Vanderbilt vs Michigan (please help!!)

[nopalpitation]

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[ClashRoyaleKing]

My vote would be Vanderbilt. Nashville is a fantastic place to be, decent weather, and the pros you listed significantly outweigh its cons for you. You can match anywhere you want from there, so don't be deterred by its match list in the South.

 

[cytomegalovirus123]

Go wherever is cheaper

 

[Student2025!]

I agree whichever is cheaper. Sounds like you would be happier at Michigan especially if near family. Go where you will be the happiest and more comfortable.

 

[kahantry roads]

I’m in the exact same position right now! Vandy actually has the #1 ENT program so that should be a pro for Vandy instead. The students at SLW also seemed incredibly happy and a large portion of the day was spent talking about student wellness which is incredible. From my conversations with the current students, Vandy is excellent at surgical training specifically so that would be a plus if you want to go into ophtho or ENT but I was less won over by that bc I’m thinking of more medical specialties. I was/still am a little concerned about the match list being heavily southern/midwest skewed but talking to med students they said time and time again that it was bc of the preference of students to stay in the south and they even said Vandy loves to favor its own students in the match so if Vandy’s home program is one of your top ranked programs you have a high chance of matching there by default which can be reassuring if you’re interested in competitive specialties even if it’s not in the location you were hoping for. Another big con for me at Vandy is the exam schedule (16-24 hour exams spread over 2-3 days is actually insane) and the fact that their longest in-person days are Friday where they have in-person sessions until 5 (cuts down on your ability to do weekend trips) versus Michigans much more flexible schedule with the pre-recorded lectures. Vandy does happen to be the cheaper option for me bc of merit aid so that’s where I’m leaning at the moment but I am going to Michigan SLW to give it a fair shake and in case Michigan matches so hope to see you there!