Aggie for me

I've decided to decline Irvine and stick with Davis. It was a difficult decision, but I think it's for the best.

This was the list I came up with:
PROS (Davis):

-New environment. I'm always up for an adventure.
-Lower cost of living.
-Good program, "colleges" idea by the dean (kinda like a school family), hospital and school will be in same area in 2006.
-Student-run clinics. I can get my feet wet the first week of classes!
-Lots of opportunities for fMRI research if I want to continue that.
-The chance to be in NorCal for a few years. I've never spent a lot of time here. Close to SF/Berkeley, wine country, and Lake Tahoe.
-School starts late. Gives me ample time to run out my lease, get as much work done, get into as many studies as I can, and still have time for a small vacation before getting started.

Davis/NorCal also has better opportunities for Christian, since he's moving out here. (gasp! yup!)

PROS (Irvine):
I already know the area. Familiar with places to eat/chill/hang out.
Lots of familiar faces will be around.
Closer to current friends/family.
Can't beat SoCal weather and the beaches.
Clinics with Flying Sams to Mexico.
The ARC. Sigh, I miss that place.

CONS (Davis):
Cow-town, very rural. It'll be a shock coming from the DC area. (Counterargument, it doesn't matter, i'll be studying too much anyway! The less distractions, the better!)
Quarter system with set test-weeks/finals-weeks, etc. Too many tests in a short period of time might be too much.

CONS (Irvine):
....It's Irvine.
Higher cost of living.
Hospital is far from the med school. And to get there you have to go through traffic on the 55 & 5.

All in all, I think Davis will be good for me, my education, and career. I could go back to SoCal for residency, who knows. But I am glad to be going back to CA, first off!

Turns out another IRTA I know of will be at UC Davis too. At least I'll know recognize one face there.