Hopkins vs. UCSD

[Knicks123]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for being very helpful this cycle and for all your comments. I just recently got off the waitlist at UCSD and have been agonizing over this decision. I stayed on the waitlist for UCSD this late into the cycle because it is very close to home and would allow me to stay close to family in med school. My big question is, would choosing UCSD put me at a disadvantage career wise? My goal is to match into a competitive surgical subspecialty (possibly ortho) while also pursuing policy work and possibly medical entrepreneurship.

Hopkins

Pros
-incredible reputation, one of the best med schools in the country
-strong network for pursuing healthcare policy work, proximity to DC also helps
-budding entrepreneurship infrastructure, has some good mentoring and funding opportunities

Cons
-more expensive by about 40k to 60k over 4 years depending on my housing arrangement at UCSD
-baltimore (less safe location and far from home)

UCSD

Pros
-close to family
-in a safer location
-cheaper by about 40k-60k over 4 years depending on my housing arrangement

Cons
-not as great of a reputation as Hopkins
-not a solid infrastructure for policy work, more of a focus on community health

Thank you so much in advance for all your comments! I would really appreciate insight as I am having a very tough time making a decision.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted915325]

Hopkins would give you leg up no doubt but you honestly wouldn’t have an issue matching into any speciality of your desire at UCSD unless you shot yourself in the foot somehow. But given the fact you got into Hopkins in the first place, you probably won’t be one of those people who screw themselves like that.

40-60k isn’t all that much in the long run so I think it really boils down to how important your family and friends are compared to your desire to go to a more prestigious school

 

[Knicks123]

Thanks for all your opinions!

Update: After sending my Hopkins my aid package, they increased scholarships so difference in cost of attendance is now only 10k over 4 years.

Any final thoughts from anyone? Need to decide by end of today. Major worry for me at this point is strictly location based (mostly safety) for Hopkins.

 

[Cheeezcake]

Personally I'd like to be someplace new and outside my comfort zone, so I'd say JHU. However, if you would be happier near your family in SD and find your safety in Baltimore to be a concern (which is perfectly understandable), then I would choose UCSD. Its a fantastic school and I don't see any issue with matching into ortho or anything else. You may even perform better being near family and friends.

 

[TempuraOreos]

Are you trying to practice in California long-term? If so, don't think you'll have much trouble matching back after going to JHU. I'm also a fan of stepping out of my comfort zone so in this situation since the financial difference is negligible, I say choose JHU. Hopkins was one of my final choices. I ended up not choosing it because didn't like Baltimore as much as NYC during second looks. That being said, I felt Hopkins was a bit of an Ivory tower (interpret that as you may but the school has been trying to really improve its relationship with the surrounding community). The campus itself is safe, then the surrounding area is pretty gentrified with specific pockets that most students live in. During second look. current students mentioned that there are shuttles that take them to and from campus, and a Lyft program to do the same as well within a certain radius around the campus. So there will never really be a need to walk back home at night or anything. Baltimore does live up to its name "Charm City" though. Lots of quaint spots, great places to eat, museums, parks, etc. It will definitely be less bustling then SD though since it has a smaller population.

 

[capriccio]

I totally understand staying closer to home, as I made a similar decision when I turned Hopkins down, but my cost difference was much higher than yours and I felt the other school could offer similar opportunities. However, in this situation I would personally pick Hopkins -- just 10k more overall, and seems to be a more established/certain fit for you. I truthfully wouldn't turn it down unless you feel you're going to be miserable in Baltimore compared to SD. It's a tough decision -- the fact that you held on to UCSD this whole time clearly means being close to home is really important to you.

 

[Knicks123]

Thanks all for the comments!

Are you trying to practice in California long-term? If so, don't think you'll have much trouble matching back after going to JHU. I'm also a fan of stepping out of my comfort zone so in this situation since the financial difference is negligible, I say choose JHU. Hopkins was one of my final choices. I ended up not choosing it because didn't like Baltimore as much as NYC during second looks. That being said, I felt Hopkins was a bit of an Ivory tower (interpret that as you may but the school has been trying to really improve its relationship with the surrounding community). The campus itself is safe, then the surrounding area is pretty gentrified with specific pockets that most students live in. During second look. current students mentioned that there are shuttles that take them to and from campus, and a Lyft program to do the same as well within a certain radius around the campus. So there will never really be a need to walk back home at night or anything. Baltimore does live up to its name "Charm City" though. Lots of quaint spots, great places to eat, museums, parks, etc. It will definitely be less bustling then SD though since it has a smaller population.

I am currently looking to practice in CA long term and looking to match back to a top CA residency program so that is also a consideration from me when picking schools.

I totally understand staying closer to home, as I made a similar decision when I turned Hopkins down, but my cost difference was much higher than yours and I felt the other school could offer similar opportunities. However, in this situation I would personally pick Hopkins -- just 10k more overall, and seems to be a more established/certain fit for you. I truthfully wouldn't turn it down unless you feel you're going to be miserable in Baltimore compared to SD. It's a tough decision -- the fact that you held on to UCSD this whole time clearly means being close to home is really important to you.

Did you guys feel during second look like the area surrounding Hopkins (I would be living in Butcher's Hill) was significantly unsafe? I couldn't really get a sense on my interview day. We just received a campus security alert about an armed car robbery that happened last night and that has me rethinking this whole situation I guess.

 

[TempuraOreos]

The students told us to use common sense and not walk down any streets where other people weren't already walking down so that's all I got for you. Did the alert say where? The Butcher's Hill/Patterson Park was one of the safe areas where alot of students live. There's also Fells and Mt. Vernon if you're considering other places.

Thanks all for the comments!



I am currently looking to practice in CA long term and looking to match back to a top CA residency program so that is also a consideration from me when picking schools.



Did you guys feel during second look like the area surrounding Hopkins (I would be living in Butcher's Hill) was significantly unsafe? I couldn't really get a sense on my interview day. We just received a campus security alert about an armed car robbery that happened last night and that has me rethinking this whole situation I guess.

 

[Knicks123]

The students told us to use common sense and not walk down any streets where other people weren't already walking down so that's all I got for you. Did the alert say where? The Butcher's Hill/Patterson Park was one of the safe areas where alot of students live. There's also Fells and Mt. Vernon if you're considering other places.

Yeah it said it was at 1600 E. Monument Street @ N Caroline Street.

I really appreciate everyone's comments. Basically, I'm just very torn over location vs program. I really love the Hopkins program and the opportunities but not a fan of where it is located. Especially with the financial aid being so great, it seems wrong to turn down. For me, it's not even the fact that it's a new experience (I'm very open to and like new experiences and wouldn't mind moving out of CA for med school), it's more the safety aspect.

 

[capriccio]

Did you guys feel during second look like the area surrounding Hopkins (I would be living in Butcher's Hill) was significantly unsafe? I couldn't really get a sense on my interview day. We just received a campus security alert about an armed car robbery that happened last night and that has me rethinking this whole situation I guess.

I stayed in McElderry park during second look which is adjecent to butchers hill -- as a woman, I wouldn't walk alone there at night or cut through alleyways, but I walked to JHU during the day and felt pretty safe. My host never had a problem for the time she had stayed there, although she did have ADT installed at her place.

I think you will just need to be careful and aware of your surroundings. I know I'm going to be buying pepper spray when I move to my new city.

 

[almondflower]

Which one did you choose?

 

[Cheeezcake]

^^^