Yale vs Columbia vs Stanford

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mexdoc

public health analyst
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I'm having a really tough time deciding since I think I would be happy at any of those schools. I guess I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for how to make the decision. My priorities are:

  • having collegial, fun and diverse classmates
  • global health opportunities (funding and accessible faculty)
  • opportunities to get involved in the community (service activities with underserved groups)
  • exposure to a diverse patient population during clinical years
  • early clinical exposure and accessible faculty
  • advising/mentorship for choosing residency
As of right now I'm thinking about Med/Peds and doing a residency with a focus on global health, but I haven't discarded the idea of surgery quite yet (potentially pediatric surgery).

Thanks for the advice.

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Stanford is 4 years of P/F with no ranks and California weather.
 
These three schools are comparable, although Stanford certainly has better weather. New York City is appealing to some folks but not to others. Some folks like Yale's laid back approach, others need a kick in the butt and the pressure of exams.

Personally, I would choose the least expensive school, unless the difference in cost is marginal.

Really, you have three sweet choices, so I would make this decision on the basis of financial aid packages.
 
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Since you didn't list research opportunities as a priority, you may not be a good fit with Yale where a thesis is required for graduation. Also, you need to be happy with the Yale-system of evaluation (grades, exams). That's a major difference, I think.
 
Of these three I would pick stanford but I would HEAVILY consider those scholarship schools on your mdapps as well.
 
Ya know, since you don't seem to treasure research so much, I would go with columbia if I were you. Yale and Stanford are both SUPER research heavy and Columbia would give you the best opportunities to work with underserved populations
 
I'm having a really tough time deciding since I think I would be happy at any of those schools. I guess I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for how to make the decision. My priorities are:

  • having collegial, fun and diverse classmates
  • global health opportunities (funding and accessible faculty)
  • opportunities to get involved in the community (service activities with underserved groups)
  • exposure to a diverse patient population during clinical years
  • early clinical exposure and accessible faculty
  • advising/mentorship for choosing residency
As of right now I'm thinking about Med/Peds and doing a residency with a focus on global health, but I haven't discarded the idea of surgery quite yet (potentially pediatric surgery).

Thanks for the advice.

I'd just like to state that you're crazy for not going to Northwestern on a full ride, but I'll play advocate for Columbia.

Can't beat Columbia on fun and diverse class. Club P&S was probably the number one selling point for me, I liked the fact that there were people from so many backgrounds too.
I know that there is a club, but I dont' know anything about actual global health opportunities. You do have the UN in NYC, so there might be connections to go that angle.
Absolutely, there's some mentorship opportunities with underserved kids, and also a free clinic run by students (though I think a lot of schools have this).
Exposure to a diverse patient population is a given in NYC. The Columbia branch of NYP isn't in the richest part of Manhattan either, so that's a plus too if you want to work with the underserved.
I've been told repeatedly that early exposure isn't all that important, but the plus side of Columbia is that you get 2.5 years of clinicals, rather than 2. You also have the opportunity to go during your first two years on transplant runs, and there is early exposure/training in the curriculum as well.
This I don't know about, but I think you are pretty much covered wherever you go.
 
Ya know, since you don't seem to treasure research so much, I would go with columbia if I were you. Yale and Stanford are both SUPER research heavy and Columbia would give you the best opportunities to work with underserved populations

Columbia now requires a research project, but I believe it can be in the area of global health. Let me check.
 
Stanford is 4 years of P/F with no ranks and California weather.

Stanford has decided to issue some sort of grading non P/F in their clinical years. I would vote for Columbia of the three schools since the other two are research heavy in terms of its curriculum. One has a thesis and thw other strongly advise students to take a year off for research.
 
I'd pick Columbia because you'd actually get to use your Spanish, and work with diverse populations. Neither Stanford nor Yale will give you that opportunity to the same extent that Columbia, with its location in Washington Heights, actually would. Stanford is also THE academia hub par excellence, so if you're more interested in global health than research, I'd stay away from Stanford.
 
Out of those three, pick none of them and go to Northwestern
 
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Out of those three, pick none of them and go to Northwestern

Agreed. Not taking the full-ride to Northwestern = :wow: but to each their own. I would probably pick from Yale or Columbia of those two (I want to stay on the east coast), and then probably pick Columbia (Yale's curriculum is too hippie-dippy for me).

Clearly this post doesn't help you in the least because I had nothing to add. Congrats on your awesome cycle!
 
I'd pick Columbia because you'd actually get to use your Spanish, and work with diverse populations. Neither Stanford nor Yale will give you that opportunity to the same extent that Columbia, with its location in Washington Heights, actually would. Stanford is also THE academia hub par excellence, so if you're more interested in global health than research, I'd stay away from Stanford.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Out of those three, pick none of them and go to Northwestern

:thumbup:

Just out of curiosity, why didn't you put Northwestern or Vanderbilt on your decision list? Both are incredible schools, and with full tuition and 75% tuition, respectively, I wouldn't even look at Yale/Columbia/Stanford.

Although I have very little knowledge about those schools, it would seem that they have enough of those bulleted points that you talked about in your original post WITH free money.
 
