Georgetown SMP Class of 2006!!!

[GiveItAnotherGo]

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no, its about efficient studying. If i averaged my studying, it would have been about 2-3 hours per day on weekdays only.

i really agree with mike - diligence is the most important thing. i'd say i only studied about 3 hours max. per weekday and then maybe 3-5 hours each weekend day. if you can stay on top of your studies, you most likely won't need 5+ hours a day. the people who say that they studied like crazy and lacked sleep probably fell behind on their work and needed to play catch-up all the time.

here's what i did for neuroscience - it was my best grade by far: i pre-read the lectures (just skimmed) in the syllabus, went to the lectures and did not take many notes, just listened very carefully. then i studied the day's lectures more in thoroughly after class at the library. over the weekend, i reviewed the week's lectures and i went over the new notes, if necessary. for lab, i skimmed over the lab manual each week, then i tried to get down to the gross lab one time per week to look at the samples and slide/mris/etc (usually the weekend) and i also located all the structures in the haines neuro atlas. when it came time for exams/practicals, i wasn't cramming frantically like some of my friends.

anyway, just a suggestion. like mike said, everyone's different. you'll figure out what works best for you. have fun.

 

[imrep1972]

i really agree with mike - diligence is the most important thing. i'd say i only studied about 3 hours max. per weekday and then maybe 3-5 hours each weekend day. if you can stay on top of your studies, you most likely won't need 5+ hours a day. the people who say that they studied like crazy and lacked sleep probably fell behind on their work and needed to play catch-up all the time.

here's what i did for neuroscience - it was my best grade by far: i pre-read the lectures (just skimmed) in the syllabus, went to the lectures and did not take many notes, just listened very carefully. then i studied the day's lectures more in thoroughly after class at the library. over the weekend, i reviewed the week's lectures and i went over the new notes, if necessary. for lab, i skimmed over the lab manual each week, then i tried to get down to the gross lab one time per week to look at the samples and slide/mris/etc (usually the weekend) and i also located all the structures in the haines neuro atlas. when it came time for exams/practicals, i wasn't cramming frantically like some of my friends.

anyway, just a suggestion. like mike said, everyone's different. you'll figure out what works best for you. have fun.

Here's a question for you and anyone else who usually studied much less than the "average":

So what did you do with all the free time you must have had? I've heard over and over that we shouldn't work a job, since we need to study so much. However, I must say if I had extra time each day (ie: only needed to study 2-3 hours...) I would be heavily tempted to take on some kind of job just to cut down on my $50K student loans...

 

[GiveItAnotherGo]

Here's a question for you and anyone else who usually studied much less than the "average":

So what did you do with all the free time you must have had? I've heard over and over that we shouldn't work a job, since we need to study so much. However, I must say if I had extra time each day (ie: only needed to study 2-3 hours...) I would be heavily tempted to take on some kind of job just to cut down on my $50K student loans...

exercised, did some volunteer work once or twice a week, cooked dinner, watched tv, got a good night's sleep (went to bed around 12 every night).

it filled up the day pretty well.

edit: i thought about getting a job too, but it's really not feasible. the class schedule varies a lot from week to week (a lot diff than undergrad), so it would be near impossible to schedule work time.

 

[exmike]

For those that are thinking about living at locations that require riding the metro everyday, realize that the cheapest roundtrip fare is $2.70. If you ride it five times a week, that traveling expense can add up over time. Transportation cost is something to consider.

I, along with about 1/3 of my classmates in SMP04 metroed to school. Its worth it if quality of housing is important. Obviously housing is cheaper the further away from DC you are, so you can get a very nice apt in arlington for the same price of a basemet right next to school. it was definitely worth it for me, and i took the time to get to and from school to get in some quick studying or read a magazine.

 

[MustaphaMond]

I, along with about 1/3 of my classmates in SMP04 metroed to school. Its worth it if quality of housing is important. Obviously housing is cheaper the further away from DC you are, so you can get a very nice apt in arlington for the same price of a basemet right next to school. it was definitely worth it for me, and i took the time to get to and from school to get in some quick studying or read a magazine.

I'm in DC this weekend looking at places. So far the apartments I've seen in Arlington (Rosslyn, River Place) are not any cheaper than basement apts. in G'town. Everything seems to cost over $1000 a month.

