HELP!! Dartmouth vs. BU vs Georgetown

[ts2506]

Hey guys,

I'm sure you're all tired of seeing these threads but May 15th is getting close and I'm nowhere closer to making a decision. Any advice/input would be much appreciated:

BU:
+pass/fail grading
+urban location
-expensive

Georgetown
+relatively inexpensively after financial aid
+urban location
+awesome residency matches
- competitive grading system

Dartmouth
+really cheap after financial aid
+pass/fail grading
+small class size
-Hanover: isolated and cold

Thanks again!

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[ts2506]

it would be great if you post a brief reason for your choice in the poll =)

 

[DJtiesto]

it would be great if you post a brief reason for your choice in the poll =)

I never interviewed at Dartmouth or BU but did interview at GT and am passing on it for a few reasons.

1) I didn't like the fact that there are 200 SMP students sitting in same classes first year. It made me feel like I was back in one of my intro to bio or chem classes.

2) I think the GT match list is a little misleading. A ton of people specialize but I think it has more due to the fact that the COA of the school is so high that people want to pay off the debt soon. The living costs of GT is very high. And the Georgetown neighborhood as ridiculously expensive rents.

Plus what is a "good" match list? It is hard to say what were the original aspirations of the class. If you see 15 match in ortho, how do you know that 30 weren't shooting for it but only 50% matched? I never take much from a match list.

3) And more than anything about the school, I HATED the fact that the grades were curved. Seriously we aren't pre-meds anymore. The fact that the curves forces a portion of the class to get LP or possibly F is really sh*tty. If I had a choice I would take a P/F in a heart beat as that would create a more collaborative environment.

4) I thought the facilities were a little old and run down compared to other schools I have been to. They don't seem to be updating any of the facilities but this is a pretty minor issue.

There are positive aspects of the school of course (location) but I wanted to be in a more collaborative, relaxed environment.

Awesome job getting into all 3!! That is quite an accomplishment

 

[pancakesyrup]

Go to Dartmouth.

Who cares if it's isolated or cold?? It's an IVY LEAGUE obviously with great recognition.

The other two schools are way too expensive and the debt will be a big issue early in your medical career. Finally, you seem to like pass/fail grading.

Get lots of turtlenecks, a heavy jacket, learn to bundle up in the cold, learn to love snow, and choose Dartmouth.

 

[takk]

Go to Dartmouth.

Who cares if it's isolated or cold?? It's an IVY LEAGUE obviously with great recognition.

The other two schools are way too expensive and the debt will be a big issue early in your medical career. Finally, you seem to like pass/fail grading.

Get lots of turtlenecks, a heavy jacket, learn to bundle up in the cold, learn to love snow, and choose Dartmouth.

Just my opinion, but the fact that Dartmouth is "Ivy League" definitely doesn't catapult it over these other schools.

OP, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these choices. I think it all comes down to what kind of medical education and living environment you're seeking. Which school's philosophy matches best with what you see for your future career? Also, I imagine you'll probably see quite different patient populations during clerkships at Dartmouth vs. at BU/Georgetown, so I would keep that in mind too.

 

[gravitywave]

BU is expensive. cross that off.

GT has ABCD grading, which you will regret being a part of within days of arriving.

Dartmouth has neither of these problems, the quality of the clinical training is absurdly good, and everyone I know who is there or has been there (n = lots) was very pleased with it.

don't go if you absolutely must must must be in a city. otherwise you'll make it work. if you like the outdoors, it winds up being a big win for location too.

 

[Japg1989]

Don't go to Georgetown. They are in epic financial troubles, horrible facilities, and the SMP thing is a little sketchy...just a scheme for them to get more money. At my interview they said no one would be rejected, but they rejected me. I got a really bad feeling about that school...definitely my least favorite of all my interviews. You have two other GREAT schools...go to Darthmouth or BU! They are awesome...congrats!

 

[Orthodoc40]

BU is expensive AND you could end up with a killer classmate.

 

[Brachyury]

BU is expensive. cross that off.

GT has ABCD grading, which you will regret being a part of within days of arriving.

Dartmouth has neither of these problems, the quality of the clinical training is absurdly good, and everyone I know who is there or has been there (n = lots) was very pleased with it.

don't go if you absolutely must must must be in a city. otherwise you'll make it work. if you like the outdoors, it winds up being a big win for location too.

