johns hopkins vs goucher postbac

[jpostbac]

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any thoughts on which is "better"?

i don't have extensive clinical experience, so i really like that hopkins has a huge packet of medical tutorials to choose from. hopkins itself is an asset - aside from its academic reputation, i hear that postbacs can register for related classes in the school's other departments (public policy, etc)

my main reservations about hopkins: it's expensive (housing too - it sounds like most postbacs live alone in studios around campus), and postbacs are thrown into classes with undergrads, which definitely = more legwork to get good recs from science profs, possibly having to deal with 'hostility' from undergrads when postbacs kill the curve...

goucher separates its postbacs from its undergrads, which is great, but at the same time, i wonder about the dynamic between postbacs - not only are they in the same classes/labs for a summer and a year, but it sounds like most of them live in the same apartment complexes, often in the same apartments.

when i visited, i got the weird sense that goucher postbacs are with goucher postbacs, all the time, 24/7. that seems like the makings of an insanely intense academic culture, but my opinion of that is probably colored by a previous post, where a former goucher student described the program as 'toxic'...

but, on the flip side, goucher seems to give you more bang for the buck - their program's shorter (1 summer + 1 year, vs hopkins' 2 summers + 1 year), you get an MCAT review (any thoughts on how effective this review is, from goucher alums?), and it also seems like a more selective program (but also more rigorous/intense since they cram so many courses during the school year).

any additional thoughts on this from folks who've been through either program? any corrections on my understanding of these programs would be great too.

thanks

 

[seethrew]

any thoughts on which is "better"?

i chose goucher from both.

i don't have extensive clinical experience, so i really like that hopkins has a huge packet of medical tutorials to choose from. hopkins itself is an asset - aside from its academic reputation, i hear that postbacs can register for related classes in the school's other departments (public policy, etc)

you wont have time to take any other classes if u haven't taken sciences yet.
goucher has a good network for volunteering and sets time aside for that purpose

my main reservations about hopkins: it's expensive (housing too - it sounds like most postbacs live alone in studios around campus), and postbacs are thrown into classes with undergrads, which definitely = more legwork to get good recs from science profs, possibly having to deal with 'hostility' from undergrads when postbacs kill the curve...

housing is cheaper downtown... some goucher kids lived closer to hopkins in my term. and yes, my tour guide alluded to neg undergrad competition.

goucher separates its postbacs from its undergrads, which is great, but at the same time, i wonder about the dynamic between postbacs - not only are they in the same classes/labs for a summer and a year, but it sounds like most of them live in the same apartment complexes, often in the same apartments.

all true. we really helped each other out a lot. people are people, most of us got along great, altho we did get "immersed" in the culture and some did not like each other.

when i visited, i got the weird sense that goucher postbacs are with goucher postbacs, all the time, 24/7. that seems like the makings of an insanely intense academic culture, but my opinion of that is probably colored by a previous post, where a former goucher student described the program as 'toxic'...

you do see a lot of each other, but u do not have to after classes, which are pretty much all day - like work. if u dont need group support, do ur work on ur own elsewhere.

but, on the flip side, goucher seems to give you more bang for the buck - their program's shorter (1 summer + 1 year, vs hopkins' 2 summers + 1 year), you get an MCAT review (any thoughts on how effective this review is, from goucher alums?), and it also seems like a more selective program (but also more rigorous/intense since they cram so many courses during the school year).

i got a 35 on my mcat, took all but 1 course at goucher (chem 1), and only took the ta class and followed his advice. was a painting major prior. served me well. yes, a very vigorous program. great mcat prep tho.

any additional thoughts on this from folks who've been through either program? any corrections on my understanding of these programs would be great too.

thanks

i was impatient and didnt want 2 years. plus hopkins program is very young and wanted to go wit the experence at goucher. think ud do just fine at either. go wit your gut.