<p>GW 7 year (or 8 year if take Public Health Masters) or Union College/Albany Med 8 year that includes BS, MBA or MS and MD? Both programs do NOT require the MCAT. Past the hype, brochures etc. is one program better than the other? It's crunch time. Last visits to both are in the works for some time during the next couple of weeks. All opinions welcome, especially from those who faced or are facing the same choice.</p>
<p>Based purely on location: GW. Both are fantastic programs though and congrats to your son!
Do you know the strengths of GW and UC/AMC's programs? I wonder whether one is stronger for example, in research and the other in primary care? Does one correlate better to your son's eventual medical interests than another? Perhaps the answer to these questions would help?
Also, checking the residency placement for each school could help in determining the best school for your son.</p>
<p>Personally, I would choose the Union College/Albany Med Program over GW because of GW's hefty sticker price.</p>
<p>The GW program does come with a 15,000 scholarship for all of their ba/md students though, and that's a fixed price throughout medical school too.</p>
<p>Plus... Union/AMC isn't a whole lot cheaper... even with the 10k scholarship.</p>
<p>However i think the opportunity to obtain a BS, MBA or MS, and MD through the Union/AMC program is really appealing as well as the fact that since you're from long island, your son has the opportunity to go to a terrific program that isnt too far from home.</p>
<p>Actually, in terms of distance from home, I think it takes longer to get to Union/ Albany than it does to DC. Maybe not by much, but DC seems closer to Long Island for some reason when I went to both.</p>
<p>What we've found through research and discussions. The finances are kind of similar but I believe GW surprisingly has the edge. $15,000 scholarship per year at GW vs, $10,000 at Union. And of course the GW $15k is for 7 years and Union's $10k is for 4 years. Also, GW puts a "lock" on the fee for the entire 7 years. It does not go up yearly. The MS or MBA at Union is mandatory. At GW if you want to take a masters in public health admin you can. Outside of finance, the GPA needed to remain in good standing at GW is 3.3 while at Union it's 3.4. Also, I believe that both the GW undergrad and the GW med are rated higher than Union/Albany Med.</p>
<p>Where would your son be happier if he changed his mind about the medical program in the future? Campus life/campus culture is significantly different at these two schools. Since the programs are so similar, that aspect seems minor in comparison to the student experience at two vastly different campuses. (One urban, international, diverse, large and the other rural, pretty homogenous, small, strong sense of community)</p>
<p>amye. There's the rub. Before committing to any ba/md program the driving desire to be an MD has to be there. It is with my son or we wouldn't be doing this. Although you're right, the "lifestyle" of the school and community needs to be considered, the overall motivator is the acceptance to med school out of high school with; a lower gpa needed than when applying out of college, lower MCAT requirements (here for GW or Albany...no MCAT) and no need for multiple med school applications and interview visits. If not for these advantages, my son wouldn't be going to either of these 2 schools. He probably would be going to Cornell or Colgate where he was accepted but neither of these schools has a combined ba/md program. Interestingly, Colgate has an early assurance with GW Med. This way, we don't have to compete with all the other highly qualified premeds at Colgate to get accepted.</p>
<p>fixed tuition rate of GWU for 7 year ba/md students is 48,500 and that does not include room and board</p>
<p>I believe the number you quote is correct but you have to figure in the $15,000 per year merit scholarship that comes with the ba/md program. And that goes through med school, so it's for 7 years. That makes the GW a viable program financially.</p>