UVM vs SUNY Upstate

[dscorcher]

Hey all,

I was looking for some advice from the SDN community. I've had a couple acceptances and I'm having some trouble deciding. The cost of attendance is the same for me between UVM and Upstate, and I'm happy with either town. Any advice? Would either set me up for a brighter future/more opportunities?

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[pithy84]

That's a tough call. One of my very dear friends when to UVM for med school, she liked it. I voted for SUNY Upstate. Both good choices. Both pretty cold in the winter.

 

[CharlieKelly]

Got to see both myself and liked UVM, but only marginally. Very tough choice, best of luck

 

[Psai]

make a pros/cons list and post it

 

[alpinism]

Yep.

Need more info about your background, hobbies, and professional goals.

 

[masaraksh]

UVM is nice. Burlington is a great little city/town

 

[dscorcher]

make a pros/cons list and post it

Yep.

Need more info about your background, hobbies, and professional goals.

Sorry all
A little about my background, I have 2 kids. My husband and family will raise our children in NYC and I will study away while visiting every week or so. I am looking to go into radiology and work in academic medicine, but understand that may change.

Here are the pros and cons:
Upstate
Pros: In State tuition, 4 hour drive away, Great medical center attached, low cost of living. Syracuse university seems to have a great reputation that spills over to upstate
Cons: A lot of young students/applicants when I visited. Unsure how the school is viewed by residency program directors (unranked in US News), School was on probation about 2 years ago.

Vermont
Pros: Received scholarship so tuition is the same as SUNY, 1 hour flight, Small class size with many older, non traditional students when I visited, great curriculum (more time for rotations), may have better reputation than upstate but unsure if that's true
Cons: While cost of living is low, not as low as Syracuse. 5.5 hour drive back home.

Thanks everyone!

 

[WingedOx]

I actually like Syracuse. The main downtown area is getting nice.

/The thought of raising kids in NYC while living upstate just makes me imagine an image of cash on fire. Raising kids in Syracuse would be SOOOO much cheaper, especially with regard to education.

 

[Lamel]

Reputation is a wash for these schools, I don't think Upstate is at a disadvantage by being unranked because the SUNY system has a good rep in the region. Go wherever it will be easiest to see your kids.

 

[Psai]

Sorry all
A little about my background, I have 2 kids. My husband and family will raise our children in NYC and I will study away while visiting every week or so. I am looking to go into radiology and work in academic medicine, but understand that may change.

Here are the pros and cons:
Upstate
Pros: In State tuition, 4 hour drive away, Great medical center attached, low cost of living. Syracuse university seems to have a great reputation that spills over to upstate
Cons: A lot of young students/applicants when I visited. Unsure how the school is viewed by residency program directors (unranked in US News), School was on probation about 2 years ago.

Vermont
Pros: Received scholarship so tuition is the same as SUNY, 1 hour flight, Small class size with many older, non traditional students when I visited, great curriculum (more time for rotations), may have better reputation than upstate but unsure if that's true
Cons: While cost of living is low, not as low as Syracuse. 5.5 hour drive back home.

Thanks everyone!

Kids are the most important thing. USNews is not very important. I don't think there's much of a difference between the two in terms of reputation. Upstate's probation was for relatively minor things and it's over so that's not an issue either. People tend to hang out with those who are similar to them. The nontrads tend to befriend one another so you might be more comfortable at vermont. You should be able to find friends at upstate too. Find out what the curriculum actually entails. Less mandatory class = better.

Sounds like you'd like to stay in New York so I'd say upstate

 

[dscorcher]

I actually like Syracuse. The main downtown area is getting nice.

/The thought of raising kids in NYC while living upstate just makes me imagine an image of cash on fire. Raising kids in Syracuse would be SOOOO much cheaper, especially with regard to education.

lol i do agree. Fortunately, my husband does well and my parents watch the kids during the day. Unfortunately, his job requires him to stay in NYC, and my parents have made their home here and are unwilling to relocate.

 

[Doug Underhill]

It depends entirely on your impression of each school during the interview. Go to the school you liked better: they're both of comparable prestige.

 

[Lamel]

Just out of curiosity OP, did you have any success at Downstate? that would have been ideal.

 

[JPA178]

At least in my opinion, Syracuse > Burlington. Burlington has a very "hippie" reputation and in Syracuse you can go to basketball games. That's just my own preference as far as the setting goes. Both are good schools with strong reputations. Both are in a freezing cold part of the country. Go wherever you feel like you'd be the happiest.

 

[ridethecliche]

At least in my opinion, Syracuse > Burlington. Burlington has a very "hippie" reputation and in Syracuse you can go to basketball games. That's just my own preference as far as the setting goes. Both are good schools with strong reputations. Both are in a freezing cold part of the country. Go wherever you feel like you'd be the happiest.

Hippies are probably happier than people at basketball games.

