Hopkins vs. Harvard vs. UNC MS biostatistics

[biostats123]

Hi all,

I am a graduating undergraduate senior deciding  between master's programs in biostatistics at UNC, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard.

I was wondering if anybody had any insight into these programs, because I am having a tough time deciding. My main concerns are difficulty of coursework, "friendliness" of faculty, opportunities open to master's students like research assistantships (since some schools can don't pay much attention to them), opportunities after graduation with a degree from either one, and obviously location. UNC is beautiful, but is living in Baltimore around the School of Public Health as dangerous as everyone says?

I really appreciate any help on the topic. Thanks in advance!

[beerkatmanor]

Hello! Haven't visited these schools and will also be matriculating (elsewhere) this fall for either statistics or biostatistics. That being said, you can evaluate post-degree opportunities on their websites where they list updated activities of alums. I don't think you'd have problems doing anything with a degree from any of these, but Harvard carries the most weight name-wise outside of academia. Email the schools to ask about research assistantships. Friendliness of faculty is a tough one though, no suggestions there.

I have friends at Hopkins, and the area is bad (muggings are common, my very large footballer male friend has experienced them too). The school is fantastic though, and people have made it through unscathed for years haha, so I would try to ignore that if possible. If you have the money, look into living in a nicer part of baltimore and commuting to work via car so you don't have to do too much walking on the streets around campus.

If you're interested in biotech and doing an internship or something outside of the school, they all have great options but I would argue Harvard's are most accessible because Boston is so close and the Harvard alum network is good about helping students out. UNC has the research triangle nearby, and Hopkins has NIH. My impression is that there are more options to choose from in Boston, but I could be wrong so perhaps you should ask this question in the city forums

 

Good luck!

[madbiochemist]

Hi! I'm a 1st year PhD at JHU (BME) and I really like Baltimore so far. I'm from the Midwest so rent is more than I'm used to, but my friends from other cities pay less in rent here than they used to (particularly my MIT friends)! For example, many students rent a house together and rent ends up being around $600-700 per month for a private bedroom. 1BRs by yourself are usually around $1,000 in the pricier areas. There are definitely some sketchy areas of Baltimore, but I don't really have any reason to go there and every big city will have those parts of town. The School of Medicine has a police officer at every 1/2 block so I've always felt pretty safe. They'll walk you to your car if you want. There are also services that will pick you up from wherever on the SOM campus and take you to your front door for free. I live in Mount Vernon, which is the arts/cultural/historic district of Baltimore and I think it's been really great. I have season tickets to the symphony ($25 for the whole season) and to a theatre that puts on plays ($50 for the season). I live within walking distance of 5 Indian restaurants. I've never felt uncomfortable walking around at night in my area and most of the neighborhoods that students live/frequent are the same. It's not as sketchy as the media would lead you to believe. I definitely recommend trying to visit Baltimore and staying with a current student if possible. There are definitely areas you don't want to live in, but that's really the same for any big city. 

I'm not in the School of Public Health, but I've met some really great people who are. I hope you get a chance to visit, because most of the students in my program really like the affordability and quirky charms of Baltimore.

[madbiochemist]

Also I live on the JHMI Shuttle line, so I take the bus for free to and from the med school from Mount Vernon. I wouldn't recommend living directly by the medical school because you're going to be paying more for convenience in a smaller apartment and a worse location. 

[yogi77]

I would think about the cost and duration of the program as well. These are all good choices academically, but if one is significantly less expensive than the other I would choose that one. Keep in mind that while you are a masters student in an unfunded program, you are paying for your research experience.

[rack_attack124]

On February 25, 2016 at 2:44 PM, biostats123 said:

Hi all,

I am a graduating undergraduate senior deciding  between master's programs in biostatistics at UNC, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard.

I was wondering if anybody had any insight into these programs, because I am having a tough time deciding. My main concerns are difficulty of coursework, "friendliness" of faculty, opportunities open to master's students like research assistantships (since some schools can don't pay much attention to them), opportunities after graduation with a degree from either one, and obviously location. UNC is beautiful, but is living in Baltimore around the School of Public Health as dangerous as everyone says?

I really appreciate any help on the topic. Thanks in advance!

I went to UNC undergrad. Chapel Hill is great. I've also lived in Boston. And I've been to Baltimore. It's true there is crime in Baltimore. But I wouldn't let that limit you. Boston you will be in for a brutal winter. Maybe that doesn't bother you but I hated it. I wouldn't let crime deter you. It's everywhere. The best thing you can do is ask someone at the university where are bad areas you should avoid. You could also take self-defense classes. I think it's common sense to not walk around alone at night. Some of the crime alerts I got at UNC were when people were doing that but a UNC professor was also mugged and beaten to death in broad daylight. Crime can really happen anywhere, anytime. I carry pepper spray and it makes me feel slightly safer. 

I make my decisions based off of location, cost of attendance, and job prospects. It all depends what you're looking for and what's important to you.