Do public dental schools look down on applicants who get military HPSP scholarships?

[UnwisdomTeeth]

Hi friends,
I am fortunate to get military HPSP scholarships in this cycle. I am going to mention the scholarship in my LOI, then send the letter to a public school (top choice) for which I am on the waitlist. But I asked some people, they advised me NOT to mention the HPSP scholarship in my letter because public schools don't like HPSP applicants.
The reason is that public schools get money from state budgets (that's why the tuition is cheaper than private schools), so they expect their dental students to contribute to communities in their states. If you are an HPSP student and serve in the military after graduation, the states don't get anything from you.
Actually I would like to mention HPSP to improve my application and hope to get off the waitlist of my public school.
Do you have any idea about that? Please help me!
Thank you so much!!!

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[Ryxndek]

I guess this may be a little off topic of what you’re specifically asking, but I thought you couldn’t receive an HPSP scholarship without having an acceptance letter in hand?

Congrats on it though! I hope you hear good news. I unfortunately don’t have an answer for your inquiry, though.

 

[macsak]

I guess this may be a little off topic of what you’re specifically asking, but I thought you couldn’t receive an HPSP scholarship without having an acceptance letter in hand?

Congrats on it though! I hope you hear good news. I unfortunately don’t have an answer for your inquiry, though.

OP prob has an offer for a non first choice school...

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I wouldn’t mention it because how you intend to pay for school is completely irrelevant as to why you’re an ideal candidate they should accept.

Big Hoss

 

[doc toothache]

An LOI with a twist.

 

[UnwisdomTeeth]

I wouldn’t mention it because how you intend to pay for school is completely irrelevant as to why you’re an ideal candidate they should accept.

Big Hoss

I just thought that getting HPSP could make my application more standout and competitive

 

[UnwisdomTeeth]

An LOI with a twist.

Is it a good LOI?

 

[Elder_Citrus]

I guess this may be a little off topic of what you’re specifically asking, but I thought you couldn’t receive an HPSP scholarship without having an acceptance letter in hand?

Congrats on it though! I hope you hear good news. I unfortunately don’t have an answer for your inquiry, though.

What I heard from my recruiters this year is that you can still apply without having an acceptance if your DAT is above 22.

They also said that you can technically still get selected for HPSP but the scholarship will be rescinded and rolled over to the next person on the waitlist unless you receive at least one acceptance.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi friends,
I am fortunate to get military HPSP scholarships in this cycle. I am going to mention the scholarship in my LOI, then send the letter to a public school (top choice) for which I am on the waitlist. But I asked some people, they advised me NOT to mention the HPSP scholarship in my letter because public schools don't like HPSP applicants.
The reason is that public schools get money from state budgets (that's why the tuition is cheaper than private schools), so they expect their dental students to contribute to communities in their states. If you are an HPSP student and serve in the military after graduation, the states don't get anything from you.
Actually I would like to mention HPSP to improve my application and hope to get off the waitlist of my public school.
Do you have any idea about that? Please help me!
Thank you so much!!!

Interesting advice, and I'd probably value the advice from the recruiters. They would know from past experience. I had never really thought that public schools would "not like" HPSP recipients. Some schools have a lot of faculty with experience from working in military dentistry. More likely, because HPSP pays for all costs, many people would rather use the full value of the scholarship covering as high a COA as possible.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Some state schools may actively try to max out on the number of OOS students they can have. It’s more money for them. And that’s what it always boils down to…money.

Big Hoss

 

[D1Bound]

Some state schools may actively try to max out on the number of OOS students they can have. It’s more money for them. And that’s what it always boils down to…money.

Big Hoss

I think it’s been much too long since a classic D school debt post by The Big Time Hoosier

 

[Sic'emBears]

OP - I mentioned it in my state school interviews and my interviewers seemed very receptive to it. Big Hoss might be right for specific schools though