USC vs. Georgetown (Decision by 6/8)

[Tep]

I was accepted off the waitlist to USC today but am torn between there and georgetown. When it really comes down to it, I think the program at USC is better, but I would much prefer the location of georgetown. Any thoughts on the matter? General comparisons, personal preferences and pointed criticisms welcome.

Thanks!

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[mybubbles627]

Do you want to go to California for residency? If so, then USC. If not, then Georgetown. Both are great schools so go where you would be happiest. I am not on the wait list at either school so I have no bias that way.

 

[india45]

USC p/f?

 

[Tep]

USC p/f?

This is definitely a consideration, though I don't think I would mind a graded curriculum too much.

 

[SUNY DOWNSTATE]

IMO USC is not much better. Georgetown is a well known school. And if you prefer the location, I would choose georgetown personally.
Perhaps consider the financial aid?


(not waitlisted at either)

 

[takeeacy]

p/f is a really big deal. most med students will tell you that's the most important part in choosing medical schools.

on the other hand, USC is in a great location in terms of its access to LA. I'm from LA, and I know it's close to a lot of music venues (such as the Walt Disney Center for classical music or the Shrine for anything else) and a lot of the ethnic neighborhoods (good food). Of course, the immediate area is a pretty ghetto, but just beyond that, a lot of the the best parts of LA proper are relatively close (compared to UCLA's location)

 

[Tep]

p/f is a really big deal. most med students will tell you that's the most important part in choosing medical schools.

on the other hand, USC is in a great location in terms of its access to LA. I'm from LA, and I know it's close to a lot of music venues (such as the Walt Disney Center for classical music or the Shrine for anything else) and a lot of the ethnic neighborhoods (good food). Of course, the immediate area is a pretty ghetto, but just beyond that, a lot of the the best parts of LA proper are relatively close (compared to UCLA's location)

Yes, I agree it offers an excellent perspective from which to view LA.

The appeal of Georgetown is the college town in the area immediately surrounding the school, and the fact that I can survive without a car for the first two years at least. I would prefer DC over LA in general, but there's also the community that has developed around the campus itself because of the students' close living proximity.

 

[pnut]

Yes, I agree it offers an excellent perspective from which to view LA.

The appeal of Georgetown is the college town in the area immediately surrounding the school, and the fact that I can survive without a car for the first two years at least. I would prefer DC over LA in general, but there's also the community that has developed around the campus itself because of the students' close living proximity.

I'm on waitlists at both schools, so hopefully I am a little less biased? I agree that USC is an excellent school (would be thrilled to be in your shoes!) but I also have to agree that the Georgetown location is pretty special as well. I think you have a pretty tough decision ahead of you, but you should really focus on what you want most in terms of location, since that's what seems to be the dealbreaker for you at this point. Would you prefer to be close to home (if you're from California) or do you want a new experience outside of California? DC is uniquely different from the USC neighborhood, so it will be a nice change. Both programs are stellar so I wish you the best of luck in your decision! Just choose the school that you believe you fit best at.

 

[dblue10]

I'm on waitlists at both schools, so hopefully I am a little less biased? I agree that USC is an excellent school (would be thrilled to be in your shoes!) but I also have to agree that the Georgetown location is pretty special as well. I think you have a pretty tough decision ahead of you, but you should really focus on what you want most in terms of location, since that's what seems to be the dealbreaker for you at this point. Would you prefer to be close to home (if you're from California) or do you want a new experience outside of California? DC is uniquely different from the USC neighborhood, so it will be a nice change. Both programs are stellar so I wish you the best of luck in your decision! Just choose the school that you believe you fit best at.

+1 Both schools seem to send students to reputable programs across the country to the opposite coast. I think drizzzt made a good point on another thread that it would easier to make it back to Cali if you were at USC but it doesn't seem improbable if you were at Georgetown. It really seems like so many factors are the same. I would pick based on "fit" and location.

 

[theWUbear]

Someone correct me if this is no longer the case, but as I have been informed:
At Georgetown, grading operates on a curve. Only so many people can get honors. This is the epitome of what medical schools are trying to get as far away as possible from. Furthermore, there are hundreds of masters program students that are in each of your M1/M2 classes. Not only is this logistically irritating (not to sound 'above' them, but it would be nice to not have hundreds of people not in your med class in your classes, right?), but they are desperate to get into medical school in a succeed-or-die situation, and they are graded against how you do in the class. Recapping, nobody- from the grade-desperate masters students who clog up your lecture halls, to your 'real' classmates, has an incentive to help you, making georgetown the school with the system least fostering of collaboration. Sounds like a great time

 

[Tep]

Someone correct me if this is no longer the case, but as I have been informed:
At Georgetown, grading operates on a curve. Only so many people can get honors. This is the epitome of what medical schools are trying to get as far away as possible from. Furthermore, there are hundreds of masters program students that are in each of your M1/M2 classes. Not only is this logistically irritating (not to sound 'above' them, but it would be nice to not have hundreds of people not in your med class in your classes, right?), but they are desperate to get into medical school in a succeed-or-die situation, and they are graded against how you do in the class. Recapping, nobody- from the grade-desperate masters students who clog up your lecture halls, to your 'real' classmates, has an incentive to help you, making georgetown the school with the system least fostering of collaboration. Sounds like a great time

This seems to be a very common idea around these forums, but from the GT students I've talked to it seems to be unfounded. Not completely sure where the disconnect comes from, but at this point I'm not going to worry about the potential competitive nature of the Georgetown students.

