Hi, everybody. I am a relatively new member of OPM. I applied to 14 schools last year for the 2003 entering class. After May 15, I narrowed my acceptances down to one: Mt. Sinai. But recently I got an acceptance from Albert Einstein with a 10K merit scholarship. I only have a few days to make a decision. I am wondering if anybody has some knowledge about these 2 schools to help make the decison. Any thoughts and advice is sincerely appreciated.
tianmom,
While I don't know much about Mt. Sinai, other than its reputation as a good school, I worked at Albert Einstein College of Medicine for several years. Even though those years were quite a while back, the school's reputation is strong.
I think what you need to consider now is where you felt most comfortable when you interviewed, the pros and cons of each school, and where you see yourself fitting in the best.
As to the costs, I don't know the tuition differences, but the cost of living is going to be about the same, so if that $10K merit scholarship is important to you financially, and Mt. Sinai can't meet the financial aid package offered by Einstein, then that is a major consideration for you.
Congratulations on your acceptances!! Keep us posted!
Of course it's great to get a scholarship but in the scheme of the total cost, it probably isn't enough to make the decision. (At least, not in my way of thinking.) I agree that the issue is where you feel comfortable. Including students, where you want to live, where you want to do your clinical rotations, emphasis of the school, and what the other students are like. I'd visit both ASAP and try to get a sense of which one feels good. Both have good reputations so it's not like you can go wrong from that point of view.
One way to think about it is whether you were happy when you got the Mt. Sinai letter, and whether you were happier when you got the Einstein letter. But, even that is no substitute for visiting.
joe
Hi Tianmom,
I don't have much advice accept to go with your gut. I've never gone wrong when I have listened to that little voice that says do one thing even when a lot of others are saying do the other. Either way, you are in an enviable position to my eyes. Good Luck!
Hi, everybody. Thanks for the input. Linda, I am glad to hear something positive from someone who had work at Einstein before. I just made the decision this afternoon to go to Einstein after I got the financial aid package from Sinai. They used needaccess to calculate EFC and mine went from FAFSA's 28K to 45K, which makes me eligible for nothing except for stafford loan(unsubsidized part). Since my gut feeling about the 2 schools are about the same, 40K scholarship for 4 years tipped the balance towards Einstein. I would love to go back for a second look at both schools, but I only have a couple of days to make up my mind.
Anybody at OPM going to Einstein? I'd love to meet you!
Thanks again, everyone.