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dr.Breezy

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  1. Medical Student (Accepted)
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Cornell. It's your dream school, and the amount of debt you'll be in (120K) is a completely manageable amount esp. because you're interested in high-paying specialties. If you want to match in NYC, Stony Brook will help but WCMC trumps it no question.

There's something to be said for living in Manhattan/UES versus Stony Brook for 4 years of your life. For that experience + academic opportunities that interest and await you at WCMC, I think the 120K is money very well spent (FYI you can also apply for tons of national private scholarships after first year so your COA may go down even more)

Good luck!
 
Hey guys,

So I recently got accepted into Weill Cornell which has been my dream school for a while. Before I got accepted, I was committed to Stony Brook in which I won a scholarship that covered me for a full tuition for all four years along with a 10k yearly stipend. I am torn because while I had a good experience at Stony, I LOVED Weill. I've seen firsthand the opportunities at Cornell affiliates like MSKCC, HSS, and the Rockefeller University, and the opportunity to immerse myself in these clinical and academic institution while living in Manhattan (which I've always dreamed about) excites me.

That being said, I did enjoy my interview day (could not attend second look at either school) at Stony, and I was ecstatic to learn I won a merit based scholarship that would allow me to come out with little to no debt. Going to Cornell would mean coming out with about 120k (cost of living) in debt, but it could be a bit more or less depending on how I live.

Basically what I am asking is if it is worth it? Is going to my dream school worth about 120k vs a full ride and a 10k yearly stipend at my state school even though I did like It (but didn't fall in love with it). Given that I work by butt off, Would the prestige of Cornell help me match better into more competitive residencies as compared to Stony, and is it worth the additional debt?

Disclaimer: I want to pursue basic science and/or clinical research during med school, but I'm not sure yet if I want an academic career. I am interested in global health, and my specialty interests currently lie in surgery in Ortho, cardio, and emergency medicine. I would like to match in NYC or California. Not thrilled about living in Long Island although I would assume the cost of living is cheaper.


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Be ivy league bro! But seriously follow your heart and the debt isn't that bad. Plus Cornell is pass/fail and in Manhattan.
 
Which one are you more excited about? Or more disheartened to have to turn down? If, for some strange reason, one of your acceptances was revoked, which one would devastate you more to lose? 120k is still below the national average, while getting paid to attend med school is also a very attractive option. The advice I've been given is to make a pros and cons list, think on it, and go with your gut.
 
I'd say go for Cornell. When comparing similarly tiered schools all things relatively equal I would say save the money but in this case you have the opportunity to go ivy and still take on relatively little debt so go for it.
 
Cornell. It's your dream school, and the amount of debt you'll be in (120K) is a completely manageable amount esp. because you're interested in high-paying specialties. If you want to match in NYC, Stony Brook will help but WCMC trumps it no question.

There's something to be said for living in Manhattan/UES versus Stony Brook for 4 years of your life. For that experience + academic opportunities that interest and await you at WCMC, I think the 120K is money very well spent (FYI you can also apply for tons of national private scholarships after first year so your COA may go down even more)

Good luck!

Agree with all of the above! I'd definitely go with Cornell
 
As someone who is likely going to Stony next year, 100 percent go to Weill Cornell if you loved the school. While Stony's match list is great for NYC, Cornell's is phenomenal and 120K isn't that much considering the "name" and how it will help you in residency placements/opportunities. The area around Stony Brook is actually pretty pricey, so it's not like you'll be paying dirt-cheap rent or anything like that. Invest in your future and best of luck to you.
 
Think back to when you interviewed. Which school seemed like the best fit? Remember stony is not a throw away school and if you have a full ride, I would really try to figure out if Cornell is worth the extra debt. Many physicians I've talked to have said to just go the cheaper route.
 
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