NYU vs Hopkins vs UCSF vs Stanford vs Yale

[Poprockets]

**Please do not quote**

EDIT: thank you all for your feedback and thoughts; please keep the thoughts coming. I genuinely really appreciate it. Got grilled on reddit for posting this because people think it's a **** post and got downvoted so much that I can't even respond anymore over there.

I am in limbo. When applying to medical school never thought I would be in this position. I realize this is a good problem to have but now I am unsure of what school to choose. Something that makes this even harder is that I've been awarded full COA scholarships to NYU, Hopkins, Stanford, and Yale. I'm still waiting for financial aid from UCSF.

I was ready to commit to NYU a while back, but with these offers to these other schools, it has me thinking.

I'm interested in pursuing neurosurgery which is something I'm also considering when making this decision.

NYU (Full COA)

Pros

• Familiarity - I went to undergrad in NYC. I know Manhattan super well. Friends / support system here ***
• Dean Rivera - man is a legend
• Bellevue Training
• NYC >>>>> other locations
• Speed of the city - this is New York Fricken City. Spending 20s here would be amazing.

Cons

• graded clerkships
• Gunny culture? (I feel this is true to an extent for all these schools though honestly...)
• NYU "ranking hate" - Do I really care about this though?

Hopkins (Full COA)

Pros

• Who gives up a full ride to Hopkins?!
• Birthplace of modern neurosurgery
• Model for medical training
• History - so much has been discovered here
• Match List - 8 people matched into NSGY this past year, seems insane

Cons

• Baltimore is no NYC
• Baltimore is a bit more sketchy in the surrounding areas
• No friends / family

UCSF (Aid TBD)

Pros

• P/F clerkships - this is huge, massive stress relief
• SF is gorgeous
• social justice focus
• very cohesive student body it seems

Cons

• Moving across the country is daunting, having to restart fresh.
• I may want to stay in the East Coast long term

Stanford (Full COA)

As I'm writing this, I feel as though Stanford will probably be out. Very focused on biotech / start up-y type culture which are things that I'm not interested in. Palo Alto is gorgeous though...

if anyone has thoughts on this please let me know.

Yale (Full COA)

Same goes for Yale. As nice as the Yale System is, it seems TOO relaxed for me? I actually like being held accountable through tests. Also, not sure if I could be in New Haven for the next 4 years.

I feel the decision right now will be between NYU, Hopkins, and UCSF. I would appreciate any and all thoughts people have. Again, I am really grateful to be in this position but not looking forward to making this decision. Thank you

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[Mikiras]

At this point you can put names in a hat and pick. That is amazing, congrats!

For support system and if prestige isn't all that important (though NYU is obviously a great school), I'd probably go NYU. Looking at your pros/cons it seems you also have more love for NYU and NYC altogether.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Hopkins easily

Hopkins is in a class of its own with Harvard. The match list speaks for itself.

Cross Yale out.

 

[Poprockets]

At this point you can put names in a hat and pick. That is amazing, congrats!

For support system and if prestige isn't all that important (though NYU is obviously a great school), I'd probably go NYU. Looking at your pros/cons it seems you also have more love for NYU and NYC altogether.

Hahaha, my friend recommended a dart board.

Yeah I love it but at the same time....change is good..

 

[Poprockets]

Hopkins easily

Hopkins is in a class of its own with Harvard. The match list speaks for itself.

Cross Yale out.

Yeah, Yale is out.

That match list does speak for itself...it's crazy.
This label of going to Hopkins would stay on my resume forever...damn.

 

[orangestar9]

I would argue that for an interest in NSGY Hopkins is quite literally the number one option in the world.

I think you'll find that Hopkins and Baltimore are surprisingly more pleasant and social-justice-y than people recognize. If you're going there for free there is really no downside. It's a few hour train to NYC on weekends if you wish, an hour to DC, an hour-ish to Philly.

Regardless, this is an absolutely incredible position to be in. Congratulations on such amazing success!

 

[Mikiras]

Hahaha, my friend recommended a dart board.

Yeah I love it but at the same time....change is good..

I was going to do a march madness bracket lol.

But also, completely understand the feeling of change being good. I'm pretty sure I'm going cross country to Cali so I get it.

Hopkins would provide a change without being "cross-country" change. Plus you already know how god-tier Hopkins is.

 

[Poprockets]

I would argue that for an interest in NSGY Hopkins is quite literally the number one option in the world.

