Goucher vs. Bryn Mawr: Reputation?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

smmed

New Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2007
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Hi All,

I know there have been some posts similar to this one, but I have been accepted to both Goucher and Bryn Mawr and am having a hard time deciding between the two. Although I know the two are quite comparable, it seems to me that Bryn Mawr might have a slight edge in terms of reputation. What does everyone think? Do med schools look at high-performing grads of both programs essentially the same, or is there some preference towards accepting grads from one program over the other? Aside from a slightly smaller class size at Goucher, will the experience at both programs be nearly identical?

Thanks - your input is appreciated!

Members don't see this ad.
 
I'd be surprised if there was any real difference rep-wise in the eyes of an adcom...but then again I'm not an adcom. Both are terrific programs and you'll be well served by attending either.

Go where you think you'll be happiest for the year--you'll work very hard and keeping your sanity is pretty key.

BTW, I'm a BM post bac.
 
Hi All,

I know there have been some posts similar to this one, but I have been accepted to both Goucher and Bryn Mawr and am having a hard time deciding between the two. Although I know the two are quite comparable, it seems to me that Bryn Mawr might have a slight edge in terms of reputation. What does everyone think? Do med schools look at high-performing grads of both programs essentially the same, or is there some preference towards accepting grads from one program over the other? Aside from a slightly smaller class size at Goucher, will the experience at both programs be nearly identical?

Thanks - your input is appreciated!

I was a Goucher postbac last year. Like yourself, I was accepted to both programs - I later found out that this is common at Goucher; most of my classmates were also accepted to Bryn Mawr. It was a hard choice for me, and in the end I chose Goucher. I couldn't be happier with how things have turned out, FWIW.

Here's the thread I posted about my own decision process when I was trying to make up my mind. A couple of the replies in that thread were instrumental in helping me to decide on Goucher. I'll quote from one in particular that I think, in retrospect, superbly sums up the differences between the two programs:

Killdevil,

First off, congrats on getting into both programs. Whichever of these two you choose to go to, you will almost certainly be in medical school in a year or two. So take a moment to appreciate your good fortune; you really can't go wrong with either choice, and you are well on your way to acheiving your goal.

A year ago I was in your same situation, and also unsure of which program to go for. I decided on Goucher. My reasons for doing so were:

1. Smaller class size + the fact that everyone starts at the same time = better class cohesion.
2. Smaller class size = more collegial, give and take style of learning in the classroom, as opposed to a more lecture based style
3. 2 full-time advisors for 30 people v. 2 advisors for 75-80 people = more attention/better advising.
4. Lower cost of living in Towson v. Bryn Mawr
5. Smaller class = less competition for linkage spots (30 people for 7 programs (now 8, actually), v. 75-80 for 11 programs).
6. On my visiting day, students at Goucher seemed happier/friendlier. (This could just have been the day I caught them on of course, and the makeup of the class changes every year).
7. No undergrads in class = teachers teach toward the post-bacs. So topics in medicine, things that are relevant to MCAT, etc. are emphasized more than they would be in an undergrad section of class. And NO CURVES, so you never feel you are in competition with your classmates, or that you can't get an A in every class if you work hard enough.

Are these the same things that would be important to you? I don't know. But that was the way I reasoned through it.

So far, I couldn't be happier with my decision. The teaching here has been OUTSTANDING, my classmates are an extremely nice, supportive, and interesting group of people. We have great comraderie in our class, and socialize together frequently. The advising has been top notch. Everybody in my class who wanted to link this year was accepted. And the record of getting people into med school (and particularly very highly ranked med schools) can't be beat. Most people from last year's class that didn't link are headed to Harvard, Hopkins, Columbia, and other top tier schools. I can honestly say that just about everybody in my class has been equally pleased with the program here, and glad they came.

To answer your specific question, both programs have stellar reputations among med school admissions people, and I'm sure you'd have a great experience at either of them. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about the Goucher program, or about my experience there last year.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Can you two go into your stats so I can get an idea on how they gauge admissions?
 
Can you two go into your stats so I can get an idea on how they gauge admissions?

Sure. Going in, I had a 3.75 ugrad GPA from a well-known school and a 1400 on the SAT. To the best of my knowledge, those are pretty average numbers for Goucher (my classmates and I didn't make a habit of sitting around and comparing stats, though, so take what I say with a grain of salt :)). While I personally took some science classes in college, many in my class hadn't even thought about science since high school.

I had some healthcare volunteer experiences under my belt as well, which both programs view favorably - as it turned out, I had more such experience than some in my program and way, way less than others. The admissions committees at both schools want to know that you have been exposed to medicine in some meaningful way, but you don't need to have spent several years as an EMT like one person in my class last year. Come to think of it, a bunch of my classmates were absurdly accomplished in healthcare and in many other domains - they were a pretty incredible group. But I digress.

