Harvard or Hopkins

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

Dendritic

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2010
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Hi y'all,

Due to a lot of luck, I managed to get accepted to both Harvard and Hopkins. While I have been very fortunate, the decision remains difficult. So I'm turning to SDN for a little help. Does anyone (current students there or otherwise) have any advice? Current considerations/questions:

Harvard:
Boston is a way better fit for me than Baltimore.
No AOA or ranking, which is very nice.
No reputation for competitiveness between students.
A degree that people even outside of medicine can recognize.

Hopkins:
Incredible new med school building.
Research powerhouse.
Much better/inviting interview than Harvard, which felt a little cold.


Does the medical community look more fondly upon Hopkins than Harvard? Are the research opportunities comparable?

Thanks! And good luck to everyone else in choosing!
Members don't see this ad.
 
hey I'm a MS4 at Hopkins, I may have met you during the interview lunch/tour if you interviewed last couple of months. Here's my $0.02.


Harvard:
Boston is a way better fit for me than Baltimore. True
No AOA or ranking, which is very nice. We don't do rank or AOA either
No reputation for competitiveness between students. I have no idea where this comes from but after 7 years at JHU I haven't found a shred of evidence.
A degree that people even outside of medicine can recognize.Not sure why this is important actually. I'd argue that people outside of medicine stop looking after the M.D.

Hopkins:
Incredible new med school building.Very True
Research powerhouse.what that means for your particular experience, hard to judge the difference
Much better/inviting interview than Harvard, which felt a little cold.
 
Personally I have heard that Hopkins is more welcoming =]
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I think it would be really important for you to go to Second Look at both institutions. You will get a real vibe of what these two places are like. Congrats!!
 
You can't go wrong.

As a person who believes that location is one of the major keys to happiness, I would say that since you like Boston better, I would choose Harvard.

Unless you are interested in trauma ;) Poor Bmore.
 
I definitely recommend going to both places 2nd look weekend if you can make it. Both are extremely well regarded medical institutions and research powerhouses. I think a big factor will be location.

And also the bit about competitiveness between students, I think that stems from the JHU undergrads and people have started to associate it with the rest of the institution. I assure you that the social vibe among the med students is a lot more cooperative and lax than it is among the undergrad premeds.
 
xd2005 said:
No AOA or ranking, which is very nice. We don't do rank or AOA either
Click to expand...

Hopkins doesn't do AOA? then why does it have a chapter listed on the aoa website?

And thanks for the suggestions. Is anyone else making a similar decision? I'd be interested in hearing what other people's considerations are.

also, it sounds like hopkins students can dispel the rumors of competitiveness. can any harvard students comment on harvard's reputation for being a little unwelcoming to students?
 
Dendritic said:
Hi y'all,

Due to a lot of luck, I managed to get accepted to both Harvard and Hopkins. While I have been very fortunate, the decision remains difficult. So I'm turning to SDN for a little help. Does anyone (current students there or otherwise) have any advice? Current considerations/questions:

Harvard:
Boston is a way better fit for me than Baltimore.
No AOA or ranking, which is very nice.
No reputation for competitiveness between students.
A degree that people even outside of medicine can recognize.

Hopkins:
Incredible new med school building.
Research powerhouse.
Much better/inviting interview than Harvard, which felt a little cold.


Does the medical community look more fondly upon Hopkins than Harvard? Are the research opportunities comparable?

Thanks! And good luck to everyone else in choosing!
Click to expand...

Well IMO I think that you should go to Harvard simply for the reason that you think that Boston is a good fit.

But other reasons as well...
Harvard is a research powerhouse as well. Harvard NIH funding is split among many different institutions (MGH, Brigham and Women's, Harvard Medical School) and makes Harvard seem "less" of a research powerhouse. You won't lack anything if you go to Harvard.

As you mentioned, no AOA or ranking. Considering the caliber of students you'll meet at either school, not having AOA and ranks will make life a little bit easier for you since you don't have to worry about competing as much. Granted, the students at Harvard will still be competitive anyways, but without rankings and AOA, it won't really matter as much.

A degree that people even outside of medicine can recognize. Some people may downplay prestige...but a Harvard degree WILL turn heads. In the medical field, I doubt that anyone will care whether you have a Hopkins or Harvard degree, but Harvard will impress even people who have no idea what's going on in the medical field...and unfortunately Hopkins will not...at least not as much.

