Georgetown NHS or Penn CAS?

<p>Hey y'all. I don't even know if I should be considering this: Penn CAs vs Georgetown NHS. I am interested in international health, perhaps pre-med, perhaps more public health, perhaps even something else like business or law. </p>

<p>That said, my parents began to cry once they heard of my acceptances - they've never gone to college, and to hear their DD got into an ivy league with a full ride was truly a dream come true. As such, they don't even want me to visit Georgetown and also hold considerable leverage over me in this matter because I can't drive. </p>

<p>I've posted this in the Penn forum as well, but Hoyas - why or why not should I consider Georgetown?</p>

<p>I understand where your parents are coming from. UPenn is a “name brand” university as an Ivy. But, although Georgetown is not an Ivy League, that doesn’t meant it isn’t just as academically rigorous. I would say one huge difference I’ve heard that distinguishes Georgetown from other schools and even Ivies is the caliber of the professors and their attention to undergraduates. I’m not going into the sciences but I’m sure the programs at Georgetown will give you an amazing and thorough education. I hope you choose Georgetown! Good luck with your decision</p>

<p>I agree with Hoyagolfer. I believe that given your interests, either place will serve you well, but Georgetown tends to offer a better undergraduate experience. Georgetown is unique in that despite being a university with all of the inherent resources, the focus has always been on undergraduates–it is a “student-centered” university. I was premed at Georgetown and went on to med. school at Hopkins, and I can tell you that in comparison with my med. school classmates, many of whom attended Ivy League schools (including UPenn), my experience at Georgetown was much more personal in terms of faculty interactions, collegiality among faculty and students, and individualized in approach. Also, Georgetown provides the best of all worlds in terms of location and environment–an active and beautiful residential campus, a phenomenal college town atmosphere, and the resources of all of Washington, DC–socially, academically, culturally, professionally. I worked at the Spanish Embassy and did research at National Institutes of Health, volunteered at Georgetown University Hospital, and was active on campus, etc.–opportunities that most other schools can’t provide during the academic year. I feel that I had so much more of an interesting and compelling undergraduate experience than my friends in med. school—I can’t recommend Georgetown more highly!</p>