I think you'll find that Hopkins and Baltimore are surprisingly more pleasant and social-justice-y than people recognize. If you're going there for free there is really no downside. It's a few hour train to NYC on weekends if you wish, an hour to DC, an hour-ish to Philly.

Regardless, this is an absolutely incredible position to be in. Congratulations on such amazing success!

Yeah...that's something my mentor told me along with a few other residents.

I've been to Baltimore several times and it is nice honestly. It's not like I go crazy here in NYC anyway, not a partier or anything like that. I could visit NYC every now and then...

Thank you for the kind words. This choice is making me nauseous.

 

[Poprockets]

I was going to do a march madness bracket lol.

But also, completely understand the feeling of change being good. I'm pretty sure I'm going cross country to Cali so I get it.

Hopkins would provide a change without being "cross-country" change. Plus you already know how god-tier Hopkins is.

Hahaha.

Yeah the cross country change seems daunting. Like someone else mentioned too, it's not like I would be starting all over if I stay on the East Coast at Hopkins...

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

If you want to stay on the East Coast for the long run, go to Hopkins and it will get you where you want in NSGY.

 

[Poprockets]

If you want to stay on the East Coast for the long run, go to Hopkins and it will get you where you want in NSGY.

If I wanted to come back to NYC for residency, would going to NYU not be an advantage? (establish connections sooner, easier access to research nearby, etc?)

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

If I wanted to come back to NYC for residency, would going to NYU not be an advantage? (establish connections sooner, easier access to research nearby, etc?)

No one in NYC will batter an eye because you go to Hopkins.. you can make connections so easily. Baltimore is 2 and half hours away from the city. NYU’s nsgy department is nowhere near Hopkins. When you apply for residency, your LOR’s matter a lot and if your program has so many heavy weight people, you will get a strong letter. I could see people turning down Hopkins for NYU because of money, but in your situation, that would be absolutely crazy. NYU is no Hopkins, period. Don’t look at USNews ranking. Well, the only reason would be you can’t live in Baltimore and you just love the city so much..otherwise NYU offers zero advantage over Hopkins in your future endeavors.

 

[Poprockets]

No one in NYC will batter an eye because you go to Hopkins.. you can make connections so easily. Baltimore is 2 and half hours away from the city. NYU’s nsgy department is nowhere near Hopkins. When you apply for residency, your LOR’s matter a lot and if your program has so many heavy weight people, you will get a strong letter. I could see people turning down Hopkins for NYU because of money, but in your situation, that would be absolutely crazy. NYU is no Hopkins, period. Don’t look at USNews ranking. Well, the only reason would be you can’t live in Baltimore and you just love the city so much..otherwise NYU offers zero advantage over Hopkins in your future endeavors.

How much should location be a factor in making this decision?

I haven't been to Baltimore in a while but from what I remember, it surely is no NYC.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

How much should location be a factor in making this decision?

I haven't been to Baltimore in a while but from what I remember, it surely is no NYC.

From another thread earlier today.

Johns Hopkins surgeon shot on way to work

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Johns Hopkins doctor was hospitalized Friday morning after he was shot in an attempted carjacking in Northeast Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Medicine said. The shooting happened about 7 a.m. near the intersection of Loch Raven Boulevard and East 36th Street, according to...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Obviously these stories are outliers but definitely not the first time I’ve heard of something like this happening at JHU. I’d still go to Hopkins but something to consider

 

[Poprockets]

Yikes...yeah I spoke with 2 people this week who also had a break in story.

This is hard.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

How much should location be a factor in making this decision?

I haven't been to Baltimore in a while but from what I remember, it surely is no NYC.

Well, it’s up to you. NYC will always be there but the chance of attending Hopkins only happens now.

 

[tatum2]

In a pretty similar situation to you decision wise and am strongly leaning towards NYU for love of location over more "traditionally prestigious" places. Don't fall into the trap on this website of thinking there is any major functional difference in prestige/opportunity between any of the ~T20 schools. You are clearly a top student and can get anywhere you want from any of these places. In the past, the top people all went to Hop/Harvard/Stanford etc. Now they are also going to NYU. Prestige-chasing is a dangerous and ultimately unfulfilling practice. Go where you feel the happiest (and costs the least, though not an issue for you) and the rest will follow!

