Like I pointed out in my update post and Law2Doc highlighted(it was info I didn't know when I started the thread), UT will require me to be in the top third of my class. Vanderbilt is P/F for year 1, and H/P/F for year 2. Although prestige is part of it, I'm also willing to pay for a supportive, friendly, lower stress environment that Vanderbilt provides. Talking to UT students, M1 and M2 (esp. M2) sounds very malignant.
What if I falter and don't do as well? I did well on the MCAT but that doesn't mean I'm going to ace anatomy. Then I'd really be screwed.
As a current UT student, I feel like there would be no problem maintaining a position in the top 1/3 of the class. I know all the full-ride kids in my class, and they are all easily maintaining their position at the top. Ask tough questions: how many of these scholarships have been revoked in the last 10 years (my guess is very, very few).
If it required the top 10-15%%, it might be worth reconsidering, but from my personal experience at the school in question, hard work is rewarded here. The people in the bottom half of our class *typically* are either 1) not as hard-working or 2) questionable admissions, of which you are neither.
It sounds like you are trying hard to justify turning down the $$ that UT has offered you, in which case you probably shouldn't come here. Money does not equal happiness, and only you know what will make you happy.
That being said, remember that the #1 stress for recently graduated MDs is loan repayment. Don't listen to pre-meds, advisors, or even med students on this one. Talk to practicing rad-onc docs. I took some great advice from a mentor of mine (who is a faculty member at Vanderbilt, ironically) who is a surgical oncologist (did his residency at UTSW and his fellowship at MD Anderson after graduating from UT). His advice: go with the money.
As far as "pre-clinical malignancy,"... I think this is a borderline humorous statement. IMHO, the faculty here do their best to be supportive and foster a non-competitive environment (ABCDF systems are inherently less competitve than H-HP-P-F systems because they don't have a preset number of students who get As... If you get the grade, you get the grade). Grading systems are inherently more stressful than pure P/F systems, but are less competetive than H/P/F systems because everyone is going to be gunning for those "honors," which typically only go to the top 10% (i.e. you could get a 90-something and not be in the top 10%). For example, the class of 2010 had 60-some students (out of 150) get A's in anatomy this year (2x the norm).
Students here are generally not competitive. We share study guides, tutors, and generally help each other. Yes, med school is alot of work (and can be stressful), but if you don't put in the work you probably won't do well on Step 1 and will be questionable when you get to the clinical years.
If you have any more specific Q's, feel free to PM me.
EDIT: I'm pretty sure that even though Vandy is "pass-fail" the first year, you are still ranked... which goes on the deans letter on your amcas application.
