Umdnj Or Nycom

[theDr.]

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What would you choose.

 

[no-see-um]

NYCOM you fool.

 

[ArcherM2]

UMDNJ for sure.

 

[theDr.]

I just got the call from UMDNJ today and now I need to chooose. UMDNJ is a great school and the tuition costs can't be beat. NYCOM has great rotations and certainly offers many opportunities -- price is very high.

what to do!!!!!!!!!!???????????

 

[box29]

What is more important for you? Make a list of pros and cons for each school and decide. How did you feel at the school when you interviewed there? Was the impression of one school greater than the other when you visited? Talk to some current students of each school. It's your decision and ultimately it may come down to one thing. However, in the end you'll be a doctor!

 

[Sense]

TheDr., you're an animal. I remember when you were desperately just trying to get into one school and now you have choices.

Well, from what I remember you preferred NYCOM due to location. I would say that you have to balance the costs and location factors. I'm not sure how much cheaper UMDNJ is compared to NYCOM but if it is significantly cheaper, then you should consider it.

Of course it's overwhelming getting into another school this late in the game, but after that feeling fades, you will have to live with the decision. Just because UMDNJ accepted you last doesn't mean you have to go there. Weigh the pros and cons of each school and make the decision that is best for you.

I don't know much about UMDNJ but I know that NYCOM has good clinical rotations and produces a good matchlist every year.

 

[jopdo]

What would you choose.

I had that choice and UMDNJ won hands down, due to cost, proximity to cities; the distance to NJ from NYC isn't too far from NJ considering the heinous LIE traffic. NJ seems to have a pretty good match list, and has the KEnnedy center/network affiliation also. NJ seems to have first rate facilities and a better library than NYCOM. Even though the physical plant of NYCOM is up & coming, it is still wanting. Also, class size was a big factor. NYCOM felt more factory-like than the personable feeling I got from UMDNJ. Student feedback felt the same in each place to me. The only winning point for NYCOM which seems not THAT important is that NYCOM is a 'wireless' campus. The people at UMDNJ didn't seem to know what thet meant when I asked. So.. good luck in your decision. Maybe I will see you at UMDNJ on Aug. 1, but I am still waiting on one waitlist...

 

[misyel]

I say go to NYCOM... I've read from your previous posts that NYCOM was your first choice. Figure out why it was your first choice then, and see if it still holds true until now. If it's just tuition you're concerned about, I don't think an additional 10K makes a big difference if you feel that one school might offer better opportunities for you in the future. However, I do wanna say that I don't know much about UMDNJ and so I can't really make any comparisons between the two schools.

I was in a similar situation as you a few months ago. I compared the location, total costs, clinicals, match lists, climate, the family support available to me at both schools, etc. and ranked everything according to importance. I, then, realized which one was better for me and where I would be most happy. Do what's best for you.

Which ever school you decide to go to, just make sure you kick ass and you'll be fine. 👍 Best of luck!

 

[jopdo]

I say go to NYCOM... I've read from your previous posts that NYCOM was your first choice. Figure out why it was your first choice then, and see if it still holds true until now. If it's just tuition you're concerned about, I don't think an additional 10K makes a big difference if you feel that one school might offer better opportunities for you in the future. However, I do wanna say that I don't know much about UMDNJ and so I can't really make any comparisons between the two schools.

I was in a similar situation as you a few months ago. I compared the location, total costs, clinicals, match lists, climate, the family support available to me at both schools, etc. and ranked everything according to importance. I, then, realized which one was better for me and where I would be most happy. Do what's best for you.

Which ever school you decide to go to, just make sure you kick ass and you'll be fine. 👍 Best of luck!

Just curious what your priorities were? Since I am deciding between UMDNJ and a potential allo school (WL) I am curious where you felt UMDNJ was lacking. As far as I can see, UMDNJ looks pretty good in person, from a financial perspective and on paper. Please let me know what you thought its short comings were... I would really appreciate it, and maybe the OP would get something out of it too... Thanks in advance!