While true, I have two friends from undergrad at Dartmouth, and while living in Hanover for college isn't bad, living in Hanover for part of your twenties isn't exactly pleasant. They both love Dartmouth, but if it were me, I choose G'town because it's urban, and when it comes to BU, let me put it this way: I've heard people say nicer things about Hitler.

 

[378979]

I voted for Georgetown. I chose it over BU myself (I withdrew from BU immediately upon being accepted to Georgetown). I really loved it, and I don't think the grading thing is as big a deal as we think. I asked a LOT about it at second look day because that was my big minus, too. They pointed out that all schools tell the residency programs if you're in the top 10%, and I'm almost positive they said LP is hidden when you apply (I heard so much that day, I don't want to misquote). No one is forced to be in the failing part of the curve. The students don't feel the atmosphere is competitive, and I find it hard to believe after seeing how collaborative they are. They say P = doctor. Repeatedly.

Dartmouth, I don't know much about the medical school. I did go there on my college interview tour, and I was horrified at how cold it was in April and how isolated it felt, so I didn't apply for undergrad or med school. (Disclosure - I'm a California girl and went to UPenn, which is slightly warmer.) GT is way warmer, and that's a big deal for me! And maybe for no one else.

Oh and going to an Ivy League school? It's fun, and you get a great education. But it's not everything, if that's your sole decider.

 

[LRAccord624]

Admittedly, I don't know much about BU or GT but I was very close to going to Dartmouth. I didn't go because of the price vs. Texas schools, the opportunity to train at the texas medical center, and now I'm ~250mi instead of 1800mi away from home.

^Those are obviously very convincing reasons for me to have stayed in Texas (I'm very happy here, glad that I stayed, and overall I know I made the right choice), but I wanted to go to Dartmouth so much. Hanover could be boring, but if you're outdoorsy and like pubs/bars instead of clubs it is perfect, plus Boston and NYC aren't too far away for a weekend trip or something.

Other good things: assc with undergrad, low crime levels, nice people (or at least I thought so), close-knit classes, amazing research opportunities and an emphasis on individual attention, skiing close by, etc. I could go on. PLUS you have financial aide. win-win

 

[blackbird11384]

Georgetown medical center and Georgetown School of Medicine are not in finiancial trouble. We just received an $87 million donation that will go soley to the Medical Center and it's research and academic programs. The hospital, not the school, was in financial trouble 10 years ago. Get your facts straight.

 

[patel2]

I would go to g-town. But that's just because I'm partial to DC as a city, and think gtown has a great match list and solid facilities (though as others have said, match lists don't tell the whole story). I wouldn't fret about the grading system...most gtown students say that pre-clinical grades don't matter at all (except aoa for fields like derm), and as the poster above said, the dean's letter may not actually include your grades/rank unless it is actually of the top. If half the class was getting shafted by Cs/Ds/Fs, and the grades counted for something, you wouldn't see such good matches all around.

One thing to consider is to keep "pass/fail" in perspective. It definitely may create a friendlier, cooperative environment, but most schools keep internal rankings and the dean's letter may still contain your quartile. So it's more of a general perception/feeling that grades matter more in an A/B/C/D/ system than P/F, but in reality they matter little in either system.

While true, I have two friends from undergrad at Dartmouth, and while living in Hanover for college isn't bad, living in Hanover for part of your twenties isn't exactly pleasant. They both love Dartmouth, but if it were me, I choose G'town because it's urban, and when it comes to BU, let me put it this way: I've heard people say nicer things about Hitler.

This. I went to a liberal arts school very similar to Dartmouth, in terms of location and overall feel. Take away the frat life, drinking 3-4 times a week, and the laid back college mentality, and you have a small town with a couple pizza shops and movie theaters. Not that that's a bad thing for med school, since you need to buckle down and study, but it's also nice having fun (sometimes sober) social outlets to blow off steam, for the limited free time available. Most people were ready to gtfo on graduation day, though I suppose if you grew up your whole life in a city, you may really appreciate the change of scene that Hanover provides.

 

[378979]

I just wanted you to know that I confirmed that LPs show up as Ps on your transcripts. So I've come to agree with the students - with every school telling residency programs which students are in the top 10% anyway, and with LPs hidden on your transcript, the grading scale doesn't seem like it will affect much of anything.