Is Hopkins Really Worth It?

[Athena112]

I am trying to decide between U. of MD and Hopkins. Maryland is my state school and has given me a very very nice scholarship. Hopkins is really great but costs $30,000 more a year. I like Hopkins a lot - their curriculum and faculty are great. However, Maryland is nice too - I just worry about my chances to go to really good residencies from it though. Do you think that Hopkins is worth an extra 30K a year? Please, any advice that you can provide will help a lot! Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[rk123]

Here's a link to my post that might help:

<a href="http://forums.studentdoctor.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012001" target="_blank">web page</a>

 

[Coalboy]

Athena,

I sent you a PM.

 

[pipper]

athena,

In all honestly, if cost a factor what so ever, totally go to U Maryland. Maryland is very well respected and actually enjoys a close tie with Hopkins. Many of the Hopkins faculty moonlight over at Maryland because Maryland tends to treat them a better. Name is not everything and sometimes with the higher ranked schools it is one of the only thing that keeps profs around. Maryland has some of the most awesome teaching hospitals in the country and the education is great.

 

[conrad]

I'll throw in my two cents... If you're super-motivated and want to do something very competitive or become a big-shot academic professor, it's probably worth having Hopkins on your degree... otherwise, Maryland has lots of opportunities for itself even in research or what-not, saves a ton of money, and has a lighter and more predictable pre-clinical load (8-12 most days both years, compared to Hopkins often 8-5 from what I hear). But of course, I'm biased...

 

[ckent]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Athena112:
•I am trying to decide between U. of MD and Hopkins. Maryland is my state school and has given me a very very nice scholarship. Hopkins is really great but costs $30,000 more a year. I like Hopkins a lot - their curriculum and faculty are great. However, Maryland is nice too - I just worry about my chances to go to really good residencies from it though. Do you think that Hopkins is worth an extra 30K a year? Please, any advice that you can provide will help a lot! Thanks!•••••How much was your very, very nice scholarship? Have you heard from Hopkins financial aid? Maryland is a nice school, but Hopkins does have a big rep, I suppose it all comes down to what you want your med school name to do for you in the future and how much you are willing to pay for it. If you ever want to be the dean of one of the top 5 med schools or do anything in academics, the name will help. The irony is that sometimes students spend so much to go to these big name schools and then can't go into academics (even though they'd like to) because the pay is too low for their debt level.

 

[Incendiary]

What about Hopkins vs. a full ride at Duke, Penn, or WashU? Any arguments in either direction? I feel like money shouldn't be that huge a factor, since money will be made up. Also, the Hopkins name just carries so much weight that it seems like it'd be worth the extra money...

Anyway, I'd say if you can afford it, go with Hopkins, hands down. Even if you just want to practice. (That's what I'd do, anyway.)

 

[McEntrye]

A very wise man once told me
"The best med school in America is the cheapest one you can get into"

I think that holds true for all schools. An MD is and MD is and MD. It doesn't f*cking matter where you get it... especially if your choice is maryland vs hopkins. You can do research at both, get clinical training at both, and at maryland you classmates will be real people, as opposed to blood sucking competitive sharks

Just my .02

p.s. i know someone who turned down hopkins for UC Irvine...

 

[Hopkins2010]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by McEntrye:
•

I think that holds true for all schools. An MD is and MD is and MD. It doesn't f*cking matter where you get it... especially if your choice is maryland vs hopkins. You can do research at both, get clinical training at both, and at maryland you classmates will be real people, as opposed to blood sucking competitive sharks

Just my .02

p.s. i know someone who turned down hopkins for UC Irvine...•••••well, i while the MD degree is basically the same no matter what school you go to, I dont think that should be the only consideration you give to where you go to school. Location, curriculum, etc DO make a difference and they vary greatly from school to school. So although the degree is the same, the path getting there does vary somewhat from place to place.

How do you know that Hopkins is full of 'blood-sucking sharks' as you refer to them. Did you go to med school there?

Athena, it seems to me you are worried about the quality of residency that you can get from each school. While I think Hopkins is probably superior in residency matches from a numbers perspective, I dont think its worth an extra 30k per year JUST for the chance that you MIGHT have a better residency shot. Now, if you want to go strictly into academic medicine, that might make it worth it to some people, but unless you are sure you want to pursue that career path, then its probably not worth the extra money.

If I was in your situation, I would go to Maryland.

 

[coop]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by baylor21:
•How do you know that Hopkins is full of 'blood-sucking sharks' as you refer to them.
•••••hehe, it's a well researched fact


j/k go JAYS!!!