Columbia vs. NYU vs. Hunter

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BrianNYC

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Hi Everyone,

Like many of you, I am also mulling over which postbacc school to go to this upcoming fall. I just graduated (Hopkins '04), and it seems very difficult to get straight, unbiased answers from advisors at each school. (Columbia's infosession was full of comments by the faculty bashing the NYU program because they dont "care about their students".. which is the exact impression i received from Columbia)

I was suprised to learn that these linkage programs Columbia touts have specific preferences regarding the students they select... many schools look for students who have had extensive experience in the healthcare field, and not the more younger students who have yet to work fulltime.

I am having a difficult time deciding which of these three schools i should go to. Columbia's program seems most comprehensive - they want me to retake a couple of core science courses... which I really do not want to do. I am hoping that my performance in any postbacc program would help overlook previous undergraduate grades.

Also, I am curious as to what most people do in their "lag year" at Columbia. I have no interest in waiting around a year till I apply to medical school. If I go by name and reputation, the choice would be Columbia. If i went by cost and possible linkage to Cornell, then I would choose Hunter. NYU on the other hand, with its smaller class size and fewer requirements may also better suit my needs. Basically what I'm interested in is this: if I get the same grades at each school, will it make a difference to any medical school where I did my postbacc?

Brian

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see my past thread: "hunter, hunter, HUNTER" :D
 
i go to NYU....if their graduate school is any indication of other faculty (may or may not be) i would not go here again. i am doing a degree in health policy...different than obviously science courses....but i would def think about columbia or hunter....are there any linkage programs at NYU?
 
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go were you feel comfortable...
 
Hunter is no frills and all plain jane, but the people are awesome and very supportive.

Columbia is full of $%^& and all they care about is the HUGE amount of money they rake in from this awful program. Even the regular chemistry/bio/physics professors have confesssed that they think the program is insane and inappropriate for a decent pre-req course. Columbia courses are HARD, HARD and they yield no mercy. Be very scared and very prepared - plus you get no support for all your agonizing work. :(

NYU - hard to say. Probably sound, but again, very expensive and maybe echos Columbia. I can't answer this one.
 
Columbia's not as bad as people think. While I can't speak for the difficulty of the courses yet, one of the reasons I decided to go there for Postbac was their friendliness and willingness to help me make the transition from new grad in theatre arts to premed student as smoothly as possible. True, they expect you to act like an adult even when you don't entirely feel like one (I'm 23, and still feel very much like an awe-struck teenager at times), and are rather strict about their requirements, but for someone coming from an almost zero science background they've been nothing but informative and helpful. While it gives the impression of "hand-holding", it's more professional than other programs I've seen out there--and they definitely know what medical schools like.

That said, formality isn't for everyone. pico61 has the right idea--just go with the one you're most comfortable with. Hunter, Columbia and NYU all offer very different experiences, and only you know which environment you would flourish in. Good luck in your decision. :)
 
I don't know much about the NYU or Columbia programs but I am very impressed by the level of teaching at Hunter. Courses/teachers that are highly recommended.
Gen Bio with Dr. Adrienne Alaie
Organic with Dr Grohman or Dr Karen Phillps
A&P with Dr Marie Pierra
I have a grad degree from Cornell, but honestly outstanding teaching is easy to spot.
People should also be aware that Hunter offers strong evening grad courses in Bio & Biochem. They are pretty easy to get into as a non-matric. if one has taken the GREs.
The bottom line is that Hunter offers rigourous science learning, at affordable prices in the heart of NYC.
 
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