Columbia vs. Johns Hopkins

[mmcgoldr]

Hey all! I'm in the very fortunate position of choosing between Columbia and Johns Hopkins. I had a great time at both second look weekends, but I'm stuck deciding between the two. Pros and Cons below:

Columbia - 21k a year of loans
Pros

• Close to home (1.5 hours), which is big
• Long elective period and protected research time after clerkships
• Tons of opportunities of NYC
• P&S Club seems fantastic

Cons

• NYC (not a big fan of how busy and packed the city is)
• Have to travel for clerkships

Hopkins - 43k a year of loans
Pros

• Awesome clinical training in close proximity at JH hospitals
• Better vibe from the students and advisers
• The college advisory system is awesome
• Superb clinical training that stands out even amongst its peer institutions

Cons

• More expensive and the debt is pretty daunting
• Further from home (3.5 hours)
• Baltimore has a lot less to do than NYC

Summary: I liked both schools, but I'm wondering if the additional debt at Hopkins is worth it to go to a school that I liked just a little bit more, although I've heard that it also has a slight edge in clinical reputation and prestige (although obviously graduates are phenomenally successful). It's also hard to decide between NYC, which I'm not a huge fan of but has a ton of opportunities, and Baltimore.

Any advice or opinions at all would be great! I am really in a pickle and would love some new feedback!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[freelancePsychic]

It doesn’t make sense to pick based on prestige at this level. Personally I’d pick Columbia because it’s a lot cheaper and there is more to do in NYC.