Scared to go to USC due to PBL....Help

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WorriedStudent

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I got accepted to USC recently. This is my one and only acceptance. The only other school I am waitlisted is in Indiana.

I have been reading all the threads regarding USC and its not making me that excited about going to USC.

The low on-time graduation rate, the high tuition and the PBL is scarying the s*** out of me. Whats with paying one of highest tuition, and self teaching ourselves?? Truthfully during the interview, I thought PBL wasn't for me, I learn best with traditional lectures. Also, what is with these triple jump exams that people are talking about?? My friend that goes to USC dental advised me to go elsewhere if I can, shes very unhappy, but the only other place I could potentially go to is Indiana if I get off the waitlist, but thats also PBL.

So yeah, I feel sort of lost and sad right now even though I got an acceptance, weird huh?. Should I reapply? I know people will be like go and run with it, and I understand there are some people that have no acceptances and would do anything for one acceptance, but I don't know if I want to be unhappy for 4 years.
 
why did you apply to a school that you did not want to go to in the first place?

did you not do enough reserach on the schools you were applying to?

i know a few friends that go to usc dental and they love it there........
 
It may be a late graduation, but they're currently your only means to graduating from a dental school. I don't know if you realize this, but Harvard Dental's PBL also. As is 80-90% of all top medical schools.
 
you will decide whether or not you graduate on time by either putting in the time studying or not. it is up to you. PBL differs in the fact that you are spoon fed the information you have to go and find it yourself and then learn it but i think you learn it much better when you find it on your own.
 
ummjoey said:
i know a few friends that go to usc dental and they love it there........
Click to expand...

When deciding to go to USC myself, I talked to many recent grads and students outside of SDN. The majority had nothing but positive things to say and recommended it overall.

For some reason a handful of students (and it looks to be the crowd that had the low grad rate last year) loved to vent here on these boards.
 
ummjoey said:
why did you apply to a school that you did not want to go to in the first place?

did you not do enough reserach on the schools you were applying to?

i know a few friends that go to usc dental and they love it there........
Click to expand...

Well when initially applying I didn't know much about PBL, and didn't think much of it. But when I did the PBL session during the interview, I realized PBL might not be for me. 🙁
And also, the day before my interview, I had dinner with my friend who is in her 1st year, and her friend who is in her 2nd year at USC. While eating dinner, they told me to go elsewhere, and told me the horrible times they were having and they just sounded depressed. Ugh.
 
WorriedStudent said:
Well when initially applying I didn't know much about PBL, and didn't think much of it. But when I did the PBL session during the interview, I realized PBL might not be for me. 🙁
Click to expand...

OK… I guess this is where we differ. I knew immediately that PBL was for me.

If someone struggles with PBL or does not enjoy it, it could be a long 4 years. Your situation is tough because even option B (if you make it off the wait list) is still PBL.

At this point I really don’t know what anybody can say to help you out, except to tell you that you must reapply next cycle, or try to convince you that you will like PBL.

Are you close enough to USC to sit in on a full PBL session? I know the interview one was a very small sneak peak, and didn’t really involve much.
 
consider the worst case scenario: by some freak occurance you don't get accepted next year to any dental school. then you will regret not going to USC. that's how i'd see it.

i think once you're involved with the PBL and have the ball rolling, it'll be routine and much easier.
 
So what does it mean to apply PBL? stupid question I'm guessing
 
doc3232 said:
So what does it mean to apply PBL? stupid question I'm guessing
Click to expand...

I think it means "problem-based learning".

My ochem class is huge on workshops where you work in groups to solve problems. It is sort of a discussion way to solve problems, right?
 
i feel your pain. USC is my only acceptance as well.. and I am thinking of reapplying.

The cost is just a financial sucide, and PBL.. not my alley.

I had three students at my interview (current USC students) tell me to go anywhere else but there. I took it as a hint...

It is scarry though to think that if I do reapply I might not get in anywhere next year.

Maybe that is why I am loosing sleep these days.

GL with this. It is a tough one!
 
PBL wasn't my thing either. Did some in undergrad without liking it, applied to USC to see if I liked the way they did PBL...eventually interviewed there and didn't like the format, and didn't end up going.

It wasn't just the PBL for me...it was that and the cost. I ended up going to a very costly school, but for me...I couldn't go to a school that I had two strikes against.

I wouldn't worry about the on-time graduation rate...low as it is...it is usually only a month to 3 month delay...which is a lot less than a year delay from reapplying.

In the end...I guess you should go with the choice you think you'd regret less...horrible way to put it. But you might regret going and you might regret not going...figure out which one you want to test out and go for it.
 
