PreDeltaMed
Full Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2023
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 24
Hello everyone! I am lucky enough to have a few medical acceptances, but I am really only considering UVA (Out of State) and IU (In State) because they are the cheapest of my options. I never thought I would need to make an update post, but I received a hefty financial aid scholarship from UVA that puts its tuition at about the same as IU's (I got no merit scholarships from either school, and IU does not give financial aid scholarships oof). Because of this change, the difference in Cost of Attendance has gotten much closer. ($275,710 for UVA vs $272,516 minimum for IU based on last years CoA values; my class's hasn't been revealed yet) I would appreciate any insight as I am pretty torn. I am currently interested in Dermatology and Ophthalmology (leaning towards ophthalmology) in case that helps with the advice you can give me. Additionally, as some may know, IU may unfortunately be getting rid of their P/F preclinicals as a result of some legislation that was announced recently, so that is also influencing my decision.
UVA
Pros:
- Top 30 Med School (28 on Admit.org)
- No Internal Rank
- P/F Pre-Clinicals AND now Clinicals (became P/F for clinicals in the 2028 class and later)
"The grading for Phase 2 (clerkships) will transition from letter grades to longitudinal competency-based assessments, there will be opportunity for distinction. This will provide a more holistic assessment of a student’s performance within Phase 2." - Quote from when I asked UVA by email what the new clerkship grading system for my class will be like
- No MSPE Adjectives
- Optional Lecture Attendance with Recorded Lectures
-You are able to take your exams anytime from Friday through Sunday of the exam week on your laptop, so exams aren't in person at one specific time like at most schools.
Cons:
- Far from home and family. No family is nearby Virginia (closest is Pennsylvania), so I will be all alone in a new environment.
IU
Pros:
- Top 50 Med School (53 -> 60 on Admit.org)
- No Internal Ranking
- Much Closer to Home
- Optional Lecture Attendance with Recorded Lectures
Cons:
- P/F Pre-Clinicals ONLY (Clinicals is H/HP/P/F) (And this P/F preclinical may even unfortunately change to an A-F or tiered H/HP/P/F system soon)
- There are MSPE Adjectives
- P/F Pre-Clinicals has a chance of going away while I attend medical school (Website that gives more insight on the situation: Pass-fail grading in medical school benefits students • Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Other Factors for Both Schools:
Both schools have AOA and AOA Before Match. UVA has 1.5 years of Pre-Clinicals while IU has 2. Students at UVA also take Step 2 before Step 1, unlike IU and many other schools.
There we have it, these are the main comparable differences between these schools. Now that I've received an updated Cost of Attendance from UVA, cost is really no longer a factor in my decision (since UVA is less than $5,000 more expensive than IU). Any insight would be appreciated, especially because 4/30 is in less than 10 days!
UVA
Pros:
- Top 30 Med School (28 on Admit.org)
- No Internal Rank
- P/F Pre-Clinicals AND now Clinicals (became P/F for clinicals in the 2028 class and later)
"The grading for Phase 2 (clerkships) will transition from letter grades to longitudinal competency-based assessments, there will be opportunity for distinction. This will provide a more holistic assessment of a student’s performance within Phase 2." - Quote from when I asked UVA by email what the new clerkship grading system for my class will be like
- No MSPE Adjectives
- Optional Lecture Attendance with Recorded Lectures
-You are able to take your exams anytime from Friday through Sunday of the exam week on your laptop, so exams aren't in person at one specific time like at most schools.
Cons:
- Far from home and family. No family is nearby Virginia (closest is Pennsylvania), so I will be all alone in a new environment.
IU
Pros:
- Top 50 Med School (53 -> 60 on Admit.org)
- No Internal Ranking
- Much Closer to Home
- Optional Lecture Attendance with Recorded Lectures
Cons:
- P/F Pre-Clinicals ONLY (Clinicals is H/HP/P/F) (And this P/F preclinical may even unfortunately change to an A-F or tiered H/HP/P/F system soon)
- There are MSPE Adjectives
- P/F Pre-Clinicals has a chance of going away while I attend medical school (Website that gives more insight on the situation: Pass-fail grading in medical school benefits students • Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Other Factors for Both Schools:
Both schools have AOA and AOA Before Match. UVA has 1.5 years of Pre-Clinicals while IU has 2. Students at UVA also take Step 2 before Step 1, unlike IU and many other schools.
There we have it, these are the main comparable differences between these schools. Now that I've received an updated Cost of Attendance from UVA, cost is really no longer a factor in my decision (since UVA is less than $5,000 more expensive than IU). Any insight would be appreciated, especially because 4/30 is in less than 10 days!
