Columbia versus UCLA and UCI and USC

[Scooby Doo]

OK...so here's the deal.. I am going to interview at UCLA soon...The majority of my family is in Southern California. I have been in Cali my whole life. Going to New York sounds great but I am also sort of nervous of leaving the state. Currently I am waitlisted at UCI and USC. I am in at Columbia.

$$$ at Columbia would also not be as big of a problem b/c I recieved a nice finaid package that would make the total cost come to maybe only $5,000 more per year than at the UC's.

As far as what I want to go into I am open but I don't want to close any doors.

If you vote, please post a response in this thread too so I know why

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[whoanelly]

Not only is Columbia a very great med school, but it is time to break out of your West Coast time warp and experience the other side of the country.It will broaden your outlook in every way. NYC offers so many opportunities apart from school, and it's very easy to visit Boston, DC, etc...You can always go back home to practice medicine. Go now, while you're young and have no serious ties that bind you! IMHO--well, not so humble....I write as a fellow left coaster who went to school in NYC and will never regret having had the experience.

 

[rajneel1]

go to columbia. sounds fun.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Ok...

so votes to go to UCLA so Moleculo can have more women...

or go to Columbia b/c it sounds like fun....

Wow..so many good reasons..I just don't know where to begin

 

[none]

You don't really want to adjust to a new environment (and weather!) while adjusting to med school. Stay in CA. It's clearly the best state in the country.

 

[mpp]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by none:
• Stay in CA. It's clearly the best state in the country.•••••Not counting the other 49...

 

[zephyr_97]

Go to Columbia! It has an awesome program and it will be fun to travel around, to experience something different. Coming from LA myself, I understand the allure of the town but am looking forward to new things in life. The ultimate choice should be based on what are important to you. Where do you see yourself in?

David

ps. Nonetheless, good luck at UCLA interview.

 

[whoanelly]

I've lived in the LA area, too--Santa Monica. I'm not sure I'd choose either area when it came to settling down and raising a family, but I can assure you that they are two totally different living experiences, and that it's worthwhile to experience both. Too many people are afraid to leave the nest, to take the risk, but these are the years of our lives when we can do risky things. Sure, the weather in NYC cannot compare to the weather in LA, but there is a wealth of opportunity in NYC that makes up for the weather--at least for four years.

 

[Scooby Doo]

True..Well I am just making this little interview a trip home..

I know I will be put on the waitlist or rejected post interview....So I should have added UCI versus USC on there too. I am going to drop one of those waitlists so that I can just narrow down my search. I sent in my Yale Withdrawal today. So now I'm down to USC, UCI, UCLA in a bit, and then Columbia.

I don't have a clue how CU showed me love but I ain't complaining

So far I think the way I have it is:

1) UCLA
2) Columbia
3) UCI or USC

So I guess I will withdraw from both USC and UCI too....

Any comments before I go withdraw

From the people who thought I should choose USC or UCI over Columbia? Remember, price is roughly the same...except USC will be really expensive!

 

[none]

Don't withdraw from ANY waitlists! Geeze...you paid the app fees, make them consider you! And it gives you more time to consider this amazingly important decision.

 

[Scooby Doo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by none:
•Don't withdraw from ANY waitlists! Geeze...you paid the app fees, make them consider you! And it gives you more time to consider this amazingly important decision.•••••True, but in really thinking about it, I think the only school I would truly go to over CU would be UCLA. I mean, the main draw of UCI over CU is that it's in California and near home (which is good and bad)...other than that..price doesn't really come into play. Then with USC versus CU, USC is gonna cost a lot more, I'll need a car, I just feel like the clinical there is amazing but the lack of unity in the student body will be negative..however, USC is basically like a white collar gang as people said before...who knows...

 

[hawkeyes]

if money isn't an issue, sounds like you've got some awesome grants! Congratulations scooby! Of your list, I'd probably only choose UCLA over CU. But perhaps also UCI (I actually like Orange County) Good luck on your interview!

 

[Hero]

i say columbia because the only reason I would pick ucla over columbia would be the tuition. but since the tuition is 'only' $5000 more, i'd go for a new experience in a different state. You can't live in cali all your life IMO, especially if you can help it. Cali is a great state and can be your home but you gotta see the world. live a little.

