915325]

I made a choice to turn down Pitt for a lower ranked school despite “only” a 5 hr drive last year. Are there days when I’m like”damn I turned down an acceptance to a top 15 school”? Sure. But most days I am incredibly happy to be able to hold my fiancé at the end of a long day and just ask how her day went. My heart is happier being with her than my ego would be from going to a top school. In the end, you can get where you want from any of these schools. It would be easier from a school like Pitt but if you put in the work it’ll work out.

 

[redpanda332]

If you want prestige + a little closer distance to your SO then BU is a great choice. Seems like you didn't totally click with it on interview day, but maybe reevaluate how you feel after second look

 

[turtleny]

I think it really depends on how serious you are about the SO. Some people are saying just drive 5 hrs to visit. Yes that is true but you won't be able to see them during the week for ex. Making that drive during 3rd yr may be tougher with limited free time. It is certainly not impossible I'm just saying if seeing your SO on the day to day for the next 4 years is important to you then I think it's totally reasonable to not pick Pitt

I made a choice to turn down Pitt for a lower ranked school despite “only” a 5 hr drive last year. Are there days when I’m like”damn I turned down an acceptance to a top 15 school”? Sure. But most days I am incredibly happy to be able to hold my fiancé at the end of a long day and just ask how her day went. My heart is happier being with her than my ego would be from going to a top school. In the end, you can get where you want from any of these schools. It would be easier from a school like Pitt but if you put in the work it’ll work out.

Thanks so much for the other perspective! Unfortunately with the current choices in NY, it seems like we wouldn't spend day-to-day time together regardless, considering public transit would take around 1.5-2.5 hrs. Pittsburgh, however, is definitely not just a 5 hr drive, (seems like closer to 6-7), so it seems like flying is the best option that way.

If you want prestige + a little closer distance to your SO then BU is a great choice. Seems like you didn't totally click with it on interview day, but maybe reevaluate how you feel after second look

Unfortunately, it felt very similar to the interview day for me on second look but thank you!!

 

[955897]

What didn't you like about BU's second look?

 

[turtleny]

What didn't you like about BU's second look?

The program itself was well organized! I just felt like the school itself wasn't a good fit for me. We can PM if you want more details!

 

[sice4]

The program itself was well organized! I just felt like the school itself wasn't a good fit for me. We can PM if you want more details!

Could you PM why you your thoughts on this as well please?

 

[Konkurro]

Now that you got into icahn, will you go there over Pitt?

 

[SuperMonkeyDude]

Pitt is a fantastic school! My friend's over there and they really care about the students!! Their research opportunities is amazing too, and it's still a good city like NY.

 

[turtleny]

Now that you got into icahn, will you go there over Pitt?

Yup. Thank you so much everyone for all the advice though!!