The Big Decision

It is hard to believe that nearly a year has gone by since I started the painfully long process of applying to medical school. More than two years have past since I first started studying for the MCAT. And it is finally...finally...over. After hours of tearing my hair out, talking to every person on the planet willing to listen to my rationalizations, going back and forth...and back and forth again, I finally declined acceptances at 3 of the 4 schools, withdrew from 1 of 2 wait lists, and confirmed my seat at just one school.

I turned down Albert Einstein. This was probably the hardest one to decline. I had thought I wanted to go there the most - they have an incredible reputation for global health. But their match list was similar to all the other schools that I was accepted at, the students never seemed as happy as students at other schools, and I've heard mixed reviews of the administration. Still, it was the last one I withdrew acceptance from, and very hard indeed.

I turned down George Washington. I was probably most excited after interviewing here. The school is in the coolest location, everything is brand new, and they have so many very interesting programs for med students. Not to mention that the world headquarters for so many major global health players are in D.C. The problem is that the school was so expensive and living in D.C. would put me in more than $200K debt. A scary thought as I look a few years into the future.

I turned down Saint Louis University and withdrew from the waitlist at University of Vermont. And, thus, I have officially joined the class of 2012 at Stony Brook University School of Medicine! I'll remain with my fingers crossed tight for WashU (I'm on their wait list) but otherwise, I'm looking forward to living close to friends and family, saving LOTS of money, and being at a school where the students are so happy. I know that there are some incredible students there and very supportive faculty. It's hard to believe that after living 1/2 a world away, I'm literally coming home.

Well, just had to keep everyone posted. It has been a very long, very hard, and very tiring process.

Yay Class of 2012!

-dkm