Should I go to UPenn interview?

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I got into UMB and paid the first deposit and pretty much decided I'd go there--it was my top choice (I didn't think I would get interviews to UPenn or any other super top schools). Just a couple days ago, to my surprise, I got an interview invitation from UPenn for Feb 27th...

I know some of you maybe thinking I'm crazy for thinking whether or not to go to an ivy league school interview but here's my reasons: I talked to 3rd year dental student at UMB who'd gotten into Upenn but declined the offer because she said the facilities are reaaally old at UPenn and the students are gunners. I know UPenn has great name and fame but I don't know if that's worth taking a compromise on facilities. I know at UMB i wont' be compromising on anything.

I live in California and a ticket to the east is like $500 round trip. I just flew to the East to attend the UMB, Tufts, and NYU interviews in one trip in January. I don't know if its worth spending more money to go back there for this interview. Can anyone who's gone to UPenn confirm or refute that the facilities are that bad?

My stats are 3.75/3.69 gpa, 20/20/20 dat from UC Berkeley (which is at average for UPenn stats). This is a late interview, so I'm wondering whether I'd be rejected after going so far to attend the interview..which would SUCK. Has anyone who's gone to the UPenn interview thought they did well and then gotten a rejection? Any advice is appreciated!

You got into your first choice! Save the money and reward yourself. Maryland is an awesome school, it's my first choice but have very little chance of getting in. Two of the dentists I shadowed were top of their class at UMB and highly recommend going there due to the new facility, faculty and patient volume.

thanks for your input!

*post deleted*

UPenn 1st year lecture halls and labs are old and located in the "basement". However, the rest of the dental school was built brand new 6 years ago, and the rest of the clinics are huge and very nice. It sounds like you're pretty committed to UMB at this moment, but $500 is reasonable to check out another possibility. Interviews were very laid back so don't worry about that part good luck

I'm also interviewing at UPENN on the 27th.. see you there hopefully

Interviewed at both schools..

Yes... UMB facilities and technology (flat screens in pre-lab, etc) are great. However, the locations are much different. Bad part of Baltimore compared to the Penn campus which is beautiful and right next to vet, medical, wharton, law, and other grad students. There are all kinds of places to eat and what not.

The differnce between the two schools locations is pretty significant and if you care about more than just new facilities i would check out Penn

I think you should go to the interview to keep your options open. You might fall in love with the school. You just never know. If $ is not a big deal, I think you should go and explore your options. That way you'll never wonder what if.... Good luck!

Originally Posted by Imanee

I think you should go to the interview to keep your options open. You might fall in love with the school. You just never know. If $ is not a big deal, I think you should go and explore your options. That way you'll never wonder what if.... Good luck!

i completely agree, the entire dental school commitment is huge in terms of time and $$$. $500 is a drop in the bucket compared to what you are about to spend. i think about this like buying a house, because the amount of money is very similar and student loans are like a mortgage to me. so i figure, when i bought the house i live in now, i drove around and looked at a zillion houses. it was a pain in the ass and took a lot of time (time=money). now that the housing market is tanking, i sometimes sit back and think "did i make a mistake in buying this house?" but then i remember that i looked at a ton of homes and there is not a single other house that stands out in my mind as "gee, maybe i should have bought that one instead...." it would be absolutely worth $500 to me to have that peace of mind while i went and spent $200-300k on my education.

also, what you read about a school online is other people's opinions. other people that are strangers to you. you have no idea if you share their value system at all. one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Thanks for all your replies! Yes, I think it might be worth going ..like you guys said, I might just fall in love with it! I won't know if I don't go.

I'd go to it if i were you. but what would be really sad is that you go to the interview, fall in love with it, then not get accepted there. wasted money, wasted time.

yeah, i think i would really consider what are my chances at this time. how many people have they accepted? are there still a lot of open seats? how often are people accepted given an interview? just some thought questions. good luck with everything!

