Tufts vs. Hofstra

[ar1514]

Waitlisted at my top choice and will go if I get in, but now choosing between two schools and a little input would be great! Remaining options are Hofstra and Tufts

Cost will be about the same

HOFSTRA

Pros:

• Near NYC, which is where I grew up and want to stay long-term
• Innovative curriculum
• Vibes seemed chill and students seemed very happy
• Partnered with the largest hospital system in NY
• Very high STEP
• Impressive NY-area match list

Cons:

• Not actually in NYC, will need to commute
• Town of Hempstead isn’t the best
• Mandatory 8am lectures
• Unsure if social scene will be very good (not a high priority but a consideration)
• Reputation not yet great (esp in RD rankings)
• Might be tough to match outside NY if I change my mind

TUFTS

Pros:

• In downtown Boston, which is where I spent last 2+ years
• Better reputation
• Recorded lectures
• Rotations in Maine (where I went to college)
• More diverse match list
• No need to commute
• Very friendly students, all seemed happy

CONS:

• NYC>Boston
• Rotations at random other hospitals in Mass
• Less engaging curriculum

I love NYC but I'm afraid I'd be stuck out on Long Island with little access to the city. Tufts was a great program and in a city I know I can live in. Hofstra may be a slightly better fit but are all the downsides worth it?

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[5yewy5r]

For what it’s worth, a student at Hofstra told me she had gone to Manhattan every weekend since the year had started, and this was in October or so lol.

This one’s actually a tough decision. You should have no problem returning to NYC if you go to Tufts. Tufts probably has a diverse match list because it has more of a national (vs regional) pull, but even so their rep is stronger than what their rank would suggest.

Having said all that, if you want to stay in NYC long term, Hofstra will be a great starting point. Closer to home and has strong connection to northwell residencies. Not as established, but their rep should get better over time.

I vote Hofstra

 

[catnip12]

I vote Tufts simply because of the Mandatory (commute to) lectures every morning. This will probably get old quickly. You also might find that you learn better outside of the classroom environment which would not be ideal in a mandatory lecture curriculum. Plus I think that it’s nice to have the option to sleep in sometimes and still not miss anything. It seems like I’ve fixated on this one issue but I think it’s an important consideration.

Tufts will only be ~4 hours from NYC so it’s not terribly far if you decided to go home.

 

[carrots28]

Tufts. Boston is a great city! Also higher reputation means more opportunities for whatever you might want to do

 

[manofsteel9]

I vote Tufts simply because of the Mandatory (commute to) lectures every morning. This will probably get old quickly. You also might find that you learn better outside of the classroom environment which would not be ideal in a mandatory lecture curriculum. Plus I think that it’s nice to have the option to sleep in sometimes and still not miss anything. It seems like I’ve fixated on this one issue but I think it’s an important consideration.

Tufts will only be ~4 hours from NYC so it’s not terribly far if you decided to go home.

This is a solid point, but I do have some counter-points. The mandatory “lectures” at Hofstra are more small and large group discussions/presentations that are case-based so you’re not just sitting there listening to a professor spew out facts at you. The “lectures” are extremely engaging and will help you learn and retain the material- this is why Hofstra’s curriculum is unique. Regarding the 8am mandatory part, I honestly think it’ll help students maintain a good sleep-cycle so that once rotations begin, you’re used to waking up early and being attentive. You’re in medical school, you should be able to save the sleeping-in for the weekend. In addition, all classes end by 12/1pm, so you would have all the free time after noon to pursue research/athletics/hobbies.

 

[ar1514]

Having said all that, if you want to stay in NYC long term, Hofstra will be a great starting point. Closer to home and has strong connection to northwell residencies. Not as established, but their rep should get better over time.

I vote Hofstra

I would agree with all this if Hofstra were truly in NYC, but again, the fact that I'd be a little isolated is giving me pause. Though encouraging to hear that students go to the city during the weekends a lot

 

[FamousLinen]

Tufts.

 

[ginsengreset]

I would agree with all this if Hofstra were truly in NYC, but again, the fact that I'd be a little isolated is giving me pause. Though encouraging to hear that students go to the city during the weekends a lot

LIJ (one of the two main teaching hospitals) is literally in Queens.