Harvard BBS vs Hopkins BCMB

[pexygalax]

Any pros and cons of these programs/schools/cities would be greatly appreciated!!

[dejosco]

I was part of the BioREU at Johns Hopkins this past summer, and I am currently applying to the PREP at Hopkins (I need more research experience before applying to PhD programs). Even though I am applying to a total of 9 PREP programs (including Harvard's equivalent program), Hopkins is my top choice. I can not speak much on Harvard or Cambridge as I have been to neither, but I can speak on Baltimore. 

Baltimore is a very fun city, especially for young adults. There is a lot to do within the city. There is an excellent food scene. This city is home to many amazing restaurants that represent a highly diverse range of cultures--you can literally find a great Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Southern,  and Italian restaurant all on the same street. You could probably go to a new restaurant every weekend for quite a while. 

There is free transportation between all of Hopkins' campuses (e.g., Homewood, medical school, Bloomberg, etc.) and there are also free bus routes throughout the city (e.g, the Charm City Circulator). There is also a shuttle exclusive to Hopkins students, faculty, and staff that will take you around the campuses called the Blue Jay Shuttle. You can clearly get around Baltimore without your own car very easily, especially as a Hopkins student. Philadelphia and D.C. are a short train ride away, although D.C. will probably be cheaper (around $8 one-way). NYC is also not very far and is easy to reach by train. Of course, Uber and Lyft are also available at reasonable rates. 

If you are not accustomed to a highly urbanized area, Baltimore may take a short while to adjust to as there is an issue with homelessness and higher than average income inequality. Maryland is our country's most wealthy state, but there is a stark contrast between the rich and the poor there. That being said, most of your interactions with not be with people within the city, so you will not encounter issues with this very often. Hopkins takes great effort in keeping its students safe and secure, and the stipend for BCMB is more than adequate for the cost of living in the area. 

There is a lot more that I could say about Baltimore, but just let me know if you have any other questions! 

[pexygalax]

Thank you for your input dejosco!