UVA vs University of Colorado

[lopsidedegg]

EEk help! I love both programs so much and they're similarly ranked and match at similar places. I am strongly interested in peds (specifically peds onc). PA resident so no in-state tuition at either school.

UVA
Pros

• Students are super chill and nice
• Close to home (4 hr drive)
• P/F everything except clerkships
• no internal ranking
• Lots of humanities electives/program I could apply to (my undergrad background is in medical humanities)
• Relatively diverse class and faculty; they are always doing events/discussions to highlight social issues and bring really cool speakers
• Well-established curriculum
• affordable housing
• INOVA clerkships will give me the urban clinical experience
• My undergrad friend goes here

Cons

• fewer peds resources
• Cost of Attendance: 340k (haven't gotten financial aid package yet)
• clinical exposure first year seems limited
• Haven't interacted much with other accepted applicants
• AOA

Colorado
Pros

• Students seem really happy with their decision to go there; they're all extremely laid back and friendly
• I feel like the admin cares more based on how much interaction I've had with them; school deans are super accessible
• Mountains
• Strong public health
• Huge and highly ranked children's hospital; more opportunities for peds onc research
• 1 year pre-clinical
• I received a chunky scholarship for M1 but I would have to re-apply each year for new ones
• Closer to the West coast which is where I want to end up for residency (as of now)
• decent clinical exposure first year (preceptorships that students seem happy with)

Cons

• Cost of Attendance: similar to UVA--could be a $100k cheaper if I continue to get that scholarship lol
• Far from home and I literally know no one in CO
• less diverse class
• Denver/Aurora can be expensive!
• longitudinal integrated clerkships (don't know if this is a pro or con)
• curriculum is essentially brand new--it was piloted by current M1s but still will be very new and I don't like the idea of being a guinea pig
• internal ranking and AOA

I'm leaning towards CO because of all the peds stuff, class vibes, and the pediatric oncologists I work with have trained/been faculty there and endorse it. I also loved my interview at UVA, love their humanities program, plus it would be way closer to my family. I'm so torn gah.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ihoop24]

I say Colorado. 100k difference is fairly significant and both schools rank similarly.

 

[MongutheDoggy]

UVA due to finances not being too crazy different, closer to home, higher rank, better prestige.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

I'd go to Colorado for the reasons you state. And it has a strong home program in Peds. You might inquire if other MS2-4 students have been successful in getting scholarships renewed. That might make the decision easier.

 

[Banco]

You can't go wrong with either choice frankly. If Colorado is really 100k cheaper, then it's an easy choice.

A major advantage of UVA is definitely the family aspect. If the prices end up being identical do consider that.

 

[Wildtype]

Relating to the cost, I know CO has very expensive OOS tuition. How likely is it you'd get to continue the scholarship, and what would the financial situation be if you couldn't? Those are things I'd consider before choosing CO for the cost.

Also, how does UVA have P/F with no internal ranking but then have AOA?

Some other thoughts: If I was in your shoes, interested in peds, a specialty that's not competitive, and if I were choosing between two equally prestigious med schools like you are, I'd want to go to the one that's the least stressful and has NBME style exams so that I could just study toward step 1 and pass my classes with the same third-party material and flashcards and not have to waste time on studying for in-house stuff that's not relevant to step 1 and 2. I don't know if CO or UVA fit that bill because I don't know their curriculums, but that would be my thought process.

 

[prufrock2891]

Relating to the cost, I know CO has very expensive OOS tuition. How likely is it you'd get to continue the scholarship, and what would the financial situation be if you couldn't? Those are things I'd consider before choosing CO for the cost.

Also, how does UVA have P/F with no internal ranking but then have AOA?

Some other thoughts: If I was in your shoes, interested in peds, a specialty that's not competitive, and if I were choosing between two equally prestigious med schools like you are, I'd want to go to the one that's the least stressful and has NBME style exams so that I could just study toward step 1 and pass my classes with the same third-party material and flashcards and not have to waste time on studying for in-house stuff that's not relevant to step 1 and 2. I don't know if CO or UVA fit that bill because I don't know their curriculums, but that would be my thought process.

i think uva wins that question. fwiw im also deciding between these two. i like CU but the new curriculum aspect is stressful, particularly that they have required sessions 4 days per week and even the afternoons before end of block exams.

