Pitt vs USC vs UVA vs Jefferson

[CTscan]

Hi everyone, I'm very grateful to be in this position but I'm having trouble narrowing down my options further. I'd appreciate some outside perspectives, especially if you have experience with any of these schools. Thanks!

Pitt
Pros

• T15 Ranking/Prestige
• Impressive match list, I feel like Pitt would open the most doors career-wise
• Excellent clinical training
• Easy to find mentorship
• No AOA
• Only med school in Pittsburgh- not sure if this matters

Cons

• Location - I'd prefer to live in a bigger city
• Cost of Attendance: 310k
• 4-year longitudinal research project- I’m not crazy about research
• 2 year preclinical- seems outdated compared to other schools’ 1.5-year curriculums

USC
Pros

• Love the vibe of the students/community; Students genuinely get along with each other and admin and everyone seems happy to be there
• I feel like I would be supported here
• I love LA and the weather >>>
• Excellent clinical training, and unique due to large public hospital affiliation (LAC+USC)
• Focus on serving underserved
• Dead weeks (a week of no lectures before exams)
• T30 Ranking/Prestige

Cons

• Cost of Attendance: 330k (Have not received financial aid package yet though)
• Far from family

UVA
Pros

• Diverse student body and faculty
• Opportunity to rotate at INOVA in an urban environment
• Excellent clinical training
• Innovative curriculum
• T30 Ranking/Prestige

Cons

• Cost of Attendance: 210k (half-tuition scholarship)
• Location: Charlottesville seems nice but too suburban for me

Jefferson
Pros

• Full tuition scholarship, Cost of attendance: 22k/year
• Great location within Philadelphia in Center City
• Close to family
• Dead weeks (a week of no lectures before exams)
• Interesting Design track
• Students love and rave about the school

Cons

• Lack of diversity, pretty concerned about this
• Huge class size of 270- not sure how much of a disadvantage this is
• Not as prestigious as the others

Summary: Basically my brain says Pitt, UVA, or Jefferson, but my gut says USC or Jefferson. Still waiting on financial aid from USC.
Edit: Poll

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[Putkernerinthehall]

If none of the three big names give you scholarship money, I'd go to Jefferson in a heartbeat (less your diversity concern that I can't really help advise about).

 

[rep_the_don]

Jefferson is a solid school and being on a full tuition scholarship is a huge factor as well. Though the class size is large, the upside to that is that you have a lot of Jefferson alumni who are now practicing physicians, so this could be a potential plus for networking and building connections.

 

[drgoldenboy]

Jefferson unless you get scholarship from the others

 

[Banco]

100% Jefferson. Great school, strong reputation, large hospital system, has multiple "top" in-house residencies (Ortho, Ophtho, Surgery), matches into great programs throughout the country and northeast, Philadelphia is awesome, and is significantly cheaper. This is a no brainer.

If Pitt can somehow give you 150k+ in scholarship money, then we can have a conversation.

USC should be out being so obscenely expensive. UVA you don't seem too excited about and is also obscenely expensive.

 

[thetenthletter]

Jefferson. Don't count out UVA yet, their FA is pretty generous. I'm middle class and their need-based aid brought the COA down to ~200K over 4 years.

 

[lanadelreyy]

By latest PD rank and STEP 2 average: Pitt(5, 249), USC (31, 236), UVA (26, 252), Jeff(46, 242). I'd say your brain saying Pitt or Jefferson is with good reason and it's between those (maxing out opportunities/prestige vs minimizing debt). Free tuition honestly wins here, no question about it.

If you get a large scholarship from any of the other 3, then you should re-evaluate however

 

[catnip12]

The further along I get in my career, the harder I find it to justify not going to the cheapest MD school, barring some crazy or special instance like Harvard vs New MD school or something like that.

 

[CTscan]

Jefferson is a solid school and being on a full tuition scholarship is a huge factor as well. Though the class size is large, the upside to that is that you have a lot of Jefferson alumni who are now practicing physicians, so this could be a potential plus for networking and building connections.

Didn't think of it that way, that's a good point. Thanks!

 

[CTscan]

100% Jefferson. Great school, strong reputation, large hospital system, has multiple "top" in-house residencies (Ortho, Ophtho, Surgery), matches into great programs throughout the country and northeast, Philadelphia is awesome, and is significantly cheaper. This is a no brainer.

If Pitt can somehow give you 150k+ in scholarship money, then we can have a conversation.

USC should be out being so obscenely expensive. UVA you don't seem too excited about and is also obscenely expensive.

By latest PD rank and STEP 2 average: Pitt(5, 249), USC (31, 236), UVA (26, 252), Jeff(46, 242). I'd say your brain saying Pitt or Jefferson is with good reason and it's between those (maxing out opportunities/prestige vs minimizing debt). Free tuition honestly wins here, no question about it.

If you get a large scholarship from any of the other 3, then you should re-evaluate however

Jefferson is what I'm leaning towards and seems to be the consensus. I guess the question then becomes how big of a scholarship would be enough to choose a different school? 75% tuition? That's where it gets even tougher imo

 

[CTscan]

The further along I get in my career, the harder I find it to justify not going to the cheapest MD school, barring some crazy or special instance like Harvard vs New MD school or something like that.

Agreed. The more I think about it, the harder it is to justify paying 300k+ when I don't have to.

 

[drgoldenboy]

AMCAS has a loan calculator. You can look at that to see what the loan burden will be after residency, and then what the monthly payment will be. Then, look at what your take home will be after taxes. Then, factor in a mortgage, car payment, etc and you'll be like....woah...jefferson!

 

[Banco]

Jefferson is what I'm leaning towards and seems to be the consensus. I guess the question then becomes how big of a scholarship would be enough to choose a different school? 75% tuition? That's where it gets even tougher imo

That's up to you to decide based on your financial situation, but frankly I don't see much if any difference between Jefferson and USC/UVA. All are great schools, so the scholarship would have to come very close to that of what Jeff is offering. Pitt holds a bit of a prestige advantage as well as the fact that UPMC is incredible hospital/research system, so there I'd be a bit lenient - but then again, you say you want to leave Pittsburgh anyway...

 

[parscompacta56]

Jefferson! Id say Jefferson is an objectively better choice for you vs USC and UVA considering how close they are in "prestige" and the money. I always feel Jefferson is underrated and every student I have met from there or know who goes there LOVES it. Its in a great part of philly, incredible in house departments and affiliations, and with less than 100k in debt will allow you pick any specialty you want while giving you access to the best there is to offer. Pitt might be a tad of a step up in some areas but you have already said you do not want to go back there, don't like the curriculum, and will have to pay 200k more for the privilege of being less happy. Plus it is closest to family?? Outside of any other school backing up the brinks truck out of nowhere, go to Jeff and enjoy it. A warm weather city may await you in residency lol

 

[CTscan]

Jefferson. Don't count out UVA yet, their FA is pretty generous. I'm middle class and their need-based aid brought the COA down to ~200K over 4 years.

Same thing happened with me, I just updated the costs.

 

[sipping_cipro]

I love pitt. In reality, the first 2 years aren't that important, and honestly a longer pre-clinical curriculum gives you more to chill, have fun, and do research. The 4 year longitudinal research project is what you make of it, can be really low effort if you desire. Everyone is trepidatious about Pittsburgh at first, but people end up loving it after living in the city.