Harvard vs. BU 7yr Med

<p>Hey everyone!</p>

<p>I have a question for you all. Im trying to decide between Harvard and BU's 7 year med program, and I need some outside input; im going nuts over this decision.</p>

<p>Harvard has going for it that its Harvard, and its awesome and the grounds are beautiful and its a great group of people. Im sure if I work hard getting into a good med school wont be a problem. Its really tough to give that up.</p>

<p>But on the other hand BU has the accel. program, i got trustees scholarship for undergrad, the people seem really really nice and the SMeds have this tight little community they keep for 7 years, all of which is really attractive. Their med school is also pretty well ranked, 28th. </p>

<p>Given that I know that I want to be a doctor, what do you all think I should do?</p>

<p>Thanks~
caffeinated</p>

<p>I can't make the decision for you... no one can... only you can
BUT... if I were you... i would mail out my deposit for BU 7 year med today...</p>

<p>harvard = 4 years of high tuition + ultracompetitiveness ... and for what?... a name?</p>

<p>bu = ten times less stress, no,,, maybe 20 times less stress... plus you save a year and you are getting a scholarship... and its in boston...</p>

<p>go to boston univ.. you will never regret it... but if you pass the opportunity up... you might kick urself in the as* when you have to work your butt off all over again to get into medical school...</p>

<p>A few things..</p>

<p>First of all, you got into Harvard. This probably means that you have worked hard your whole life/ high school career. Are you going to throw all that away and got to BU. Harvard is an amazing place to study. If I had gotten in I would go in a heartbeat. I have visited and not only are the people there amazing, but the campus is also magnificent. </p>

<p>I am guessing that you are worried about getting into med school after four years at Harvard. Well, I would say don't worry. If you got into Harvard, you not only are good enough to get into med school, but you also know how to work hard enough to get whatever you want. You will be able to get into med school, no worries. Don't let an ivy school go for that reason. </p>

<p>Campus: Have you seen the BU campus? You may like urban settings, but BU is entirely in the city. The student body is not really cohesive at all because everybody scatters into the city. In fact, most of the campus is cement and big buildings. Harvard not only is located in Boston, but is separated from it enough that it has big green lawns and school pride.</p>

<p>Go to Harvard!!!</p>

<p>One thing I forgot to say, </p>

<p>yeah, you have a full scholarship, but if you can afford it, Harvard is definitely worth it. </p>

<p>About the close group of friends. If you go to Harvard, you will make your own close group of friends. People there are amazing and everybody has unique interests. You will meet people and make your own close knit group. </p>

<p>If you go to BU, you won't be able to apply to other med schools. After Harvard, what if you get into a more prestigious med school?</p>

<p>Also, I am not really familiar with the curriculum of BU's program but know some people in it. From what I understand, it is a liberal arts curriculum. I have no idea what you plan to major in, but if you go to Harvard, you can major in anything you want to and BU I think is more restrictive.</p>

<p>i disagree. </p>

<p>i remember that another person had a similiar dilemma: harvard vs nu's hpme. i did a google search, typing the words: harvard vs ba/md programs and found another college discussion group regarding a student who was facing this problem. the consensus was that the student should enroll in the combined program. one glaring example stood out for me: a recent graduate from harvard with a 43 out of 45 on the mcat had difficulty getting an interview in several top medical schools. where she did interview, she did not get into that med school. finally, she was waitlisted at columbia, where she finally was admitted.</p>

<p>in other words, the harvard name is not a guarantee for admission into med school. if you are admitted into bu's accel. program with a scholarship, you have already distinguished yourself on two counts: one by being selected for the program and two by being selected for the full scholarship. </p>

<p>i know of one student who gave up nu's hpme and harvard for a full scholarship into usc's ba/md program, where she is thriving.</p>

<p>although both are in boston, which is a great place for medicine, i recommend bu's accel program over harvard.</p>

<p>seven23 makes a good point about the restrictiveness of BU's program. Faced with the decision between BU, Yale, and Brown PLME, I'm going with Brown. There were several very important reasons that motivated my decision, one of which was the flexibility that Brown afforded to PLME students. What I didn't like about Boston was the fact that you have to major in "medical science" or something really dumb like that, and you can only get a minor in your chosen field of study. </p>