 

[nimbus]

If you’re dead set on neurosurgery, are you eligible for the NYU 3 year curriculum with prematch to their NS program? That would be an attractive option in my view. You can skip a low yield year in medical school and add the year back where it will count more and while you’re getting paid (fellowship, research fellowship, etc).

 

[nimbus]

From another thread earlier today.

Johns Hopkins surgeon shot on way to work

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Johns Hopkins doctor was hospitalized Friday morning after he was shot in an attempted carjacking in Northeast Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Medicine said. The shooting happened about 7 a.m. near the intersection of Loch Raven Boulevard and East 36th Street, according to...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Obviously these stories are outliers but definitely not the first time I’ve heard of something like this happening at JHU. I’d still go to Hopkins but something to consider

Yes they are outliers.

Death of Kathryn Hinnant - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Brigham and Women’s Surgeon Dies After Hospital Shooting (Published 2015)

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Yes they are outliers.

Death of Kathryn Hinnant - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Brigham and Women’s Surgeon Dies After Hospital Shooting (Published 2015)

Yes but NYC in the 80s was just as bad as Baltimore is now in terms of crime. Maybe even worse.

 

[Poprockets]

Well, it’s up to you. NYC will always be there but the chance of attending Hopkins only happens now.

Damn...when you put it like that.

 

[Poprockets]

In a pretty similar situation to you decision wise and am strongly leaning towards NYU for love of location over more "traditionally prestigious" places. Don't fall into the trap on this website of thinking there is any major functional difference in prestige/opportunity between any of the ~T20 schools. You are clearly a top student and can get anywhere you want from any of these places. In the past, the top people all went to Hop/Harvard/Stanford etc. Now they are also going to NYU. Prestige-chasing is a dangerous and ultimately unfulfilling practice. Go where you feel the happiest (and costs the least, though not an issue for you) and the rest will follow!

Hey - we might be classmates!

I appreciate your thoughts. Yeah this is something I've been reminding myself of to not get so hung up about this whole prestige factor.
I genuinely do feel happy in NYC but I'm wondering if I could also be happy in Baltimore. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread, thinking long term, what if going to Hopkins could give me a better chance of matching for residency back in NYC. But then again....going to NYU would help me form good ties with the programs that are there...

This back and forth. Damn.

 

[Poprockets]

If you’re dead set on neurosurgery, are you eligible for the NYU 3 year curriculum with prematch to their NS program? That would be an attractive option in my view. You can skip a low yield year in medical school and add the year back where it will count more and while you’re getting paid (fellowship, research fellowship, etc).

Big Factor I've been thinking about. Unfortunately, I heard that 2 people were already admitted into the 3 year neurosurgery program for this incoming class. From my understanding, normally only 1 student is selected for the 3 year NSGY program so that option would not be available for me to apply for after my first year of med school....bummed out.

 

[Poprockets]

In a pretty similar situation to you decision wise and am strongly leaning towards NYU for love of location over more "traditionally prestigious" places. Don't fall into the trap on this website of thinking there is any major functional difference in prestige/opportunity between any of the ~T20 schools. You are clearly a top student and can get anywhere you want from any of these places. In the past, the top people all went to Hop/Harvard/Stanford etc. Now they are also going to NYU. Prestige-chasing is a dangerous and ultimately unfulfilling practice. Go where you feel the happiest (and costs the least, though not an issue for you) and the rest will follow!

Also, lets talk via DM if you're down to help make each other this decision. Congrats on your acceptances as well.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Damn...when you put it like that.

Every time I leave the city, I end up missing it. But I know I will always be able to go back there.

 

[nimbus]

Yes but NYC in the 80s was just as bad as Baltimore is now in terms of crime. Maybe even worse.

I don’t know how bad Baltimore is currently. But NYC was not bad in the late 1980s and early 1990s when I lived there. I miss the seedy grimy NYC before they disneyfied and gentrified it.

 

[nimbus]

Hey - we might be classmates!

I appreciate your thoughts. Yeah this is something I've been reminding myself of to not get so hung up about this whole prestige factor.
I genuinely do feel happy in NYC but I'm wondering if I could also be happy in Baltimore. Like I mentioned earlier in the thread, thinking long term, what if going to Hopkins could give me a better chance of matching for residency back in NYC. But then again....going to NYU would help me form good ties with the programs that are there...

This back and forth. Damn.

I’ve lived in Baltimore and NYC. Both can be nice although I preferred NYC. But the weather is a lot better in San Fran and it has its own charms. I live on the west coast now, visit San Fran often, and ironically had brain surgery at UCSF. I’d say all 3 institutions have top tier neurosurgery programs.