 

[exmike]

I'm in DC this weekend looking at places. So far the apartments I've seen in Arlington (Rosslyn, River Place) are not any cheaper than basement apts. in G'town. Everything seems to cost over $1000 a month.

If you look at the high rises in those areas, they will be $$. You also need to get a roommate. I had a 3bdr/3bath at Richmond Square in rosslyn and it was about $800/person with all utilities included - that was probably a really good deal.. but if you are willing to walk a bit, there are 2-4 story condos/apts that are a bit cheaper. A 1bdr is obviously going to be expensive.

 

[Thegandlighs]

You can find good studios at Riverplace for under $900. If you want a furnished studio, many of them run from between $950-1200.

 

[MustaphaMond]

You can find good studios at Riverplace for under $900? If you want a furnished studio, many of them run from between $950-1200.

I looked at one in River Place today. Unfurnished for $1100. I think tomorrow I'll look for roommates.

 

[Thegandlighs]

1100 is too pricey for an unfurnished place unless you have an awesome view over the Potomac River. I had a pretty good furnished studio last year for $1050. I looked on craigslist around this same time last year and found the place.

 

[gusmp06]

imrep1972 ,GiveItAnotherGo>> Thanks for your encouraging comments!

I just have one other question. How difficult is it to earn a high score like B+, A- in your courses? Georgetown's website writes about the curves based on med school performances and since my impression of med school students are that they work really hard, you really have to score close to 100% to have any shot at earning a good grade.

Plus, having come from a school with a huge emphasis on grade deflation, I found it really difficult to even approach B+ in any of my science courses.

Lastly, I hear people telling me that grad school grades mean something only if you earn an A and a B would mean absolutely nothing to help my application.

Thanks for any of your comments. 🙂

 

[GiveItAnotherGo]

imrep1972 ,GiveItAnotherGo>> Thanks for your encouraging comments!

I just have one other question. How difficult is it to earn a high score like B+, A- in your courses? Georgetown's website writes about the curves based on med school performances and since my impression of med school students are that they work really hard, you really have to score close to 100% to have any shot at earning a good grade.

Plus, having come from a school with a huge emphasis on grade deflation, I found it really difficult to even approach B+ in any of my science courses.

Lastly, I hear people telling me that grad school grades mean something only if you earn an A and a B would mean absolutely nothing to help my application.

Thanks for any of your comments. 🙂

well the med students are very smart and they do work hard, but they also have a lot more classes to worry about than the physios and, let's face it, they don't care as much as the physios because they are already in med school. so, the physio avgs are always pretty similar to the med avgs. like a lot of people say, it's really easy to get a B (huge range). getting a B+/A- in the med courses is exceedingly harder and getting an A is REALLY tough. for our class, a B+ usually was around 84-85/86 and an A- was usually around 86/87-88/89 and an A was usually > or = to 89+. the thing about B+/A- is that they are usually pretty small ranges, so you can get a high B and just miss a B+/A- and even be pretty close to an A. it's a tough break when that happens. you'll find that some people, no matter how hard they try, can never get above a B. but, most people in smp are capable of getting A's. so, it really depends on how much effort you put into your studies and how diligently you study. i think dr. myers et al. do a pretty good job of choosing people for smp - in other words, they have a good idea of who can succeed. if i can give you any advice, i'd say to really study embryo (your first med course) like crazy. i've seen this advice somewhere else on this forum, actually. for me (and several others i know), embryo was my only B, and i think it was because i/we didn't have any concept of how to study yet at that point.

about the graduate grades - i'm not sure if you're talking about the general perception of graduate school or if you're referring to the graduate courses you take as a physio. in any case, i think there is a stigma about regular old graduate school, that the student should receive mostly A's. for smp, it's much different. med schools are really catching onto this concept of an smp, so they know that getting a B is still an accomplishment. about the grad classes you'll take as a physio, i'm not really sure how they're perceived by med school adcoms. although, take my word for it, they're all very easy (immuno/microbio was the hardest and the only one that actually had a somewhat competitive curve) and it's very possible to get A's in all of them.

hopefully that was helpful. get ready for a crazy year.

 

[MustaphaMond]

So, does anyone know of any good, wallet-friendly, golf courses around DC?

