OK - as a parent I found this site to be extremely helpful in helping D research undergrad schools 4 years ago. Now 4 years later, I’m hoping there may be folks out there who might be able to share experiences in deciding between Georgetown School of Medicine vs State Med Schools (think Penn State, Rutgers, SUNY, etc.). My D has been accepted to Georgetown SOM and is weighing acceptance vs multiple other admissions at competitive, but perhaps not as competitive, State Med Schools. .
In her undergrad studies she followed the money and attended a major Southeastern Conference University on an academic merit scholarship while declining opportunities to attend traditional elites at much higher costs. It turned out to be the best decision she could have ever made. Then, much like now, she does not qualify for need based aid. Now 4 years later, she’s in the same identical position with an opportunity to attend Georgetown SOM vs varying State medical schools. D intends to pursue a competitive specialty post med school and many report that the Georgetown SOM name may carry some weight in competitive residency matches. I am not familiar with the medical profession or match program but I can’t see how the name of a school trumps Board Exam results or other clinical experiences gained when competing for residency matches, Others in the profession however, claim the Georgetown name does carry some level of distinction in the profession. Hence, the difference in tuition between Georgetown SOM and State Med Schools (In State Tuition) over 4 years often exceed $150K… When factoring over a 10-20 loan at compounded interest, that is significant additional debt for any physician to take on.
However, per US News, Georgetown SOM consistently remains one on the most sought after and difficult med schools to gain admission to in the US. Based on sheer volume of applicants vs acceptances, the acceptance rate is less than 2%, significantly below national acceptance rate to all med schools. Accordingly, these numbers may support that despite costs, there must be a beneficial reason why Georgetown SOM attracts so many more applicants than nearly an other med school in the US. Obviously, there’s no right or wrong answer here, and one student’s perspective may differ entirely from another. That said, who out there has had to make similar decisions? Has anyone turned down Georgetown SOM admission or another well regarded SOM in favor of a more common State Med school based on cost differential? What impact has that decision had, if any, in competing for highly selective residency placement? Insight appreciated!.