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Full tuition does not equal full ride.

The op would still be responsible for living expenses which at Northwestern was around ~$30k. Less for Pittsburgh.

Both Stanford and Columbia usually give great financial aid. Can't speak about Yale. So the difference between COA for those schools and NW/Pitt isn't THAT great.

Anyway, OP come to Columbia. Although I can't say I'm not biased. :p
 
Thanks so much for everyone's input.

In reply to some of the questions:

I am interested in pursuing research but focused on clinical/public health in developing countries versus bench/translational research. All three schools require the equivalent of a thesis but I got the sense that Stanford is the most pro-research of the three.

I'm thinking of doing a MD/MBA with a focus on global health and non-profit management (which Yale currently has the top program in), but Stanford also has a great program with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere.

As far as money goes, Yale and Columbia have offered the best financial aid (even considering the merit scholarships, with the exception of Pitt). However, Stanford through the Med Scholars program and TA appointments can also provide the lowest graduating debt (but that requires actively engaging in research throughout the academic year)

Is anyone else choosing between these schools? Once again thank you for everyone's comments and I hope that I do not come off as ungrateful for my success or choosing solely based on rankings since it just happened that these three schools are the ones offering the best financial aid.
 
I'm having a really tough time deciding since I think I would be happy at any of those schools. I guess I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for how to make the decision. My priorities are:

  • having collegial, fun and diverse classmates
  • global health opportunities (funding and accessible faculty)
  • opportunities to get involved in the community (service activities with underserved groups)
  • exposure to a diverse patient population during clinical years
  • early clinical exposure and accessible faculty
  • advising/mentorship for choosing residency
As of right now I'm thinking about Med/Peds and doing a residency with a focus on global health, but I haven't discarded the idea of surgery quite yet (potentially pediatric surgery).

Thanks for the advice.
i think Columbia would be the best fit for you

edit: err, in light of your most recent post, maybe Yale?
 
oh and I forgot to mention that I'm not only interested in MD/MBA but also MD/MPH
 
Thanks so much for everyone's input.

In reply to some of the questions:

I am interested in pursuing research but focused on clinical/public health in developing countries versus bench/translational research. All three schools require the equivalent of a thesis but I got the sense that Stanford is the most pro-research of the three.

I'm thinking of doing a MD/MBA with a focus on global health and non-profit management (which Yale currently has the top program in), but Stanford also has a great program with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere.

As far as money goes, Yale and Columbia have offered the best financial aid (even considering the merit scholarships, with the exception of Pitt). However, Stanford through the Med Scholars program and TA appointments can also provide the lowest graduating debt (but that requires actively engaging in research throughout the academic year)

Is anyone else choosing between these schools? Once again thank you for everyone's comments and I hope that I do not come off as ungrateful for my success or choosing solely based on rankings since it just happened that these three schools are the ones offering the best financial aid.

That's what I would do. Congrats on all your acceptances.
 
Thanks so much for everyone's input.

In reply to some of the questions:

I am interested in pursuing research but focused on clinical/public health in developing countries versus bench/translational research. All three schools require the equivalent of a thesis but I got the sense that Stanford is the most pro-research of the three.

I'm thinking of doing a MD/MBA with a focus on global health and non-profit management (which Yale currently has the top program in), but Stanford also has a great program with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere.

As far as money goes, Yale and Columbia have offered the best financial aid (even considering the merit scholarships, with the exception of Pitt). However, Stanford through the Med Scholars program and TA appointments can also provide the lowest graduating debt (but that requires actively engaging in research throughout the academic year)

Is anyone else choosing between these schools? Once again thank you for everyone's comments and I hope that I do not come off as ungrateful for my success or choosing solely based on rankings since it just happened that these three schools are the ones offering the best financial aid.

Have you talked to Stanford about your aid packages? Given that all of these schools are private and you are obviously a desirable applicant, I would bet Stanford might be willing to match Yale/Columbia. If you don't want to go there, that's fine, but it seems like you've worked hard enough that this probably doesn't have to come down to money.

Of these schools, both Yale and Stanford have strong research emphasis. Many students at both take a year off for research - which could be great if you were interested in doing something more in-depth over-seas, or it could be something you're not into.

If I were you, I think Yale would be the next school that I'd drop. Columbia has a lot of diversity at NYP, and while Palo Alto is not diverse, Stanford students definitely rotate in hospitals with large Chicano, (and Vietnamese, etc) populations. Also, I'd much rather take the vibrancy of NYC or the pretty pretty weather of Palo Alto over the neither of New Haven.

I am less familiar with Yale, but both Columbia and Stanford seem to have quite collegial environments. Columbia is a bigger class - it seems like they have a lot going on within the medical school, but maybe a little less faculty interaction as a result of the class size compared to Stanford.

These are just some random thoughts...I don't think you can go wrong :) At the end, putting all the logical weighing aside, is there anywhere where you felt like you "clicked" most?
 
hey mexdoc congrats my friend on the great choices!!! here are my thoughts from my completely biased standpoint :)

Thanks so much for everyone's input.