 

[gusmp06]

like a lot of people say, it's really easy to get a B (huge range). getting a B+/A- in the med courses is exceedingly harder and getting an A is REALLY tough.

so, it really depends on how much effort you put into your studies and how diligently you study.

So wouldn't that motivate students to study more than the average 5 hours, say 10 hours a day if those extra 5 hours might get the A- that they need? Just for reference, my pre-med advisor told me that Georgetown is so hard I should have applied for the biochemistry master's at Johns Hopkins' Public Health School.

Thanks for your info though. They really help.

 

[jintonic5]

So wouldn't that motivate students to study more than the average 5 hours, say 10 hours a day if those extra 5 hours might get the A- that they need? Just for reference, my pre-med advisor told me that Georgetown is so hard I should have applied for the biochemistry master's at Johns Hopkins' Public Health School.

Thanks for your info though. They really help.

yeah that's what i heard too. the word out on the street was that georgetown would spank you for being a bad student before, and then let you go to med school after you've had your share of misery. 🙄

very interesting that people who went there don't say that.

 

[Thegandlighs]

Review the lectures that you had from the same day, review a lecture or two from older past lectures, and preread the lectures that you'll have for the next day. All of this should not take you more than a few hours a day. Make sure you give all of your older lectures enough attention when you're reviewing. If you do this every day, you'll be able to stay on top of everything. During the weekend, reread everything that was covered from the past week, and again review older lectures.
By examination time, you will have reviewed everything many many times, and you should be ready for the tests.

 

[gusmp06]

Thegandlighs>> Thanks for your tip. Yeah, I guess reviewing is very important, as well as doing the old exam question.

Just two more questions for the sempai's (senior colleagues). First, since many of you said you have time to do something else, would you not recommend me to give up my weekly 4-hour volunteering at a nearby hospital? I've been pressured by people around me that I should stop that to once a month or quit completely and "give 100% to Georgetown". Second, regarding the work issue, if you were offered a telecommuting position that is very flexible (like 2-5 hours a week doing some typing and reading on the computer), would you have done it and still had plenty of time to be studying effectively?

 

[Thegandlighs]

Thegandlighs>> Thanks for your tip. Yeah, I guess reviewing is very important, as well as doing the old exam question.

Just two more questions for the sempai's (senior colleagues). First, since many of you said you have time to do something else, would you not recommend me to give up my weekly 4-hour volunteering at a nearby hospital? I've been pressured by people around me that I should stop that to once a month or quit completely and "give 100% to Georgetown". Second, regarding the work issue, if you were offered a telecommuting position that is very flexible (like 2-5 hours a week doing some typing and reading on the computer), would you have done it and still had plenty of time to be studying effectively?

I think that volunteering occasionally or having a flexible job with minimal hours is very doable. However, I suggest that go through the first few weeks before adding on any other responsibilities just to see how much free time you have for these activities.

 

[PapaDosh]

So, does anyone know of any good, wallet-friendly, golf courses around DC?

Saw this while randomly looking at the SMP survivial guide....

Indoor Golf

The Yates indoor, netted golf practice facility includes two hitting areas and chipping and putting areas. It can be reserved by calling (202)687-2413. The fee for a half hour time slot is $5. Balls and clubs are included.
http://yates.georgetown.edu/facilities.html

Not a course, but maybe you'll be able to get some practice in.

 

[Touchdown]

When is everyone coming to DC and where will you be living?

Im coming in the 4th and will be living in Arlington (Crystal City)

 

[akestler]

Hey Everyone,

I got in a couple of weeks ago. Just wanted to say that I look forward to meeting all of you. I submitted AMCAS before even really considering the SMP, should I bother editing it to include it so that medschools know I'm doing this? Or is it just not worth it?

Thanks.

 

[Thegandlighs]

Hey Everyone,

I got in a couple of weeks ago. Just wanted to say that I look forward to meeting all of you. I submitted AMCAS before even really considering the SMP, should I bother editing it to include it so that medschools know I'm doing this? Or is it just not worth it?

Thanks.

If you want to let the schools you're applying to know that you are in the SMP, just write a letter to the schools stating what you will be doing this next year. In your letter, include the coursework that you will be taking for the entire year so the schools know what classes you will be in.