I would love to have your seat if you really really really don't want it 🙂 I'm on the waitlist, and this is my last chance for this cycle.
 
I don't know about the logic of passing up your only acceptance to take a year off and re-apply in a cycle that just gets more and more competitive each year. What makes you think you'll have any better luck next year w/ the same stats?
 
I'm in the same boat as you are and i decided to reapply too.. it really comes down to you.. think of why you only got in to one dental school.. is it your stat? or you applied late in cycle? i applied really late and USC was the only school i got admission from, but i know if i apply earlier this cycle i will get in some where better and cheaper. I mean in a long run one year is really nothing.. instead of working your a** off to pay that 200 grand loan for 4 or 5 years you will be in school...
Dont get me wrong USC is a good school.. but if PBL is not for you and you dont see your self continuously digging in to journals and articles for some information , don go to USC..cause what happens is that you will end up dropping out or even worse failing and you have to say good buy to all dental school.
So really think about it
 
eleena said:
Dont get me wrong USC is a good school.. but if PBL is not for you and you dont see your self continuously digging in to journals and articles for some information , don go to USC..cause what happens is that you will end up dropping out or even worse failing and you have to say good buy to all dental school.
So really think about it
Click to expand...

i agree totally
 
eleena said:
I'm in the same boat as you are and i decided to reapply too.. it really comes down to you.. think of why you only got in to one dental school.. is it your stat? or you applied late in cycle? i applied really late and USC was the only school i got admission from, but i know if i apply earlier this cycle i will get in some where better and cheaper. I mean in a long run one year is really nothing.. instead of working your a** off to pay that 200 grand loan for 4 or 5 years you will be in school...
Dont get me wrong USC is a good school.. but if PBL is not for you and you dont see your self continuously digging in to journals and articles for some information , don go to USC..cause what happens is that you will end up dropping out or even worse failing and you have to say good buy to all dental school.
So really think about it
Click to expand...

Remember it is 400K we are talking about here.... it is tough if it is your only acceptance, but if you are setting yourself up for failure/pure misery then you might want to considered going somewhere else even if it means waiting another year.
 
As much as I want to say that I would have declined USC and Indiana due to cost alone if I were in your shoes, I probably would just go to USC unless I was pretty confident that I was going to make a lot of small improvements on my application by the next cycle (which starts soon).
I am actually slightly jealous of my friend that got a 17 on the dat, has a low sci gpa, and USC was his only acceptance, just because LA is such an awesome/exciting place to spend those four years and where i'm going, Richmond Va., doesn't seem nearly as appealing to me. ( I mean think about the beach, I was just at manhattan beach and it is awesome, Santa monica is cool, Hollywood is over rated but still fun, UCLA's campus is sick, Newport and the whole coastline there is amazing, Santa Barbara is awesome, San diego just a short drive away, the weather is the best you can find,
.... you can just think of it as a 30k vacation since you will prob. spend 100k more than other schools, but you won't lose a year of income as a dentist-low-balled at 70k your first year, 100k-70k=30k extra isn't so bad to have an awesome time at dental school, right?
But,
Like the guy said earlier it all comes down to your stats, if you are confident that you'll get in somewhere else next cycle (and being a second year applicant that applies extremely early does boost your chances a good amount especially if you can show determination by the changes/improvements that you made from last time) then re-apply to a lot of schools where you have a good shot and you'll have the privilege of 5-10 years less of debt repayment checks of around 3k-4k a month(that's just an estimate I have no idea how long it will take you or how much per month, ask on dental town)
 
eleena said:
I'm in the same boat as you are and i decided to reapply too.. it really comes down to you.. think of why you only got in to one dental school.. is it your stat? or you applied late in cycle? i applied really late and USC was the only school i got admission from, but i know if i apply earlier this cycle i will get in some where better and cheaper. I mean in a long run one year is really nothing.. instead of working your a** off to pay that 200 grand loan for 4 or 5 years you will be in school...
Dont get me wrong USC is a good school.. but if PBL is not for you and you dont see your self continuously digging in to journals and articles for some information , don go to USC..cause what happens is that you will end up dropping out or even worse failing and you have to say good buy to all dental school.
So really think about it
Click to expand...

yeah, this situation just sucks right now, all this work, and actually getting accepted into dental school, yet it still sucks.
I'm still debating or not to reply or not, however since the next app cycle is so soon, I would be applying with basically the same stats. I have that possibility I might not get accepted anywhere, grrrrr.

Ignorance is bliss I guess, I wish my friend thats in USC dental now didn't tell me all her horror stories about USC, then I wouldn't be this depressed.

:boom: <--- me
 
Reapplying won't be so bad...I am a reapplicant. I didn't get into any schools last year and I got into three schools this year...its really not that bad and a year off was great for me...lots of extra time to make money and go shopping! LOL...
 
