U Mich or Wash U?

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Mansoor

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Wash U or UMich?
Assuming full ride for both schools...which would you pick. It's a tough decision. Wash U is a great school, but the Michigan area is so great.

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Mansoor said:
Wash U or UMich?
Assuming full ride for both schools...which would you pick. It's a tough decision. Wash U is a great school, but the Michigan area is so great.

Both similar, WashU is much much stronger in radiology if were gunning for the big bucks.
 
Mansoor said:
Wash U or UMich?
Assuming full ride for both schools...which would you pick. It's a tough decision. Wash U is a great school, but the Michigan area is so great.


Definitely Wash U. U Mich facilities look like they're falling apart from what I've seen on my self-guided tour. Faculty-wise, I think they are somewhat equal. And I'm hard-pressed to think of any differences in their curricula.

But think about the school culture-- where are you more comfortable? UMich is definitely more "college-y" but I thought peeps at Wash U were chill without being puerile.

BTW, congrats on the full-ride to Wash U (which seems harder to get than a full-ride to U Mich). You rock! :)
 
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Another vote for Wash U.

Haven't been to UMich so take my advice with a grain of salt but I thought the facilities and the general area (<5 miles away from city) was great.

Good luck with your decision and congratulations.
-Dr. P.
 
I'd go with U Mich- the students seemed to be more fun, and Ann Arbor is a much better location than ST Louis. Wash U is ranked slightly higher, but both are seen as TOP schools by the entire country and can get you any residency if you do well.
 
Mansoor said:
Wash U or UMich?
Assuming full ride for both schools...which would you pick. It's a tough decision. Wash U is a great school, but the Michigan area is so great.

Depends on which place you want to live...Michigan is WAYYY colder than St. Louis... so maybe the weather can help you decide. Anyway, I'm sure you've decided by now anyway. Good luck!
 
Inuyasha said:
U Mich facilities look like they're falling apart from what I've seen on my self-guided tour. Faculty-wise, I think they are somewhat equal. And I'm hard-pressed to think of any differences in their curricula.
I'm guessing that you didn't self-guide yourself through the brand-new (as in people are still moving in) medical research building, or apparently past any of the number of other new buildings that are at/near completion. I can't say that Michigan has the absolute best facilities out there, but your assessment is way off.

Inuyasha said:
But think about the school culture-- where are you more comfortable?
That would be my answer to the OP as well.

Inuyasha said:
UMich is definitely more "college-y" but I thought peeps at Wash U were chill without being puerile.
Oh yeah, well I'm rubber and you're glue! :laugh:
 
SailCrazy said:
I'm guessing that you didn't self-guide yourself through the brand-new (as in people are still moving in) medical research building, or apparently past any of the number of other new buildings that are at/near completion. I can't say that Michigan has the absolute best facilities out there, but your assessment is way off.

I did my best-- must have criss-crossed the place five times or so, went down the tunnels to read the research posters and look into the labs, and I even got to see their cute little natural history museum. There was one (albeit BIG) new medical research building. The others (cardio, peds?) I can't get to without a hardhat on! :)

Still, there is something to be said for exploring the seemy underside of med schools (if you're not lucky enough to get a free-ride like Mansoor). Michigan put in a lot of effort into polishing its image, but there are cracks all over the place. It's a bit unsettling for me.

I'm sure we're not seeing the school the same way. Something put me off... I don't know what, and it colored my perception negatively. Maybe because the place seemed a bit dingy and old in some places? The buildings are all so short? You spend quite a bit of time underground or without sunlight?

You are obviously in love with your school and there is nothing wrong with that. It's like being in love with a rather ordinary-looking (but awesome blah blah blah) girl and thinking she's a total babe-- no one can tell you otherwise.

When I visited Wash U, I also expected it to look like **** (it's St. Louis!). But I was won over by the fact that Barnes-Jewish Hospital looked more impressive than Mass Gen, the school buildings themselves were new, they put up a new gym for med students and they're thoughtful enough to provide carrels. The anatomy lab needs work though.