<p>However, as a SMED and a Trustee scholar, you'll really stand out at BU and be given special treatment. Unless you become one of the top at Harvard, there you're just another student. Do know that Harvard is pretty much the most competitive place around to be a pre-med, and there's a very good chance that you won't get into BU medical school out of Harvard. </p>

<p>Whatever you end up doing, don't look back. I've talked to people who've been in the exact situation that you are facing, and the thing that they all said was that they never regretted their choice, whatever it was.</p>

<p>so what do you think now caffeinated?</p>

<p>I forgot to comment on this:</p>

<p>
[quote]
a recent graduate from harvard with a 43 out of 45 on the mcat had difficulty getting an interview in several top medical schools. where she did interview, she did not get into that med school. finally, she was waitlisted at columbia, where she finally was admitted.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My brother attends Harvard, and he's told me that some of the premeds that he knows are true gunners in that they only aim for the top- perhaps this student was one of these types. If she was lacking in EC's, the personal essay, recommendations or came off as too nerdish in the interview...any one of these things could have hurt their application. With a 43 on the MCAT, a score that only about 10 people in the country attain each year, I find it hard to believe that the student wouldn't be accepted into a medical school. It was stupid of her not to apply to lower-ranked schools who would have been impressed with the Harvard pedigree and insanely high MCAT. </p>

<p>This particular student notwithstanding, Harvard has the best medical school acceptance rate in the country with over 90% of their premeds getting into at least one place. Granted, some of these schools will not be on the caliber of BU. But the advisors at Harvard have told my brother that if you have at least a >3.4 GPA and 30's MCAT from Harvard, you should be able to get into medical school.</p>

<p>I totally agree with asterstar. Don't kid yourself into believing that you won't get into medical school if you go to Harvard. In fact, you will probably among the most qualified and prepared for med school. I would not just blindly attend BU's program. You have a tough decision to make, Harvard is an amazing place, I know people who go there. Again, I would tell you to go to Harvard.</p>

<p>I agree with asterstar</p>

<p>That student must have had an incredibly low GPA (thus showing lack of effort) or a personality of a rodent because a Harvard education and a 43 on the MCAT should give her access to any medical school.</p>

<p>I would say that she is the exception and not the rule. If you are smart enough to get into Harvard, I am sure you will be smart enough to work hard there, succeed, and perhaps get into an even better medical school than BU. (Although BU is very very impressive already)</p>

<p>All in all, I think the undergrad experience at Harvard is just one of those very rare things that would trump the security of a BA/MD program.</p>

<p>asterstar:</p>

<p>in reference to the harvard student-i was merely referring to another entry on another college discussion site that begins with the letter "x". i do not know this person personally. i don't know why this student did not apply to lower-tiered medical schools. i merely cited it for another student on nu's hpme thread who was in a similar situation. however, the example illustrates nicely and profoundly that the harvard name will not guarantee any student a seat into a prestigious medical school...or into any medical school, for that matter.</p>

<p>i am situated on the west coast, so i am more familiar with what goes on at stanford. even stanford graduates have a hard time securing admission into a top notch medical school, in spite of a stanford degree. some end up going to lower tiered schools. or taking a year off to do research before reapplying to med school.</p>

<p>you have decided to go to brown over bu. although brown's undergrad is much better to bu in terms of flexibility, bu's med school is far superior and better ranked. will the brown name afford you more opportunities when you graduate? who really knows! the residency placements for both brown and bu are surprisingly similar!</p>

<p>granted that the focus at bu is more science oriented, even as an undergraduate, i think that caffeinated would prosper more so than at harvard. as a trustee scholar at bu, he will be a big fish in a small pond, so to speak. at harvard, he will be a small fish in a huge lake, given the intense competition. yes, harvard has a high medical school acceptance rate in the country...but i don't know whether caffeinated would settle for a medical school that isn't highly ranked. the combined program at bu will afford caffeinated the opportunity to enjoy his undergraduate years (without the stress of accumulating an impressive array of ec and without the trauma of studying for the mcat) knowing that he has a guaranteed spot at an excellent med school.</p>

<p>since caffeinated is certain of his career path and since he is getting a full scholarship at bu, i think that he should attend bu's accelerated med program.</p>

<p>well said qtpie, harvard may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but attending one of the top ba/md programs is also an excellent opportunity for a student who aspires to be a doctor.</p>

