Tufts vs. Keck USC

[hmmmperhaps]

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appreciate any help or insight!

Keck USC
Pros
- hoping to stay in california for residency/career
- higher ranked (slightly)
- much closer to home but not that close (Bay Area)
- best EM residency program in the country, something I was potentially interested in
- assuming much more diverse patient population, great training at LA general
- very impressed with the environment and student body
- was told there is very easy access to research
- nbme exams!!

Cons
- full COA/$115k a year. especially tough as FGLI who will need to take everything out in loans. the biggest concern i have
- AOA
- need a car to live in LA

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Tufts
Pros
- half tuition scholarship, ~36k per year saved!!!
- heard Boston is nice and is the east coast equivalent of my hometown
- change of pace/getting to live in and explore another part of the country

Cons
- potential difficulty getting research with Harvard and BU students in the area
- internal rankings?
- much further from home
- high COL
- in house exams?

today is the last day for a decision after getting my extension for PTE, but i've still been stuck on this. thanks for any help

 

[Golden_Fox]

are you paying for med school yourself ?

 

[hmmmperhaps]

are you paying for med school yourself ?

I think my parents would be willing to help co-sign for loans, but I'd rather not put that type of financial burden and just take out all the loans in my name instead.

 

[Golden_Fox]

I think my parents would be willing to help co-sign for loans, but I'd rather not put that type of financial burden and just take out all the loans in my name instead.

Tufts then. It is 140k less without the percent it’ll grow due to interest ..

 

[Mr.Smile12]

See if USC will match the scholarship and Tufts COA, but otherwise, there's no shame in going to Tufts.

I think your concerns about research in Boston being a challenge are not a big factor. Talk to the Tufts student support team about student research support.

Student Research

medicine.tufts.edu

 

[Entadus]

what's the apples to apples comparison on full COA for each school? When I was applying Tuft's was the most expensive school in the country, so I'm not sure what 38K/year scholarship does ....

 

[hmmmperhaps]

See if USC will match the scholarship and Tufts COA, but otherwise, there's no shame in going to Tufts.

I think your concerns about research in Boston being a challenge are not a big factor. Talk to the Tufts student support team about student research support.

Student Research

medicine.tufts.edu

USC said they couldn't afford matching or providing any scholarship. I would've gone in a heart beat even if they only offered 1/4 tuition. Just got an email today saying that they would be rescinding my acceptance since I didn't pick them for the PTE.

The NBME exams, overall schedule, training at LA General, their Primary Care Program/student support, being much closer to home (especially with my parents' health issues), and how much I enjoyed the Second Look really made USC my top choice. However, the cost and debt just seemed unreasonable, especially as a FGLI student who would be taking out the 200k in federal loans and an additional ~250k in private loans. Currently in an emotional state, super sad thinking about what it could've been, but I think it would also be a dumb decision to send a last minute email to USC and changing the PTE choice with emotions running high. But maybe this is a sign to send that email and go more into debt anyway.

Also, checking the most recent Tufts vs. USC post (in 2014) and that student's decision to pick USC despite the aid offered by Tufts made that email I got regarding the PTE and rescindence a bit more painful. Maybe I'll try to match into a SoCal residency instead of back home in the Bay. 😢😢

 

[hmmmperhaps]

what's the apples to apples comparison on full COA for each school? When I was applying Tuft's was the most expensive school in the country, so I'm not sure what 38K/year scholarship does ....

Tufts COA is around ~105k yer pear, and USC is around ~115k per year before the scholarship*.