Dr. Myers will also write a general letter that you can send out to all the schools shortly after the year begins stating what the program is all about. This should be enough. However, you still want to give each school a call to make sure this is all you need to do.

 

[akestler]

If you want to let the schools you're applying to know that you are in the SMP, just write a letter to the schools stating what you will be doing this next year. In your letter, include the coursework that you will be taking for the entire year so the schools know what classes you will be in.

Dr. Myers will also write a general letter that you can send out to all the schools shortly after the year begins stating what the program is all about. This should be enough. However, you still want to give each school a call to make sure this is all you need to do.

Thanks for the info. Also, othe than a confirmation email, I haven't gotten anything from Georgetown and have no idea when classes start/schedule, parking questions etc.... Have you guys gotten a packet detailing orientation and a first semester schedule? I'm dying to know...

 

[Touchdown]

Check your junk email (thats where mine was sent) orientation starts the 11th and classes the 15th. As for your other questions I found this:

http://www.georgetown.edu/users/lnr/physios/survivalguide/index.htm

extremely helpful. See you in a few days!

 

[eddaman]

ill open with my bitch and moan about the weather.

but yes, im here too! bored outta my mind...besides unpacking and 2ndary writing...which isnt too thrilling.

1710 37th st nw basement apt
heeeeeee-eeeeeeeeey

anybody wanna kick it b4 orientation lemme knoo

 

[imrep1972]

When is everyone coming to DC and where will you be living?

Im coming in the 4th and will be living in Arlington (Crystal City)

I'm in as of today (the 3rd). Living in Rosslyn - River Place apts

 

[Silent Cool]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to apply to g-town's SMP next year and I'm wondering how old most people are who are going. Also, what were your gpa/mcat stats like? I'm trying to get an idea of the range of people entering the program.

Thanx a lot!
😀

 

[tacrum43]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to apply to g-town's SMP next year and I'm wondering how old most people are who are going. Also, what were your gpa/mcat stats like? I'm trying to get an idea of the range of people entering the program.

Thanx a lot!
😀

You should check out the "Physios" group on Yahoo. It's dedicated to the SMP and the director, Dr. Myers, checks it often.

I do know that they require a minimum of 3.0 and 27 MCAT. However, if your MCAT is high (like 32+) then that can compensate for a sub 3.0 GPA (I know it has for some people who are going this year), especially if you apply EARLY (they start accepting apps in January).

As for me, I have about a 3.4/3.3 and a 30, and I'm 22. There are definitely some older applicants going too though.

 

[imrep1972]

You should check out the "Physios" group on Yahoo. It's dedicated to the SMP and the director, Dr. Myers, checks it often.

I do know that they require a minimum of 3.0 and 27 MCAT. However, if your MCAT is high (like 32+) then that can compensate for a sub 3.0 GPA (I know it has for some people who are going this year), especially if you apply EARLY (they start accepting apps in January).

As for me, I have about a 3.4/3.3 and a 30, and I'm 22. There are definitely some older applicants going too though.

Yeah, I'm one of the older guys... 33 in a few weeks. I am also one of the people who had a higher MCAT (32+) and a lower GPA (2.9 or so) and got in. I applied probably Jan 5th or so and then bugged the heck out of them until they gave me an answer 🙂

Tacrum is right (wow... I guess that quote of his really is accurate) - go to the yahoo group and ask Dr. Myers about your stats. There are no hard and fast rules as to who gets in. The bottom line is, they want people in their program who, when they complete it, will be competitive med school applicants. If you fall in that category, you will almost certainly be accepted. If your stats fall slightly outside the norm (like mine) then be sure to apply early to avoid stress.

 

[tacrum43]

Yeah, I'm one of the older guys... 33 in a few weeks. I am also one of the people who had a higher MCAT (32+) and a lower GPA (2.9 or so) and got in. I applied probably Jan 5th or so and then bugged the heck out of them until they gave me an answer 🙂

Tacrum is right (wow... I guess that quote of his really is accurate) - go to the yahoo group and ask Dr. Myers about your stats. There are no hard and fast rules as to who gets in. The bottom line is, they want people in their program who, when they complete it, will be competitive med school applicants. If you fall in that category, you will almost certainly be accepted. If your stats fall slightly outside the norm (like mine) then be sure to apply early to avoid stress.

Yeah, you were the "some people" I was referencing. 🙂