Hey Worried dent
When did you send you application for last cycle? and was it completed?
 
Hysteria24 said:
When deciding to go to USC myself, I talked to many recent grads and students outside of SDN. The majority had nothing but positive things to say and recommended it overall.

For some reason a handful of students (and it looks to be the crowd that had the low grad rate last year) loved to vent here on these boards.
Click to expand...

Are you currently at SC?
 
burton117 said:
Are you currently at SC?
Click to expand...

Nope, I’ll be starting this fall. I did however get quite a bit of input from a large sample of current students and recent grads which helped me make this decision.

I can totally see students cracking and getting disgruntled (leading to the tone thread). You cannot deny the pricey 4 years there, which I am still nervous about, but if a student didn’t enjoy PBL that would make it a horrible 4 years.
 
WorriedStudent said:
yeah, this situation just sucks right now, all this work, and actually getting accepted into dental school, yet it still sucks.
I'm still debating or not to reply or not, however since the next app cycle is so soon, I would be applying with basically the same stats. I have that possibility I might not get accepted anywhere, grrrrr.

Ignorance is bliss I guess, I wish my friend thats in USC dental now didn't tell me all her horror stories about USC, then I wouldn't be this depressed.

:boom: <--- me
Click to expand...


Listen, I would not reapply next year because there is no guarantee that you will get in. Money is a big issue, but there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to pay it off in 30yrs (granted, you won't live as well as your buddy who went to MCG, but you will do fine).

PBL is a big concern. What is it that you don't like about it?

What irritates me is the misconception that because you're given a powerpoint in a traditional setting, you're not teaching yourself. You are going to take that powerpoint home and teach yourself the material because your professor, in most instances, read the powerpoint to you word-for-word in class. The only thing the powerpoint does it tell you EXACTLY what you need to know, which is useless because information is ALWAYS changing and most d-school curriculum's are out dated. You need to be able to find valuable and reliable information on your own with out someone packing it into a powerpoint for you. Maybe I'm just a PBL homer, but this seems to be a more logical approach and possibly why nearly ALL medical schools use some form of PBL in their curriculum.

Let me know if I can help you with your decision.
 
WorriedStudent said:
yeah, this situation just sucks right now, all this work, and actually getting accepted into dental school, yet it still sucks.
I'm still debating or not to reply or not, however since the next app cycle is so soon, I would be applying with basically the same stats. I have that possibility I might not get accepted anywhere, grrrrr.

Ignorance is bliss I guess, I wish my friend thats in USC dental now didn't tell me all her horror stories about USC, then I wouldn't be this depressed.

:boom: <--- me
Click to expand...

Wow you are actually thinking about reapplying??? There are hundreds of people out there who would love to be in your shoes. You know, there are going to be bad things about every school you apply to, and there will always be people who attend that school who will tell you to go somewhere else. That's just how life is. Your dental school experience is not going to be perfect and you are going to have to work. Your DDS is not going to be handed to you on a silver platter and you won't be spoon fed your whole life.

Everyone is scared when they matriculate, whether it's your first days at a university, or dental school. But don't let a few nasty rumors deter you from your dreams. No one ever hears about all the good stuff about a school. That's never interesting gossip. I say, take what you've got and be proud of it. You earned it.
 
it is not just PBL.. it is the cost, the low graduation rate, the fact that most USC students will tell you to go somewhre else, the fact you have to teach yourself, and five other ppl, and if that is not your style, then don't do it.

I personally love lectures. It is not just the power points, it is someone else's perspective, knowledge, insights. There is so many things that I learn in class that I would not know if I searched for the information myself. Or maybe I would but it would take me twice as long.

Then gross anatomy. You will be a doctor, you need to know the whole body. The whole nine yards. You just should know that. At USC you only dissect head and neck, while the rest you learn from books. It is not the same. You learn better when you get to see it, feel it, touch it.

Reapplying is not bad. Don't settle for something that you are not happy with. So what if it is the only school you got in this year. It is the only school you didn't want to get into. And you did not know that untill you went and interviewed there.

On my interview day, the lady that gave us a tour seemed so bored, and as if she had better things to do than show us around. They dodged questions about graduation rate and students disatisfaction with how disorganized the school is when it comes to scheduling and number of chairs available.

No one was upfront. There is a lot that was ambigous, and three students that came to the interview said it was their only choice and that is why they went there, otherwise they would have loved to go somwehre else.

And I just can't get over the fact that I need to pay close to half a million dollars to teach myself something. Isn't that ironic a bit?

Just my two cents.
 