 

[Dogruffle01]

I’ve worked with Hopkins neurosurgeons on research projects and they’re truly a class of their own… though I can’t say I love bmore,

If NS is your passion then Hopkins without a doubt. Location for 4 years is irrelevant compared to the rawness of having Hopkins MD next to your name for the rest of your life.

 

[TempuraOreos]

Wow, getting multiple COA scholarships is actually ridiculously impressive so congratulations to you. I was in a similar situation a few years ago and ultimately chose NYU because I felt that was the place that'd be most right for me. Hopefully can help. Like some others have mentioned, don't bother prestige chasing and literally ignore USNWR med school rankings. They're pretty rubbish. Most likely UCSF won't match your COA offers, but it's worth a shot to keep them on the table and reach out to them to explain your financial situation. However, it seems like a cross-country move is really daunting for you. So really it looks like you're between NYU and Hopkins. I can only speak on my experience here as it relates to some of your pros and cons about NYU.

Pros
Bellevue is truly a unique and special place and honestly am not sure many others places can compare. As a URM, knowing that Bellevue is THE safety net hospital of Manhattan serving disenfranchised and minoritized communities was a major reason I chose here in the end. I also value how much hands-on experience you get at Bellevue. Also in my mid-20s, and have loved being able to spend part of my 20s here. That being said, I moved from South Florida and was really ready for the change of pace of living in the city. I think if you're concerned about leaving your support network behind then definitely listen to that feeling. If you feel like the distance from Hopkins won't be too far then that pro may not be as serious. I've found that taking that leap of faith and moving away from home was absolutely the right choice for me in terms of personal growth and development.

Cons
I was concerned about gunnery classmates too when deciding. I wouldn't say our students are gunners/gunnery. From my understanding, NYU and Hopkins both have pass/fail preclerkships, so being a gunner in the traditional sense is pointless. Now, will some students in your class do the most? Yes definitely because med students are neurotic messes but for the most part, I've found my people here who I absolutely adore and know will be fantastic doctors. And even people who aren't my close friends are generally nice people who again will be fantastic doctors; though there are folks who I am wary of. In regards to clerkships, our admin does not plan on getting rid of graded clerkships or AOA anytime soon, they see it as being to our benefit which doesn't make sense to me.

Side note: NYU is rolling out a new 1yr preclinical,~ 1yr clinical curriculum update that will allow people to graduate in three yrs without actually being in the 3 yr program if they wanted to. It will also allow students to do all our dual degree programs within four years now. It's supposed to emulate other 1yr curriculum models like Duke, UMich, etc. So if you're someone interested in Neurosurgery but are trying to avoid that extra year, that may be an option for you. You could also just bang out research/extracurriculars from day one at Hopkins and graduate 4 yrs too. I imagine it's doable. I highly recommend going to the "Second look" weekends for both of these schools. "Second look" was very important in my decision process and part of why I chose NYU in the end too.

My DMs are open if you would like more advice or help to decide. Good luck.

 

[mangowolf]

I’ve worked with Hopkins neurosurgeons on research projects and they’re truly a class of their own… though I can’t say I love bmore,

If NS is your passion then Hopkins without a doubt. Location for 4 years is irrelevant compared to the rawness of having Hopkins MD next to your name for the rest of your life.

idk if hopkins neurosurg is in a class of its own; ucsf nsgy is ranked higher so if prestige is the sole focus then hopkins wouldn't necessarily be the answer

 

[Poprockets]

I’ve worked with Hopkins neurosurgeons on research projects and they’re truly a class of their own… though I can’t say I love bmore,

If NS is your passion then Hopkins without a doubt. Location for 4 years is irrelevant compared to the rawness of having Hopkins MD next to your name for the rest of your life.

When you first started did you have any prior experience? That's my biggest thing, my research experience is not THAT extensive...

I would love to start over the summer before school starts potentially.

 

[Dogruffle01]

idk if hopkins neurosurg is in a class of its own; ucsf nsgy is ranked higher so if prestige is the sole focus then hopkins wouldn't necessarily be the answer

Not gonna lie, I thought UCSF was already out of the running for them. I do see your point on the NS ranking thing, you're right "league of their own " was probably an overstatement.

