- Joined
- Jul 18, 2014
- Messages
- 627
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Hey yall! Need some input on which school to select. I am blessed to be able to narrow down my acceptances to these two. Please note that I am WL at an IS MD school. If I get into the MD school, then I am attending the MD school. However I do not want to lose my spot at a medical school, whether its DO or MD. So this is what I am working with. Also the nonrefundable deposit will kill my finances, especially if I am accepted into the MD school. But this is an investment!
VCOM Virginia Location
Pros
Cons
KCU COM (Kansas City)
Pros
BOTH schools have nearly 100% match rate and strong board scores. I believe KCU is slightly higher.
BOTH schools have a great SIM center and OMM Lab so facilities look great to me.
Summary: Stuck between which two I should choose. I think both are a great option but need help what should be the deciding factor. I can see myself at either campus and be happy.
VCOM Virginia Location
Pros
- Block breaks; one week break after each block. Good for relaxing, traveling and to see family/friends.
- Offers joint MPH degree with Virginia Tech which I am highly interested in (population health and community health education)
- International Mission Trips
- $46,500 tuition is cheaper than KCU COM; local cost of living is relatively cheap for being in a college town
- Access to College football and Basketball games (Huge fan of college football) and the small town feel (Blacksburg)
- Access to all of VTech gyms, libraries, resources, including research labs at a major university
- Easy access to East Coast cities like DC, Philly, and NY to visit my extended family
- Class size is about 180, still big but smaller than KCU
Cons
- Shorter summer because of block breaks (roughly 4 weeks...is this good or bad?)
- Mandatory attendance
- Business casual dress code enforced
- Exam schedule is brutal compared to KCUCOM.
- Limited rotation sites for OMS-3
- College town can be boring and mundane after time, esp when football season is over
- Winters are brutal
- Heard from current students that food scene is sub-par compared to other college towns
- Does not offer any scholarships
- No cafe on campus (mini student lounge)
- Nearest airport is 2.5h away in Charlotte that flies to home for a cheap and quick flight (Roanoke regional airport is expensive and no direct flights)
KCU COM (Kansas City)
Pros
- In a major city with easy access to sporting events, concerts
- International Mission trips and Global Health Track, which I am interested in pursuing
- One of the original 5 DO schools, reputable
- Provides iPad to students
- Will have new Center for Medical Education building by the time I matriculate
- Great rotation sites for OMS-3 (sites across the nation instead of local areas only like VCOM-VA)
- Food scene in Kansas City is great, nightlife options for the rare weekend that I am free
- Easy access to get home with an airport and multiple, daily flights to home that are cheap
- No mandatory attendance or dress code (not a deal breaker though)
- Slightly more expensive at $48,910
- No MPH joint degree
- Not attached to a major institution
- More expensive living options
- Class size is big, its +200
- Less breaks compared to VCOM but longer summer
BOTH schools have nearly 100% match rate and strong board scores. I believe KCU is slightly higher.
BOTH schools have a great SIM center and OMM Lab so facilities look great to me.
Summary: Stuck between which two I should choose. I think both are a great option but need help what should be the deciding factor. I can see myself at either campus and be happy.
