<p>Hi!
My nightmare became a reality this evening - I was accepted to Rutgers' BA/MD 7-year program. Now, I have a tough choice between Northwestern's HPME and Rutgers BA/MD. Yet, this is the easy stuff. Firstly, Rutgers is giving me a full ride for my three years as an undergrad. Northwestern, however, will probably give around $24,000 of the ~$44,000 (that's what I got from Duke and Cornell). My family's financial situation seems pretty unstable now, so I don't know if I should risk HPME. Secondly, I live in NJ - so Rutgers is close to home (30 minutes from the medical school). Visiting both locations, I seem to like Evanston better (pretty lake and better facilities), but I don't know if I want to be far from home. So, I don't really know what to do. Please HHHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPP me out. </p>
<p>can't you loan the rest of the tuition/room and board/ etc.?</p>
<p>I know NU gave me like 31,000 loan... also from an academic perspective, HPME is > Rutgers by far... no question about that as people give up HYPMS to attend northwestern's hpme...</p>
<p>as far as living away from home, i think you'd learn to be independent, unless you really would like the opportunity to go home every weekend, which is a plus, but i think hpme is worth it </p>
<p>secondly, i think you should ask your parents what they think</p>
<p>i know the hpme is extremely expensive but it is extremely prestigious as well</p>
<p>if my parents were okay with helping out, i would definitely go for that</p>
<p>if not, the rutgers program is great as well and as an in-state resident, you would be able to pay off all school bills with less than $100,000!!</p>
<p>Rutgers might be cheaper in the long run, but you should be able to pay off your student loans quite easily once you become a physician. In addition you are already getting quite a bit of aid from Northwestern which is even better. Many people are giving up full rides with semesterly stipends @ state schools to attend the top BA/MD programs and HYPMS. Choose HPME.</p>
<p>I disagree, and would probably pick Rutgers.In the long run, either way you will end up being a doctor, and you probably will not get a good return on your extra investment if you go to HPME. Unless you really think you will not have a good experience at Rutgers, I'd go there.</p>
<p>I would probably pick Rutgers. You can be close to home and still be very independant. If your financials are stable, I wouldn't risk it personally. Secondly, once you become a physcian, they want the best person for the job, and both are respectable programs, even if one is moreso.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input guys, but I still am not able to make a good decision. Why couldn't I just get rejected from one, or give it someone else?????</p>
<p>They told me to make the decision. It'll be the next seven years of my life - they believe I'm old enough now to decide what is right. My parents, who are both Ph.Ds, said that their parents gave them the burden of choosing where to go for their 8 years of education...you can't babysit for too long (one has to make one's own niche in the world sometime). So, anyways, they'll be supportive no matter what I choose. I just want to make the best choice.</p>
<p>That's the thing. I know that Northwestern is better than Rutgers and my parent's would get loans for me if I really wanted to go spend 7 years in Evanston. But should I impose such a burden?</p>
<p>I would say go ahead. Your parents would have said something if they felt that burden was unfair or too large. It sounds like they're just very proud and would be willing to help out because of all your hard work to get into the HPME program.</p>
<p>honestly.. i think rutgers/umdnj is an awesome opporunity and hpme is prolly a lot better. but if u saw the matches for umndj u'd be surprised. either way wherever u go if u succeed u'll get what you want. but i think personally that since hpme is so presitigous its probably more competitive and harder to do better than others u could say. and umdnj well.. is eaiser and u could be at the top of that class easier. and if money is an issue which.. trust me it is. i no people who are doctorrs now who are like 40 years old.. still paying off their debts from med school. i would choose the money.. ur gettin a BIG BARGAIN HERE. med school is incredibly cheap.. soo... i would go with the umdnj. but its also ur choice. good luck tho!! and congrats!! thats awesome..</p>