uic/rush/loyola

[vanhorn]

i am struggling with these three chicago schools. i have acceptances with all three but i am uncertain which is considered the 'best' as they are not ranked in the top 50.

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[sandflea]

it depends on what you're looking for. none are in the top 50 but they're still solid schools--i wouldn't consider each to be too different from the others academically. so it's the other factors that come into play.

 

[Milhouse Van Houten]

i think loyola is the CLEAR number one school. facilities are nice and new and it has the best name (if that's important to you). i can't decide a number two, though.

 

[sandflea]

Originally posted by petros:
•i think loyola is the CLEAR number one school. facilities are nice and new and it has the best name (if that's important to you). i can't decide a number two, though.•••

see, i disagree--i think it's pretty much a toss-up academically between all three schools. if i were to choose one, i would say the university of illinois (UIC) because it's got a good reputation as a whole in residency placement. so i don't know how loyola could be the 'clear' number one choice of the three--it *really* depends on what you're looking for. if i get into all three i'll have a heck of a time deciding where to go.

 

[MedPuck]

I disagree that Loyola has a better name. I believe UIC offers better clinical and research opportunities than Loyola and Rush, and it is much cheaper!! Of course there are certain advantages to going to a private school like Loyola and Rush: the first two years are probably more innovative and less traditional, but the real training comes from the 3rd and 4th years. All three schools are very respectable but why pay double for Rush or Loyola?? Just my opinion.

 

[W]

Personally, I feel that Loyola is much better than UIC and Rush. Man, when I interviewed at Loyola, it just blew me away. I was accepted to UIC and Rush, but the facilities and atmosphere of Loyola really made the decision pretty easy. It's definitely more expensive than UIC, but by talking to other medical students, in this case, private is the way to go (not as many problems with funding or the administration). That's just my humble opinion.

 

[sandflea]

see, we're all comparing different things here. although i haven't seen them myself, everyone raves about the niceness of loyola's facilities. i also hear good things about the atmosphere at rush, and the clinical and research opportunities at UIC. so, like i said earlier, what school is 'better' than the others depends on what you're looking for.

 

[bald]

i just have to cast my vote for loyola as the easy winner among these three schools. I admit i do not know as much about UIC or Rush, but loyolas facilities are brand new - the medical education building and the recreation center (feels almost like a country club). The other schools are great schools, but something about attending a medical school of 1200+ kids (UIC) is not as attractive to me as a smaller class. Don't you move around as a student at UIC, to their other campuses? I could be making that up, but i thought i read that somewhere. regardless, i feel i've had the same experience with loyola - i came away very impressed with the facilities and staff, and encouraged by the good attitude the students had.

 

[traumaMD]

UIC clearly due to its reputation in residency placement as well as its cheap tuition.

 

[shorrin]

bald, (just a bit more info about uic)

uic has four campuses. they admit ~300 students/year. you can elect to attend peoria, rockford or chicago and in some cases champagne/urbana though generally md/phd'd spend their 7+ years there.

If you elect chicago you will attend with ~half the entering class and spend all four years there. If you elect peoria or rockford you spend your first year at c/u then move to your campus of choice.

Each campus is unique and offers different opportunities. If hands on is your goal then the peoria or rockford campus is great since there are 50+ students/class. If it's a plethora of research or rotation options you want then chicago has it.

I agree with others on this page that you have to decide what you want and then find out who can provide it for you.

Other than that I might just pick them out of a hat 😉

 

[vanhorn]

thanks for your help. if it depended on cost:uic. if it was simply about the facilities: loyola. academically i feel they are very similar and from many sources they are considered equal in the chicago area. this is why the decision is so difficult.

 

[sandflea]

 

[sandflea]

 

[sandflea]

i have no idea what i just did. 😀