Tulane vs. Buffalo (Waitlist)

[ohhhboy]

Buffalo

I’m waitlisted at Buffalo and trying to decide if I should send a letter of intent…

Pros:

• Closer to family (1 hr flight, 7 hour drive)
• Many opportunities for research
• Lots of community engagement
• In state tuition and low cost of living
• Recently adopted P/F grading

Cons:

• Internal rankings
• Maybe I’m projecting, but the students don’t seem very happy
• I’m worried Buffalo winters will make me depressed

Total COA per year: $72,876


Tulane

Pros:

• True P/F grading, no internal rankings
• Relatively low cost of living (though not as cheap as Buffalo)
• NOLA seems awesome, and the students seem happy
• Public health focus
• Impressive match list

Cons:

• 3 hour plane ride from my family
• Administration seems like a mess
• Fewer opportunities for research
• Very high COA

Total COA per year: $90,690

Tulane would be still be $71,000 more expensive over 4 years. I think I would be happier at Tulane but the COA is freaking me out…what would you do?

Side note: I’ve been working and saving during my gap years and have almost $74,000, meaning I could pay for most of the first year

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[Banco]

Well if you would 100% rather go to Buffalo, send the LOI, as it's also cheaper for you. But you have to make that decision on whether you would much rather go to Buffalo.

 

[NY_Med]

Buffalo

I’m waitlisted at Buffalo and trying to decide if I should send a letter of intent…

Pros:

• Closer to family (1 hr flight, 7 hour drive)
• Many opportunities for research
• Lots of community engagement
• In state tuition and low cost of living
• Recently adopted P/F grading

Cons:

• Internal rankings
• Maybe I’m projecting, but the students don’t seem very happy
• I’m worried Buffalo winters will make me depressed

Total COA per year: $72,876


Tulane

Pros:

• True P/F grading, no internal rankings
• Relatively low cost of living (though not as cheap as Buffalo)
• NOLA seems awesome, and the students seem happy
• Public health focus
• Impressive match list

Cons:

• 3 hour plane ride from my family
• Administration seems like a mess
• Fewer opportunities for research
• Very high COA

Total COA per year: $90,690

Tulane would be still be $71,000 more expensive over 4 years. I think I would be happier at Tulane but the COA is freaking me out…what would you do?

Side note: I’ve been working and saving during my gap years and have almost $74,000, meaning I could pay for most of the first year

During my Q&A with the students for Buffalo, I agree many of them had negative opinions and changes they would prefer in the school. That being said imo I think that may be response bias. I have MANY personal friends who have attended medical school there (who did not take part in the Q&A's) who literally LOVE the school. Like at least 8-10 who have nothing but good things to say about it. Also, 80k is a lot of money haha

 

[ohhhboy]

During my Q&A with the students for Buffalo, I agree many of them had negative opinions and changes they would prefer in the school. That being said imo I think that may be response bias. I have MANY personal friends who have attended medical school there (who did not take part in the Q&A's) who literally LOVE the school. Like at least 8-10 who have nothing but good things to say about it. Also, 80k is a lot of money haha

Thanks for your feedback! Yeah I’ve heard good things from other students too, I was just surprised that the Q and A seemed kinda low energy/negative. 80k is a LOT of money which is why I’m torn. My main concern is the seasonal depression that I might experience in Buffalo.

 

[NY_Med]

Thanks for your feedback! Yeah I’ve heard good things from other students too, I was just surprised that the Q and A seemed kinda low energy/negative. 80k is a LOT of money which is why I’m torn. My main concern is the seasonal depression that I might experience in Buffalo.

I do not think I am someone who can give you reliable feedback on the seasonal depression aspect. As a Buffalo native, I really haven't known anything else. I think your best bet is to reach out to someone who "Transplanted" into Buffalo from somewhere else. From my perspective, I do not think it is something that is that brutal; but again I am from a place of ignorance. Buffalo is an awesome small city though, and there is plenty of stuff to do inside (and even outside) during the winter months!

 

[ayeayeaye24]

as a Tulane undergrad and have a lot of friends at Tulane Med, choose Buffalo. Tulane administration is terrible and has had a lot of controversy surrounding racism even though New Orleans is 50% Black. The undergrad has been the exact same way and I am not happy about it

 

[ayeayeaye24]

also a lot of students at Tulane are either ED because of lower stats, creative scholars from the undergrad which gives you guaranteed admission or did not get in anywhere else. Because of this, it has a very strange student population and my friends that go there all say that if they got in anywhere else they would choose to go there over paying 90k for Tulane

 

[ohhhboy]

also a lot of students at Tulane are either ED because of lower stats, creative scholars from the undergrad which gives you guaranteed admission or did not get in anywhere else. Because of this, it has a very strange student population and my friends that go there all say that if they got in anywhere else they would choose to go there over paying 90k for Tulane

Thanks for your honesty, many of the Tulane med students I spoke to seem super happy so I’m surprised and bummed to hear this. I might not get in anywhere else but we’ll see

 

[lpn2doc]

reach out to someone who "Transplanted" into Buffalo from somewhere else

Hello! I'm an undergrad student at Buffalo and was born and raised on the east end of Long Island. I personally love the city and find that most people I know from downstate do as well. OP is right in their assumption though, seasonal depression is for sure an issue here. It is extremely grey and, coming from downstate, you will feel like the sun doesn't come up from late October until April. For me, it's not so much of an issue, but when the sun does finally come out on a day above 40 degrees, my friends and I will all get this indescribable feeling of happiness for the day lol. I would definitley recommend vitamin D supplementation and a healthy diet if you decide to come here.
This probably sounds really negative but I'm just being realistic and I love this city.