 

[Street Philosopher]

Hopkins + $500,000 cash
or
Harvard + 350,000 and signing bonus?

hehe just giving you a hard time since you posted something similar in reaction to other threads. :wink:

I've been in West Los Angeles forever (i went to elementary, jr, sr high, ucla all in west la) so I wonder what it'd be like to live in NYC. so I can kinda feel what you're facing (except for the fact that I haven't applied yet! haha) UCLA is such a great school, I'd be so lucky if I got to go there... anyway, I think what it comes down to are...
1. how much do you want to experience a new scene
2. how close do you want to be with your family
3. how much can you afford to travel to go home
4. are the chicks in NYC as hot as the ones in LA
5. will you miss the Lakers' 4peat, 5peat, 6peat, and 7peat parades?
6. do you prefer "david geffen school" to "columbia penis"

 

[The Fly]

Scooby-

I've lived much of my life in both LA and NYC and I can tell you that although there's a special place in my heart for LA, it is a traffic-congested, polluted sprawl of a mediocre city.

Go to NYC -- it's the greatest city on Earth!!!!! Just don't live in Washington Heights!!

 

[The Fly]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Street Philosopher:
• 6. do you prefer "david geffen school" to "columbia penis" •••••What am I missing here ??

 

[Aria111]

Hey Scooby-
I say go for Columbia. Personally, I'm in love with UCI , but I'm a little biased. Plus, I'm originally from NYC and I'm into the west coast for now. I think that if you have a chance to experience NY for four years, then go for it! You can always come back to warm, friendly, Cali once you've had enough of NY.
Eh, just my humble opinion.

Oh! I almost forgot...Congratulations!

 

[Patiently Waiting]

I agree with many of the posters above. Going to Columbia will be definitely a way to enrich and diversify your living experience. You can always come back for residency in CA, and I doubt you will have trouble getting a residency of your choice by going to CU. But I sense your mind's pretty set on UCLA if you get in. Follow your heart.

 

[souljah1]

posted by Street Philosopher:
4. are the chicks in NYC as hot as the ones in LA

I'd have to say that I have never seen more beautiful women (from everywhere in the world) than I have living in NYC. I have lived in San Diego, visited LA quite a bit, and lived in San Francisco and Berkeley. NYC girls are hot as hell, not only because of their style and looks, but b/c of their confidence.

 

[Street Philosopher]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by The Fly:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Street Philosopher:
• 6. do you prefer "david geffen school" to "columbia penis" •••••What am I missing here ?? •••••UCLA is renaming itself to David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA after he donated $200 million.

Columbia Physicians and Surgeons = P&S = penis

 

[Doctor Wyldstyle]

Columbia bro..Columbia!

Dude, its all about life experiences...gaining them when your young. Best thing for you? Man, the price in education isn't much different all around!

New York..man, how exciting!

 

[Jalby]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by souljah1:
•posted by Street Philosopher:
4. are the chicks in NYC as hot as the ones in LA

I'd have to say that I have never seen more beautiful women (from everywhere in the world) than I have living in NYC. I have lived in San Diego, visited LA quite a bit, and lived in San Francisco and Berkeley. NYC girls are hot as hell, not only because of their style and looks, but b/c of their confidence.•••••I couldn't disagree more. LA, far and away, has the best girls. The weather is 78 degrees at all time, so they have to look good to wear normal clothing. In New York, 9 months a year you can't go out without a long sleeve shirt.

Besides, in LA you get a LOT of people who move here who think they are going to be a model/actor/singer, etc. I think we recruit girls from the midwestern states.

That being said. Go to Columbia or UCLA. I would go to Columbia, but I've done LA and want to experience something different. You havn't really done LA yet.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Wow..thanks everyone for the support. I guess I'll see how the interview goes

 

[Milhouse Van Houten]

this may be biased since i will be at ucla next year, but i think ucla is a better choice for medical school when all things are considered. the big one is quality of life. i know there is something to be said about "getting out there" and "leaving the nest." i agree, but i wouldn't leave the nest to go to washington heights. it's such a depressing place, not to mention weather, tuition, and distance from family. i agree that nyc is the best city in the world, which is why i would even go to nyu over columbia. nyu's location is sweet and prime, columbia's not so much. the bottom line is both schools are exceedingly excellent and incredibly well respected. where will YOU be the happiest though? the only way i would go to such a miserable place is if it were much more prestigious than the next best option (such as uci). this is not the case with ucla: awesome school, location, weather, cost, student happiness, undergrad affiliation next door (access to everything the undergrads have, from libraries and coffee shops to sporting events, labs, and restaurants).

