Thomas Jefferson vs. Pittsburgh

[Robert Proper]

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I have been very fortunate to have been accepted to several schools this cycle and have narrowed it down to the University of Pittsburgh (no financial aid information received yet) and Jefferson Medical College (full scholarship). I am possibly interested in going into neurosurgery or neurology but am definitely aware that may change once I begin school. While both interview days were great, I feel that my interactions with faculty and students at Jeff were above and beyond anything that I expected. I am very familiar with Philly and love the area Jeff is located, while I am not as familiar with Pittsburgh or the Oakland area where Pitt is situated. Both schools have a P/F curriculum, however, Jefferson will be enacting the new JeffMD curriculum starting next year and I am not sure how smoothly the transition will go over.

I wanted to reach out to the SDN community to get some objective feedback and maybe hear from some alumni or current students at either of the schools to hopefully gain some perspective before making this decision.

 

[Frogger27]

What is your financial situation like? If you go to Pitt, would you be paying for it straight from loans?

 

[aymar]

why would you ever turn down a full-ride, especially since you said your interview day experience was positive...

 

[Robert Proper]

What is your financial situation like? If you go to Pitt, would you be paying for it straight from loans?

yes, loans. On top of my UG debt that is 100k

 

[ChrisMack390]

You have a full ride to one of the most desirable medical schools in the US.

Get off SDN and take a vacation or something.

 

[FlowLimited]

Jeff. Your future self will thank you.

 

[Spoderman]

Take the full-ride and run!

Plus you'd be my classmate, so it's a win-win.

 

[protego]

I voted for Pitt before I read your post and I'd like to retract and change my vote. Lol.

 

[aalamruad]

I voted for Pitt before I read your post and I'd like to retract and change my vote. Lol.

Lol I'll vote for Jefferson without reading the OP to balance you out

 

[citykid92]

I'm not gonna tell you to not go to Jefferson because a full ride is absolutely amazing and a big deal, but it is true that Pitt has better name recognition/prestige than Jefferson. In terms of USNWR rankings, Pitt is top 20 and Jeff is in the 50's. Now that doesn't mean you have to choose Pitt, but it's worth considering. Especially if you are seriously interested in neurosurgery since it is so competitive.

Having said all of that, 2-300k is a lot of money to give up. You will be able to pay back your loans as a doctor but that doesn't mean that taking on hundreds of thousands in debt isn't a big deal.

 

[Spoderman]

I'm not gonna tell you to not go to Jefferson because a full ride is absolutely amazing and a big deal, but it is true that Pitt has better name recognition/prestige than Jefferson. In terms of USNWR rankings, Pitt is top 20 and Jeff is in the 50's. Now that doesn't mean you have to choose Pitt, but it's worth considering. Especially if you are seriously interested in neurosurgery since it is so competitive.

Having said all of that, 2-300k is a lot of money to give up. You will be able to pay back your loans as a doctor but that doesn't mean that taking on hundreds of thousands in debt isn't a big deal.

I think that the full-ride is an even bigger deal considering OP wants to do neurosurgery. That's a 7 year (minimum) residency, during which any UG debt +200-300K medical debt will be accruing interest. I know most people try to defer loan payments or work out a payment plan based on income during residency, but if you have the option to graduate debt free it's hard to pass up.

 

[citykid92]

I think that the full-ride is an even bigger deal considering OP wants to do neurosurgery. That's a 7 year (minimum) residency, during which any UG debt +200-300K medical debt will be accruing interest. I know most people try to defer loan payments or work out a payment plan based on income during residency, but if you have the option to graduate debt free it's hard to pass up.

True, although income-based payment based plans make dealing with the debt in residency much easier and the avg salary for neurosurgeons in enormous. I would argue that the bigger issue would be matching to neurosurgery in the first place.

 

[JustAPhD]

Very hard to turn down a full-ride to any MD program, let alone a solid one like Jefferson. I believe Jeff has pretty solid Neurology/Neurosurg departments as well. Plus, Philly > Pittsburgh any day.

 

[hubbsbubbs]

It's always tough to say no to name recognition. Pitt is more competitive and might give you a slight advantage when applying to residency. Jeff is a full-ride. I would pick Jeff, I think it's the smarter move on a lot of levels. Really, the difference in name recognition isn't worth much, and top residency programs interview candidates from all kinds of schools (trust, I've got the inside know how) as long as they are compelling and have high scores. Unless you feel like you'd be happier at Pitt, which it sounds like you won't, go Jeff.

 

[LutGholein]

Full-ride at Jeff? Say no more. I know you can pay off the loans eventually but coming out with no med school debt will be a blessing and Jeff is a very strong name especially in the northeast region.

 

[BurghStudent]

This decision can't be made without knowing the financial aid at Pitt.

If they both give you a full ride, I'd go with Pitt. Pittsburgh is a great city, their research output is phenomenal.

