I'm new to SDN so please let me know if I posted in the wrong place or made some similarly silly mistake.
I need to decide between UNLV and Pitt very soon. And I don't know which I want to go to or which I'd be happier at or which would be better to go to.
UNLV
Location: I'm from SoCal, so the UNLV location is looking very attractive. Being closer to home greatly increases the comfort factor and could maybe help with networking since I'm most likely going to stay on the west coast. Plus it's Las Vegas. Not that I'm going to have time to party or see friends, but when else am I going to live in Vegas?
Age/faculty: The program and facilities are very new and the faculty seem flexible and personable. And the students seem to get to do more because there aren't as many specialty residents (could be advantageous when applying to specialties if the boards become P/F). Then again, newness can be a disadvantage.
Pitt
Location: The surrounding city is different from what I'm used to, but culture shock shouldn't be a huge factor, right? Cold weather isn't a big worry factor since I've lived in a more ridiculously cold climate before. It'd be new (I've never lived on the east coast... at least now while I was old enough to remember it) and I'd be able to gain a lot of independence. When else would I live on the east coast?
Age/Faculty: Pitt's facilities were rather new as well, and the faculty seem committed. It's a bit less expensive and the program is much older and more established. People don't seem to have problems specializing (at least from what I've been reading on SDN). They might not be as flexible for, say, a slower student.
I had really good interview experiences with both schools and felt comfortable with both schools. Class sizes are about the same and cost isn't terribly different. Is there something I forgot to weigh in or should I be looking at things like location and curriculum more closely? Any advice on who to talk to (other than Dr. Etzel, I've already left a message) or thoughts on what you guys considered when choosing? Is "reputation" worth consideration (I don't know much about the "reputation" of either school)? The few anteaters I know of at Pitt seem happy. For some reason that counts for me. I don't think I know any anteaters at UNLV.
Any helpful advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I need to decide between UNLV and Pitt very soon. And I don't know which I want to go to or which I'd be happier at or which would be better to go to.
UNLV
Location: I'm from SoCal, so the UNLV location is looking very attractive. Being closer to home greatly increases the comfort factor and could maybe help with networking since I'm most likely going to stay on the west coast. Plus it's Las Vegas. Not that I'm going to have time to party or see friends, but when else am I going to live in Vegas?
Age/faculty: The program and facilities are very new and the faculty seem flexible and personable. And the students seem to get to do more because there aren't as many specialty residents (could be advantageous when applying to specialties if the boards become P/F). Then again, newness can be a disadvantage.
Pitt
Location: The surrounding city is different from what I'm used to, but culture shock shouldn't be a huge factor, right? Cold weather isn't a big worry factor since I've lived in a more ridiculously cold climate before. It'd be new (I've never lived on the east coast... at least now while I was old enough to remember it) and I'd be able to gain a lot of independence. When else would I live on the east coast?
Age/Faculty: Pitt's facilities were rather new as well, and the faculty seem committed. It's a bit less expensive and the program is much older and more established. People don't seem to have problems specializing (at least from what I've been reading on SDN). They might not be as flexible for, say, a slower student.
I had really good interview experiences with both schools and felt comfortable with both schools. Class sizes are about the same and cost isn't terribly different. Is there something I forgot to weigh in or should I be looking at things like location and curriculum more closely? Any advice on who to talk to (other than Dr. Etzel, I've already left a message) or thoughts on what you guys considered when choosing? Is "reputation" worth consideration (I don't know much about the "reputation" of either school)? The few anteaters I know of at Pitt seem happy. For some reason that counts for me. I don't think I know any anteaters at UNLV.
Any helpful advice would be appreciated. Thanks.