<p>Alright, here's the deal. I really want to go to Georgetown. Yet, I'm stuck between going into the State Department etc. (Govt. and/or I.R. type professions) and going pre-med (my dad is a doctor). Kind of a passion versus practicality dilemma. </p>
<p>First of all, really, how hard is it to get into Gtown SFS versus the other colleges? Like, compare SFS to Harvard?....or not that much harder than the college?</p>
<p>Because, my logic is that if I REALLY want to go there I could apply NHS (which would hopefully give me a better chance, but obviously not anywhere close to a guarantee) and experience the pre-med route. This would avoid the more risky and probably rejection from SFS. </p>
<p>If I don't like it, I could then (theoretically) transfer to SFS. This leads me to my second question, because I've heard many different things: How hard is it to transfer between colleges? I've heard that you can transfer "down" (i.e. SFS to college or SFS to NHS), but it is nearly impossible to transfer into SFS. How valid is that statement?</p>
<p>Thanks! (BTW this is my first post on CC, altough I've been using this site as a source for over a year now....thanks for the great help so far!)</p>
<p>Well, check out some of the other threads I've posted in for your questions about difficulty getting into SFS but I did want to let you know about some possibilities.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You can do pre-med in the SFS. It sounds ridiculous and weird, but people have done it and I know people doing it now. Since Georgetown doesn't have a pre-med "major," but rather just a track within any major, you can do it with virtually any major. I know people who do the Science, Technology, and International Affairs major in the SFS and get enough classes to do a pre-med, too.</p></li>
<li><p>The NHS has an International Health major. You could do this with a pre-med track, but also work for government organizations if that is your passion as well. Double it up with health management and you would be set.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>see my many other posts about applying to and the majors of NHS. apply to NHS if you are actually interested in one of the majors. Getting into NHS won't be easier than SFS if you don't have an actual, demonstrable interest in health care (and the aspects of it taught in NHS). </p>
<p>It's not impossible to transfer either into or out of SFS. One of my friends transferred from MSB to SFS (international political economy) the second semester of sophomore year with a sub 3.0 GPA (great grades fall of sophomore year, so they also look at progression I guess, just like any college/grad school). Also, I wouldn't think of it as transferring "down". It's transferring "across". SFS isn't any better than any of the other schools. It is a great school to study foreign affairs from various angles, but that doesn't make it "better", especially when looking at it from an individual perspective. Choose the school where you can study what you're interested in.</p>
<p>You can be pre-med and be in the SFS. You can be pre-med and major in anything you want, as long as you fulfill the pre-med requirements. Depending on the major, you may or may not have to do summer school. STIA would probably be the most popular pre-med SFS major. </p>
<p>The NHS international health major would allow you to mix sciences (anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, human growth and development) with global health courses. You'd also have built in internships for your last three semesters. You'd be able to intern at global health organizations, local initiatives, and do research abroad (fall senior year). You can't double major in NHS (b/c the majors have too many strict requirements), but yes, you can take some health management and policy courses if interested.</p>
<p>So, choose the school and major that you're most interested in. If you apply to NHS thinking it's the easy way in, it won't work. You don't need to be in NHS or the College to be pre-med. </p>
<p>Thank you guys for the replys. I do have demonstrated interest that would apply to NHS (volunteering for an NGO that does dental care around the world, secretary of the board) and for SFS (worked as an intern in Azerbaijan for the ABA's Rule of Law Initiative during the summer), so it's not a matter of interest. The problem for me is I can't seem to narrow it down to what interest I like better. But I've seen the application pool for SFS (like kids that are fluent in 3 languages vs. my Spanish 5 class and terrible spanish SATII), and they seem more competitive than NHS (750 on the Bio SATII and 4 on the BioAP). So, would it be "safer" to apply there? (especially since i'm going EA)</p>
<p>maybe. Don't be dissuaded by the random people that "are fluent in 3 languages". There are MANY SFSers that are not star/dream applicants. I'd say if you apply to NHS, your ECs would probably be a good fit for international health, if you focus on what you did with the NGO. Also do some real thinking about your career goals. You obviously don't need to decide them now, but it may help you make this decision. </p>
<p>Also, why NHS and not the College? It just seems that you want to apply to NHS to be pre-med, when, as we both said, you can be pre-med in any school at Gtown, with any major. Are you interested in international health (i'm assuming so b/c of your volunteering), or human science/biology, or health management? Look at your ECs, SAT IIs, etc. and see whether they would be able to demonstrate that you're interested in health, or anything else you may be interested in. What major were you thinking of in SFS? Also do you have any other science/public health related background? I think you'd be a good fit for either NHS-International Health, SFS-Science, Technology, and International Affairs (International Health concentration), or maybe College-Biology of Global Health. Also, why are you thinking of being a doctor (i'm a gtown NHS grad going to gwu med)? Feel free to PM me if you want.</p>