Please HELP!!! Where should I go?

[lawnboy313]

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I got into the Yale and UCONN postbacs and I can't decide between the two. Please help me figure out where I should go! Some things to consider between the two programs (and why this is a tough decision):

YALE
Minimum $21000 per year (yikes!, but I could afford it if I had to)
No linkages
Questionable advising (the advisor is a PhD in Medieval history, not necessarily a medical school specialist)
Lots of competition from undergrads
Super small program (2 or so people, not necessarily a good thing)
Yale name (I hate this Ivy-League BS, but it might help with applications down the road)
I already live on Yale campus
I already have an internship at Yale New-Haven hospital
I already have a volunteer research position connected to Yale

UCONN
Only about $7000 per year
Excellent odds (85%) of getting into UCONN med school, and others too
Potentially starting med school a year earlier than if I did Yale
Excellent excellent advising
Plenty of research opportunities
Hour and a half drive (yuk!) to classes from my place every day (I can't move)
Would have to give up my current internship/volunteer positions and things like exercise because lots of time sucked up commuting

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO? Don't know exactly where I want to go to med school yet...would it be stupid to give up the link to UCONN when it will cost me quality of life (but save me lots of money)? Your 2 cents would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your help!

 

[braluk]

I got into the Yale and UCONN postbacs and I can't decide between the two. Please help me figure out where I should go! Some things to consider between the two programs (and why this is a tough decision):

YALE
Minimum $21000 per year (yikes!, but I could afford it if I had to)
No linkages
Questionable advising (the advisor is a PhD in Medieval history, not necessarily a medical school specialist)
Lots of competition from undergrads
Super small program (2 or so people, not necessarily a good thing)
Yale name (I hate this Ivy-League BS, but it might help with applications down the road)
I already live on Yale campus
I already have an internship at Yale New-Haven hospital
I already have a volunteer research position connected to Yale

UCONN
Only about $7000 per year
Excellent odds (85%) of getting into UCONN med school, and others too
Potentially starting med school a year earlier than if I did Yale
Excellent excellent advising
Plenty of research opportunities
Hour and a half drive (yuk!) to classes from my place every day (I can't move)
Would have to give up my current internship/volunteer positions and things like exercise because lots of time sucked up commuting

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO? Don't know exactly where I want to go to med school yet...would it be stupid to give up the link to UCONN when it will cost me quality of life (but save me lots of money)? Your 2 cents would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your help!

uconn sounds like the logical choice in almost all respects except for name recognition, and even then, yale doesnt necessarily sound like its world renowned for its postbac, whereas the uconn postbac has been mentioned a few times here and there. its not the name that matters hwen it comes to postbac, but the quality. ANd from the sound of it, the advising committee sounds superb at uconn, not to mention having a great chance of getting into a linked med school, and better postbac education to get into nonlinked med schools as well. seeing that you are going to take a postbac, time for internships and volunteer research is going to be limited anyway, sso you might as well just dedicate that timet o studying and whatnot. and seeing that you are saving a buttload of money anywyas, it sounds like working to pay off bills isnt going to be as bad had you gone to yale instead.

Personally I would go with Uconn.

 

[lawnboy313]

Thanks so much for your thoughts braluk! Anyone else out there think differently?

 

[microgin]

Thanks so much for your thoughts braluk! Anyone else out there think differently?

No doubt the commute will suck, but I'm with Braluk on this one.... UConn hands down!!

 

[stella81]

I also think that UCONN will be better for ya. Can you get temporary housing?

I got into the Yale and UCONN postbacs and I can't decide between the two. Please help me figure out where I should go! Some things to consider between the two programs (and why this is a tough decision):

YALE
Minimum $21000 per year (yikes!, but I could afford it if I had to)
No linkages
Questionable advising (the advisor is a PhD in Medieval history, not necessarily a medical school specialist)
Lots of competition from undergrads
Super small program (2 or so people, not necessarily a good thing)
Yale name (I hate this Ivy-League BS, but it might help with applications down the road)
I already live on Yale campus
I already have an internship at Yale New-Haven hospital
I already have a volunteer research position connected to Yale

UCONN
Only about $7000 per year
Excellent odds (85%) of getting into UCONN med school, and others too
Potentially starting med school a year earlier than if I did Yale
Excellent excellent advising
Plenty of research opportunities
Hour and a half drive (yuk!) to classes from my place every day (I can't move)
Would have to give up my current internship/volunteer positions and things like exercise because lots of time sucked up commuting

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DO? Don't know exactly where I want to go to med school yet...would it be stupid to give up the link to UCONN when it will cost me quality of life (but save me lots of money)? Your 2 cents would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your help!

 

[lawnboy313]

Thanks to all for the help with the decision...I'm heading to UConn! Anyone else out there in postbac land starting up at UConn this Fall? PM me--I'd love to get in touch.

 

[BobKelso]

Thanks to all for the help with the decision...I'm heading to UConn! Anyone else out there in postbac land starting up at UConn this Fall? PM me--I'd love to get in touch.

Hey lawn boy, congrats on your decision, sounds like you had a lot of good options. i am finishing up my application - have everything except of couple of the MANY essays done. and will try my luck for entry in spring 2007.

keep us posted on how things go . . .

cheers,
BK

 

[mynamewastaken]

Hey lawn boy, congrats on your decision, sounds like you had a lot of good options. i am finishing up my application - have everything except of couple of the MANY essays done. and will try my luck for entry in spring 2007.

keep us posted on how things go . . .

cheers,
BK

Just to add to your decision's validation....I agree, you definitely made the right choice. Good luck!

 

[lawnboy313]

Just to add to your decision's validation....I agree, you definitely made the right choice. Good luck!

Thanks so much you guys! I feel the SDN love. Because it would have been great to know this kind of stuff when I was going through the application process, here's my stats for anyone curious:

Undergrad GPA: 3.67 (most competitive liberal arts school, transferred there from an ivy league university, non-science major)
Science GPA: 3.78
SAT (just because they ask on most apps): >1450
3 post-grad certificates in different kinds of alternative medicine
one year of postbac classes done a la carte at local college (general chem/bio)
one year volunteer experience at hospital
some volunteer research experience
no MCAT
Connecticut resident (well, 1 month away from being official)

Got into these post-bac programs:
UConn
Yale
Hunter/CUNY
Columbia
Manhattanville

Denied from:
NYU

For those applying to the UConn program, a former UConn post-baccer said that they like an eclectic group. I think maybe all my alternative medicine stuff helped--my interviewer said he had never interviewed anyone with my background. So, don't be afraid to let your unique side shine during those brutal 3 single-spaced pages of supplementary essays!

Feel free to PM me with any questions about UConn as they come up. I'll try to help if I can. Good luck all! 🙂