<p>I'm a bit stuck in my choice for next year. I was accepted to Harvard and to Brown's PLME program. I'm going to be a doctor (meaning I'm not just considering it, it's my lifelong dream) and the PLME program at Brown (for those who don't know) is a (non-binding) 8-year program where I've already been accepted to Brown's Med School, have an extremely light list of requirements for pre-med and won't have to take the MCATs.</p>
<p>I'm attracted to Brown because I can major in something different than normal pre-med students. And, I won't lie, skipping the MCATs is a plus. And, I liked the students at Brown.</p>
<p>But, that said, as I'm sure you know, Harvard students are amazingly bright, every one is passionate, and interesting. It's O.K. to not be an überliberal vegetarian (even though I am an überliberal, I'm definitely not a vegetarian). And, I can't ignore the prestige. Everyone knows Harvard. No one knows Brown. But, I could go to Brown and still transfer to Harvard Med School if I wanted to, even though I'd have to take the MCATs.</p>
<p>tough decision, but as someone who chose to go to another ivy instead of a med program, i'll try to give you my opinion.</p>
<p>i feel like if you go to brown, you're automatically not going to be working with 100% of your effort because you know you're guaranteed admission to their med school. that being said, you're probably not going to want to do all the things normal pre-meds do: anxiously seek research opportunities, study your ass of for mcats, etc. with that, it would be harder to get into a better med school coming from brown. to be sure, you should try to get stats on the number of ppl who actually matriculate at another med school that went to plme. </p>
<p>harvards a big deal too, so if you go there, you're going to be working very damn hard because you no longer have the security of a med school admission. while harvard graduates do get into top med schools, there are also very smart harvard grads that go to lower-tier med schools (as is the case with other elite schools). so going to harvard isnt a guarantee to harvard med school, but atleast if you go there, you'll be able to work like crazy with full motivation since you aren't guaranteed into a med school. its the natural cycle - working hard without knowing the outcome, and then hopefully getting accepted to where you want. its NOT natural to be guaranteed what you want, and still maintain work at a high level.</p>
<p>my advice would be to decide based upon what you want your undergraduate experience to be like--not where you want to go to medical school
there are advantages to being pre-med in the PLME program, and advantages to being an undergrad at harvard. for example, brown doesn't have a kennedy school of government, a celtic languages department, or a "house system". harvard doesn't have an open curriculum, RISD, or (though this is contentious) unfettered access to its faculties
hopefully ADOCH & Harvard's equivalent will give you better insight into how these differences apply to you and your goals</p>
<p>I think each college should have a respective boxer which represents the school. After admissions decisions are released, the boxers all fight each other in a round-robbin format. Then, when a prospective student posed the question, "Harvard vs. Brown PLME," they would have a definitive answer. Harvard, in 9 rounds.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptances! My son, who also has always wanted to be a doctor, thought through the same thing, tho never actually sent his application into Brown PLME after getting into Harvard EA. While he really did like Brown (his sister went there, and no, you don't have to be a vegetarian in order to be happy there), he felt that Harvard would offer him the kinds of challenges and opportunites he couldn't pass up. </p>
<p>There are no guarantees with med school. That being said, if you're strong in the sciences, and the pressure of the process doesn't seem totally intolerable to you, perhaps you'd want to opt for Harvard. If, however, you want to be able to have a much more relaxing, stress free college experience, go to Brown. It's a fantastic school with incredible people, and wonderful opportunities abound there as well.
Best of luck to you!</p>