In reply to some of the questions:

I am interested in pursuing research but focused on clinical/public health in developing countries versus bench/translational research. All three schools require the equivalent of a thesis but I got the sense that Stanford is the most pro-research of the three.

-stanford has huge opportunities in whatever aspect of research you like but if you like global health or international medicine, there are many people to work with and collaborate with....many students take a year off to work abroad or get an MPH at either berkeley or whatever university they choose in the states or abroad..the emergency medicine dept has a strong international medicine fellowship program and they frequently take SMS students on trips to india as well as south africa (at least while i was there)

I'm thinking of doing a MD/MBA with a focus on global health and non-profit management (which Yale currently has the top program in), but Stanford also has a great program with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere.

yale has a terrific MD-MBA setup but its MBA program is still pretty young and is more of a niche market MBA program with focal areas of strength. (check out the b-school forums to read more this stuff....) stanford's business school is arguably the top b-school in the country, annually jostling with HBS (and to a lesser degree wharton) for the top notch...don't underestimate the huge impact that the MBA at GSB will have on you in terms of connecting with with non-profit corporations as well as other global companies.....the capital you can get from going to stanford GSB is measured in terms of the connections you can make with silicon valley as well as large foundations such as the gates foundation and google org.....all of which have a sizeable presence on campus. you can then leverage whatever connections you make into your own dreams of whatever work you want to do from international aid to starting a medical device company.

As far as money goes, Yale and Columbia have offered the best financial aid (even considering the merit scholarships, with the exception of Pitt). However, Stanford through the Med Scholars program and TA appointments can also provide the lowest graduating debt (but that requires actively engaging in research throughout the academic year)

medscholars expects some academic work but it doesn't have to be "pure" bench work. i used my funding to live abroad in peru as well as western africa....doing relief work and aid projects....so the medscholar funding is not limited to just basic research

Is anyone else choosing between these schools? Once again thank you for everyone's comments and I hope that I do not come off as ungrateful for my success or choosing solely based on rankings since it just happened that these three schools are the ones offering the best financial aid.

good luck on your choices! can't really go wrong with any of those places!

oh, and last point from another poster......you will you use TONS of spanish while in med school at stanford.....especially on valley rotations...where almost 90% of the population is spanish speaking only. we have dedicated medical spanish classes for med students....as well as the option to take the undergrad spanish classes just down the campus if you like. i ended up taking advanced spanish lit my 1st year in med school.....not the most useful for medical spanish but it allowed me to really work on taking my spanish skills to the next level. love the flexibility of that school!!!
 
Thanks so much for everyone's input.

In reply to some of the questions:

I am interested in pursuing research but focused on clinical/public health in developing countries versus bench/translational research. All three schools require the equivalent of a thesis but I got the sense that Stanford is the most pro-research of the three.

I'm thinking of doing a MD/MBA with a focus on global health and non-profit management (which Yale currently has the top program in), but Stanford also has a great program with a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere.

Come to P&S, get an MD/MPH, and work with Jeffrey Sachs.

See: http://www.millenniumvillages.org/
and: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/1804

His millenium villages project has strong ties to P&S. You can do a non-clinical public health elective during the summer in the middle of your pre-clinical years, or a clinical elective during fourth year, or have Dr. Sachs as your advisor for your scholarly project or MPH.

Other international opportunities that don't require an extra year:
http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/ps/affairs/Exchange.html

Also, you could work with this guy (he teaches our parisitology class):
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/173624/june-12-2008/dickson-despommier

That doesn't have much to do with international health. He's just really cool.

Generally, I believe Columbia's Mailman school of PH is the strongest of the three you're looking at.
 
Oh, and two more things:
pre-clinical professors love teaching us about stuff that doesn't cause much of a blip in US M&M, but causes major problems world wide. Some people get annoyed by this, but you probably wouldn't. What is it they say...? Something like: "we teach you about the world, because that is what you're going to see." I think they're referring to the stuff that walks through the door at NYP as well as the number of us that go on to do some kind of international work.

And the second thing:
The theme for the P&S alumni reunion this year is "Columbia in Africa"
 
Thanks for all of this information, you make quite a convincing argument. When did you graduate from Stanford?

hey mexdoc congrats my friend on the great choices!!! here are my thoughts from my completely biased standpoint :)



good luck on your choices! can't really go wrong with any of those places!

oh, and last point from another poster......you will you use TONS of spanish while in med school at stanford.....especially on valley rotations...where almost 90% of the population is spanish speaking only. we have dedicated medical spanish classes for med students....as well as the option to take the undergrad spanish classes just down the campus if you like. i ended up taking advanced spanish lit my 1st year in med school.....not the most useful for medical spanish but it allowed me to really work on taking my spanish skills to the next level. love the flexibility of that school!!!
 
Columbia P&S! They offered great financial aid, NYC and opportunity to work with underserved communities locally and abroad.
 
Columbia P&S! They offered great financial aid, NYC and opportunity to work with underserved communities locally and abroad.

congrats, you have some crazy acceptances.

you will make a lot of people happy when you withdraw from all those other schools.
 
Columbia P&S! They offered great financial aid, NYC and opportunity to work with underserved communities locally and abroad.

Have fun in NYC!
 
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