<p>If you had to choose between UIC GPPA (direct medical program where you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA and score a 30 on the MCAT to be guaranteed admissions to the UIC medical school) or Georgetown University, where you plan to apply for the EAP program where you can be guaranteed a spot at Georgetown University School of Medicine given good GPA and interview at the end of Sophomore year and will not be obligated to take the MCATs...
and cost was not an issue AND if you were unsure about whether or not you wanted to do med at all....</p>
<p>Which would you pick? :D</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>just curious. this is not for me.</p>
<p>hey Hope2getrice, just to give some info on the Georgetown EAP: It’s a pretty great program where you can get in after finishing all of the pre-med courses by sophomore year (you can have just one course outstanding I believe), apply to the EAP committee, they interview you, and you can be given conditional acceptance to Georgetown Med, as long as you complete undergrad of course. Also, you have to agree to attend by a certain time period, which restricts you from applying to other med schools. This isn’t a problem for most people that get in, as Georgetown is a decent med school and has good match results.</p>
<p>However, you MUST have real reasons as to why you want to get in early. People that get accepted not only have a 3.7+ GPA, but are doing some sort of research or abroad project, or something out of the ordinary senior year that necessitates their interest in getting in to med school early, so that they can continue whatever work they’re doing. So, if you don’t have SOLID reasons as to why you’re applying to the EAP (and not just because you like Georgetown, the philosophy, etc. (aka the usual reasons we give during interviews)), you won’t get in. One girl I knew didn’t get into the EAP, but is now finishing up her first year at Harvard Med. So, it’s not just about having a 3.9 GPA, it’s about having some goals you want to accomplish instead of running around with the application process.</p>
<p>Two students from the Class of 2008 that I know that go in through EAP are Fulbright Scholars, one is in Argentina, the other is in Egypt, both deferring matriculation for a year. In the School of Nursing and Health Studies for 2008, they accepted 3 students through EAP. The School of Foreign Service had 1 (the Egypt Fulbright student, and she was the first ever from SFS). Not sure about Georgetown College, but I’d say 10 or less.</p>
<p>Hope that helped a little!</p>
<p>that’s awesome information Jasonhoya! It sounds like a really great program. </p>
<p>However, for this situation specifically where the person doesn’t know whether he/she wants to be a doctor, would you advise going to Georgetown over UIC GPPA or vice versa? (cost is not an issue). And/or, what if familial pressure is pushing said student towards a medical career?</p>
<p>If UIC is a normal undergrad experience then I’d say go to whichever one the person likes better. I personally like Georgetown of course, and think that it has many opportunities in a lot of areas, not just in IR. By normal undergrad experience I mean that, for example, a high school friend goes to Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, which is a 7 year program in NYC’s CUNY system. They mix in the medical courses with undergrad courses, so you get a BS in biomedical science. However, if you decide to drop the program, it’s difficult to get courses to transfer into the regular college, so you may spend more time getting a degree after that. So i hope UIC isn’t like that.</p>
<p>So it all depends on what the person wants to major in and what they’re looking for in a school. I know a couple people that started out pre-med at Georgetown, dropped it, then ended up being pre-law, for example. Georgetown also has an early assurance program with Georgetown Law Center, a top-15 program. Another person I knew transferred from the School of Nursing and Health Studies to SFS, and isn’t pre-med, but is still completing the courses in case he decides to be again (weird…). </p>
<p>So, Georgetown has lots of options for non-pre med students (in fact, most people aren’t even aware that Georgetown sciences aren’t horrible, even if the Biology department facilities are simply functional. can’t wait for the new Science Center.) Also, I wouldn’t advise someone considering Georgetown to base it simply on getting in EAP and not having to take the MCAT, as it’s really competitive, as noted above. The websites do say things like how it’s there so that students can explore other academic options with that freedom, but they REALLY mean that reason.</p>
<p>If the person doesn’t know whether he/she wants to be a doctor, I’d opt for Georgetown. Much more opportunities/better academics if the student were to choose a different major.</p>