UCSF (OOS) vs. Maryland (IS)

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zdoq

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These two schools are my top contenders! Here are my pros and cons:

UCSF:
Tuition: 315k (I calculated this based on IS tuition for D2-D4, and with COL added in [would be splitting apt. with S.O.])
Pros:
P/F šŸ˜​
San Francisco (a dream of mine to live there!)​
Long break after D1 to do research, study for CBSE, externships, travel, whatever​
Medium class size (90)​
Recorded lectures​
9-week externship​
Excellent research opportunities​
Cons:
I heard that students have to pay out of pocket if they run out of sim. lab materials?​
High cost of living in SF​
Clinical exposure could be better/earlier​
Maryland:
Tuition: 290k (in-state tuition with COL added in)

Pros:
Very strong clinically​
Low cost of living in Baltimore​
Recorded lectures​
Some classes are P/F? Most graded from 1-100​
Good research opportunities​
Cons:
Bigger class size (130)​
Baltimore :/​
2-week externship (would like a longer opportunity)​
So basically, is my dream school worth it for that extra 25k? I have an interest in specializing in OMFS (if I can handle it lol) so I want to minimize my debt as much as possible. Thoughts?

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These two schools are my top contenders! Here are my pros and cons:

UCSF:
Tuition: 315k (I calculated this based on IS tuition for D2-D4, and with COL added in [would be splitting apt. with S.O.])
Pros:
P/F šŸ˜​
San Francisco (a dream of mine to live there!)​
Long break after D1 to do research, study for CBSE, externships, travel, whatever​
Medium class size (90)​
Recorded lectures​
9-week externship​
Excellent research opportunities​
Cons:
I heard that students have to pay out of pocket if they run out of sim. lab materials?​
High cost of living in SF​
Clinical exposure could be better/earlier​
Maryland:
Tuition: 290k (in-state tuition with COL added in)

Pros:
Very strong clinically​
Low cost of living in Baltimore​
Recorded lectures​
Some classes are P/F? Most graded from 1-100​
Good research opportunities​
Cons:
Bigger class size (130)​
Baltimore :/​
2-week externship (would like a longer opportunity)​
So basically, is my dream school worth it for that extra 25k? I have an interest in specializing in OMFS (if I can handle it lol) so I want to minimize my debt as much as possible. Thoughts?
normally, i would say cheapest
but in your case, you should consider UCSF
 
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Thank you everyone! Getting some 2nd opinions have definitely cemented UCSF as a good choice for me. Appreciate it!
 
could I ask how you came to the 315k for UCSF. I would also be OOS and I was getting closer to 400k factoring in the in-state tuition after the first year
 
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could I ask how you came to the 315k for UCSF. I would also be OOS and I was getting closer to 400k factoring in the in-state tuition after the first year
I have health insurance under my parents so that takes off around 6k per year. I would be splitting a 1-bed with my S.O. so that cuts down rent significantly (rather than if I was in a 1-bed or studio by myself). Also taking into account the Calfresh & cost of living supplement programs they have, you get $190 a month for groceries and $2500 a year for rent. I've been living very frugally for the past year that I've been out of school in a high-cost city so I have a good idea of how much I would need to survive VS the estimates they give you for COL.
 
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I have health insurance under my parents so that takes off around 6k per year. I would be splitting a 1-bed with my S.O. so that cuts down rent significantly (rather than if I was in a 1-bed or studio by myself). Also taking into account the Calfresh & cost of living supplement programs they have, you get $190 a month for groceries and $2500 a year for rent. I've been living very frugally for the past year that I've been out of school in a high-cost city so I have a good idea of how much I would need to survive VS the estimates they give you for COL.
may i ask how much you're estimating for your COL every month? and do you know if d2-d4 are actually more expensive since there is a summer term rather than d1 which is only three terms (without summer term)?
 
may i ask how much you're estimating for your COL every month? and do you know if d2-d4 are actually more expensive since there is a summer term rather than d1 which is only three terms (without summer term)?
Iā€™m calculating COL for all 12 months. Rent + food + emergency funds + travel for holidays. Iā€™m taking tuition right off of the UCSF website.
 
Also I recently received a grant from UCSF that decreases tuition to In-state for the first year, so the price becomes the same as Maryland.
 
Also I recently received a grant from UCSF that decreases tuition to In-state for the first year, so the price becomes the same as Maryland.
Iā€™m in a similar situation. Do you know what you will choose? PM if you want Iā€™d love to talk about it
 
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