Easy & mediocre or prestigious & difficult undergrad?

[DentalLonghorn2014]

it doesn't work like that. simply because alma mater isn't something that schools can publish to prospective applicants (to the ADA, or ADEA) to draw them in (unless of course the school is a state school, and state schools usually have in state feeder schools). point is--it won't be used in your favor as a tie breaker.

and i'm telling you, the 'rigors' of any prestigious school mean nothing. going to harvard will not make you do well in dental/medical school.

taking rigorous courses will train you to study more efficiently, and maybe manage your time more efficiently. going to any school and taking extremely rigorous courses will force you to adapt better study habits. that is what will get you into dental school.

as an aside: when you get to dental school, you'll see that any subject can be molded to how a professor prefers to teach it. you may be forced to learn minutia that you've never had to learn before, or maybe you'll be in a situation where a particular subject is taught in a way that reflects more of a dental or clinical perspective.

I'm just telling you what my friends and other dental/medical students have told me. Again, I didn't say Harvard or MIT. I'm talking state schools that are at the top of their respective states. Schools like Michigan, Washington, North Carolina, Texas etc.

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[Bis-GMA111]

@DentalLonghorn2014 you're missing the point. it's not about where you go, period. i just threw harvard in there as an example.

if you take a rigorous courseload at any 4 year institution, and if you want to do well---you'll need to develop good study habits and a system that works for you. that is what is important for dental school--not if you took anatomy, or physio beforehand for instance. you need to have discipline and acquire good study habits.

 

[DentalDoge]

I like how this went on for 3 pages ... on a non-controversial topic ... continue

Oh and I want to hear more from that guy who thinks any universities other than the ivies are just comical, that man knows how to stoke a fire.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

I like how this went on for 3 pages ... on a non-controversial topic ... continue

Oh and I want to hear more from that guy who thinks any universities other than the ivies are just comical, that man knows how to stoke a fire.

he's probably trolling. and if he isn't, he hasn't been in the real world. if that's the case, all he prob. knows is school.

 

[DentalDoge]

he's probably trolling. and if he isn't, he hasn't been in the real world. if that's the case, all he prob. knows is school.

#thatsthejoke

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

@DentalLonghorn2014 you're missing the point. it's not about where you go, period. i just threw harvard in there as an example.

if you take a rigorous courseload at any 4 year institution, and if you want to do well---you'll need to develop good study habits and a system that works for you. that is what is important for dental school--not if you took anatomy, or physio beforehand for instance. you need to have discipline and acquire good study habits.

Yes, that is very true. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[swindoll]

What prestigious school are we talking about here?

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

What prestigious school are we talking about here?

University of Phoenix vs Kaplan University. Typical tier 1 programs.

 

[Greyangel6]

lol I kind of feel bad for the guy who started the post coz he only wanted the best for his kid brother, ended up starting a verbal spat on an Internet forum. Or he's just a troll in which case we all have wasted our breaths.

 

[rev_rend]

I would say that prestige matters more in other fields like business or even grad school than say, medical or dental school. Just my opinion.

It doesn't even matter in business except for in some very narrow cases in certain industries and parts of the country. Of course, connections are important and prestigious institutions tend to attract more of those to whom it is beneficial to be connected. But that says nothing about the quality of the education or graduates.

In grad school, I think it's usually not too important. However, it really depends on the discipline and type of program.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

It doesn't even matter in business except for in some very narrow cases in certain industries and parts of the country. Of course, connections are important and prestigious institutions tend to attract more of those to whom it is beneficial to be connected. But that says nothing about the quality of the education or graduates.

In grad school, I think it's usually not too important. However, it really depends on the discipline and type of program.

I have one good friend who is now doing pHD work in some chemistry thing at Ohio State and they told him that they prefer to get students from big named schools. He attended and graduated from UT and his advisers also told him that he picked the right undergrad because grad school is a lot like networking and etc. I guess it depends on the person and the situation they are in. You never know who you might meet.

 

[kerfufle]

From my experience, prestige of undergrad is valued more highly among those with high socioeconomic status. So if you've been mixing with crowds that are from thoroghly middle class family, then it may seem like where you go for undergrad doesn't really matter because more likely than not, you didn't really get to interact with high-caliber peeps to whom prestige is very important.

Hey if I were rich I wouldn't want my kids mixing with proletariat swine either. Just trying to keep my interactions "high caliber"

 

[rev_rend]

I have one good friend who is now doing pHD work in some chemistry thing at Ohio State and they told him that they prefer to get students from big named schools. He attended and graduated from UT and his advisers also told him that he picked the right undergrad because grad school is a lot like networking and etc. I guess it depends on the person and the situation they are in. You never know who you might meet.

Yes, like I said, it's very dependent on discipline and program. As far as the school one chooses, especially outside of the sciences, it doesn't matter very much as long as you're producing decent work under a respected scholar.