 

[lopsidedegg]

i think uva wins that question. fwiw im also deciding between these two. i like CU but the new curriculum aspect is stressful, particularly that they have required sessions 4 days per week and even the afternoons before end of block exams.

I decided to go with UVA! Close to home. Got financial aid back and it was decent. Not sure if you went to the UVA zoom meet up yesterday but i thought everyone i talked to was chill. The CU curriculum thing definitely gave me anxiety and I love that UVA only has structured stuff 8-12. Feel free to dm me if u wanna bounce any more thoughts around. Best of luck my dude!

 

[prufrock2891]

I decided to go with UVA! Close to home. Got financial aid back and it was decent. Not sure if you went to the UVA zoom meet up yesterday but i thought everyone i talked to was chill. The CU curriculum thing definitely gave me anxiety and I love that UVA only has structured stuff 8-12. Feel free to dm me if u wanna bounce any more thoughts around. Best of luck my dude!

wasnt able to DM you but bassed on the second look for CU it looked like there is mandatory stuff monday, wednesday, thursday, and friday (and maybe tuesday depending on your schedule). many of these were half days but still. uva second look said "80%" of their stuff is mandatory, but some students said its only maybe three days a week. did you talk to any students and get a sense of this

 

[theendisnigh]

I decided to go with UVA! Close to home. Got financial aid back and it was decent. Not sure if you went to the UVA zoom meet up yesterday but i thought everyone i talked to was chill. The CU curriculum thing definitely gave me anxiety and I love that UVA only has structured stuff 8-12. Feel free to dm me if u wanna bounce any more thoughts around. Best of luck my dude!

Will be seeing you in the fall! 😀

 

[lopsidedegg]

wasnt able to DM you but bassed on the second look for CU it looked like there is mandatory stuff monday, wednesday, thursday, and friday (and maybe tuesday depending on your schedule). many of these were half days but still. uva second look said "80%" of their stuff is mandatory, but some students said its only maybe three days a week. did you talk to any students and get a sense of this

Weird! Anyway, my friend is an M2 at UVA and says that the mandatory stuff is about 80% but it’s truly only from 8-12! Besides the small group days ofc. He had time to study for step and do 4-6hrs research per week during his first year (he is kinda next level but not superhuman plus we won’t have to worry as much about step because it’ll be p/f and during 3rd year).
An M1 i talked to who wasn’t as intense as my friend said she also has a decent amount of freedom but chooses to relax with it vs squeeze in tons of research/shadowing.

 

[lopsidedegg]

Weird! Anyway, my friend is an M2 at UVA and says that the mandatory stuff is about 80% but it’s truly only from 8-12! Besides the small group days ofc. He had time to study for step and do 4-6hrs research per week during his first year (he is kinda next level but not superhuman plus we won’t have to worry as much about step because it’ll be p/f and during 3rd year).
An M1 i talked to who wasn’t as intense as my friend said she also has a decent amount of freedom but chooses to relax with it vs squeeze in tons of research/shadowing.

Also yes, there are days where you’ll have recorded lectures/things you can skip so your mornings are more freed up!

 

[lopsidedegg]

Also yes, there are days where you’ll have recorded lectures/things you can skip so your mornings are more freed up!

Lol just quoting my friend

“most classes are recorded so a lot of people, including me, stopped attending and watched lectures at 2x speed. patient presentations and group discussion sessions aren't recorded. Patient presentations are usually once a week and # of group discussions vary depending on the organ system”

 

[prufrock2891]

Lol just quoting my friend

“most classes are recorded so a lot of people, including me, stopped attending and watched lectures at 2x speed. patient presentations and group discussion sessions aren't recorded. Patient presentations are usually once a week and # of group discussions vary depending on the organ system”

thanks that’s very helpful. my only worry is really living in cville as like a 29 year old

 

[lopsidedegg]

thanks that’s very helpful. my only worry is really living in cville as like a 29 year old

I met a guy in his 40s at the meet n greet last night! Idk undergrads make me feel young again 😭 but I also never lived in a college town. Most of the students live in high rises that don’t rent to undergrads or live in houses so I don’t think you’d really bump heads unless you’re on campus or live next to a frat house lol Both Aurora and Charlottesville are gorgeous so you can’t go wrong scenery-wise either way.