UIC vs. NYMC (w/ scholarship)

[moonbm]

I know that this thread seems extremely ambitious and narrow-minded, but any input toward this would be extremely appreciated:

I'm deciding between the University of Illinois (Chicago campus) and New York Medical College, for which I received a $15,000/year need-based scholarship. I am an Illinois resident/Chicago native, thus I have a slight preference to staying home, but I would also love to experience a new setting, especially one that is near NYC. In other words, the location of both schools is not a significant deciding factor for me. I also equally like the academic programs at both schools and can see myself attending either based on the facilities and clinical opportunities.

The cost is a pretty major factor, but ultimately I'm not sure if there will be a major difference between paying state tuition (although it may be slightly higher at UIC than for other state schools) and private school tuition with that scholarship factored in.

Possibly the most significant factor is the so-called 'prestige' of the school. I've gotten the impression that NYMC is perceived by many applicants as a 'safety school' and one that is not highly esteemed by the medical community. Although neither is exactly a top-25 medical school, I've read and heard about some negative information about NYMC, such as regarding the recent closing-down of St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan. I don't know how major of an impact this will have on the students of our year. The recent residency matches at both schools have been equally impressive, in my opinion, but I don't know how NYMC will be affected in the long-run by the recent merger and the issue with St. Vincent's. Simply put, the opportunity to match well is the most important factor for me.

I understand that it's impossible to provide adequate feedback based on a single post, but at this point any advice would be helpful. I've been set on attending UIC for months now, but the scholarship just offered to me by NYMC is too enticing to pass up without some additional serious deliberation. Thanks a lot in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[JTWheaton]

I'm not very familiar with NYMC, but I can share some about UIC. In regard to paying in-state tuition at UIC, bear in mind that in-state tuition is I'm pretty sure bumped up to like $33,000 next year, then there is $3500 or so more in fees, and UIC charges you summer tuition before M3 and M4. So UIC in-state is actually comparable (if not more expensive, especially considering cost of living in Chicago) to a private school cost-wise. That magnifies the scholarship you received. And oh yeah, the University of Illinois seems to be having huge budget troubles, so expect further tuition hikes.

Also, I don't know about you, but I get a strong bureaucratic feel at U of I, like there is a lot of paperwork and loops to jump through. It reminds me of big government, whereas the private schools I looked at (and also Ohio State) were much more streamlined and personal. As an example, maybe it's just me, but it took me forever to access my financial aid from UIC, what with all of the passwords and changing of passwords, etc. This may seem trivial, but it seems indicative of how the school is run overall, aka slow, bulky, and inefficient. Also, the facilities at UIC are old and students don't seem delighted to be there.

On the plus side, UIC has about the best clinical training you can get doing clerkships at Cook County and 7 other hospitals in Chicago. Also, I'm pretty sure the curriculum is pretty traditional (which may or may not be a good thing).

Don't mean to bash the school...I still would be excited about going there (it is a respected med school, after all), but just beware of the "in-state" tuition and bureaucratic feel.

 

[moonbm]

That's a really helpful perspective. Thank you!