 

[souljah1]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Milhouse Van Houten:
•this may be biased since i will be at ucla next year, but i think ucla is a better choice for medical school when all things are considered. the big one is quality of life. i know there is something to be said about "getting out there" and "leaving the nest." i agree, but i wouldn't leave the nest to go to washington heights. it's such a depressing place, not to mention weather, tuition, and distance from family. i agree that nyc is the best city in the world, which is why i would even go to nyu over columbia. nyu's location is sweet and prime, columbia's not so much. the bottom line is both schools are exceedingly excellent and incredibly well respected. where will YOU be the happiest though? the only way i would go to such a miserable place is if it were much more prestigious than the next best option (such as uci). this is not the case with ucla: awesome school, location, weather, cost, student happiness, undergrad affiliation next door (access to everything the undergrads have, from libraries and coffee shops to sporting events, labs, and restaurants).•••••If you live in Washington Heights, you are 15-20 minutes from a lot of fun, and about 35 minutes from a ton of clubs. The immediate neighborhood (168th and Broadway) is not that exciting, but within Washignton Heights there are nicer areas. It isn't that bad (I live in Washington Heights). I wouldn't base my whole medical school decision on the immediate excitement in its neighborhood.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Hey

Yea, I think I would be happiest in the LA environment b/c of weather, closeness to home, California, matchlist occuring primarily in California.

Of course, I just got into UC Irvine (which fits most of those criteria) and I think I will be turning them down just b/c I couldn't see myself going to Irvine. I don't know why. I liked the students there but it just felt different. I can't explain it. I really didn't like the way that the clinical (VA was way in LBC and the MC was in Orange) was so spread out and then that the campus itself was not very appealing to the eye.

 

[Sir William Osler]

go to columbia scooby. you need to expand your world past the hotel california. you can EASILY go back from columbia. experience the world's greatest city for a change. gosh, sometimes you're so hard-headed.

 

[Milhouse Van Houten]

i just didn't meet anyone who really liked columbia for any other reason than that it's very prestigious. in fact, most of the students i met hated the ultra traditional curriculum and everyone hated the area. don't underestimate the misery of being 45 minutes away from all the fun and clubs. that's like going to uci because it's close to LA--you'll never really go to LA unless you have a big chunk of free time. the other thing is that i've never met a physician who said it really mattered where they went to school. in terms of opportunities post graduation, ucla and columbia are pretty much equal, and ucla has a more respected hospital. but again, maybe i just give quality of life too much value.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

I think that columbia is easily better then uci. nyc is great and columbia has a great tradition of medical excellence. But the area aroud columbia is not the most diserable. As for UCLA I would choose it over almost any other school. It is an amazing school with lots of research going on and one of the countries best hospitals right on campus. The surrounding area is great and so is the weather.

 

[trout]

hummm...well I will be the first, I actually like columbia because of the population you will be working with, and as far as the traditional curriculum, it really isn't that much different than many other schools (yeah and I can say that because I have taken many classes at another school)...they run a traditional/organ based, which is what most schools actually do...also you seemed to have missed that the third and fourth rotations are actually done with two attendings (or one attending and one basic scientist) which incorporates the basic science directly into your clinical learning (humm...only school in the country to do that.) It is also one of the only schools that allows (and makes time) in your third year to rotate through almost every subspecialty, and for someone who is not entirely sure what I want to do that is an amazing bonus! As well as 8 hospitals you can rotate through in entirely different settings (not offered by any other NYC school). The thing I liked the most, was my interviewer which is just an example of the faculty who make medicine a priority (and are amazing), however, continue to explore realms outside of medicine. The man I interviewed with has written and produced an opera that played off broadway. Columbia has one of the most extensive list of outside interest with regards to clubs I have ever seen....just a few reasons why you would choose it not just for prestige

