Saint Louis (full tuition) vs Hackensack (full tuition) vs Iowa vs Northwestern

[potatoofmagic]

I'm having a tough time choosing between these two schools. Not sure of specialty yet but not ruling out anything competitive. I also got waitlisted at Northwestern which is my absolute top choice, but even if I get accepted, I’m not sure it’d be worth the ~390K in cost of attendance when I have a free tuition option. Any thoughts/ feedback would be greatly appreciated!

St. Louis University (full tuition scholarship)

Pros:

• True P/F 1.5-year preclinicals with no internal rankings until 3rd year.
• New hospital built in 2020 for rotations, located right across the school
• Lectures aren't mandatory, all are recorded.
• Nearby greenery and free activities (Forest Park which is larger than Central Park in NY, Zoo, museum).
• Free access to the rec center gym at SLU’s undergrad campus which is nearby.
• Cheaper COL - might be able to live on my own which I think I’d prefer

Cons:

• Higher crime rate location
• Hot, humid summers
• Scholarship caveats: pre-matriculation program starting June 30th (classes start July 24th), join SNMA or LMSA and document participation in a minimum of two diversity sponsored events per year.

Hackensack Meridian (full tuition scholarship)

Pros:

• P/F 1.5-year preclinicals (with AOA).
• Potential for 3 year program, can go straight into select residencies within the Hackensack system in NJ (IM, FM, peds, EM, pediatric neurology, gen surg, psych, anesthesiology)
• No strings attached scholarship
• The Hackensack Meridian hospital network is well-known in the NJ/NY/Pen area.
• Flipped classroom style, super new facilities
• Train ride away from NYC
• Nearby nature preserves although not as close as Forest Park near SLU.

Cons:

• Newer school - not much of a reputation. Potentially harder to match into competitive residencies. Their first match list for reference: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/attachments/hmsom-2022-match-pdf.352386/ or Meet the Graduates – Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
• Commuter campus; choose either a North or South Jersey track for rotations. May be tough to maintain friendships with the class being split up. Lots of driving/ traffic especially in North Jersey.
• Required attendance for PBL, team-based learning, and large group active learning (8am-12pm on-campus commitment pretty much every day is what a former student told me).
• Higher COL
• No on-campus gym

Summary: I’m leaning towards St. Louis right now because it is more established and I feel like the cheaper COL, free nearby gym, and the hospital for rotations within walking distance would make life easier. However, Hackensack’s 3-year path is tempting, and even if I do the traditional match, there may be better opportunities to match on the East coast which I'd prefer over the midwest.

What do you guys think about this? Is St. Louis a no-brainer because it's more established? Don't want to close any doors unnecessarily. Thanks!

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[alapeds]

St Louis for sure I would say. The strings on the scholarship don’t seem too difficult. And it’s a nice place.

 

[potatoofmagic]

St Louis for sure I would say. The strings on the scholarship don’t seem too difficult. And it’s a nice place.

Thanks for the input! Definitely leaning that way. I'm lucky to be visiting both campuses soon which will make it easier to decide.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

I'd lean toward SLU and definitely pass on Northwestern given that insane cost difference. SLU is a pretty solid school. I'm not crazy about St. Louis as a city but, as with most anywhere, you can make it work for you. I was never intrigued with the 3-year programs (Hackensack). There's a lot of ground to cover in four years, let alone three. Part of M4 year can be a nice break between busy M3 clinical year and residency. You'd miss that in a 3-year accelerated program.

 

[potatoofmagic]

I'd lean toward SLU and definitely pass on Northwestern given that insane cost difference. SLU is a pretty solid school. I'm not crazy about St. Louis as a city but, as with most anywhere, you can make it work for you. I was never intrigued with the 3-year programs (Hackensack). There's a lot of ground to cover in four years, let alone three. Part of M4 year can be a nice break between busy M3 clinical year and residency. You'd miss that in a 3-year accelerated program.

Good points, thank you. Hackensack does have the option of going 4 years as well, but there are also a lot of unknowns (raffle system for having either North or South Jersey be your home base for rotations, class size has recently doubled so unsure if everyone who wants the 3-year program will get it). SLU also has no internal rankings, and the students I've talked to have all seemed pretty happy there.

I think I'll wait to see what the 4-year match data looks like for Hackensack this year, but most likely going with SLU. Thanks!

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Do you have any other admission decisions pending ?

 

[potatoofmagic]

Do you have any other admission decisions pending ?

Just Northwestern. Unfortunately caught the R from UChicago which is a school I was excited about as well since I'd love to live there and I liked the smaller class size and vibe of the school. Those were my only two T20 interviews.

I also just got my financial aid package from Iowa and received a need-based grant I was not expecting which puts the COA for these schools at (roughly):

Iowa: 205K
Hackensack: 125K
SLU: 95K

Not sure if Iowa is worth 100K more even though it is more "prestigious" (PD score of 29 vs 78 SLU) and the hospital has great optho and ortho programs from what I've read. I'm thinking I'll want to pursue a specialty with bread-and-butter cases/procedures and be really good at a few things, i.e. hand surgery, cataract surgery, ENT, anesthesia - which all tend to be more competitive. Another downside to Iowa besides cost is the high honors/honors/pass/fail grading system with internal rankings.

 

[alapeds]

Iowa is well above the others. If you plan to pursue anything surgical then you won’t mind spending the extra 100k.

 

[potatoofmagic]

I'm starting to warm up to that idea more and more (especially after reading through the SOAP thread on reddit and seeing competitive applicants not matching in the residencies I'm interested in). It's just so hard turning down a full tuition scholarship. In that case, would it make sense to send a letter of intent to Northwestern and hope I get off the waitlist? They told us that on average, students receive 30k per year to attend, and I think I'd get something need-based. So Iowa would be plan A, and Northwestern B. I appreciate all the help!

 

[alapeds]

If northwestern accepts LOI’s then definitely. And remember that Iowa has super cheap cost of living for students. As low as 400 a month for housing in a coed medical fraternity or 600 with 9 meals a week included. St. Louis would also be cheap but not nearly as good in terms of in house residencies and matching.

 

[potatoofmagic]

Alright, that's the plan for now, thanks! Northwestern has said multiple times they are very receptive to letters and communication from applicants. I stayed with one of the medical frats when I interviewed at Iowa so that's definitely an option. Visiting Hackensack and SLU in early April will be helpful as well.

 

[Max2022]

Did you like St. Louis as a city
Slu is pretty spread out though. Will you be happy 4 years there, would be a good question

 

[potatoofmagic]

Visiting soon but from what I’ve seen I think I’ll enjoy the parks, the food scene, and cheap COL. Location isn’t make or break for me since I’d rather go where I have a chance of matching in competitive specialties, and I can definitely see myself being happy in the midwest. Chicago is the dream after all (plz accept me Northwestern)