neuroscience: final four

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

kosmarciukas

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
if accepted to the schools below, where would you choose to study neuroscience with an intention of applying to medical school?

Boston University, Columbia University (NYC), New York University, or Johns Hopkins?

it would be useful to hear your reasoning as well. thanks!
 
Last edited:
I don't think you could go wrong with any of those! Are you particularly interested in any of the medical schools attached to those places?
 
I think Boston is a great hub for medicine, but NYC is nice too. I have been moving a lot in the past, and I really hope to finally settle down. i haven't been thinking a lot about the location of medical school yet, I feel like I need to focus on getting my undergrad first. any advice would be appreciated because I am totally on the fence and it's hard to make up my mind.
 
I'd pick NYU, but I think Johns would be great too.
 
I'd go with Columbia. Their med school/hospital is a neurosurgical powerhouse, and you could possibly do research there as an undergrad. Just my $0.02.

edit: I'm assuming you meant Columbia University (NYC)...
 
yep, I meant Columbia U in NYC. thanks for all of the responses so far.
 
johncalvin said:
I'd go with Columbia. Their med school/hospital is a neurosurgical powerhouse, and you could possibly do research there as an undergrad. Just my $0.02.

edit: I'm assuming you meant Columbia University (NYC)...
Click to expand...

If OP did mean Columbia University (NYC) and not Columbia College (Chicago) then I second this.
 
If you're interested in cellular and molecular neuroscience, Hopkins Med probably has the strongest program in the world, and you would have full access to its faculty as an undergrad. (many will teach your classes, and you can easily do research with them). Columbia has excellent neuroscience as well, and is in NYC. NYC >>> Baltimore. Academically, the two schools are equivalent, although the freedom Hopkins gives you (i.e. no core curriculum) is incredible. You can't really go wrong with either.

I would drop BU and NYU, though.

Edit: A few more things about the Hopkins program: Hopkins' neuroscience major is a joint program between the Arts & Science (Bio, Mind/Brain, Psych), Engineering (BME), and Med. schools. It's a huge program, and is in the top three most popular majors on campus. The teaching faculty and advising is probably the best of any Hopkins science programs. You would be extremely well taken care of.
 
Last edited:
Boston University would be a good choice as well.

BU has two neuro programs: a neuroscience curriculum (incorporates psychology and cognitive courses with the biology aspect) and a neurobiology specialization in the biology curriculum--this program focuses more on the cellular and molecular level aspect of neuro.
 
Thats a nice list of choices! nice work! I'd go with Columbia as well... but JHU would be pretty awesome; maybe sneak a peek at Dr. Ben Carson.. the man! 😉
 
I guess what's shying me away from Hopkins is the vibe I get from talking to its students. it seems to me that their overall experience at school isn't all that great. while the education there is superb, it tends to lack quite a bit in other areas - social, local atmosphere, etc. But all these things are subjective and I think it all comes down to what one makes of his experiences there.

I would be willing to go to JHU just for its academics because that's what I'm there to do. I am a transfer student and having taken a year off I feel that I have figured out what is it that I want to accomplish.
 
kosmarciukas said:
I guess what's shying me away from Hopkins is the vibe I get from talking to its students. it seems to me that their overall experience at school isn't all that great. while the education there is superb, it tends to lack quite a bit in other areas - social, local atmosphere, etc. But all these things are subjective and I think it all comes down to what one makes of his experiences there.

I would be willing to go to JHU just for its academics because that's what I'm there to do. I am a transfer student and having taken a year off I feel that I have figured out what is it that I want to accomplish.
Click to expand...

Hopkins is a bit lacking in the social scene (unless frat parties are your thing), but that was more an issue with Baltimore than it was with Hopkins itself or the student body. However, I will say a good number of the students I knew weren't happy academically, as many programs left you to sink or swim. That was not at all the case with Neuro.

Feel free to PM me if you want me to elaborate on anything.
 
The few Hopkins undergrads I've talked too have agreed that the campus environment really isn't that great.

If money isn't an issue, I'd choose either NYC school -- both are fantastic, and the city will give you ample opportunities to get involved outside of academics.
 
I am a recent JHU neuro grad and can vouch for everything cytotoxic has said. It's really a rich, innovative, and supportive program.

As for the "campus environment," I think (and I can only assume this is the case with all schools) that it's all about who you surround yourself with and how (or for that matter whether) you choose to maintain balance between academics and other (social, athletic, religious) pursuits.

Don't rule out JHU because you're afraid everyone's a robot and there's nothing to do for fun. The past 4 years have been the best of my life.
 
BU is not a very highly ranked undergrad, and so if you have the other 3, I would probably opt out of BU.

JHU- I'm just not a fan of Baltimore, not the best city in my opinion

Columbia vs. NYU- Pick Columbia in a heartbeat. Amazing school, opportunities, I would go here.
 
man this decision making ordeal can really be quite mind baffling. i feel like some of the responses helped me to rule out BU, so now it's down to the last three.
 
Don't let anyone here's responses be the reason you eliminate a school... everyone has different experiences, likes, and dislikes. What you may love I may hate. Go visit if you have the opportunity to; if not, see where you can get the most experiences. For example, I am transferring to Pittsburgh after seeing the quality of their Neuro major, but what totally sealed the deal was locking up a research opp.
 
Rule out BU and NYU. Columbia is much, much better overall (other than it's location). NYU is highly ranked for a few of their programs, whereas Columbia is highly ranked in most of their programs. If you later change your mind, this is something to consider.

My gf, now med student, is a Columbia alum and loved it. I think JHU vs Columbia is a very hard choice. I would go to Columbia personally. JHU is very academic and competitive and the social scence is poor. I spent a summer in Baltimore and it's definitely not NYC.


kosmarciukas said:
man this decision making ordeal can really be quite mind baffling. i feel like some of the responses helped me to rule out BU, so now it's down to the last three.
Click to expand...
 
go to the ivy (i.e. Columbia)...the number of students i saw from ivy league school at my interviews was ridiculous..and look at mdapplicants and official class profiles of the top 10 med schools and there is clearly is a percieved bias toward students from ivy league schools...
 
I'd pick Columbia. Johns Hopkins is overrated for undergrad, NYU is too.
 
I would pick Columbia. I have a higher opinion of their undergraduate program, and I'm very impressed with some of the research (and researchers) that I've seen come out of their biology and neuroscience departments.
 
columbia for sure....i mean one of neuroscience's greats, eric kandel, has his lab there 😀
 
when it comes down to the money, i think that financially my better options are Johns Hopkins and New York University. If I went to Columbia, I'd owe quite a bit of money. I'm leaning towards NYU because of a decent neuro program and also great atmosphere.
 
PM me. I study neuro at one of those four schools and can answer all your questions about my program.

kosmarciukas said:
when it comes down to the money, i think that financially my better options are Johns Hopkins and New York University. If I went to Columbia, I'd owe quite a bit of money. I'm leaning towards NYU because of a decent neuro program and also great atmosphere.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Dropping Final Pre-Requisite Post-Acceptance?
Replies
2
Views
588
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
I
Psychology vs neuroscience major
Replies
3
Views
2K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
F
Medicine And Neuroscience
Replies
11
Views
2K
sah
sah
B
Credits in final year
Replies
10
Views
619
breez
B
T
Neuroscience Research Graduation with Distinction worth it?
Replies
5
Views
1K
LizzyM
LizzyM
Top