Why are some schools so much cheaper than others?

[swiftjab]

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lecom is 30k, KYCOM is 40k. Why are they so much cheaper than the rest of the DO schools?

As an applicant, I'm kind of skeptical of these kinds of schools because my experience as a consumer taught me you get what you pay for. But I'm just curious how they're able to offer such a low price. Do their professors take a pay cut or something?

 

[Dr. Death]

You get what you pay for. If it seems too good to be true. It probably is.

 

[CoomassieBlue57]

LECOM-B produces great board scores, but about half of the students are left out to hang dry and have to set up their own rotations 3rd year. That 10k savings could go towards roation site/hospital deals.

 

[brotherbanjo]

I've heard something similar to coomassie, that the additional money may go to providing good rotation sites. I don't know how that works from the school's end, but that's what I've heard.

 

[TUVIX]

Well LECOM has one building in each of the three locations and a large student body. lower faculty to student ratio. This has to explain it to some extent.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

LECOM prides it's low cost form it's elimination of other costs. There's a reason you have a no food/water outside the caf rule and that's because janitorial costs can get cut from that. Also, according to my interview at LECOM, they don't have guaranteed contracted rotations. Some schools have contracts w/ hospitals that if they pay X amount of money to the hospital, they will guarantee a rotation site for 1 student, which is made formal in a written contract. With LECOM no formal contract/exchange with $$, it's only a verbal agreement which isn't a true agreement (hence why people get dropped, and hence why the cost is further decreased).

 

[KP2AZ]

Good question to ask, hard to answer. LECOM has its good and bad like any school. Although cost is a factor, I wouldn't make it the biggest...or reason 1 through 3 on a list of why to go somewhere. Quality of educators, rotations, board scores, locations. Those are the things (no particular order) that you should focus on. Cost can be a Tie breaker.

 

[ortnakas]

LECOM prides it's low cost form it's elimination of other costs. There's a reason you have a no food/water outside the caf rule and that's because janitorial costs can get cut from that. Also, according to my interview at LECOM, they don't have guaranteed contracted rotations. Some schools have contracts w/ hospitals that if they pay X amount of money to the hospital, they will guarantee a rotation site for 1 student, which is made formal in a written contract. With LECOM no formal contract/exchange with $$, it's only a verbal agreement which isn't a true agreement (hence why people get dropped, and hence why the cost is further decreased).

Just to clarify: there are definitely written agreements in place, with lots of paperwork. But you are correct that the school does not pay for rotations.

A lot of rotations were dropped a few years ago from UPMC, but that's largely because LECOM was collateral damage in the war between UPMC and Highmark. It can still happen, but it's not as frequent as a search on SDN would lead you to believe. (Speaking for Erie and Seton Hill, anyway-- I know very little about the rotation set-up for Bradenton.)

 

[Henry101]

Lol OOS for MSU is $80k for tuition alone

 

[KP2AZ]

Lol OOS for MSU is $80k for tuition alone

which is why unless you have discovered sunken treasure, that is not a good choice.

 

[docycle]

which is why unless you have discovered sunken treasure, that is not a good choice.

Either that or you're totally desperate and are willing to take out any amount in loans just to have an acceptance.

Which probably describes ~98% of applicants.

 

[ChiDO]

Went to LECOM, saved tons of $$$, did well.

My advice...go to the cheapest school you get into (MD or DO).

 

[Dohnut]

lecom is 30k, KYCOM is 40k. Why are they so much cheaper than the rest of the DO schools?

As an applicant, I'm kind of skeptical of these kinds of schools because my experience as a consumer taught me you get what you pay for. But I'm just curious how they're able to offer such a low price. Do their professors take a pay cut or something?

TCOM is 13k. Hook em Horns! Texas secede (j/k)!