<p>It is simple. Go to Harvard. Even if you do 3.5GPA and MCAT 32-25 from Harvard you will get in to any Top 30 med school, which is still better than BU. Look at the what you are missing by not going to Harvard, a life time experiance, legacy for your next generation, a network of friends who would some day be among very successful leaders in their professions. You go to Harvard for prestige, accesss, launching PAD, alumni, classmates and a life time experince. You do pre med thatis just a course work. If you are admitted then work hard you will do well.</p>

<p>Case A 7 yr: zero exp, Mid Tier MD, Need to excel to get TOP Residency
Case B app 300K exp, Harvard Brand, Worldclass experience, mid/top tier MD, Top tier Residency</p>

<p>CaseC 3 year in UG, you decide that you do not want go to medschool, then what Harvard or BU? </p>

<p>Case D: You like/love BU, campus, BU girls, BU Parties, BU Football then the hell with Harvard</p>

<p>I would suggest Harvard only because BU's program is very restrictive. The point of a guaranteed acceptance is to explore your academics and pursue things of greater interest to you than resume padding activities. What is a "medical sciences" major? How is the stress any less since you have to take the MCAT? If you are going through all the motions of being a pre-med student there (esp. MCAT) just go through the normal route because your results could be much better. Plus if you are concerned about giving up a school ranked 28th realize that it was unranked last year. Its difficult as a high school senior with acceptances to top schools to turn around to friends and family and let them know you are going to a BS/MD. In most cases where there is significantly less stress, No MCAT, and a good medical school it is the best decision. However in your case take the prestige and the experience and live it up.</p>

<p>Um, at bu u can minor or major in anything u want in addition to the premed classes that u'd end up taking anywhere. There are plenty of ba/md programs that r far more restrictive. And if u've gotten accepted to BU, then u shud be able to easily get a 28. To bharath2007, BU was ranked last year as well as teh previous years. To baba, a 25 from harvard will get u into a DO school at best. Ur decision basically comes down to what u really want. Do u want a laid back, easy going undergrad experience at bu or do u want an enlightening, life-changing experience at harvard.</p>

<p>thus far, the only compelling reason to attend Harvard is the one proposed by baba: the legacy issue. his other arguments, ie a harvard education = top tier residency, are highly questionable and not proven.</p>

<p>there is an economic component: a full scholarship for the first three years of his bu undergraduate education that cannot be taken lightly.</p>

<p>there is an underlying sentiment among some people on this thread that bu does not have a good enough medical school. bu is one of the top medical schools in the country. bharath2007's statement that bu did not rank last year is completely erroneous. </p>

<p>kvjc11 is absolutely right: it really depends upon what caffeinated is looking for in his undergrad years.</p>

<p>on a personal note: since getting admission into ucsd's medical scholars program, i have decided not to attend bu's program for several reasons: ucsd offers me warmer weather, lower tuition, closer proximity to home, and higher med school rankings (#7 for pc, and #14 for research...rankings that are some of the highest among all the combined ba/md programs except for baylor, which ranks #13 in research and univ of washington, which ranks #1 in pc). </p>

<p>otherwise, i would have happily (and proudly) attended bu's accel med program.</p>

<p>I recently went to the Open House for the accepted SMEDs, and I was actually not very impressed. Yes, it is true that the undergrad portion of BU is "relaxed," but the feeling that I got from the SMEDs at the med school was that they actually slacked off. In fact, one SMED said on the bus ride to the undergrad campus that he had been on acadmemic probation for a year. I know that caffeinated will def. not slack off because that seems incongruous with your acceptance into both programs, but ask yourself: do you want to be with students who are not as highly motivated for seven years? Of course, you can always transfer from the program into Harvard med school, if you get the scores, etc. Then again, caffeinated, maybe you didn't see Bu as I did....</p>

<p>Thank you everyone for all your advice; it has helped me a lot in thinking about different issues involved in this decision. </p>

<p>I just had one question: for other people who were able to make it to the open house at BU, what was your impression of it? I wasnt able to go, so anything else you can all share would be great.</p>

<p>Thanks,
~caffeinated</p>

<p>I disagree with the notion that there is a slacker mentality within the program. Granted, the whole point of a BA/MD program is to make it less stressful to proceed into a medical school. But I know plenty of program kids who work just as hard as regular pre-med kids.</p>

<p>It's a matter of personal preference and ambition and not a reflection of how a school runs its program.</p>

<p>correction MCAT 32-35</p>