 

[Poprockets]

Wow, getting multiple COA scholarships is actually ridiculously impressive so congratulations to you. I was in a similar situation a few years ago and ultimately chose NYU because I felt that was the place that'd be most right for me. Hopefully can help. Like some others have mentioned, don't bother prestige chasing and literally ignore USNWR med school rankings. They're pretty rubbish. Most likely UCSF won't match your COA offers, but it's worth a shot to keep them on the table and reach out to them to explain your financial situation. However, it seems like a cross-country move is really daunting for you. So really it looks like you're between NYU and Hopkins. I can only speak on my experience here as it relates to some of your pros and cons about NYU.

Pros
Bellevue is truly a unique and special place and honestly am not sure many others places can compare. As a URM, knowing that Bellevue is THE safety net hospital of Manhattan serving disenfranchised and minoritized communities was a major reason I chose here in the end. I also value how much hands-on experience you get at Bellevue. Also in my mid-20s, and have loved being able to spend part of my 20s here. That being said, I moved from South Florida and was really ready for the change of pace of living in the city. I think if you're concerned about leaving your support network behind then definitely listen to that feeling. If you feel like the distance from Hopkins won't be too far then that pro may not be as serious. I've found that taking that leap of faith and moving away from home was absolutely the right choice for me in terms of personal growth and development.

Cons
I was concerned about gunnery classmates too when deciding. I wouldn't say our students are gunners/gunnery. From my understanding, NYU and Hopkins both have pass/fail preclerkships, so being a gunner in the traditional sense is pointless. Now, will some students in your class do the most? Yes definitely because med students are neurotic messes but for the most part, I've found my people here who I absolutely adore and know will be fantastic doctors. And even people who aren't my close friends are generally nice people who again will be fantastic doctors; though there are folks who I am wary of. In regards to clerkships, our admin does not plan on getting rid of graded clerkships or AOA anytime soon, they see it as being to our benefit which doesn't make sense to me.

Side note: NYU is rolling out a new 1yr preclinical,~ 1yr clinical curriculum update that will allow people to graduate in three yrs without actually being in the 3 yr program if they wanted to. It will also allow students to do all our dual degree programs within four years now. It's supposed to emulate other 1yr curriculum models like Duke, UMich, etc. So if you're someone interested in Neurosurgery but are trying to avoid that extra year, that may be an option for you. You could also just bang out research/extracurriculars from day one at Hopkins and graduate 4 yrs too. I imagine it's doable. I highly recommend going to the "Second look" weekends for both of these schools. "Second look" was very important in my decision process and part of why I chose NYU in the end too.

My DMs are open if you would like more advice or help to decide. Good luck.

Thank you thank you thank you.

This is incredibly helpful. Yes, Honestly thinking about it, I think it will come down between Hopkins and NYU.
To your point of personal growth - I think I would definitely experience a lot of that by moving to Baltimore (driving, getting own apartment, etc)

This is a really big side note. Was this recently announced to you guys only?! I'm not sure if I just haven't been paying attention to the curriculum talks from Dean Rivera but I did not know about this. This is a big game changer..Could it be 3 years of med school + a research year potentially?

I will definitely be reaching out to you via DMs, I really appreciate this.

 

[Dogruffle01]

When you first started did you have any prior experience? That's my biggest thing, my research experience is not THAT extensive...

I would love to start over the summer before school starts

I researched in undergrad, so I'm sure a medical student would have more clout.

IDK if this applies to all, but I find that surgeons love a student who knows the research process because they prefer operating over everything else. I would shadow a surgeon in the OR and then they would tell me an idea and link me with the people who had the patient database and I did my thing from there.

 

[Poprockets]

idk if hopkins neurosurg is in a class of its own; ucsf nsgy is ranked higher so if prestige is the sole focus then hopkins wouldn't necessarily be the answer

Yeah I'm leaning more and more towards UCSF being out. I'll wait this week for the financial aid package. However, as someone else mentioned previously, I don't really want to just be prestige chasing.

SF is fricken gorgeous though....

 

[Poprockets]

I researched in undergrad, so I'm sure a medical student would have more clout.

IDK if this applies to all, but I find that surgeons love a student who knows the research process because they prefer operating over everything else. I would shadow a surgeon in the OR and then they would tell me an idea and link me with the people who had the patient database and I did my thing from there.

Very interesting.

Was the research you did in undergrad similar to what you had to do with the patent databases?

