- Joined
- Jul 19, 2016
- Messages
- 70
- Reaction score
- 72
UPDATE: I was offered a $10k scholarship to GW. That makes GW $20k cheaper per year, $80k in total before interest. I'd love some thoughts on this please!
I was planning on going to UMass but was accepted to GW yesterday. I have to decide by the end of this week. Please help!
University of Massachusetts
Pros
George Washington
Pros
Overall -- I honestly can't decide. The academic quality of each school is similar, so I think it's important to look at this situation in terms of both the short run and the long run. In the short run, I think I'd enjoy GW better because I like D.C. much better, and I could live my cousin. Quality of life would probably be better at GW. In the longer run though, if I go to UMass, I think I'll set myself up better to match in a competitive specialty. I'm somewhat interested in plastic surgery, and I know a decent number of plastic attendings/residents at UMass, so that could help with getting integrated early. Also, UMass is slightly better regarded (I think??). However, also in the long run, GW is $10k cheaper ($40k over 4 years), which could mean $50-60k after all is said and done.
I'm literally stuck, and I only have 2 more days to decide. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
I was planning on going to UMass but was accepted to GW yesterday. I have to decide by the end of this week. Please help!
University of Massachusetts
Pros
- In Massachusetts (I'm from New England)
- I used to work there and know many people in the department of plastic surgery
- Higher % of class matches in surgery (8% of class vs. 5%) -- I'm somewhat interested in surgery
- Good clinical rotation options
- Matches well in New England (MGH, UMass Memorial, etc.)
- Good research opportunities
- Grading system is pass, fail
- Cost of attendance is higher ($92,488 vs. $82,296)
- Only about 5-6 weeks for Step 1 prep (I'm not a great test taker, so this is important to me)
- Worcester (not the most vibrant city in my opinion)
George Washington
Pros
- In DC (LOVE DC, and have family there)
- My cousin is going to GT and we could potentially live together (we've wanted to go to the same med school--or same place for school--since we were young)
- Less expensive ($82,296 vs. $92,488)
- Good clinical rotation options
- Matches well in the DC area (DC, Maryland)
- 8 weeks of Step 1 studying
- Grading system is: Honor, Pass, Conditional, Fail
- Scholarly concentration track is recommended (this isn't a huge deal, but I don't find the tracks super interesting)
- I have no connections to surgery at the school
- Slightly lower rank (although this is not a big factor)
- I know less about GW than I do UMass (Since I was just accepted to GW yesterday, I haven't done as much visiting/research)
Overall -- I honestly can't decide. The academic quality of each school is similar, so I think it's important to look at this situation in terms of both the short run and the long run. In the short run, I think I'd enjoy GW better because I like D.C. much better, and I could live my cousin. Quality of life would probably be better at GW. In the longer run though, if I go to UMass, I think I'll set myself up better to match in a competitive specialty. I'm somewhat interested in plastic surgery, and I know a decent number of plastic attendings/residents at UMass, so that could help with getting integrated early. Also, UMass is slightly better regarded (I think??). However, also in the long run, GW is $10k cheaper ($40k over 4 years), which could mean $50-60k after all is said and done.
I'm literally stuck, and I only have 2 more days to decide. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Last edited: