Which state would you choose: Illinois or Texas?

[riceman04]

I lived in Dallas for a while, and have to disagree on the "there is not much to do thing." I'm not gonna cite all the things to do, you can look em up yourself.
Here is my big 3 preference of larger Tx cities:
1) Austin
2) Houston
3) Dallas

those last two larger texas cities would be considered smaller cities in a few other states with a large population. We were talking about the comparision btwn dallas and chi town.

Compared to chicago...dallas is boring!!!!

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[OSUdoc08]

those last two larger texas cities would be considered smaller cities in a few other states with a large population. We were talking about the comparision btwn dallas and chi town.

Compared to chicago...dallas is boring!!!!

I've never heard an actual valid reason as to why Dallas is boring. People keep dancing around the issue at hand.

List something in Chicago that is not in Dallas that makes it the "winner" as far as being the more fun town.

Don't say art museums. Those are boring and Dallas has those anyway.

 

[latinfridley]

those last two larger texas cities would be considered smaller cities in a few other states with a large population. We were talking about the comparision btwn dallas and chi town.

Compared to chicago...dallas is boring!!!!

Chicago definitely has more 'culture' than Dallas from what I understand.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Chicago definitely has more 'culture' than Dallas from what I understand.

Could you be more specific as to what you mean by culture?

Dallas is extremly diverse as far as religions, ethnicities, political views, and everything else, depending on what part of town you live in.

If you are talking about art and culture, we have plenty of festivals for that sort of thing if it is your bag.

As far as food, there is food from any genre that you desire.

Of course the only thing I care about is the beer, and they have beer from any culture you could think of.

 

[Ultra7]

as for benefits of DALLAS:
plenty of museums (for anyone's taste)
plenty of lakes for recreation & sports
no brutal winters in dallas
relatively little snow (way less than Chicago)
tons of theaters
ample public transit
lakeshore bike path and tons of parks with various sports leagues
taste of Addison
tons of concerts, many free in the parks in ALL months
ice skating in the malls all year round
consistently rated as one of the top cities for restaurants in the country
STEAK (forget pizza)
MEXICAN FOOD
BBQ
SHINER BOCK & FAT TIRE beer
actual seasons are a BAD thing --> i like wearing as little clothing as possible
Pro Football, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Golf, Auto Racing, et. al.
DEEP ELLUM

I too could go on and on.........

Why does Dallas get credit for Fat Tire? I thought it was brewed in Fort Collins, CO.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Why does Dallas get credit for Fat Tire? I thought it was brewed in Fort Collins, CO.

I stand corrected. The bottled look awfully similar to another Texas beer, so I may have confused the two.

The only domestic I drink is Shiner anyway, so it doesn't matter.

 

[riceman04]

how can you even mention dallas and chicago in the same breath (unless you are talking about athletics).

Dallas is a great place to raise children

 

[OSUdoc08]

how can you even mention dallas and chicago in the same breath (unless you are talking about athletics).

Dallas is a great place to raise children

In looking at places for school or residency, athletics is at the top of the list.

Art museums are not.

 

[txfisher]

.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Don't forget Zeigenbock, only available in TX also.
And to bring up museums? Seriously, what kind of people are you? History teachers? I don't know anyone that goes to museums more than twice a year! Dallas has much more outdoor stuff that you can do year-round, like golfing, sailing, fishing, camping, etc. That's all off limits for at least 3 months a year in Chicago.

So do people that live in the north just eat and go to museums for fun? I'm kind of serious, because I get bored with cow-tipping sometimes.

I've never been cow-tipping, since I grew up in the Dallas area.

Good call --> Zeigenbock + Shiner Bock + Camping = FUN

 

[jbrice1639]

I've never heard an actual valid reason as to why Dallas is boring. People keep dancing around the issue at hand.

List something in Chicago that is not in Dallas that makes it the "winner" as far as being the more fun town.

Don't say art museums. Those are boring and Dallas has those anyway.

actually, i listed several reasons why chicago was the "winner"

and you turned it around and claimed dallas did them all better...which was kinda funny.

you can't compare lakes in texas to the great lakes...it's just not the same. the coasts of the great lakes are more comparable to ocean shores.

just because texans raise the cows doesn't make their steaks the best and i'll take a chicago steakhouse over a texan steakhouse any day.

for some reason you chose to list all of the professional sports...and, well, chicago has them all as well, hence my only listing that we have two baseball teams, which dallas doesn't.

ice skating in a mall is not as fun as ice skating in a park, year round or not.

but, it's a silly point to argue. those of us in chicago love it here. those of you in dallas love it there. that's probably why we all live where we live.

but if it makes you feel better to think that dallas is in the same social/cultural rank as chicago, believe what you want.

as was stated to the OP, pick a school where you'll be happiest...not where a bunch of us think is the more fun city...and on that, i'm out of this debate 🙄

 

[OSUdoc08]

actually, i listed several reasons why chicago was the "winner"

you can't compare lakes in texas to the great lakes...it's just not the same. the coasts of the great lakes are more comparable to ocean shores.

just because texans raise the cows doesn't make their steaks the best and i'll take a chicago steakhouse over a texan steakhouse any day.

for some reason you chose to list all of the professional sports...and, well, chicago has them all as well, hence my only listing that we have two baseball teams, which dallas doesn't.

ice skating in a mall is not as fun as ice skating in a park, year round or not.

but, it's a silly point to argue. those of us in chicago love it here. those of you in dallas love it there. that's probably why we all live where we live.

but if it makes you feel better to think that dallas is in the same social/cultural rank as chicago, believe what you want.

as was stated to the OP, pick a school where you'll be happiest...not where a bunch of us think is the more fun city...and on that, i'm out of this debate 🙄

Let the games continue!

Texas has an OCEAN (south padre, galveston, corpus christi, port aransas)

You've obviously never eaten at a Texas Steakhouse

Baseball? YAWN. I like basketball, football, and hockey. Other people may like PGA and NASCAR. I don't see the Bulls or Blackhawks having a deep playoff run. Remind me how many championships the Bears have?

Forget ice skating. I'd rather go fishing and camping WITHOUT ice.

Snap!

 

[combatmedic]

Illinois 👍

 

[DrCouldItEverBe]

Let the games continue!

Texas has an OCEAN (south padre, galveston, corpus christi, port aransas)

You've obviously never eaten at a Texas Steakhouse

Baseball? YAWN. I like basketball, football, and hockey. Other people may like PGA and NASCAR. I don't see the Bulls or Blackhawks having a deep playoff run. Remind me how many championships the Bears have?

Forget ice skating. I'd rather go fishing and camping WITHOUT ice.

Snap!

Which ocean do you have in Dallas?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Which ocean do you have in Dallas?

Read the title of the thread. TEXAS VS. ILLINOIS.

My post stated that "Texas has an Ocean."

 

[GoJoeyMojo]

Wow.
Such avid supporters of both Chicago and Texas! Having lived in both locations, I should've known to expect that. After looking at the stats, I think I may have better overall odds if I establish residency in Texas. Plus I have family throughout TX vs. none in Illinois (except for a few booze-loving friends, which isn't exactly the support system I need during medical school). Ideally, I'd stay in Colorado. I love living here, but with only one med school, I don't think it's the wisest choice when I have options like IL and TX...

 

[jtorres]

osudoc, man i cant leave you hangin'. were texas, what more is there to say. damn right we can be considered a country. the US's biggest trade partner is mexico and guess what, texas is directly linked to that trade. we are not a land-locked state. beautiful country side, dallas cowboys, etc. man i can just keep going but there is no need to. let 'em all hate. if i wasn't texan i'd be hatin' too.

 

[OSUdoc08]

osudoc, man i cant leave you hangin'. were texas, what more is there to say. damn right we can be considered a country. the US's biggest trade partner is mexico and guess what, texas is directly linked to that trade. we are not a land-locked state. beautiful country side, dallas cowboys, etc. man i can just keep going but there is no need to. let 'em all hate. if i wasn't texan i'd be hatin' too.

👍

 

[lropp]

I'm from Dallas and I'd have to agree that Chicago is definitely more culturally and socially exciting. I'm not totally hatin' on big D, but it's no Chicago.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm from Dallas and I'd have to agree that Chicago is definitely more culturally and socially exciting. I'm not totally hatin' on big D, but it's no Chicago.

Dallas is enough for a medical student. We're not looking for a place that James Bond would enjoy socially.

 

[lropp]

Dallas is enough for a medical student. We're not looking for a place that James Bond would enjoy socially.

Haha, agreed. I love Dallas. I love Chicago. I'd just rather hang out in Chicago. BUT... the mexican food in Texas is nothing to be f***ed with!

 

[OSUdoc08]

Haha, agreed. I love Dallas. I love Chicago. I'd just rather hang out in Chicago. BUT... the mexican food in Texas is nothing to be f***ed with!

Since my favorite food is Mexican, it's no contest.

 

[potato51]

Dallas is enough for a medical student. We're not looking for a place that James Bond would enjoy socially.

ha... I love the way you put it. Good one.

 

[riceman04]

Haha, agreed. I love Dallas. I love Chicago. I'd just rather hang out in Chicago. BUT... the mexican food in Texas is nothing to be f***ed with!

gotta agree about the mexican food...but in comparison to mexican food from cali.....that's tough competition right there

 

[txfisher]

.

 

[gujuDoc]

While I'd rather live in Chicago then Texas, I cannot deny the advantages of being a Tx resident for med school. You get a better chance of getting into med school being in Texas, then you will at any Illinois school. There is no snow to deal with and weather is just generally nicer to live in. You get cheaper tuition at any Texas school. Not counting Baylor or UTSW, they are not as hard to get into as some of the other schools around the country. Those are just a few things that would sway me in that direction.

 

[TX515]

In addition, please tell me where you can find pastures with cows within the city limits.

I don't know about Dallas, but I know you can find horses within the city limits of Houston, I saw them with my own eyes. Personally, I would not ever live in Houston, Dallas, or Chicago. I would never live in Illinois, just too cold for me. I love Texas.

 

[mcnugget]

While I'd rather live in Chicago then Texas, I cannot deny the advantages of being a Tx resident for med school. You get a better chance of getting into med school being in Texas, then you will at any Illinois school. There is no snow to deal with and weather is just generally nicer to live in. You get cheaper tuition at any Texas school. Not counting Baylor or UTSW, they are not as hard to get into as some of the other schools around the country. Those are just a few things that would sway me in that direction.

I totally agree

but the weather is not better...I think someone said it best when they mentioned that the cold weather in Chi-town is no worse than the hot and nasty humid weather in Texas.

Dallas gets humid too

 

[mcnugget]

Let the games continue!

Texas has an OCEAN (south padre, galveston, corpus christi, port aransas)

You've obviously never eaten at a Texas Steakhouse

Baseball? YAWN. I like basketball, football, and hockey. Other people may like PGA and NASCAR. I don't see the Bulls or Blackhawks having a deep playoff run. Remind me how many championships the Bears have?

Forget ice skating. I'd rather go fishing and camping WITHOUT ice.

Snap!

yes yes yes...Saltgrass is the best and so is bluebell

but chitown is still more fun

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

chicago has a 26% hispanic population versus dallas' 36%. plenty of mexican food. but it does lack tex-mex. there's good barbeque, but you gotta look for it.

besides all the great stuff other people have mentioned (high culture, sports, and restaurants), chicago has tons of bars and clubs. and because it's three times as dense (read: city) there's a bar or restaurant in walking distance in practically every neighborhood. and if you don't want to walk there is pretty good public transit.

Also,

VOTING Dallas, Texas Chicago, Illinois
Democrat 48.951% 70.250%
Republican 50.348% 29.150%

So the last thing I will type about Dallas is 👎

 

[OSUdoc08]

I totally agree

but the weather is not better...I think someone said it best when they mentioned that the cold weather in Chi-town is no worse than the hot and nasty humid weather in Texas.

Dallas gets humid too

I just checked out a report on the average winter in Illinois. It appears that Chicago averages 36 inches of snow a year, being more severe than the rest of the state, due to the lake-effect of Lake Michigan. No thanks.

http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/atmos/statecli/General/Illinois-climate-narrative.pdf

Obviously this doesn't happen in Texas.

 

[OSUdoc08]

chicago has a 26% hispanic population versus dallas' 36%. plenty of mexican food. but it does lack tex-mex. there's good barbeque, but you gotta look for it.

besides all the great stuff other people have mentioned (high culture, sports, and restaurants), chicago has tons of bars and clubs. and because it's three times as dense (read: city) there's a bar or restaurant in walking distance in practically every neighborhood. and if you don't want to walk there is pretty good public transit.

Also,

VOTING Dallas, Texas Chicago, Illinois
Democrat 48.951% 70.250%
Republican 50.348% 29.150%

So the last thing I will type about Dallas is 👎

This is exactly why Dallas is better. Let's thank the democrats for continued efforts to socialize healthcare and diminish physician compensation!

On a side note, plenty of bars and clubs in Dallas as well. Dallas has an above ground train system, kind of like a subway system, that extends into the suburbs.

 

[Beau Geste]

Hey, you guys! Illinois is not *just* chicago! There are a few medical schools south of Chicago, too!

UIUC (also there's the Peoria and Rockford campuses)
SIU

Champaign is cold in the winter, but definitely not as bad as Chicago. Obviously it's not as big as Chicago, so not as much stuff to do, but you're in med school - you should be studying! 😉

Also, SIU has the split campus between Carbondale and Springfield. Carbondale has weather similar to Paducah, Memphis, Little Rock. It's also only got about 40k people, but beautiful scenery in the country. Springfield is similar to Champaign and about 1.5 hours from Champaign. It's in the heart of IL so in flat land, but there are some things to do there, being as it's the state capital.

Anyway, my point is that there are other schools and areas in IL besides Chicago. SIU tuition is about $9k a semester, so probably middle-of-the road tuition.

Being an IL resident, I'm biased, of course. However, if I were going to move to a particular state to increase my chances of admission w/ residency status, I would go to a state that has the best chances. I don't think I'd base it on weather or food issues.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hey, you guys! Illinois is not *just* chicago! There are a few medical schools south of Chicago, too!

UIUC (also there's the Peoria and Rockford campuses)
SIU

Champaign is cold in the winter, but definitely not as bad as Chicago. Obviously it's not as big as Chicago, so not as much stuff to do, but you're in med school - you should be studying! 😉

Also, SIU has the split campus between Carbondale and Springfield. Carbondale has weather similar to Paducah, Memphis, Little Rock. It's also only got about 40k people, but beautiful scenery in the country. Springfield is similar to Champaign and about 1.5 hours from Champaign. It's in the heart of IL so in flat land, but there are some things to do there, being as it's the state capital.

Anyway, my point is that there are other schools and areas in IL besides Chicago. SIU tuition is about $9k a semester, so probably middle-of-the road tuition.

Being an IL resident, I'm biased, of course. However, if I were going to move to a particular state to increase my chances of admission w/ residency status, I would go to a state that has the best chances. I don't think I'd base it on weather or food issues.

Exactly. Texas has medical schools in the following locations:

-Dallas
-Ft. Worth
-Lubbock
-College Station
-San Antonio
-Houston (2)
-Galveston

ALL of them have tuition BELOW $9,000/year (NOT PER SEMESTER.)

In addition, Texas just passed legislation to increase each school's class size by 20 SPOTS.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

Exactly. Texas has medical schools in the following locations:

-Dallas
-Ft. Worth
-Lubbock
-College Station
-San Antonio
-Houston (2)
-Galveston

ALL of them have tuition BELOW $9,000/year (NOT PER SEMESTER.)

In addition, Texas just passed legislation to increase each school's class size by 20 SPOTS.

i never spoke to the contrary of this. again, in the op's position i would go with tx over il purely for the $, and suck it up when it comes to the lack of culture, entertainment, city life, good summer, politically agreeable atmosphere, etc. i would would dislike being there, but be really happy with the extra money i could spend during my residency (hopefully) some place better.

of course it comes down to preference, but there are dimensions along which chicago is has "more" (for me, "better").

i still say the op should check out the msar stats for uc-denver and not underestimate himself too much.

edit: siu has a rural mission and a strong bias against chicago residents.

 

[Beau Geste]

Exactly. Texas has medical schools in the following locations:

-Dallas
-Ft. Worth
-Lubbock
-College Station
-San Antonio
-Houston (2)
-Galveston

ALL of them have tuition BELOW $9,000/year (NOT PER SEMESTER.)

In addition, Texas just passed legislation to increase each school's class size by 20 SPOTS.

All of that is fine, but doesn't do any good if you don't get in. Like I said, my advice is to go where you would be most competitive, not necessarily the cheapest.

If the OP would be competitive in TX, then go for it!

 

[Beau Geste]

edit: siu has a rural mission and a strong bias against chicago residents.

Yes, they have a rural mission, but there are a lot of upstaters that go there. They still have people who go into non-primary care specialties.