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Milhouse Van Houten:
•i just didn't meet anyone who really liked columbia for any other reason than that it's very prestigious. in fact, most of the students i met hated the ultra traditional curriculum and everyone hated the area. don't underestimate the misery of being 45 minutes away from all the fun and clubs. that's like going to uci because it's close to LA--you'll never really go to LA unless you have a big chunk of free time. the other thing is that i've never met a physician who said it really mattered where they went to school. in terms of opportunities post graduation, ucla and columbia are pretty much equal, and ucla has a more respected hospital. but again, maybe i just give quality of life too much value.•••••

 

[ValleyGal]

Go to columbia and live in new york when you are young. there is plenty of time to live other places afterwards!!!!!

 

[Lavndrrose]

I would just like to comment on New York since people have been comparing the living environments between California and New York. These are the exact words from my fellow Californian friends who've experienced the New York life, "New York is a great place to visit but not a great place to live."

People don't necessarily have to leave their nest in order to experience the world. There is something called "traveling".

Good luck with your UCLA interview.

 

[matthew0126]

Eh? Why make the decision now? Wait until UCLA gives you the call "SCOOBY YOU'RE IN!!!!" and then you can decide. Usually, schools give you like 24h to make a decision. Heh. If you don't get in.. then you never have to make a decision.

btw, the biased side of me says forget about UCLA and go to columbia!!! so we don't fight it out on the waitlist! hehee

 

[MorningLight2100]

I'd like to comment on a theme that seems to continuously arise when talking about Columbia, i.e., the surrounding neighborhood as "miserable." As someone who's originally from NY, who has attended college here for the past four years, and who has an unabashed and self-professed romantic obsession with P&S , my views are, of course, slanted, but Washington Heights is by no means "miserable." It's a New York neighborhood, in which you have opportunities to effect change and make a difference.

NYU is in a flashy area near midtown, which to many represents the glamourous idea of New York that tourists often embrace. I can understand the appeal that such an area would have for people coming to New York for the first time, and in this respect I can definitely understand the difficulty of your decision, Scooby! But please also consider that medical school isn't exactly a four-year vacation. You'll be living, studying, working in this environment. Personally, I've found that in time, the bedazzlement with the flashier parts of the City begins to fade. . .

Washington Heights is not nearly as "bad" as some other areas of the City, and yet it still offers you the opportunity to work with an underprivileged community. The patients who come through Columbia Pres have a unique array of conditions that you would not see at hospitals affiliated with Cornell, etc., and partly as such the clinical experience is very strong. And when you want the more upscale delights of Manhattan, the 1 & A trains are right there, as is a shuttle that brings you to Morningside Heights in 15 minutes.

I'm very biased where this topic is concerned, b/c for the past few years the glaringly blatant line between the impoverished and the wealthy -- and the lack of compassion on the part of the latter -- in the Upper West Side, etc., has troubled me, and I've wanted to become more involved with underprivileged communities. Thus, Washington Heights, for me, represents a special opportunity, and a chance to learn. I like Columbia in part BECAUSE, not in spite, of Washington Heights.

For someone coming to Columbia and expecting the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center to be right outside of the Health Sciences Library, yes, the location will certainly come as a disappointment. But for someone hoping to learn medicine in a New York neighborhood, Columbia hardly offers a discouraging experience.

 

[altaskier]

It is really hard to pass up a school like Columbia. I think the only school that'd do it for me over Columbia would be UCLA.

 

[drlion06]

i agree with the unabashed and romantic obsession with p&s. have wanted to go there for my entire life. think there's a feeling about the school community that is really enthusiastic, supportive and interesting (looking outside of the lab/hospital every so often to enjoy life a bit!) washington heights is a little quieter, even a little greener than some other parts of manhattan, and a lot more affordable. think it will be nice to go to school there. obviously, the school is prestigious, but if you're staying in california, ucla is the same.

but the fact is, you need to go where YOU feel in your gut is the right place for you. these are all top notch schools. you want to know, when you're totally stressed out with work and in major debt, that you're in the best possible place you could be. so file what we are all saying in the back of your mind, but in the end, these schools will fall into a rank in your mind that is right for you.

good luck with this fortunate decision.