If not, go with Jefferson. Excellent school.

 

[Skittsie13]

Have you already gotten your fin aid package at Pitt? If yes, maybe try and negotiate. If they don't budge and it's still all loans, Jefferson for sure. If the cost difference decreases then Pitt.

 

[mimelim]

No aid vs. full ride between those two schools, knowing nothing else, Jefferson. But, if Pitt gives anything, it is a pretty hard choice. If interested in surgery really at all, Pitt has to jump many levels up.

If you end up in neurosurgery, the finances become far less important.

 

[Robert Proper]

No aid vs. full ride between those two schools, knowing nothing else, Jefferson. But, if Pitt gives anything, it is a pretty hard choice. If interested in surgery really at all, Pitt has to jump many levels up.

If you end up in neurosurgery, the finances become far less important.

The aid office at pitt said finance information will be released in April and I have to make a choice by traffic day for jeff.

 

[cactusman]

The aid office at pitt said finance information will be released in April and I have to make a choice by traffic day for jeff.

So why are you trying to make a decision now without all the information?

 

[787593]

You have a full ride to one of the most desirable medical schools in the US.

Get off SDN and take a vacation or something.

Why is it so desirable?

 

[Frogger27]

Why is it so desirable?

It's a great school, but I wouldn't say I think is one of the most desirable in the country...

 

[pfdrjt94]

I'm in almost the exact same situation with a similar school substituted for Pitt. Waiting to hear back about financial aid. If you don't mind me asking...How quickly after you submitted your financial info did you hear back about the scholarship? And do you think that was primarily need based, merit based, or a combo of both??

 

[Doctor Strange]

@Robert Proper Obviously, I'm biased, but I would take the Jefferson deal and run with it. You already have a guaranteed full ride at an excellent institution. Giving up that money for a moderately higher ranked school that may or may not give you any money is risky. For what it's worth, I've been incredibly happy with my time here at Jefferson. There's been a lot of time and money invested into this new curriculum, and I honestly think that it will go relatively smoothly. Philadelphia is also a fantastic city. There's no other city I'd rather be in for my education and training. For what it's worth, I ranked Jefferson as my top residency program. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions (school, social life, area, whatever). I promise to be completely honest and as objective as possible.

 

[Robert Proper]

I'm in almost the exact same situation with a similar school substituted for Pitt. Waiting to hear back about financial aid. If you don't mind me asking...How quickly after you submitted your financial info did you hear back about the scholarship? And do you think that was primarily need based, merit based, or a combo of both??

I was awarded the scholarship about a month after finishing my financial aid paperwork but when they called me about the scholarship they said it was merit based

 

[Robert Proper]

@Robert Proper Obviously, I'm biased, but I would take the Jefferson deal and run with it. You already have a guaranteed full ride at an excellent institution. Giving up that money for a moderately higher ranked school that may or may not give you any money is risky. For what it's worth, I've been incredibly happy with my time here at Jefferson. There's been a lot of time and money invested into this new curriculum, and I honestly think that it will go relatively smoothly. Philadelphia is also a fantastic city. There's no other city I'd rather be in for my education and training. For what it's worth, I ranked Jefferson as my top residency program. Feel free to PM me with any specific questions (school, social life, area, whatever). I promise to be completely honest and as objective as possible.

Thanks!! I will

 

[ChrisMack390]

Why is it so desirable?

It's a great school, but I wouldn't say I think is one of the most desirable in the country...

It is a school with a great reputation located in a cool city with a low cost of living, and it has multiple great residency programs.

Don't really care what US news may say.

 

[WillianIAm]

Pitt so that merit aid can come to me. Just kidding. Hope you pick Jeff. +1 on being classmates

 

[ed*26]

If it's just the finances that's holding you back from Pitt, I'd hold out until you get your financial aid from there. I think they've already given out the bulk of their merit money but I've heard their need-based aid is pretty great. The actual cost difference between the two might be a lot smaller than what you're seeing now.

On the flip side, if the only thing keeping Pitt in your mind is the ranking difference, I would recommend Jefferson. The environment is going to impact your success just as much, if not substantially more than rankings. Jefferson is a great school that you got a great vibe from and that very clearly wants you be there. In my mind, the risk of you regretting going to Jefferson because you loved the interview and will have a full ride (especially in the context of $100k in loans already) is less than the risk of you regretting going to Pitt because it has slightly higher name recognition.

But, if you really want to be informed about it, wait for Pitt's financial aid packages and go to second looks to see if the vibe you got carries through.

 

[machete fred]

Neither because I'm on the waitlist at both

In all seriousness though, I would take a full ride.

 

[libertyyne]

Wait for the finances. If Pitt matches go there if not take the full ride and run.

 

[star-lily]

If you think it was merit-based, do you mind sharing your stats? ;P