 

[alpinism]

Sorry all
A little about my background, I have 2 kids. My husband and family will raise our children in NYC and I will study away while visiting every week or so. I am looking to go into radiology and work in academic medicine, but understand that may change.

Here are the pros and cons:
Upstate
Pros: In State tuition, 4 hour drive away, Great medical center attached, low cost of living. Syracuse university seems to have a great reputation that spills over to upstate
Cons: A lot of young students/applicants when I visited. Unsure how the school is viewed by residency program directors (unranked in US News), School was on probation about 2 years ago.

Vermont
Pros: Received scholarship so tuition is the same as SUNY, 1 hour flight, Small class size with many older, non traditional students when I visited, great curriculum (more time for rotations), may have better reputation than upstate but unsure if that's true
Cons: While cost of living is low, not as low as Syracuse. 5.5 hour drive back home.

Thanks everyone!

Great. No problem.

I'd agree with everyone else and say that reputation is roughly equal for both schools. I wouldn't worry too much about the Upstate probation since the issues were minor and seem to have been fixed.

In your situation, assuming you'd like to see your kids as often was possible, the #1 factor should be the ability to watch recorded lectures from home/NYC. At many schools their curriculum allows for 2-3 days per week when you don't physically have to be at the school because you can stream the recorded lectures. If there are usually no mandatory events on Monday/Friday, you could possibly take 4 day weekends in NYC and watch lectures from there. Realistically you could travel to NYC every other week for 3 or 4 days plus holidays. I'd ask students at both schools about this and how often they have mandatory events (PBL/clinical skills/perceptorships).

That being said unless your family is independently wealthy or you have a good frequent flyer card, it would be far cheaper to drive than fly from Vermont multiple times per month. In addition, would also be easier and cheaper to drive from Upstate.

 

[dscorcher]

Just out of curiosity OP, did you have any success at Downstate? that would have been ideal.

That would've been great for sure but I did not. I am currently on hold, which I had read through this forum that it typically leads to an eventual rejection.

 

[Lamel]

That would've been great for sure but I did not. I am currently on hold, which I had read through this forum that it typically leads to an eventual rejection.

Damn, sorry to hear that. but still congrats on your acceptances.

 

[JPA178]

Hippies are probably happier than people at basketball games.

I would rather go to a basketball game than participate in a drum circle, but that's just me...

 

[ridethecliche]

I would rather go to a basketball game than participate in a drum circle, but that's just me...

Sounds like someone has never been in a good drum circle.

Such a shame!

 

[TabletTold92]

I think the even split of the votes reflects the ranking/prestige/impression of both schools. This is interesting! Glad it was a poll 🙂

 

[NervousNerd]

Would upstate be cheaper for you? I read somewhere that SUNY schools allow you to apply for in state tuition after the first year! That be the case, I think money would be talking to me 🙂

 

[claduva94]

Would upstate be cheaper for you? I read somewhere that SUNY schools allow you to apply for in state tuition after the first year! That be the case, I think money would be talking to me 🙂

Yes that is true! But OP is IS so that doesn't apply here unfortunately.

 

[NervousNerd]

Yes that is true! But OP is IS so that doesn't apply here unfortunately.

Okay that makes it easier then! I'm assuming OP must have received some aid from Vermont then as UVM is quite pricey for us NY'ers

 

[dscorcher]

Would upstate be cheaper for you? I read somewhere that SUNY schools allow you to apply for in state tuition after the first year! That be the case, I think money would be talking to me 🙂

That's right, I am a NY resident, but have received aid from UVM making tuition between the two effectively the same.🙂

 

[NervousNerd]

That's right, I am a NY resident, but have received aid from UVM making tuition between the two effectively the same.🙂

Go where you love then! Attend second looks if you have time! Congratulations and maybe I'll see you next year at Upstate!

 

[Goro]

Both good schools. Which one is closer to home? You might need to flip a coin!

Hey all,

I was looking for some advice from the SDN community. I've had a couple acceptances and I'm having some trouble deciding. The cost of attendance is the same for me between UVM and Upstate, and I'm happy with either town. Any advice? Would either set me up for a brighter future/more opportunities?

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

UVM. Interviewed there for both med school and residency, loved it both times, although ultimately went elsewhere X2. UVM is a good med school, good research comes from there. The only drawback is the price tag, but if you have a scholarship that makes it reasonable, go there.

Syracuse... Interviewed there for residency... Nice people, but the town seemed bleak, rust belt, kind of crime ridden.

Vermont is expensive, but a much higher QOL. I think your opportunities post graduation will be equivalent. If I am not mistaken, you will likely have a small class size in UVM, which is often a good thing.

Plus, skiing. Decent skiing.

 

[NotSoSimple]

Where did you decide on? I am NYS resident in a very similar situation.

 

[gyngyn]

Where did you decide on? I am NYS resident in a very similar situation.

OP hasn't been seen since May 2018...