USC vs Northwestern

[turbomech7]

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Please, I Really need advice

I have made into two programs: Northwestern HPME (honors program for medical education) + USC Bac/Med as a high school senior. I dont have any idea which one to choose!!! Heres what i think of both:

USC Bac/Md
-8 year
-MCAT required with avg scores (negative)
-Given Full Scholarship without board for undergrad (very positive)
-need to maintain 3.3 GPA
-CLOSE to home + gotta love that california weather(very positive)
-lower undergrad and med school rankings (negative)

Northwestern HPME
-7 year, saves a year (positive)
-COLD env, far from home (very negative)
-no full scholarship but saves a year and with financial aid will run maybe a bit more than USC
-need to maintain 2.75 overall and 3.2 for science (positive)
-NO MCAT REQUIRED! (very positive)
-Stellar reputation as an institute and higher rankings ( positive)
-much fiercer competition

I have a genuine interest in becoming a great physician, possible with a future in research as well. As you can see I have two great options that I can't choose from and I am basically walking around the whole day weighing between one and the other. In USC, I get to stay close to home and get full scholarship, but in Northwestern I save a year and have to take NO MCATs.

Please pick one and explain why. THANKS for all your help!🙂

 

[brandonite]

I don't have an answer or an opinion for you, but I moved this thread from the MD/PhD forum. It's more appropriate here. You'll also get more replies here.

 

[Jalby]

It was 85 degrees today here in LA. And the MCAT that you have to get is a 24???? Seriously, if you can get into one of these programs, the MCAT isn't going to be the slightest problem.

But if I had to choose between the school, I would definately choose SC, due to the fact that the school is a lot funner than Northwestern and you will enjoy your time there. There's football, clubs, beach, etc at USC.

 

[Jalby]

PS, USC has just spent 110$ Million on building research buildings and institued new rules so that tenured faculty will have to try and get NIH grants, so by the time you graduate, the school will be ranked a lot higher than it's current ranking of 36.

 

[Dr. Dodger Dog]

Read my response here...

 

[Jeffy]

Dude, if all you need is a 2.75 overall GPA, you can cruise through most of your classes and just get decent grades in your sciences. Then, you wouldn't even need to take the MCAT. F-ing beautiful man. And on top of that its only 7 years until you earn a BA and MD from a highly respected school! Holy crap. I wouldn't even have to think twice about that one. The fact that you'll be able to have fun during those easy years of undergrad makes all the difference in my opinion.

 

[sunflower79]

First of all, congrats!!!! that is HUGE. Wow, what did you do to deserve this?!

I would choose Northwestern hands down.

1. I hate LA (sorry)
2. Chicago is awesome!
3. NU is an awesome school! Better than USC... although USC isn't bad either, you get to train at LA county.

These are personal prefs but honestly you can't go too far wrong either way. Money might be the overriding factor...

Good luck! 🙂

 

[Jalby]

Originally posted by sunflower79
First of all, congrats!!!! that is HUGE. Wow, what did you do to deserve this?!

I would choose Northwestern hands down.

1. I hate LA (sorry)
2. Chicago is awesome!
3. NU is an awesome school! Better than USC... although USC isn't bad either, you get to train at LA county.

These are personal prefs but honestly you can't go too far wrong either way. Money might be the overriding factor...

Good luck! 🙂

We had a high of 84 degrees today. Yesterday I went to Newport beach and got a great tan (And there was tons of good looking women)

As for $$$, It sounds like USC will be a lot cheaper (~100K) even with the extra year.

 

[Dr. Dodger Dog]

let's not forget that if u excel in the B/MD program, keck really tries to keep u in the trojan family with some fat merit scholarships!!

 

[marthpodi]

Hey turbo, congrats on getting in to those two programs!

I too applied to the Northwestern HPME and am eagerly awaiting a response from them (interviewed in late January). When did you hear from them? How? (email/mail/phone) etc. NW is my first choice and I can't wait to hear from them about the program.


If I were you, I would WITHOUT A DOUBT go to Northwestern. It has a more progressive curriculum with a lot of PBL (if you like that) and you can't beat the location. Also, talk to some of the students, NUcat on this forum is in the HPME program right now as well - you might try asking him.

 

[marthpodi]

also, when did you hear from them - I thought they didn't send info until after April 1 -- ?

Do you have AIM?