----

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either choice though. Lucky you...
 
Dendritic said:
Hopkins doesn't do AOA? then why does it have a chapter listed on the aoa website?

And thanks for the suggestions. Is anyone else making a similar decision? I'd be interested in hearing what other people's considerations are.

also, it sounds like hopkins students can dispel the rumors of competitiveness. can any harvard students comment on harvard's reputation for being a little unwelcoming to students?
Click to expand...

Harvard is wonderful to you AFTER you get in. They're mean to interviewees and applicants because they don't HAVE to be nice to convince people to go there. To put it bluntly, they're just saving energy/resources by not pretending to love every single person they interview.
 
You are, quite obviously, in a very fortunate position. Don't underestimate just how much crime there is in certain areas of Baltimore, Hopkins being in one of those areas. I would choose Harvard for no other reason than its location.
 
I really appreciate all this advice so keep it coming!

question related to funding: Harvard secures the #1 spot because it brings in money to several hospitals, which accumulates as a lot. why, though, does Harvard have so much less NIH grant money per faculty member (171 mill) compared to other peer institutions (e.g., Stanford with 321 and Yale with 310)? does the reason for this affect the students' ability to do research?
 
I would also look at what residencies you might be interested (as you have a major in to the residencies at your home school). Hopkins, BWH, and MGH generally have great residency programs, but that is certainly not true across the board.

e.g. neurosurg: Hopkins > MGH/BWH, etc.
PM&R: MGH >> Hopkins, etc.
EM: Hopkins > MGH/BWH

of course if you're not sure what you want you can't go wrong with either, as they generally have great programs across the board.
 
Dendritic said:
I really appreciate all this advice so keep it coming!

question related to funding: Harvard secures the #1 spot because it brings in money to several hospitals, which accumulates as a lot. why, though, does Harvard have so much less NIH grant money per faculty member (171 mill) compared to other peer institutions (e.g., Stanford with 321 and Yale with 310)? does the reason for this affect the students' ability to do research?
Click to expand...

Different schools define faculty in entirely different ways. In some schools everyone who works at the hospital is a professor. In others, there "clinical faculty," or "sub-professor" type status that may or may not count to these rankings.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
tabascosauce said:
when did u become so cynical
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Cole. I think the only things that factor into choosing between this two are 1)money and 2)fit. Sounds like Hopkins wins the fit for OP, but I also encourage going to both second looks.
 
Dendritic said:
Hi y'all,

Harvard:
Boston is a way better fit for me than Baltimore.


Hopkins:
Much better/inviting interview than Harvard, which felt a little cold.
Click to expand...

This is all that matters. Where do you think you will be happiest? Unless you are really turned off by Harvards second look, I think anyone would be happier in Boston than Baltimore.

FWIW, I wouldn't let the interview day skew your perception too much. You are meeting like 4 faculty members and 10 students. Obviously not going to be a great sample of a hospital with thousands of faculty. You will get all types of students at every school (gunners, slackers, fratty kids, quiet people). You will get the same mix of attendings at every school (malignant, laid back, happy, angry). The second looks are really the best way to see the personality of the program.

The education and opportunities for research and reputation are otherwise equal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
cowme said:
This is all that matters. Where do you think you will be happiest? Unless you are really turned off by Harvards second look, I think anyone would be happier in Boston than Baltimore.

FWIW, I wouldn't let the interview day skew your perception too much. You are meeting like 4 faculty members and 10 students. Obviously not going to be a great sample of a hospital with thousands of faculty. You will get all types of students at every school (gunners, slackers, fratty kids, quiet people). You will get the same mix of attendings at every school (malignant, laid back, happy, angry). The second looks are really the best way to see the personality of the program.

The education and opportunities for research and reputation are otherwise equal.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking.. Go to second looks but based on what you are saying, it seems Harvard is the easy choice for you based on location only .. Interview days are really tough to judge the student body/faculty off of.. There is really no real difference except MAYBE if you are talking to someone you really want to impress who isnt in the science/medical field.. Will that really even happen?
 
based on OP's remarks in the thread:

Harvard, every day all day and twice on Sundays.
 
Preeeeetty sure people outside of medicine are well aware of Johns Hopkins, as well.

You're not going to get too many people swooning when you say Harvard, and responding with "Eh? Jon Hopkins? Loooved him in Meet Joe Black..." when you say JHU. The prestige is there regardless of where you choose.