 

[Poprockets]

Also, thank you all for your feedback and thoughts; please keep the thoughts coming. I genuinely really appreciate it. Got grilled on reddit for posting this because people think it's a **** post and got downvoted so much that I can't even respond anymore.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Yeah I'm leaning more and more towards UCSF being out. I'll wait this week for the financial aid package. However, as someone else mentioned previously, I don't really want to just be prestige chasing.

SF is fricken gorgeous though....

UCSF and Hopkins are interchangeable in terms of research and nsgy outlook. At this point, you should stay on the coast where you want to be. Otherwise it’s gonna be a pain in the a’ss when it comes to interviewing for residency programs, flying across the country all the time.

 

[Poprockets]

UCSF and Hopkins are interchangeable in terms of research and nsgy outlook.

I gotta ask.

Notice that on other threads, you are very anti-NYU a little bit. Is there a reason for this?
Not a callout or judgement - genuine question. Is there something about NYU I should know about?

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

I gotta ask.

Notice that on other threads, you are very anti-NYU a little bit. Is there a reason for this?
Not a callout or judgement - genuine question. Is there something about NYU I should know about?

I didn’t have a good experience with the school when I applied. They were very arrogant about their new fortune and etc. I was very much warm to the idea of staying in the city for 4 years without paying the tuition. But I got so turned off by them during the process. I ended up withdrawing from the school even when I got the II. I had to make similar choices as yours right before Covid hit. So I made the move across the country because I wanted to have some fun in a new environment. But I can tell you that NYU is no UCSF or Hopkins. People can argue whatever they want. It’s just a fact. If someone wants to pick NYU over Hopkins, please don’t just say they are in the same tier. Be honest, you sacrifice something for something else. Everyone knows. “There’s no free lunch.” EVER. Harken back to econ 101, opportunity cost.

 

[mangowolf]

Yeah I'm leaning more and more towards UCSF being out. I'll wait this week for the financial aid package. However, as someone else mentioned previously, I don't really want to just be prestige chasing.

SF is fricken gorgeous though....

yea it makes sense, at the level of hopkins/ucsf prestige difference, you just choose the place that you'd feel more comfortable with, and it seems like you're pretty attached to the east coast/NY. UCSF matches hugely to California (prob because of student preference) so probably staying on the East Coast would be better for you in the long run. I really think the biggest issue with NYU is the grading. If i were you and Hopkins actually goes P/F for clinicals i'd sprint to Hopkins..but not sure if they will make that decision before April 30.

 

[mangowolf]

I gotta ask.

Notice that on other threads, you are very anti-NYU a little bit. Is there a reason for this?
Not a callout or judgement - genuine question. Is there something about NYU I should know about?

i think the only thing you didn't mention about NYU is the fact they have internal ranking and AOA for preclinicals, which is a huge deal. if you ask any med student in the country they'll tell you if you have the chance to choose a school that has no internal ranking, go there. for that reason i'd choose JHU over NYU, since it has the prestige boost AND the superior grading system. also, Hopkins isn't that far from NY, so you could easily travel home every once in a while

 

[Poprockets]

I didn’t have a good experience with the school when I applied. They were very arrogant about their new fortune and etc. I was very much warm to the idea of staying in the city for 4 years without paying the tuition. But I got so turned off by them during the process. I ended up withdrawing from the school even when I got the II. I had to make similar choices as yours right before Covid hit. So I made the move across the country because I wanted to have some fun in a new environment. But I can tell you that NYU is no UCSF or Hopkins. People can argue whatever they want. It’s just a fact. If someone wants to pick NYU over Hopkins, please don’t just say they are in the same tier. Be honest, you sacrifice something for something else. Everyone knows. “There’s no free lunch.” EVER. Harken back to econ 101, opportunity cost.

Interesting....

That's not the vibe I have gotten at all from NYU. Are they a bit showy across NYC - sure. But...why shouldn't they be? Other schools / hospitals in NYC are just as showy if not more.

If anything, I got a little bit of arrogant vibes from another school on this list (not Hopkins). They talked about rankings, and talked bad about other programs.

Dean Rivera even told me that even if it isn't NYU that I end up choosing, he would support the decision all the way. He heavily emphasized having the "right fit" during interview day too.

I still don't know what to think about these tiers. At the end of the day, it's not like every patient that gets treated at Langone for a brain tumor ends up dying whereas at Hopkins they get cured. I don't think it's this black and white sort of distinction. (not saying that's what you're saying)

I woke up this morning with a slight lean for Hopkins but this comment just now re-shifted my needle towards NYU.
Again though, I appreciate the input. Keep the thoughts / discussion coming please!