 

[misyel]

Just curious what your priorities were? Since I am deciding between UMDNJ and a potential allo school (WL) I am curious where you felt UMDNJ was lacking. As far as I can see, UMDNJ looks pretty good in person, from a financial perspective and on paper. Please let me know what you thought its short comings were... I would really appreciate it, and maybe the OP would get something out of it too... Thanks in advance!

Actually, I decided between NYCOM and another school, not UMDNJ. I wish I could help, but what I know about UMDNJ is what I read on SDN. Sorry! 😳

 

[theDr.]

Both schools are great. But if the costs of both schools were the same -- I would choose NYCOM. But then again, Id be saving $40,000 or a bit more. Thats a lot of money to think about. So what do you do?

 

[jopdo]

Both schools are great. But if the costs of both schools were the same -- I would choose NYCOM. But then again, Id be saving $40,000 or a bit more. Thats a lot of money to think about. So what do you do?

Please see the response I shared earlier in this thread for my points of view...

 

[PublicEnemy]

umdnj som is just a few minutes from my house and i have a lot of friends and interaction there. i think its a great school with excellent facilities. there is definitely a sense of community among students. some people have mentioned that NYCOM has a good matchlist, but i would actually say that umdnj's is comparable if not superior. you can't look at the strength of a matchlist simply by looking at the sheer number of optho, ortho, or derms because the sizes of the classes are so different, umdnj is 1/3 of the class size. even if every person in the class matched a top choice allo residency, somehow it would just look less, but if you look closely, a very good percentage of umdnj students do match in competitve allo and osteo residencies.

though i don't know anything about specifics, UMDNJ often brags about having lots of NIH funds and a larger emphasis on research as compared to other DO schools, i don't know how that impacts you, but you might want to check that out if research is important in your decision.

location, stratford/cherry hill is just minutes from philly which is very nice. south jersey itself isn't so bad. old westbury is more than 20miles from the city and it takes a long time. from umdnj's campus you can take the hi-speed line and be in philly in 20min for $2.45. so if city life is important to you, consider that too.

rotations, its true nycom does give you a chance to rotate through all of nyc. umdnj does provide excellent rotation opportunities as well.

hope this helps, congratulations and good luck with your decision.

 

[jopdo]

umdnj som is just a few minutes from my house and i have a lot of friends and interaction there. i think its a great school with excellent facilities. there is definitely a sense of community among students. some people have mentioned that NYCOM has a good matchlist, but i would actually say that umdnj's is comparable if not superior. you can't look at the strength of a matchlist simply by looking at the sheer number of optho, ortho, or derms because the sizes of the classes are so different, umdnj is 1/3 of the class size. even if every person in the class matched a top choice allo residency, somehow it would just look less, but if you look closely, a very good percentage of umdnj students do match in competitve allo and osteo residencies.

though i don't know anything about specifics, UMDNJ often brags about having lots of NIH funds and a larger emphasis on research as compared to other DO schools, i don't know how that impacts you, but you might want to check that out if research is important in your decision.

location, stratford/cherry hill is just minutes from philly which is very nice. south jersey itself isn't so bad. old westbury is more than 20miles from the city and it takes a long time. from umdnj's campus you can take the hi-speed line and be in philly in 20min for $2.45. so if city life is important to you, consider that too.

rotations, its true nycom does give you a chance to rotate through all of nyc. umdnj does provide excellent rotation opportunities as well.

hope this helps, congratulations and good luck with your decision.

Thank you for that extremely clear response.

 

[theDr.]

NYCOM is closer to my whole family and my life basically - so i know that if the price was equal -- I would choose NYCOM -- I know I would be happier there.
But is my happiness worth the $50,000 I would save? How do you decide something like this.