Thanks for all your replies!! I'm glad I went! I got in!

Originally Posted by spg123

Thanks for all your replies!! I'm glad I went! I got in!

did you get your acceptance thru snail mail?

Originally Posted by spg123

Thanks for all your replies!! I'm glad I went! I got in!

congrats. I'm also wondering how you were notified of acceptance..
also, where do you live?

go with your first choice..if it makes you feel any better i got into columbia and withdrew from my interview at harvard

1) tution is cheaper
&
2) location is better (hopely the best)
&
3) have better reputation or your accepted school has really bad reputation

I would not go!!

yup snail mail.

Originally Posted by spg123

Thanks for all your replies!! I'm glad I went! I got in!

So now what? lol. I had the same situation. I was very excited I got the UPenn interview since I didnt think I would. I am 100% committed to Maryland and it was my top choice (huge tuition difference too) so I didnt go to the interview. Almost wanted to go to see the school but feel very past interview mode and didnt want to get dressed up drive all the way there and spend a day there for no reason. But considering you did and got in!.... will you be joining us next year at Maryland or heading to Penn?

Congratulations on your acceptance! I'm glad you decided to go to your interview and leave your options open. So I'm curious where are you thinking about attending? Now you have 2 very enticing offers. Good luck and congratulations again!!!

lol, so the post-acceptance euphoria has died down and now I'm stuck making an excruciating decision. Orgodox, you are instate correct? If i were instate for Maryland I would not have gone for the Upenn interview. The cost difference would be way too much. But the money difference is $65,000 for me as an out-of-stater and I'm not going to let the be the main decision factor. In fact, I'm not sure what my main decision factor should be. Both are excellent schools and offer unique opportunities. Maryland: public health, city life, friendly staff and students. UPenn: ivy league name, campus life (which i like!), competitive environment. Both have research opportunities. UMaryland was my first interview and UPenn was my last and I loved them both!

One thing I am very strong about is safety: No matter how much UMB students try to convince me that the area is not dangerous, I have a hard time believing them. On the other hand, I feel I could walk around UPenn without fearing getting mugged because of the campus setting and constant police presence.

Anyway, the second deposit for Maryland is due..I think next week! eek! If anyone wishes to make this decision easier for me, please feel free to comment!

Originally Posted by spg123

If anyone wishes to make this decision easier for me, please feel free to comment!

Penn. Its Ivy. Your kids will have Legacy status. Do it for your unborn kids. You know you want your kids to go Ivy.

Do you think it will help with ugrad too?

I loved philly, and really liked where I lived, about 4 blocks west of campus. But you shouldn't be convinced that you're safe walking around west philly at night just cause guys with yellow jackets are riding around on bikes with walky talkies. (they are NOT cops, and dont have guns.)

there have been shootings that are more or less on campus, 38th and walnut last year, if I remember correctly. so, safety should not be your deciding factor. just bc they chose to shoot the wire in baltimore instead of philly doesnt mean philly doesnt have similar problems.

Penn is very pretty though, and spring is nice. But you saw, the dental school is hardly on campus, so you wont get to enjoy walking around the green. Also, while penn is great when the undergrads arent there, they really overrun the place, and relegate the grad students to the older libraries.

UMB is mostly graduate so keep in mind who will be inhabiting your campus.

Originally Posted by thethethe

Do you think it will help with ugrad too?

When you apply to the med school, they only cared if you had relatives who went to the med school. i didnt appy ugrad so I don know if it's similar, but it's not a blanket acceptance if you are affiliated.

maryland has much better facilities (compared to penn's dungeon). penn is still using paper charting and film xrays. plus, penn will be doing renovations to its clinics, so there may be construction going on while you're there.

also, as for the safety factor, philly and baltimore seems pretty similar in terms of safety (at least, that's what i feel went i interview at maryland). penn dental is really on the borderline between what's safe and what's ghetto, which to me, is west of 40th street.