 

[Poprockets]

i think the only thing you didn't mention about NYU is the fact they have internal ranking and AOA for preclinicals, which is a huge deal. if you ask any med student in the country they'll tell you if you have the chance to choose a school that has no internal ranking, go there. for that reason i'd choose JHU over NYU, since it has the prestige boost AND the superior grading system. also, Hopkins isn't that far from NY, so you could easily travel home every once in a while

I keep forgetting this.

I need to start a thorough excel list.

This is a little bit of a needle shifter for sure... (and I just shifted the needle with the previous comment, god damn)

 

[Poprockets]

yea it makes sense, at the level of hopkins/ucsf prestige difference, you just choose the place that you'd feel more comfortable with, and it seems like you're pretty attached to the east coast/NY. UCSF matches hugely to California (prob because of student preference) so probably staying on the East Coast would be better for you in the long run. I really think the biggest issue with NYU is the grading. If i were you and Hopkins actually goes P/F for clinicals i'd sprint to Hopkins..but not sure if they will make that decision before April 30.

wait a minute, wait a minute, has there been talks of this happening?

 

[mangowolf]

If anything, I got a little bit of arrogant vibes from another school on this list (not Hopkins). They talked about rankings, and talked bad about other programs.

i wonder if you were at my interview day for the school you are mentioning that talked bad about other programs. i was kind of shocked about it too, but i'm pretty sure they were being dismissive of other schools focusing solely on rankings and not really caring about the communities around them. i didn't like that they badmouthed other schools either BUT i will say that they had a real point. a lot of these T20s really dismiss and abuse their local communities. if i'm talking about an entirely different interview day just ignore this lmfao

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Interesting....

That's not the vibe I have gotten at all from NYU. Are they a bit showy across NYC - sure. But...why shouldn't they be? Other schools / hospitals in NYC are just as showy if not more.

If anything, I got a little bit of arrogant vibes from another school on this list (not Hopkins). They talked about rankings, and talked bad about other programs.

Dean Rivera even told me that even if it isn't NYU that I end up choosing, he would support the decision all the way. He heavily emphasized having the "right fit" during interview day too.

I still don't know what to think about these tiers. At the end of the day, it's not like every patient that gets treated at Langone for a brain tumor ends up dying whereas at Hopkins they get cured. I don't think it's this black and white sort of distinction. (not saying that's what you're saying)

I woke up this morning with a slight lean for Hopkins but this comment just now re-shifted my needle towards NYU.
Again though, I appreciate the input. Keep the thoughts / discussion coming please!

The only schools where I didn’t hear anything about how great they are when I interviewed are Hopkins and UCSF. Didn’t get to interview at HMS. Not trying to convince anyone not to pick NYU. All I am saying is that you should pick the school for the right reason. Maybe since my time, NYU has changed its attitude, but my year was pretty bad since it was the first year after they announced free tuition. They were borderline delusional that year.

 

[mangowolf]

wait a minute, wait a minute, has there been talks of this happening?

yes, somewhere on reddit someone said that hopkins went P/F for clinicals during COVID and the student body all obviously wants to keep it (if HMS and UCSF do it and do well in match, no reason why Hopkins can't). but as far as i understand it's up to some academic committee who's voting on it, so there is no guarantee it will happen. and i don't know when that vote is occurring. maybe talk to some med students at JHU about it.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

wait a minute, wait a minute, has there been talks of this happening?

Tbh, if you want nsgy, you need to gun anyway. So don’t worry too much about p/f. You need to pump out a ton of research so maybe p/f clinicals can give you more time to be a data monkey lol. I am not sure about NYU’s department and who’s who there. You need to join a high output lab from the get go if nsgy is what you want. Hopkins and SF have several labs like that.

 

[Poprockets]

i wonder if you were at my interview day for the school you are mentioning that talked bad about other programs. i was kind of shocked about it too, but i'm pretty sure they were being dismissive of other schools focusing solely on rankings and not really caring about the communities around them. i didn't like that they badmouthed other schools either BUT i will say that they had a real point. a lot of these T20s really dismiss and abuse their local communities. if i'm talking about an entirely different interview day just ignore this lmfao

Hm maybe...

Yeah I remember this point about some being programs being too performative but making no significant change in the communities they're in.
I think we probably were.