UCSD or Harvard? and alternate lists

[EmB]

Hi folks,
I need some help regarding two issues: 1) I just found out that I'm waitlisted at UCSF, which is my NUMBER ONE choice for med school. The letter said nothing, so I wonder if any of you know about how many people get accepted from their alternate list, and what I can do to help my chances. 2) Assuming that I DON'T get into UCSF, I need to choose between my other top acceptances: Harvard and UCSD. It's pretty much a money issue, as I see it: I'm a CA resident, and so I am reluctant to go to Harvard. On the other hand, I really liked it there, and I was into their New Pathway curriculum, and all of that...can anyone give me advice on either or both of these two schools? May 15 is getting pretty close, and I have no idea what to do. Thanks.

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[rangers1]

In my opinion, there's Harvard, and then there's everybody else.

Congratulations on a well earned decision.

Good Luck,

One Harvard Reject

 

[dugan]

Congratulations--and, whatever you choose, please do it quickly! A lot of us are just praying to be toppled over by another alternate list domino!

 

[euhsa]

I really can't see why anybody would pass up an opportunity to be educated from a world renowned institution like Harvard. If I was in your position, the decision would not be difficult. It is also safe to say that a graduate from Harvard med school would not have trouble paying back his loans. Well, congratulations and best wishes to you.

 

[dugan]

Hey, EmB:

Don't let the reverence people feel for Harvard sway you from making the right decision for yourself! First of all, you'll be able to pay off your loans no matter where you go, and, second of all, there are a lot of reasons someone might want to go elsewhere. I'm not in any way implying there's anything wrong with HMS, but this is a personal decision! A lot of people are accepted to Harvard and decide to go elsewhere!

 

[EmB]

Thanks for the replies. I wish I'd known about this site earlier. I'm still stuck, despite the fact that most people seem to say that I should go for Harvard & the big name...I was leaning that way too, but I just found out that UCSD is offering me a scholarship, and so it would be even cheaper...and Harvard is going to cost me about $160,000 over four years. It seems like a lot of cash. My mom's not rich, my dad is dead, and I'm 29 yrs old, so I really can't rely on my family for money anyway. (And I won't pay it off until I'm 50!) Even the Harvard fin. aid office personnel kind of implied that I might be nuts to consider borrowing that much! I know lots of people here have said, well, everyone takes out loans, but with all due respect, this is a very new situation. The doctors I work with now didn't have to deal with it, because tuition was much less expensive back in their day. I am not convinced that it WILL all "work out okay" if I take the loans. Thoughts? Anyone know any young MDs who are coping w/debts?
And...anyone out there have anything good to say about UCSD? Soon as I can figure this crap out, there's one more spot out there for someone else to have!!

 

[dugan]

EmB,

what branch of medicine do you see yourself entering? Do you have any idea? That should have some bearing on where you decide to go.

 

[ls]

Definately consider what field you think you will go into. Graduating from Harvard won't make a difference in how much you are paid in private practice (or academia for that matter) Your specialty will. If its primary care, you'll be making somehere around 150K/yr, and you'll be paying over 20 grand a year (after taxes) in loans. If you want to do ENT or plastics the loans won't be so painful, and Harvard will help get you very competitive residencies (although UCSF will do the job just as nicely)

Good luck

 

[bear]

EmB:

Have you talked with many students at UCSD? That school has a wide reputation for being very mean and rigid.

I know that a few years ago, UCSF's waitlist was actually divided into two tiers: "high hold" was a ranked list that they drew from right up through the end of the first week of classes (!) and the lower tier, which basically meant forget about it. It might be worth calling them to ask whether this is still the system and, if so, which tier you are in.

Good luck!