Does anyone happen to have the MSAR info for average student loans for USC students? My MSAR subscription expired last week

 

[rafl]

Average indebtedness is $186,099 for USC.

Sent from my DROID3 using SDN Mobile

 

[theWUbear]

This seems to be a very common idea around these forums, but from the GT students I've talked to it seems to be unfounded. Not completely sure where the disconnect comes from, but at this point I'm not going to worry about the potential competitive nature of the Georgetown students.

If this is the case (and it probably is, this is not an attempt to sound argumentative if it by any chance does), I'd love to hear about it if any Gtown students are reading this, just for my personal knowledge

 

[semicharmed]

Do you want to go to California for residency? If so, then USC. If not, then Georgetown. Both are great schools so go where you would be happiest. I am not on the wait list at either school so I have no bias that way.

I would agree with this, but with the caveat that you could probably go to w/e coast residencies either way with a good step score (my suspicion is that a lot of this perceived "west coast" vs "east coast" preferential residency placement based on medical school is actually just selection bias by MS4s that want to stay in the same geographical region).

Georgetown is a beautiful area of DC, definitely the place to be for 20-somethings. But I've never scoped out USC so I'm sure it's great too.

Georgetown is real expensive, and cost of living is high-may want to go with the lower price tag on this one.

Good luck!

 

[Slack3r]

Fight on. I'd pick SC.

 

[semicharmed]

Also, I should've mentioned this before, but my dad went to medical school at Georgetown (albeit ~30 years ago so it's probably totally different haha). One of the things about it is that sometimes if you're not Catholic, you may feel a little...left out... It's a catholic school, and this plays into a lot of the activities and people that you'll meet there.

I have no idea how much it percolates into the medical school culture, or if it's still present, but I know my Dad mentioned something to me about it and it was one of the reasons why I didn't apply there. Love me some Catholics, though, so don't take this post the wrong way, just saying I've heard it can be a little clique-y

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Also, I should've mentioned this before, but my dad went to medical school at Georgetown (albeit ~30 years ago so it's probably totally different haha). One of the things about it is that sometimes if you're not Catholic, you may feel a little...left out... It's a catholic school, and this plays into a lot of the activities and people that you'll meet there.

I have no idea how much it percolates into the medical school culture, or if it's still present, but I know my Dad mentioned something to me about it and it was one of the reasons why I didn't apply there. Love me some Catholics, though, so don't take this post the wrong way, just saying I've heard it can be a little clique-y

I was at Georgetown for undergrad and there is no cliquishness between Catholics and non-Catholics at all. I'd imagine it to be even less prevalent at the med school.

Oh and I'm also on both waitlists, but I'd pick USC personally. I did love living in Georgetown, though. I'm just ready for a warm-weather climate.

 

[kautionwirez]

USC all the way bro.

 

[kpcrew]

i've heard a lot of good things about usc
my view of georgetown is colored by jalby's experience
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=12212

 

[Tep]

i've heard a lot of good things about usc
my view of georgetown is colored by jalby's experience
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=12212

I understand that his experience was a bad one, but I don't think a single admissions incident should color your entire perception of the school. For all we know it was dealt with internally and that sort of thing is rare.

Either way, USC and GT look like they're going to be comparable in price. USC looked slightly cheaper until I realized I will need a car, which will make it a few grand/year more expensive. EDIT: but only for M1/M2. I would need a car in DC for M3/M4.

@WUbear: I have emails from a couple different students that say roughly that. I would prefer not to post them on the public forum though

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

What did you pick?

 

[waterpolo480586]

I will be going to Gtown next year so I can comment on a few inconsistencies above. The SMP students are only in a few of your classes during the M1 year and are graded on a separate curve. Not sure about the % that can get honors but the students I talked to said the H/HP/PLP/F grading scale is not bad. Basically everyone passes and the grades help you know what areas to focus on before taking Step I. Also preclinical grades really do not matter as long as you do well on Step I. Finally, I am not Catholic and had family who went there for ugrad and said they did not really notice any major influence. Both USC and Gtown are great schools so the decision comes down to whether you want to go see a really good football or basketball team.

 

[theWUbear]

they are graded against how you do in the class. Recapping, nobody- from the grade-desperate masters students who clog up your lecture halls, to your 'real' classmates, has an incentive to help you,

The SMP students are graded on a separate curve.

From the SMP website:

Grading

Grade on Graduate Transcript Interpretation
A Honors for medical students
(top 10 to 15% of med class)
A- or B+ High Pass for medical students
(next 10 to 15% of med class)
B or B- Pass for medical students
(majority of first year med class)
C Unsatisfactory performance
F Unsatisfactory performance
No credit given for grad course

As I said, they are graded against how you do in the class, which incentivizes a non-collaborative working environment - it is in their best interests for you to not succeed. I suggest taking what the SMP students tell you with a grain of salt next year waterpolo

What you probably incorrectly interpreted my statement to be is, "SMP students are part of your curve/graded with you," which is not correct. They are graded among themselves based on how well or poorly you do. Only your fellow MD degree program classmates will be competing against you on your curve. May the odds be ever in your favor!

 

[waterpolo480586]

Thanks for the info. Didn't realize that is how it was. Probably can't be worse than Hopkins undergrad in terms of premed gunners though. Figure there will be gunners at every school and you just need to find the right group to study with.