If I were you, I'd do like others have said and go to second look to base my choice off of which one I can really see myself happiest at. One of them has to be a better fit. Nice problem to have, though. Good luck.
 
MrAppleseed said:
You're not going to get too many people swooning when you say Harvard, and responding with "Eh? Jon Hopkins? Loooved him in Meet Joe Black..." when you say JHU. The prestige is there regardless of where you choose.
Click to expand...

Really? The average college student maybe but not the "average person" you'd run into on the street. Just for flat out name recognition by a typical person I'd put money on Harvard over Hopkins. Not that I think this matters in his decision though.

To the OP: You'll have incredible opportunities at both. Go where you feel is the better "fit" for you and that certainly includes location. You are not going to be in the library every minute of the day and being in an area that makes you happy can be a huge deal in helping to maintain sanity during med school.
 
I agree with Cole. Come on!

But OP, if you are a dude, you may want to follow Ask Men Magazine (Fine Living For A Better Man) recommendations. This is their list of the Most Prestigious Degrees in the WORLD (consistently for years)

- MBA from Harvard University
- Law degree from the University of Cambridge
- MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- MSc Economics from the London School of Economics
- Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology

Does that help you any? :rolleyes:

http://www.askmen.com/fine_living/investing/4b_investing.html
 
Seriously don't make it into a Harvard vs. Hopkins name recognition thread, who gives a crap.

If you're so insecure that you need to go to Harvard just so you can tell people at dinner parties that you graduated from Harvard med school...you've got bigger problems than this. Not referring to you OP, just to the losers who always show up on Harvard threads talking about how Harvard "turns heads".
 
But OP, if you are a dude, you may want to follow Ask Men Magazine (Fine Living For A Better Man) recommendations. This is their list of the Most Prestigious Degrees in the WORLD (consistently for years)

- MBA from Harvard University
Click to expand...

Haha excuse me sir I prefer to follow the Economist's guide to MBA programs:

http://www.economist.com/whichmba/2010/free-ranking-tool
 
On a related note, I'm not sure which supermodel to date :confused:
 
Dendritic said:
Hopkins doesn't do AOA? then why does it have a chapter listed on the aoa website?
Click to expand...

We don't find out about AOA status until after match. Residencies are well aware of this and won't ask for it, so it's as if we didn't do it.

Sounds like you should come to second look! :thumbup:
 
xd2005 said:
We don't find out about AOA status until after match. Residencies are well aware of this and won't ask for it, so it's as if we didn't do it.
Click to expand...

Making AOA at Hopkins matters going up the academic ladder.
 
RomanCandle said:
On a related note, I'm not sure which supermodel to date :confused:
Click to expand...

LOL.

The OP has the definition of a non-problem problem. Go to whatever school gives you the best financial aid package. The less debt you have, the happier you will be in the long run IMHO
 
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and information! To anyone who knows, is the academic focus at the schools comparable? I've heard that Harvard med is a little more political, while Hopkins is more research oriented. To what extent is this true?

As an aside, I apologize to everyone who found this thread so distasteful. I realize that there are worse problems to have, and I by new means am trying to exaggerate the agony of this decision. I am very lucky. On the other hand, I don't think that the existence of other more dire dilemmas illegitimates this one. Though minor, it's still a decision I'm trying to make, and as exhibited by many above, there are people on SDN who can contribute valuable advice. So thanks again to those who helped. To everyone else, I sincerely wish you the best of luck; you're free to ignore this thread.
 
Dendritic said:
Asking for a mate of mine applying as well, but who was waitlisted. Any info on this would be helpful too!
Click to expand...

You had a fair run with this thread...just don't push your luck now :rolleyes:
 
I wish you can give me your acceptance to whichever school you don't choose =/
 
In my experience, people who ask questions like "Harvard or Hopkins?" are a better fit at Harvard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Dr Love said:
In my experience, people who ask questions like "Harvard or Hopkins?" are a better fit at Harvard.
Click to expand...

Is this because those who go to Hopkins don't think about the differences between the schools? Because they don't ask for help on sdn? Because they don't get into harvard? Or do you say that because you wrongly think it's an arrogant question and those who go to harvard are arrogant? Whether that was intended to be a snide remark or an actual attempt to be helpful, I don't get it.
 
