<p>i'm a kid from jersey that got into uchicago, which is one of my dream schools: beautiful campus, cool (if freaking weird) people, excellent academics, great holistic education overall...</p>
<p>trouble is, my parents somehow coerced me a year back to apply for these combined med programs. i ended up getting into the rutgers/tcnj and umdnj combined 7 year.</p>
<p>now, i (pretty sure) want to be a doctor. obviously, economically and just plain logically, the 7 year seems the way to go.</p>
<p>however, id be giving up the holistic education that chicago offers, as well as the opportunity for a better med school than umdnj.</p>
<p>but jesus christ, i would end up saving around a quarter million a year.</p>
<p>if i went to chicago, best case scenario is i get into a top 10 med school and end up around two hundred thou in debt. i'm trying to justify this, and it's pretty hard. </p>
<p>then again, i really want to go there and i really dont want to spend my next 7 years in jersey. especially not hte last four in newark.</p>
<p>any help, guys?</p>
<p>thanks.</p>
<p>haha sabreblade i'm in the exact same position. i got into brown and tcnj/umdnj med program, and the way i see it, you're going to have to give up something either way: if you go to chicago you give up your guaranteed admission into med school; if you go to tcnj/rutgers you give up the prestige and education of chicago. i would say if you are 110% sure you wanna be a doctor, then go with the med program. if you are still willing to be open with more options in the future, then go with chicago. i agree that new jersey (esp. newark) is not the best place to be going to school, but at least it is close to home and hey, it could be worse. as for me, i'm probably going to go to the med program even if it means giving up an ivy league education. but thats just me =)</p>
<p>what are the chances that 1) you're over six feet tall 2) your nickname ends with a k *hint your brown friend refers to you with this name 3) you recognize who unenergized is, but i am not him! 4) you have raiz as your teacher 5) you got trip 5's last year 6) you have russo?</p>
<p>anywayz, you sound like a kid in my english class</p>
<p>Folks: There is little money in the practice of medicine these days and there will be less when you get out. The caliber of your school may offer a few more academic opps (teaching), but not much in the way of better practice opps. No school will make you a better physician than any other school (you have to do that).
Bottom line: low debt trumps all in this uncertain economic climate.</p>
<p>Yea, I'd pick Tcnj/umdnj. Its guaranteed med school which is my top most priority when i apply to colleges next year. Heck, I'd proly give up harvard for a med program. And chances are that you got a 1500 or above on the sats so that means you get free ride and room board at rutgers and tcnj. not to mention cheap med school at UMDNJ. I dunno, looks like a good deal to me.</p>
<p>PSedrish.. I agree with you, but this doesn't hold true if one isn't completely sure about becoming a doctor. If there's even a little doubt, then the bottom line isn't so clear anymore.</p>
<p>Well I think you have to then be specific. What is it you want to do (other than medicine)? Then maybe we could comment on any drawbacks.</p>