Vandy vs WashU

[Keg]

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Hey Keg,

What are your thoughts on Pritzker and WashU. I noticed you got A TON of money to go there, but you still picked WashU. Care to comment?

I thought the schools were pretty similar in curriculum, but Pritzker had 2 years of pass/fail. Also, I wasn't a big fan of Hyde Park. St. Louis has a terrible reputation, but the area around the school seemed pretty nice to me.

Thanks!

I really didn't like Hyde Park, Chicago was too expensive for me (my gf is from the North Side of the city, so that was a strong factor pulling me there, but not strong enough I guess), and I didn't like the student body at the school. Also, it seemed kinda small for an academic medical center. The central west end is really a very nice area of St. Louis, is much, much cheaper than Chicago, and the student body is more amenable to what I was looking for in a group of peers. Plus, the BJC system is huge, so there're are tons of opportunities to do what you want to get where you want to be. Those were my reasons for walking away from Pritzker's money.

 

[Smokey]

Thanks for the comments.🙂 I will probably see you at WashU next year (if I can talk myself into/stomach the price 😳 ).

 

[Towelie]

Thanks for the comments.🙂 I will probably see you at WashU next year (if I can talk myself into/stomach the price 😳 ).

Maybe you'll get a scholarship. Keg, do you remember when WashU sent out their scholarship applications?

 

[Keg]

Maybe you'll get a scholarship. Keg, do you remember when WashU sent out their scholarship applications?

They sound them out at variable times, based upon when you get in, but I think the decisions are all made early April. And don't forget to seek out other scholarships at Wash U, i.e., I'm not sure if the Olin scholarships are sent out or if you have to apply for them on your own. Best of luck!

 

[beaverfetus]

vandy. It's happy in nashville. schools are comprable academically, and in every measure imaginable.

 

[sprinkibrio]

With regards to location, I'm originally from the Nashville area, and am only getting settled in the Lou. With that said, I love Nashville's nightlife - it's fun to go downtown to Lonnie's, get a bucket, and sing karaoke. Here, the opportunities are there, but they're not as concentrated. The med school is part of the Central West End, and Euclid is the main party corridor - something like 20+ bars and clubs between Forest Park Avenue and Manchester. That's where most hang out on free nights and on the weekends, and everyone from all backgrounds seem to think it's nice - there's something for everyone, just perhaps not to the same level as in Nashville. I've never been to Laclede's landing, which is the huge club scene, so if that's your thing, hit it up when you come for second visit.

As a Wash U undergrad, who has gotten tired of the night scene in St. Louis, I'm hoping to get into Vandy and not Wash U. I can't imagine staying here another four years... And interviewing at Vandy for undergrad, for some reason I feel like people are a little more wild and crazy/fun there. You've probably gotten sick of Nashville like I have with St. Louis... ah well.

If you are as an outsider and not having gone to either school, I would go to Wash U. But I know the students there and I feel like I fit better with Vandy students.

St. Louis=#1 dangerous city in the US per capita, better parks, extremely well-known, well-respected medical complex, segregated city vs. county, hard to find a St. Louis clique (other than med school friends)

Nashville=Nicer folks, prettier state for outdoor activities, cleaner city, more of a music scene, in my opinion a better chance of developing a life outside of medical school

Sorry for the extremely biased post... I did what I could.

 

[Keg]

St. Louis=#1 dangerous city in the US per capita

Just to address this single point - I don't feel any more safe walking back from Demonbreun (in Nashville) on a Saturday night than I do walking around the CWE (St. Louis) at night. Where the med schools are, you generally won't have a problem either place, as long as you're smart about how you go about your business. You have panhandlers both places. But if you don't have any street smarts, you're going to find trouble either place.

*Note - just asked my girlfriend, and she said that Vandy's a 3 on area sketchiness and here is a 7, with the difference being that this is more urban and there's more going on around, more people around in general, which makes her feel more sketched out walking around at night. "Tell them it's not bad, it's just sketchy - I've never felt like I was going to get mugged, it's just sketchy." So that's her perspective... maybe the differences in our takes are due to sex.

 

[MWillie]

If you are looking to get into a competitive residency at an academic institution the opportunities at Wash U will be greater. Check out the NIH extramural awards for each specialty:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medindp05.htm

Wash U gets so much money and there's so many opportunities for reserach and publication that it'll greatly enhance your application. We have things like the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology that just blows other schools out of the water.

As for the nightlife, it ain't THAT bad but if really don't like it, then that's just more time to study for the boards and do reseach.