Where should I go: UofA or Belmont?

[rlpharm]

I'm looking for some advice on deciding between University of Arizona (Phoenix campus) and Belmont University. I'm from Arizona but I don't really want to stay here. If I did go to UA it would be under the belief that transitioning to other areas of the country wouldn't be difficult. I'm not sure how important it is to go to school in the region you want to practice. I would be especially interested to hear from anyone with experience with either of these schools.

Belmont- Nashville:
-Better interview experience (Showed far more interest in the students)
-Scholarships (slightly cheaper than UA)
-More desirable area for me

University of Arizona- Phoenix Campus:
-Higher ranking
-More well established program

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[874700]

I don't know about Belmont University, but I would recommend U of A since you are from AZ and it is better to stay in state than out.

 

[capri1722]

I don't know about Belmont University, but I would recommend U of A since you are from AZ and it is better to stay in state than out.

Ehhhhh I don’t totally agree with this. Depends on your reasoning for staying in-state vs. wanting to move out of state. Finances are certainly a valid reason. Case in point, I did my undergrad degree at an out-of-state school because tuition was far cheaper there than at any in-state school (plus when I chose my college I had a very different idea of what I wanted to do and there weren’t any schools in-state for it that I liked). That said, I also recently turned down an offer of admission from an out-of-state school because, while the tuition itself plus scholarships would be cheaper than another in-state I was accepted to, the cost of living would have had me paying more overall. Other things to consider when looking at out-of-state schools include cultural differences (will you experience culture shock?), where you’re going to live (don’t want to mistakenly rent an apartment on the sketchy side of town, for instance), and the possibility of homesickness.

Also, a quick google search for NAPLEX pass rates shows that Belmont consistently has higher pass rates than Arizona. So keep that in mind.