Hysteria24 said:
Nope, I’ll be starting this fall. I did however get quite a bit of input from a large sample of current students and recent grads which helped me make this decision.

I can totally see students cracking and getting disgruntled (leading to the tone thread). You cannot deny the pricey 4 years there, which I am still nervous about, but if a student didn’t enjoy PBL that would make it a horrible 4 years.
Click to expand...

I can see your point about getting disgruntled. I've always said it would be nice to get the powerpoint/lecture notes, skip lecture, go to the library and study the rest of the day. That is how I learn and I am not the only one. Ben Carson said once that this is exactly how he got got through medical school. I am not an audio learner, but rather visual. I learn best by this method.

I've always said I only go to lecture to get hints on test questions. That is all I usually get out of it. It seems that now that dental school is about focusing on learning for the rest of your life and not just the test, and I would do well with PBL.

Would you mind sharing your input from the current students and recent grads that helped you make your decision?
 
Columbia07 said:
Listen, I would not reapply next year because there is no guarantee that you will get in. Money is a big issue, but there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to pay it off in 30yrs (granted, you won't live as well as your buddy who went to MCG, but you will do fine).

PBL is a big concern. What is it that you don't like about it?

What irritates me is the misconception that because you're given a powerpoint in a traditional setting, you're not teaching yourself. You are going to take that powerpoint home and teach yourself the material because your professor, in most instances, read the powerpoint to you word-for-word in class. The only thing the powerpoint does it tell you EXACTLY what you need to know, which is useless because information is ALWAYS changing and most d-school curriculum's are out dated. You need to be able to find valuable and reliable information on your own with out someone packing it into a powerpoint for you. Maybe I'm just a PBL homer, but this seems to be a more logical approach and possibly why nearly ALL medical schools use some form of PBL in their curriculum.

Let me know if I can help you with your decision.
Click to expand...

My biggest concern with PBL is that I had the PBL format in some of my classes for undergrad and I hated every moment of it. I felt it takes up so much time without accomplishing a lot. I could have probably done so much more with my time instead of searching for stuff. Yes with a traditional powerpoint lecture we do teach ourselves at home, however I feel that the power point lectures put the important things for us which saves a lot of time, and even with this we'll still probably be busy as it is.

I really don't know what to do. I'm lost for words I guess. I've been talking it over with my friends. My friends have been saying to go to USC, however they are going off of how nice USC the undergrad is, since they know nothing about the dental school. ugh. 😡
 
I wouldn't worry about the on-time grad so much; it's probably just a couple months. If you don' t think you would like about PBL, I can see why you would think twice. Four years is a long time if you don't like the learning style. Let me ask you a few questions.
1. Have you called Indiana to see where you are on the list. Is there much hope there?
2. What would you do next year duirng your year off if you decided to reapply?
3. What "traditional" learning schools would you like to get into?
4. Would you be more competitive at those schools if you tried again?

Okay, those are just some questions for you. Hope you resolve this one in the way that is best for you and find your peace of mind.
 
if you really hated every moment of PBL, do you think you can really go through four years of it though
just a thought
 
I don't understand why as a dentist I would need to dissect a human colon. There is a reason I didn't go to medical school....

Anyway, yes USC is very expensive.

Some people say most students they talk to tell them to go elsewhere, but other people have said themselves that students have told them they like USC. It depends on who you talk to....at any school I think.

As for PBL, what is it that you don't like about it? Are you worried it will be just journal article reviewing? Because its not like that. Most of the information is in books that you will be reading anyway for your boards, and you learn to find the information quickly. And its not really 4 years of PBL, its more like 2. Only the first 2 years have real PBL. the last 2 years you will have a case every once in a while, but your focus is clinical.

Are you worried you won't learn anything? You will probably have more time to study for boards with a PBL system than with a lecture system. PBL can be tailored around a study schedule and is usually shortened to give us more time to study near board times. Depending on the faculty that runs your case, yes it can take 3-4 hours a day (3 days a week) or it can take as little as 1 hour/day 3 days a week.

Worried about low graduation rates? Like someone else mentioned, most will graduate within a couple months of the intended date. Those that stay for a year or more extra are those who were not dedicated to graduating.

That said, if you still feel you absolutely hate PBL, you can try to reapply next year, perhaps retake the DAT if your score wasnt good in a couple months and use this time to study your butt off for it. If you can't do much to improve your scores/gpa you most likely will not get in anywhere that you didn't this time around. Good luck!
 
I would like to add one thing to the comment about low graduation rates. The Dean of our school announced today that [the school] will achieve "on-time graduation" of 95% of each graduating class by mid-June of each year. I'm not sure I need to say anymore. I believe this was a problem but it shouldn't be anymore.
 
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