I think my point was, Wash U's facilities are better. I don't mean to say Michigan's are absolutely horrible (anyone seen Brooklyn?) but they do need face-lifts in some places.

SailCrazy said:
Oh yeah, well I'm rubber and you're glue!
:confused: Is this Michigan humor?
 
Michigan. Hands down. But this is based more on the fact that I'd rather spend 4 years there than in St. Louis than on any of the rankings people get so hung up on.
 
Personally, I was much more impressed with Michigan than with WashU. Washington University definately looks nicer. That huge building you walk through to get to Olin is just incredible. The hospital looks very nice as well and has a little park area at the top.

The thing that really put me off though was the students at WashU just didn't seem as nice or as happy. During the pizza party the day before, most of them just grabbed a few slices and left. All the interviewees ended up hanging out together at the top of Olin. I signed up for one of those buddies or whatever. My buddy showed up for five minutes, looked uncomfortable, answered 2 or 3 of my questions, and said he had to go study. During the breakfast the following day, the student I met with didn't have many positive things to say other than the rep of the school. Apparently the Chinese food sucks, the students are fairly stressed out, and he would've gone somewhere else if he had the opportunity. I mean, wow. This isn't to say that all the students there are like that. The 4th year who took me on the tour was really awesome. But through the whole experience, I pretty much knew by the time I got to my interview that I didn't want to attend.

Michigan is COLD, but I think I'll have a better experience there.

Edit: Wait it's already 5/17. Oh well.
 
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Inuyasha said:
I think my point was, Wash U's facilities are better. I don't mean to say Michigan's are absolutely horrible (anyone seen Brooklyn?) but they do need face-lifts in some places.
Seems fair to me. I guess the "U Mich facilities look like they're falling apart from what I've seen" part led me to misunderstand your (now clarified) point. :p

Inuyasha said:
SaiLCrazy said:
Oh yeah, well I'm rubber and you're glue!
:confused: Is this Michigan humor?
By your definition it is. We are the puerile ones afterall, right? ...what you say bounces off me and sticks to you... :laugh:

In all seriousness, sorry if I jumped on you a bit. I guess it ruffled my feathers that you felt it important enough to criticize Michigan that you made it your first ever post on SDN. :(
 
jeffsleepy said:
The thing that really put me off though was the students at WashU just didn't seem as nice or as happy. During the pizza party the day before, most of them just grabbed a few slices and left. All the interviewees ended up hanging out together at the top of Olin. I signed up for one of those buddies of whatever. My buddy showed up for five minutes, looked uncomfortable, answered 2 or 3 of my questions, and said he had to go study. During the breakfast the following day, the student I met with didn't have many positive things to say other than the rep of the school. Apparently the Chinese food sucks, the students are fairly stressed out, and he would've gone somewhere else if he had the opportunity. I mean, wow. This isn't to say that all the students there are like that. The 4th year who took me on the tour was really awesome. But through the whole experience, I pretty much knew by the time I got to my interview that I didn't want to attend.

this was almost exactly the same experience I had, which is why I have no regrets over turning Wash U down.
 
During the pizza party at my WashU interview, I asked my "buddy" why he chose WashU. He said, "Well, I wanted to go to U Mich, but they wouldn't match the scholarship I got from WashU, so I came here. U Mich is an awesome place, and the students are so cool!"

haha. And these are the people who are supposed to be selling their school to us? WashU was at the bottom of my list (except for JHU) after my interview.
 
My vote: Michigan (I'm biased, of course).

Michigan is an awesome med school. The faculty are 100% committed to our education, esp. if you show genuine interest in a particular area and sincere enthusiasm. Research opportunities and mentors abound. Multiple new buildings are either recently completed (e.g., brand new surgical center, biomedical science research building) or underway (new cardiovascular center, new depression center, new children's and women's hospital, new eye center, etc.). The students are, almost without exception, great people--hard workers and many are truly brilliant but, more importantly, very laidback and noncompetitive.

