Would really appreciate your input on this decision, as I have been going back and forth on this for some time now!

Columbia

Pros (+)

- Full COA (cost of living expenses being covered does alleviate some stress coming from a very low-income background)

- NYC (especially the diversity of people, food, and things to do in free time)

- Closer to family (~3-hour drive)

- Predominantly underserved and Spanish-speaking community

- More layman's prestige? (may mean more as I am interested in health policy/government work)

- Was able to go to the second look and really appreciated the sense of community among current students and the incoming class.

Cons (-)

- NYC and Weather (never saw myself originally living in NYC, and not sure if the intensity of the city will pair well with the intensity of medical school, a bit nervous about the added environmental stress as someone originally from the Midwest)

- Graded clinicals (unsure if this truly encourages competition and high stress and/or provides a good opportunity to distinguish yourself clinically)

- Not sure where this exactly stems from, whether it's the surrounding environment or vibes of the schools, but I just feel like I might not be as "happy" as I would be in California. NYC is definitely more familiar to me in its pros and cons. I have only been to San Francisco/California once and really enjoyed it, and it represents more of a new, exciting chapter.

UCSF

Pros (+)

- Full tuition

- Very strong clinical training along with top research opportunities

- Strong emphasis on health equity aligns strongly with my future goals as a physician and health policy work

- More medical prestige? (not sure exactly how much more than Columbia?)

- California and Weather (especially proximity to national parks, ocean, and just tranquil/natural environments)

- Was not able to go to the second look due to a family medical emergency, but I could totally see myself thriving in this environment based on interactions with current/former students and faculty interviewers, who demonstrated the very type of mentors that I could see myself seeking at UCSF.

- P/F clinicals

- Less pretentious environment in general?

Cons (-)

- About $30-35k in cost-of-living federal loans needed a year (OOS student)

- Most people outside of medicine are not familiar with the school (may play some factor when working on health policy, government/legal settings, and community work outside of the direct medical/clinical setting, as compared to Columbia)

- Opposite coast of family and most friends from HS and college (but feel like I am someone who does eventually find my people regardless)