 

[DrOctagon]

Well, for me, the reasons are endless...but i will try to give you the most important reasons...first, umdnj has such a small class size...roughly 95 people enables an opportunity for faculty and staff to know not just your name but also personal information about you...I believe this will be extremely important when applying for residency since everyone I talk to says that recommendations during the clinical years are just as or maybe even more important than grades...if I can create strong relationships with members of the faculty for several years during medical school, then I believe this will be a vital factor when I apply for residency...Second, umdnj is directly affiliated with Kennedy Health System and Our Lady of Lourdes, and since I have lived in southern new jersey for all of my life and am very familiar with these hospitals, I know from personal experience that these hosptials provide various experiences in all kinds of medicine, not just primary care...Third, umdnj receives more research funding than any other osteopathic school in the nation...and if you are interested in research (which is bascially a requirement for any fellowship) then you will have no problem getting involved in a research project at umdnj...Fourth, umdnj provides patient contact for students in the first semester of the first year...thorugh a preceptorship program with a primary care physician, students spend time seeing patients in a doctor's office the very first semester...Fifth, umdnj facilitates a non competitive environment for it's students by having an absolute grading scale (which means no quota for number of A's, B's, C's, etc...you get what you get) and also through a big brother/big sister program in which a second year student will give the first year student all of his/her tests, notes, and advice for each class...Sixth, UMDNJ has an excellent graduate medical education with more residencies than any other medical school and they offer residences and fellowships in every area of medicine from primary care to radiology to vascular surgery to cardiology...And finally, every time I am there it is apparent the environment is one which promotes learning and making you the best possible physician...the dean of student affairs, Dr. Wallace and all of the other staff and facult seem to have a genuine concern for the success of each and every student...those are just the highlights...the list goes on and on...

This post is from a different thread but mikeh27, being the man that he is, pretty much hit up every reason why UMDNJ is a great school.

 

[dmitrinyr]

Both schools are great and have their advantages and disadvantages. umdnj is cheaper and has a smaller class. nycom has good clinical years and is in ny. MY suggestion is for you to pick UMDNJ, not because I think it's better, but because I need the spot that you would empty in nycom if you chose umdnj. Good luck

 

[viswanad]

I too agree with Dmitryny. I too need a spot at NYCOM..

No seriously, UMDNJ and NYCOM are great schools... UMDNJ is much Cheaper.. IF I have a choice, I would go to UMDNJ for 2 reasons:

1. Cost
2. Class size - much smaller and the ability to get to know the faculty
3. Although the clinical hospitals don't sound as great as NYCOM, at the end of the day every hospital that these schools are affiliated with are teaching hospitals and you can learn at whatever hospital you choose; so bottom line it's up to YOU!

Good luck in your decision making!

 

[pafbdoc]

One reason I would be a bit careful about UMDNJ is because the governor of NJ, Jim McGreevey, is looking to totally reorganize the UMDNJ system along with Rutgers I think to model it after the Univ of California System. While the plan has seemingly stalled, it is still on the drawing board. My dad is semi-involved in jersey politics and told me that while the eventual system may be better in the long run, the short term is going to see alot of changes, and who wants to be a guinea pig? Anyway, this is one reason I turned down my acceptance to UMDNJ. Maybe the current UMDNJers can shed some light on this. I know the idea has been toyed with for a few years now, and I think UMDNJ lost some faculty over it in 2002, but any current developments/rumors?

 

[oceandocDO]

Like I said in another post, be careful about who to believe on here. You have 2 posters above admitting that they have self-interest in giving you advice. Just some food for thought.

 

[theDr.]

GOING TO NYCOM -- It was my top choice from the beginning and I shouldn't choose a school on money -- but on where I will be happy in the end -- that is NYCOM. Besides, whats another $40,000 to pay back anyways -- is Happiness worth $40,000...No.

 

[bgreet]

One reason I would be a bit careful about UMDNJ is because the governor of NJ, Jim McGreevey, is looking to totally reorganize the UMDNJ system along with Rutgers I think to model it after the Univ of California System. While the plan has seemingly stalled, it is still on the drawing board. My dad is semi-involved in jersey politics and told me that while the eventual system may be better in the long run, the short term is going to see alot of changes, and who wants to be a guinea pig? Anyway, this is one reason I turned down my acceptance to UMDNJ. Maybe the current UMDNJers can shed some light on this. I know the idea has been toyed with for a few years now, and I think UMDNJ lost some faculty over it in 2002, but any current developments/rumors?

This whole notion was actually canned sometime last year. I'm a current Rutgers student and it was all the hoopla of its time. However, umdnj did not wish to go through with the process, and rutgers did not respond within a certain dead line. The costs associated with such makes it unfeasible as well.