The first two years of med school here do a great job of prepping you for Step 1 (I scored in the 99th percentile and I'm an above avg. student here--certainly not the best).

Ann Arbor is a great place to live for med school. Plenty of great restaurants, good music, and cultural events (art fairs, festivals, etc.). The winters suck but Ann Arbor in the spring, summer and fall more than make up for the crappy winters here. Ann Arbor is truly gorgeous at these times of the year. Plus, northern Michigan is pretty amazing in terms of natural beauty, too. The landscape is very similar to Maine and northern New Hampshire.

Don't underestimate Michigan. It offers an excellent education in a supportive and safe environment. You'll learn a ton here and, more importantly, be somewhat happy (insofar as a sleep-deprived, overworked med student can be).

Congrats on two great choices and good luck with your career!
 
Oh, and one other thing (lest I forget to mention it): Michigan is pass/fail the first two years!

Do NOT overlook p/f curricula. P/f is the best thing since sliced bread! I can't imagine what the first two years of med school would be like with grades. The volume of material to be learned per se is very stressful; having grades on top of this stress would be downright unbearable.
 
Admittedly, UMich students were a LOT warmer in general than students at Wash U. What turned me off was when people started arguing about Notre Dame vs Michigan, and quite a few people thought "Wedding Crashers" was the best film of the year. Guess I'm too old for that crowd. :)

Strangely enough, I had a far better interview experience at Wash U because I wasn't part of a crowd of 40 interviewees (at UMich), lunch was better at Wash U (top floor restaurant with a nice view) and Olin wasn't too shabby a dorm (stayed for free!). I skipped the pizza party at Olin (flew in late), so I missed all the depressed MS1 and MS2's. The one MS1 guy I had breakfast with was really interesting though-- equally comfortable talking about wanting to fly fighter jets, medicine and the Compton Effect. He actually withdrew from all other schools after his interview at Wash U, which I thought was a strong endorsement. My interviewer struck me as an exemplary clinician, and the 4th year med student guide led a coherent and quite useful tour. Plus, I've met so many Wash U alums in leadership positions in academic medicine. Their past record of having made great medical scientists and what looked like the potential to make more is something I find attractive about the school as well.
 
SailCrazy said:
By your definition it is. We are the puerile ones afterall, right? ...what you say bounces off me and sticks to you... :laugh:

It's more of a problem with me not being a native speaker. Some American idioms still escape me.
:p

SailCrazy said:
In all seriousness, sorry if I jumped on you a bit. I guess it ruffled my feathers that you felt it important enough to criticize Michigan that you made it your first ever post on SDN. :(

Eh. I read more than I write. I thought it was a simple poll so I didn't think twice and posted. :)
 
Inuyasha said:
It's more of a problem with me not being a native speaker. Some American idioms still escape me.
:p
No worries. I looked up puerile before I posted just to make sure I knew what I was talking about! :laugh:

So the elementary school saying when someone has insulted you is: "I'm rubber,you're glue. What you say bounces off me and sticks to you." :p

Inuyasha said:
Eh. I read more than I write. I thought it was a simple poll so I didn't think twice and posted. :)
No worries. Like I said, I got my feathers ruffle a little bit. :oops:
 
Inuyasha said:
What turned me off was when people started arguing about Notre Dame vs Michigan

I assume this was a turn-off because there is such a clear answer to this argument?
 
ND2005 said:
I assume this was a turn-off because there is such a clear answer to this argument?

Absolutely. Who in their right mind would argue for ND?
 
JHUNBC said:
Absolutely. Who in their right mind would argue for ND?

und9-lg.jpg
 
JHUNBC said:
I'll see your:

and raise you:
ndap1.jpg

Clearly, my picture is larger, thus I win.
 
ND2005 said:
Clearly, my picture is larger, thus I win.

It's not the size that matters, ND2005. Overcompensating for something are we?? :smuggrin:
 
JHUNBC said:
It's not the size that matters, ND2005. Overcompensating for something are we?? :smuggrin:

Bigger is better.

Example 1a:

255427.jpg
 
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