Hi everyone,
I’m currently committed to Noorda COM. I already secured my loan, signed an apartment lease in Utah, and was mentally prepared to move in ~2 months.
But I just got accepted to LECOM Seton Hill and now have 48 hours to decide.
I’m trying to make the most objective decision possible and would really appreciate insight from people who actually attended/interviewed at either school (especially current students/residents).
A few things about me:
-Likely pursuing psychiatry (~90%), maybe neurology
-Long-term goal is to end up back in Michigan for residency/practice
-I value autonomy/flexibility, but I also know structure can help with discipline
-Tuition at LECOM would likely be ~$20k cheaper overall, maybe more with COL differences
Here’s what I’ve gathered so far, but tell me if I’m wrong:
LECOM Seton Hill:
Pros:
-Established school with proven match/network
-Better Midwest/East Coast connections
-More predictable outcomes and board performance
-PBL curriculum seems more independent than traditional LECOM campuses
-Cheaper
Cons:
-Still part of LECOM admin culture/rules
-Potentially more stressful environment day-to-day
-Concerned about burnout/friction from rigidity over 4 years
-The Seton Hill campus is very nice but the actual LECOM section is very small and does not have many resources
Noorda:
Pros:
-More flexibility/autonomy
-Seems more aligned with modern board-style studying (UWorld/Anki/etc.)
-Smaller/newer environment may feel more supportive
-Less daily administrative friction
-Really nice environment
-Contains a lot of resources within the school (outside of an alumni network)
Cons:
-New school with less historical data
-Less established clinical network
-More effort needed to build Midwest/Michigan connections
-More outcome variance depending on student initiative
A few things I specifically want honest opinions on:
-How strong is Seton Hill’s PBL curriculum actually?
-How much does Seton Hill differ from the “classic LECOM horror stories”?
-For psych specifically, does the school choice matter much here?
-How difficult is it realistically to match back into Michigan from Noorda/western DO schools?
-How much support does each school actually provide for COMLEX/Step prep?
-If you could choose again, would you still pick your school?
Thank you guys in advance. I just want to make the right decision.
TL;DR:
Currently committed to Noorda (loan + apartment already set up), but just got accepted to LECOM Seton Hill and have 48 hours to decide.
Interested mostly in psychiatry, maybe neuro, and want to eventually return to Michigan for residency/practice.
Trying to decide between:
Noorda = newer school, more autonomy/flexibility, less established network
LECOM Seton Hill = more established/predictable, cheaper, stronger Midwest ties, but more structure/rules
Main concerns:
Match outcomes (especially psych + Michigan)
Board prep/support
PBL at Seton Hill vs Noorda’s learning environment
Burnout/quality of life over 4 years
Whether LECOM’s structure helps or hurts long-term performance