Dendritic said:
Hopkins doesn't do AOA? then why does it have a chapter listed on the aoa website?

And thanks for the suggestions. Is anyone else making a similar decision? I'd be interested in hearing what other people's considerations are.

also, it sounds like hopkins students can dispel the rumors of competitiveness. can any harvard students comment on harvard's reputation for being a little unwelcoming to students?
Click to expand...

Interview day at HMS is pretty bad and leaves students with the impression of an unwelcoming school. Nothing could be farther from the truth – I’ve loved my first year so far. My classmates are wonderful and HMS admin seems very welcoming and responsive. Right from revisit day, I’ve felt at home, cared for and welcomed into the Harvard community. Faculty members are accessible – I’ve met with everyone I’ve wanted to meet and contacted. A friend of mine who is interested in the joint MBA program met with all three presidents of the HMS hospitals within a month of starting school. They were quick to respond to emails and are very inviting. Our lectures are leaders in their respective fields yet very accessible and are always recruiting student researchers. The school administrators respond well and quickly to student feedback. HMS is not perfect, but I’ve loved it so far.

My class and the class above us all agree that interview days could be a lot better and we are working with admissions office on this to make it more pleasant.



Dendritic said:
I really appreciate all this advice so keep it coming!

question related to funding: Harvard secures the #1 spot because it brings in money to several hospitals, which accumulates as a lot. why, though, does Harvard have so much less NIH grant money per faculty member (171 mill) compared to other peer institutions (e.g., Stanford with 321 and Yale with 310)? does the reason for this affect the students' ability to do research?
Click to expand...

I’ve not heard of anyone who wanted to do research who hasn’t been able to. You have to be a bit more proactive about contacting prospective PIs, but your society masters and advisors would help you in any way they can to find you a lab and project. As for monies, the med school funds students research and have lots of monies to do that. I can guarantee you that your ability to do research (and funding for it) is not going to be a problem, however, choosing a project out of the gazillion available (and interesting to you) may spike your cortisol levels just a bit.
 
Dendritic said:
Is this because those who go to Hopkins don't think about the differences between the schools?

I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Those who go to Hopkins wouldn't consider going to Harvard.
 
Dendritic said:
Is this because those who go to Hopkins don't think about the differences between the schools? Because they don't ask for help on sdn? Because they don't get into harvard? Or do you say that because you wrongly think it's an arrogant question and those who go to harvard are arrogant? Whether that was intended to be a snide remark or an actual attempt to be helpful, I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Whoa, take it easy. You asked a question, and here is the answer:

Both schools are great, so in the end the decision comes down to fit. And you are a better fit at Harvard.
 
why is everyone crapping on baltimore? sure, it's got problems areas, but so does any city. i've had way better experiences in b-more than in boston. that said, the med school is in a really crappy neighborhood.

OP: this is a good problem to have. see which school gives you more money, where you would prefer to live, and how the students behave at each school, then decide.
 
Flip a coin, seriously.

OP, I find some of your questions kind of odd. You don't seem to have gotten much of a vibe one way or the other about either school, and I feel like some of your questions should have been things that you got the answers to at interview day. Granted, I didn't apply and therefore didn't interview to either of these schools, but yeah... kind of weird.
 
I don't know if you've made your decision by now, but seeing as it's not May 15th yet, I'd like to go ahead and throw in a biased vote for Harvard. I faced this choice last yr, went with Harvard, and do not regret it a bit.

As was stated above, interview day at Harvard is by no means an indication of the time you'll have once you actually attend. Good luck deciding...in the end you'll have to go with your gut feeling. Both are absolutely remarkable schools but definitely feel free to PM me if you'd like to know specifics on why, retrospectively, I couldn't be happier that I chose HMS.


Hopefully, we'll see you at revisit!
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

wysdoc
2022-2023 Harvard
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
736
Views
251K
ClashRoyaleKing
ClashRoyaleKing
wysdoc
2022-2023 Johns Hopkins
5 6 7 8 9
Replies
438
Views
126K
Milotic Med
M
wysdoc
2021-2022 Johns Hopkins
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
341
Views
143K
cachaca
cachaca
wysdoc
2021-2022 Harvard
8 9 10 11 12
Replies
591
Views
247K
deleted938190
D
TheDataKing
2020-2021 Harvard
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
736
Views
436K
chickenturkeyboi
C
Top