Help me decide!
I’m so fortunate to have been accepted to both Noorda and UNC COM (just got off their waitlist late last week), but I can’t decide which school to choose. Ultimately the main sticking point is the higher tuition costs+lack of access to federal student loans for yr 1 at Noorda (assuming their title iv application is approved for the 2027/28 school year) v.s. the uncertainty of being the first class for UNC COM and having to face any growing pains associated with that. For more background on me, I’m a non-trad with a spouse and a toddler who will be moving with me. Our family is primarily in Montana, so Noorda would be closer to them compared to Greeley. I have always leaned towards pursuing either family medicine or pediatrics, but I also don’t want to rule out other specialties right now.
My Pros and Cons lists for each school are pretty much equal. It really is just whether the increased cost of attending Noorda would be worth it to avoid being the first class at a brand new program. Or whether UNC is really that big of a risk as a new program given they’re already an established university and already have experience with graduate education.
TLDR: I’m stuck, please help me choose.
UNC = prelim accreditation/first class, but access to federal loans + lower tuition (57K)
Noorda = accredited and has good board pass rates+match rates, but higher tuition (~74K) with no access to federal loans this year (but hopefully fed loan access next year)