UPenn (IS) vs UCSF (OOS)

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School 1: UPenn
Pros:

• Location (pro and con): I grew up here all of my life and went to school here, so I'm very ready to experience a location change; family/support system closer to here
• Ivy name?
• Great for specializing if i choose to go down that path
• Connected to undergrad, greater opportunities for extracurriculars/athletic clubs
• Cheaper COL
• better board exam preparation incorporated into curriculum
• public transportation: i really value walkable cities and rely heavily on public transit esp without a car

Cons:

• graded curriculum but 3 retake policy to at max score an 80
• ~615k tuition
• quality of education isnt what it used to be? ever since the dean from nyu came to penn, theres been a bunch of controversial changes in curriculum/fewer programs offered/larger class size expansion that kind of make the education not as worth it (docs i work with now have gone to penn dental and teach there and dont recommend it, which is a red flag to me)
• went to undergrad there so lowkey have already taken advantage of what was offered there

School 2: UCSF
Pros:

• location (pro and con): different loc than where i grew up, but also might be hard to adjust on my own for the first time?
• pass/fail curriculum
• Great for specializing if i choose to go down that path
• ~295k tuition
• supportive faculty/peers mainly bc no competition for p/f
• public transit: i think it is also good here? but car also recommended

Cons:

• Higher COL
• quarter system: i hear this is a pain to deal with... i'm used to semesters
• no undergrad: for this reason, i feel like it would be less social/less opportunities to work w/mentor undergrads?
• no board exam preparation incorporated into curriculum, expected to study on own time

Summary: Just as something to note, cost is not that important in my decision, and I realize how lucky I am to be in this position. Something really important to me is location, and ideally, I would have loved to be in NY/east coast because of my friends/support system. Although Penn is close to NY location-wise, I am really itching to go to school in a different city beyond Philly but I'm unsure if UCSF is too bold of a move bc it is on the west coast. I really want a p/f school for the school/life balance but I'm unsure of where prestige lands UCSF in terms of differentiating myself for speciality programs rather than if I had gone to Penn (I'm still unsure if I want to specialize at this point). Because I went to Penn for undergrad, I feel that it is okay if I went somewhere else for school but everyone I talk to mentions that Penn's graduate level prestige carries differently than undergrad... I see really good options in going to either school but I am having a hard time choosing between moving to a new place with an easier curriculum (unfamiliarity) or staying where my family and friends where I know I will struggle with a more challenging curriculum more (comfort). I would appreciate any honest insight into what would serve me long-term! Thank you all so much!

 

[macsak]

School 1: UPenn
Pros:

• Location (pro and con): I grew up here all of my life and went to school here, so I'm very ready to experience a location change; family/support system closer to here
• Ivy name?
• Great for specializing if i choose to go down that path
• Connected to undergrad, greater opportunities for extracurriculars/athletic clubs
• Cheaper COL
• better board exam preparation incorporated into curriculum
• public transportation: i really value walkable cities and rely heavily on public transit esp without a car

Cons:

• graded curriculum but 3 retake policy to at max score an 80
• ~615k tuition
• quality of education isnt what it used to be? ever since the dean from nyu came to penn, theres been a bunch of controversial changes in curriculum/fewer programs offered/larger class size expansion that kind of make the education not as worth it (docs i work with now have gone to penn dental and teach there and dont recommend it, which is a red flag to me)
• went to undergrad there so lowkey have already taken advantage of what was offered there

School 2: UCSF
Pros:

• location (pro and con): different loc than where i grew up, but also might be hard to adjust on my own for the first time?
• pass/fail curriculum
• Great for specializing if i choose to go down that path
• ~295k tuition
• supportive faculty/peers mainly bc no competition for p/f
• public transit: i think it is also good here? but car also recommended

Cons:

• Higher COL
• quarter system: i hear this is a pain to deal with... i'm used to semesters
• no undergrad: for this reason, i feel like it would be less social/less opportunities to work w/mentor undergrads?
• no board exam preparation incorporated into curriculum, expected to study on own time

Summary: Just as something to note, cost is not that important in my decision, and I realize how lucky I am to be in this position. Something really important to me is location, and ideally, I would have loved to be in NY/east coast because of my friends/support system. Although Penn is close to NY location-wise, I am really itching to go to school in a different city beyond Philly but I'm unsure if UCSF is too bold of a move bc it is on the west coast. I really want a p/f school for the school/life balance but I'm unsure of where prestige lands UCSF in terms of differentiating myself for speciality programs rather than if I had gone to Penn (I'm still unsure if I want to specialize at this point). Because I went to Penn for undergrad, I feel that it is okay if I went somewhere else for school but everyone I talk to mentions that Penn's graduate level prestige carries differently than undergrad... I see really good options in going to either school but I am having a hard time choosing between moving to a new place with an easier curriculum (unfamiliarity) or staying where my family and friends where I know I will struggle with a more challenging curriculum more (comfort). I would appreciate any honest insight into what would serve me long-term! Thank you all so much!

your mentors tell you not to go there + $300k more expensive?
that's called a clue...

plus UCSF is a VERY well known d school + P/F
no brainer...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Having family and friends who live in SF, I can tell you I hate parking anywhere around SF. UCSF has free shuttles to get to each part of their distributed campus so you won't blow your clutch or parking brake to get to school. Public transportation in SF and Bay Area is much better IMO. I could catch my train to Stanford (and shuttle to where I need to be on that campus).

Yeah, UCSF is a grad-only institution. You'll be around people who are as serious about a health care career and system as you are. Interprofessionally, there are few peers better than UCSF (med, dent, pharmacy, research).

SF microclimate is better than Philly's cold winters. Just watch out for the autonomous taxis. 😉