Hope this helps...
 
i was a Furbish major with a 4.0 from an ivy. i was also a sherpa for three years after college and taught my trusty mule Portuguese--i'm pretty sure that's what got me in.

sorry, but i'm not into dishing out numbers...it's kinda taboo here at BM and i've taken a liking to it (it's nice to get away from comparing stats).

if you have above a 3.0 and have done some cool stuff go ahead and apply...these programs really do take all kinds. best of luck.
 
Hi All,

I know there have been some posts similar to this one, but I have been accepted to both Goucher and Bryn Mawr and am having a hard time deciding between the two. Although I know the two are quite comparable, it seems to me that Bryn Mawr might have a slight edge in terms of reputation. What does everyone think? Do med schools look at high-performing grads of both programs essentially the same, or is there some preference towards accepting grads from one program over the other? Aside from a slightly smaller class size at Goucher, will the experience at both programs be nearly identical?

Thanks - your input is appreciated!

Umm, the way classes are handled aren't exactly identical... but I think the reputation of the two schools are more or less comparable.
 
Smmed -
I was also lucky enough to be admitted to both Goucher and Bryn Mawr for next year. I personally decided on Bryn Mawr, though it was a very difficult decision. I was so impressed with Goucher when I visited. Jodi was fantastic and the students seemed really happy. There seemed to be great camaraderie and, based on my class visit, the students are really sharp and interested. I was not quite as impressed with Bryn Mawr on my visit, largely because of the additional size of the program. Nevertheless, I did decide on BM. The additional linkages and location made the difference for me. As I am a few years out of college, I would like to attend med school in fall of 2009 and BM gave me more options of where to attend. In addition, I currently live in DC and am ready to experience a new area (not DC or Baltimore). I am not sure if this helps at all. Good luck with your decision and maybe I will see you in Chem in the summer.
 
Dear Blackadder, Of course once you are into a program you do not exchange stats. Did you know anyone in college who said that they got 1500 in their SAT's and graduated cum laude from St.Paul's? Of course not. But when you were applying to college you did want to know what grades, SAT's and extracurriculars you needed to be competitive to be admitted. Similarly folks here want to know what it takes to be competitive at some of the programs discussed here. From the postings here it would appear that a 3.5 from a good school, perhaps 1350+ GRE's and some good medically-rerlated experience helps. That does not guarantee admission but it makes one competitive, I think, and that is why people inquire.
 
I think the means at all three top programs are more like 3.65 gpa and 1350/1600 SAT. It is in general tougher to get into one of the top postbacs than it is to get into many med schools.
 
Dear Blackadder, Of course once you are into a program you do not exchange stats. Did you know anyone in college who said that they got 1500 in their SAT's and graduated cum laude from St.Paul's? Of course not. But when you were applying to college you did want to know what grades, SAT's and extracurriculars you needed to be competitive to be admitted. Similarly folks here want to know what it takes to be competitive at some of the programs discussed here. From the postings here it would appear that a 3.5 from a good school, perhaps 1350+ GRE's and some good medically-rerlated experience helps. That does not guarantee admission but it makes one competitive, I think, and that is why people inquire.

hi grouse-

i totally agree with you. there's nothing wrong with somebody wanting to know where they stand when applying to something competitive. however, this desire has no impact on the outcome of their application.

clearly, as several previous threads (very accessible thanks to the "search forums" function) and yourself suggest, if you're applying with a high gpa and test scores, the better off you'll be in the admissions game. that being said, a current student posting her/his stats shouldn't influence somebody's decision to apply to one of these two programs.

i stand by my earlier post--if you can apply with at least a 3, and some sort of solid life experience (medical work, work work, volunteering, etc.), your application will likely get an honest look.

that being said, if your heart is set on one of these programs but you don't a have a 3.0 or didn't invent plastic, apply anyway...what the hell do i know? i majored in furbish.
 
so they actually weigh SAT scores here? thats a bit odd?
 
so they actually weigh SAT scores here? thats a bit odd?

They take SATs into consideration because they see them as an indicator of your standardized test-taking acumen. If you got an impressive score on the SATs, they figure you're more likely to have the mental faculties to dominate the MCAT when the time comes. Certainly an imperfect litmus test, but these are competitive programs and they need to weed people out.
 
Smmed,

Congratulations on your dilemma! I was also fortunate enough to be accepted by both BM and Goucher and in the end chose the latter, largely for reasons that Killdevil outlined and ultimately by what amounted to a gut feeling. Based on what I've read, been told, and have seen articulated in this forum, I'm pretty certain you can't make a wrong decision. (Unless, of course, you happen to be particularly adverse to either school's location, or some other obvious difference.) In any event, good luck with your decision! And perhaps I'll see you in June.
 
I looked into both programs, but in the end decided to only apply to Goucher. I got in, so I'll be there this upcoming May. Basically, everything that Killdevil wrote was exactly how I was feeling regarding the two. Knowing this ahead of time, I figured that I would just apply to one and do something else if I weren't accepted.

Overall, though, I think what's most important is what you're looking for. I personally prefer smaller class sizes separated from undergraduates, which makes Goucher's program ideal for me.
 
Top