So I am having a small crisis because I thought I'd come to a decision and suddenly I do not know WTF to do. HALP!
FIU
Cost: I've been offered a full tuition scholarship (worth about $128,000 over four years), but this does not cover $8,500/yr in "fees" and the cost of living in Miami is high.
Program: Difficult to gauge, because the program is very new, having only graduated its first class of MDs this year. First and second years are A/B/C/D/F (not so nice), and anatomy is all prosection (sounds good to me). I like their community outreach program, students are very positive about the curriculum, and all of their graduates successfully matched this year (a few really well). They only graduated 33 students although they matriculated 40 in their first year; not sure if that represents a worrying rate of attrition or what became of the other students [EDIT: but see below, all but 2 expected to graduate next year].
Location/convenience: Already mentioned the higher cost of living. Miami is also farther from where we are currently living and working (over 3 hours away vs under 2 for Gainesville). My husband could probably find work in Miami, but it might not be as good as his current job, and we would probably live apart during the week until he does. Also, the widely-scattered hospitals through which FIU students rotate, as well as South Florida traffic, make me worry about third year.
UF
Cost: Kind of an unknown quantity... I'm guaranteed $7500/yr recurring aid, and I'm told (after explaining the situation) that they can find about $25k more for my first year, but after that it's hard to say how much I'll get-- probably something. I figure the cost difference could be anywhere from $40k-$80k more than other options.
Program: UF is a top-50 school and the best in FL (IMO). Pass-fail, teaching hospital on campus, more research, they graduate 95% of their students within 4 years (98% in 5 years), and for whatever it's worth, UF is the school that "feels right".
Location/Convenience: Gainesville is closer. It might be feasible for my husband to stay at his current workplace for all four years if we find a good place to live around midway between.
Ohio State
Cost: This was the bombshell-- I got an email a couple days ago telling me I'd been awarded a scholarship covering full in-state tuition. I'd have the cover the difference between IS and OOS ($17.5k/yr) with loans... but it's easy to get residency in OH, especially with my husband working, so after a year (maybe two pessimistically) I'd be fully covered. Even with moving costs and lost wages while my husband looks for work, this could actually be my cheapest option.
Program: OSU is a great school (ranked a little higher than UF), and I really like everything I know about the school's new curriculum (which is also pass/fail), clinical training, and culture. I haven't pictured myself here as much because I had decided a while back that the cost was too much more, but I have no doubt I'd get a great education... for, as it turns out, not a lot.
Location/convenience: Far from both our families, have to move and disrupt my husband's work life, and I hear they have something called "winter" up there.
Thoughts? This is hard!
FIU
Cost: I've been offered a full tuition scholarship (worth about $128,000 over four years), but this does not cover $8,500/yr in "fees" and the cost of living in Miami is high.
Program: Difficult to gauge, because the program is very new, having only graduated its first class of MDs this year. First and second years are A/B/C/D/F (not so nice), and anatomy is all prosection (sounds good to me). I like their community outreach program, students are very positive about the curriculum, and all of their graduates successfully matched this year (a few really well). They only graduated 33 students although they matriculated 40 in their first year; not sure if that represents a worrying rate of attrition or what became of the other students [EDIT: but see below, all but 2 expected to graduate next year].
Location/convenience: Already mentioned the higher cost of living. Miami is also farther from where we are currently living and working (over 3 hours away vs under 2 for Gainesville). My husband could probably find work in Miami, but it might not be as good as his current job, and we would probably live apart during the week until he does. Also, the widely-scattered hospitals through which FIU students rotate, as well as South Florida traffic, make me worry about third year.
UF
Cost: Kind of an unknown quantity... I'm guaranteed $7500/yr recurring aid, and I'm told (after explaining the situation) that they can find about $25k more for my first year, but after that it's hard to say how much I'll get-- probably something. I figure the cost difference could be anywhere from $40k-$80k more than other options.
Program: UF is a top-50 school and the best in FL (IMO). Pass-fail, teaching hospital on campus, more research, they graduate 95% of their students within 4 years (98% in 5 years), and for whatever it's worth, UF is the school that "feels right".
Location/Convenience: Gainesville is closer. It might be feasible for my husband to stay at his current workplace for all four years if we find a good place to live around midway between.
Ohio State
Cost: This was the bombshell-- I got an email a couple days ago telling me I'd been awarded a scholarship covering full in-state tuition. I'd have the cover the difference between IS and OOS ($17.5k/yr) with loans... but it's easy to get residency in OH, especially with my husband working, so after a year (maybe two pessimistically) I'd be fully covered. Even with moving costs and lost wages while my husband looks for work, this could actually be my cheapest option.
Program: OSU is a great school (ranked a little higher than UF), and I really like everything I know about the school's new curriculum (which is also pass/fail), clinical training, and culture. I haven't pictured myself here as much because I had decided a while back that the cost was too much more, but I have no doubt I'd get a great education... for, as it turns out, not a lot.
Location/convenience: Far from both our families, have to move and disrupt my husband's work life, and I hear they have something called "winter" up there.
Thoughts? This is hard!
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