State School (fully funded) vs. Top tier (quarter funded)

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Brennydoo

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Example:
University of Maryland with tuition, room and board or UPitt with half of tuition?

I want to know what the SDN world would do in this case.....thanks!

Both funding opportunities are 4 years and no strings attached (i.e. no MD-PHD)

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roll dice - evens maryland, odds Upitt
 
i'd go with maryland. zero debt is pretty darned amazing these days.
 
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Never underestimate the value of being close to home and loved ones. Not to mention cheap baltimore rent...away rotations at Hopkins if possible.

Okay, I'm baised.
What do I know?
 
Example:
University of Maryland with tuition, room and board or UPitt with half of tuition?

I want to know what the SDN world would do in this case.....thanks!

Both funding opportunities are 4 years and no strings attached (i.e. no MD-PHD)

I have a friend who goes to Pitt and he hates the city. I have friends that go to UMD and, well, they hate the city. So location isn't that much of a factor I guess.

One is pass fail (Pitt), the other has grades (UMD). Both are in top 50, although Pitt is in top 30.

If you're looking at up to 10K saved, it might not be a big deal, see I'm debating between 6,550 and 33,000 - if it's that large, then definitely go w tuition (i've got other personal reasons that's keepign me from saving my wallet).
 
i'd go with maryland. zero debt is pretty darned amazing these days.

:thumbup: OP, you have to consider the opportunities you'll have (both professionally and personally) having no debt vs. the opportunities you might gain from going to a school with more prestige. That's a decision only you can make. (But yeah, like everyone else, I'd go to Maryland.)
 
u maryland.
 
go to maryland! it is definitely worth it to be debt free if you can!!!
 
assuming debt is not an issue/you won't be in debt, pitt is not just top 30, but #15 (for what you make of it). it's considered to be a "rising star" and is #7 in terms of NIH funding. also i think the city is safer than baltimore. i would choose pitt...maybe ask to borrow some money from family.
 
assuming debt is not an issue/you won't be in debt, pitt is not just top 30, but #15 (for what you make of it). it's considered to be a "rising star" and is #7 in terms of NIH funding. also i think the city is safer than baltimore. i would choose pitt...maybe ask to borrow some money from family.

where is all this "rising star" stuff i've been hearing coming from? just because they've been moving up in usnews? well, what's the evidence that they're going to keep on rising?
 
UMD has a great reputation and is giving you a great offer. I'd take the full-ride @ UMD. Also, Pitt is PBL :thumbdown: . :laugh:
 
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Do both schools have similar curriculums? I would go to the school that I think I would do better at academically.

From the pictures I saw, UMD looks like a really nice school =)
 
Well, this magazine says I should spend $100k to go to this school 'cause it's like 20 better than that school.

(how come the ones smart enough to get the full rides are dumb enough not to use them?)

everytime i see a "this versus that" thread i begin to wonder how this person is smart enough to get into both schools but not smart enough to make a damn decision for him/herself
 
Example:
University of Maryland with tuition, room and board or UPitt with half of tuition?

I want to know what the SDN world would do in this case.....thanks!

Both funding opportunities are 4 years and no strings attached (i.e. no MD-PHD)


Go to Pitt, and then tell UMD to give me your financial aid package.


Just kidding. Come to Maryland. You'll love it here. Pittsburgh is a dump. Not that Baltimore isn't. But at least Baltimore is a dump with character.


And who mentioned "away rotations at Hopkins" as a pro for coming here? Why on earth would you do an away rotation here in Baltimore when you could go anywhere else in the world? Don't go to Maryland to go to Hopkins.
 
Great Brenny, continue to boost your ego! :smuggrin:
 
everytime i see a "this versus that" thread i begin to wonder how this person is smart enough to get into both schools but not smart enough to make a damn decision for him/herself


Come on! You know how these things work. Nobody really bases their life decisions off the variety of conflicting opinions on SDN. Its just a way to pass the time and see how other people view the choices you have to make. I'll be choosin on my own terms. As for an ego boost.....I wish!:)

Thanks for all of your comments.....keep 'em coming!
 
The difference between the schools, ranking wise, is insignificant in my books.

But I have to ask: are you really considering turning down a free ride to medical school?

Goodness, I honestly think I'd turn down an Ivy for a free ride to a top fifty. Am I alone here?

Pitt is a nice city. Been there, done that, don't feel like I'm missing anything. I do like the Baltimore harbor area, Ravens' football games are a lot of fun, and Baltimore's quick access to the Washington beltway.
 
Given that I'm a guy who turned down two 7 year full-tuitions......

If money is the only factor, go to UofM. If you like PBL and don't want to live in Baltimore (I sure as hell didn't apply) then go Pitt. If you have family nearby, go UofM.
Rankings aren't an issue really.
 
Pittsburgh is a great school, but hardly top tier. UMD is a very good school as well, and with the price differences, a better option than UPitt IMO.
 

one person claims that it's based on a surge in nih funding. i think that's probably one of the least relevant factors for med students (federal research money can't be spent on education, a med student only needs to work on one research project not one thousand, and there are more funding sources than nih).

i have a lot of love for pitt, though. it's the winner when all else is equal. but it just doesn't compete with a full ride at umd or many other schools.
 
to clarify, i believe Pitt PBL is once a week or once every two weeks. it's still largely lecture based. the only school i know of which could be considered true PBL would be Cleveland Clinic.
 
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