Hopkins vs Columbia

[howdoyoulikethatoneL]

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Hello everyone, very happy to have this problem but I'm having some trouble narrowing down my choice. I've been leaning towards Hopkins for quite some time but the idea of being in NYC for medical school is really attractive.



Hopkins (full COA)

+prestige and aura

+The Hospital and its integrated healthcare system

+unparalleled research opportunities

+great interview experience, very impressed w/ faculty + student, felt like they tailored it to my app

+P/F all four years

+I live in MD and have some professional connections here



-needing a car to get around

-scared of being a little fish in a big pond



Columbia (full COA)

+ivy league

+NYC is easy to get around w/ a lot to do

+new medical education building

+students seem to get a lot of free time in the preclinical years

+greater class diversity



-graded clinicals

-malignant hospital culture in NY

 

[riv_jordan]

Unless you really really hate driving or you really really really want to go to NYC, it sounds like you've mostly made up your mind to go to Hopkins! Baltimore is no NYC but I've heard there's lots to love. And you'll have no problem moving your career to NYC at some point if you desire.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Congratulations!

I don't know about you but this "little fish in big pond" point is curious.

I can only think that the Hopkins health system competes only with UMD's. I don't think there is much health system creep from DC or Philadelphia.

How many medical schools and health systems are there in NYC? I would feel much more like a little fish in a big pond.

 

[howdoyoulikethatoneL]

The class at Hopkins just looks so incredibly impressive it feels a bit daunting to be honest, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up. Maybe it's all in my head but it's run through my mind a couple times.

 

[polymerization]

And you have to live in Baltimore. 10/10 viewers of The Wire do not recommend.

You're making a choice 99% of applicants would kill for. Congrats, doc.

 

[mountsinaipleaseadmitme]

this is an aside but how do you know columbia is full COA already? they said our packages come out early april lol or is that just based on income and their $125k limit of taking income into consideration

 

[riv_jordan]

this is an aside but how do you know columbia is full COA already? they said our packages come out early april lol or is that just based on income and their $125k limit of taking income into consideration

From Columbia's website: "Learn about our Vagelos Scholarship Program created to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need with scholarships for all medical students." Hopkins has the Bloomberg Scholarship. I'd guess OP is very confident based on their family's finances that they will qualify for full or at least close to full COA coverage.

 

[mountsinaipleaseadmitme]

From Columbia's website: "Learn about our Vagelos Scholarship Program created to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need with scholarships for all medical students." Hopkins has the Bloomberg Scholarship. I'd guess OP is very confident based on their family's finances that they will qualify for full or at least close to full COA coverage.

interesting, i read this and freaked out that columbia started sending out fin aid packages already lol. i tend to err on the side of caution with guaranteed aid so i was just surprised to see it as a prediction