Multiple acceptances and choosing the "right" school for me

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in her drawer

in her drawer

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Hi, everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in trying to choose a program to attend. I don't really know what factors are the most important when trying to choose a dental school.

At first I thought price was most important (i.e. cheapest school), but then I started thinking, "in the long run what's X amount of dollars to attend the place I want to be?" I've also thought location (city) was relatively important. I understand that school will be a major focus during my time there, but I have to think that I'll get out at least once in awhile right? And then there's also curriculum and grading system. I've received acceptance at one pass/fail school, and I would think this makes classes a lot less stressful. I am sure I could handle a letter grading system, and I'm not trying to slack off by wanting pass/fail. I understand there is camaraderie amongst students at every school, but I have to think it is even more so in a pass/fail system due to lack of competition. As for classes, traditional lectures would be fine, but I got kind of interested in PBL after my interview at one of the schools. There's also specialty options: some schools are more geared toward preparing people who will continue on to specialize, while others are for GP, and still others provide a balance of the two. I'm not sure how to pick a school right now since I don't know for sure if I want to specialize. Finally, I'm thinking of age. I got into the only three year program in the country, and I'll be 25 when I graduate if I attend there. Is there really a big difference in taking an extra year at other programs? No, I suppose there's not. Since I'm still young, I guess the length of schooling shouldn't matter to me, right?

I realize that this choice is ultimately mine to make, but I would appreciate any insights. What do you guys think about each of the factors I've laid out? Am I being silly about the whole thing? Should I just go to the cheapest school, or do I go to the city I want to be in? With that being said, here are my schools so far:

Pacific (10k per yr scholarship, I would absolutely love to be in SF but it's the most expensive tuition)
Harvard (5k per yr scholarship, I think pass/fail grades and no rank would alleviate a fair amount of stress)
Penn (half tuition scholarship! By far the cheapest tuition, plus not a bad program at all)
Iowa
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in her drawer said:
Hi, everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in trying to choose a program to attend. I don't really know what factors are the most important when trying to choose a dental school.

At first I thought price was most important (i.e. cheapest school), but then I started thinking, "in the long run what's X amount of dollars to attend the place I want to be?" I've also thought location (city) was relatively important. I understand that school will be a major focus during my time there, but I have to think that I'll get out at least once in awhile right? And then there's also curriculum and grading system. I've received acceptance at one pass/fail school, and I would think this makes classes a lot less stressful. I am sure I could handle a letter grading system, and I'm not trying to slack off by wanting pass/fail. I understand there is camaraderie amongst students at every school, but I have to think it is even more so in a pass/fail system due to lack of competition. As for classes, traditional lectures would be fine, but I got kind of interested in PBL after my interview at one of the schools. There's also specialty options: some schools are more geared toward preparing people who will continue on to specialize, while others are for GP, and still others provide a balance of the two. I'm not sure how to pick a school right now since I don't know for sure if I want to specialize. Finally, I'm thinking of age. I got into the only three year program in the country, and I'll be 25 when I graduate if I attend there. Is there really a big difference in taking an extra year at other programs? No, I suppose there's not. Since I'm still young, I guess the length of schooling shouldn't matter to me, right?

I realize that this choice is ultimately mine to make, but I would appreciate any insights. What do you guys think about each of the factors I've laid out? Am I being silly about the whole thing? Should I just go to the cheapest school, or do I go to the city I want to be in? With that being said, here are my schools so far:

Pacific (10k per yr scholarship, I would absolutely love to be in SF but it's the most expensive tuition)
Harvard (5k per yr scholarship, I think pass/fail grades and no rank would alleviate a fair amount of stress)
Penn (half tuition scholarship! By far the cheapest tuition, plus not a bad program at all)
Iowa
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My husband loves Pacific and I love California and SF but half tuition would be cool. Three years is cool too. I don't think Pass Fail vs grades are a big deal. Good luck.
 
If you alone are paying for everything, then choose the cheapest school. You'll thank yourself during your 30+ year career when you are writing those montly checks to repay those loans from your 4 years of school. All dental schools will give you lots of grief & stress during your time there, it just comes in different forms for different schools.

If you are 100% certain you want to specialize in something currently ubercompetitive (Ortho/Endo/OMS/Pedo), then maybe step back a minute to think about attending Harvard. However, specializing often means more loans. Or you can go to the cheapest school, kick butt and graduate at the top and still enter your desired specialty.
 
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I will second griffin's opinion. Unless you are 100% sure you want to specialize or go into academia or public health, having Harvard's name on the transcript isn't worth all of the extra money. But it looks like you have a "good problem" to have with those decisions. I don't think you can really make a bad decision.
 
in her drawer said:
Pacific (10k per yr scholarship, I would absolutely love to be in SF but it's the most expensive tuition)
Harvard (5k per yr scholarship, I think pass/fail grades and no rank would alleviate a fair amount of stress)
Penn (half tuition scholarship! By far the cheapest tuition, plus not a bad program at all)
Iowa
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I honestly cannot believe you are even considering this. Penn is a fantastic school, one of the best. You can go there on the cheap. If you want to specialize, having Penn on your resume will open so many doors. Seriously. They're giving you $80k TAX FREE. That alone, should take off way more stress than any pass/fail grading.

You can graduate with little to no debt, then live where ever you wish (San Francisco) because you will be able to afford to take any job and not have to worry about paying off obscene debt. Plus, if you want to specialize, Penn is still a top notch name. Geeze.. if someone offered me $80k tax free (even to a bad school, Penn is just icing on the cake) I would jump at it..

looks like a no brainer to me.
 
When you are looking at the cost (if that is the deciding factor) don't forget that if you go to Pacific you have one more year of actually being a dentist making money since you graduate a year early. Just something to consider. Good luck - what a decision to make. :)
 
By the way, $80k tax free for

@ 25% tax: $80k = $100k gross
@ 28% tax: $80k = $102k gross
@ 33% tax: $80k = $106k gross
@ 35% tax: $80k = $108k gross
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_bracket

Realistically, your parents are probably in the 33% tax bracket. PLUS, take into account that you will NOT be paying interest on that $80k, so it is worth even more.

If you need further convincing, see this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=337264

Seriously. It's a good school, they're offering you an amazing scholarship. I cannot believe you are even considering other options.

I know UOP likes to tell people that the extra year out of school helps offset the additional cost, but that is shakey argument as you are paying interest on massive student loans.
 
jmick101 said:
When you are looking at the cost (if that is the deciding factor) don't forget that if you go to Pacific you have one more year of actually being a dentist making money since you graduate a year early. Just something to consider. Good luck - what a decision to make. :)
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Right. But let's say you take out a reasonable $80,000 loan over the course of 4 years. Perfectly reasonable considering how high tuition is and the cost of living in San Francisco (and in fact many UOP'ers have much, much more in debt).

$80k on a 15 year loan, paid monthly at 8.39% (the going rate for Key Bank's dental loan) turns out to be $140,875. ($141k - $80k = $61k extra money you could have saved). Keep in mind these are AFTER TAX DOLLARS, so assuming he's taxed at 28%, that $141k is really $180k.

Now let's be more realistic, and take into account the cost of living in San Francisco, UOP's estimated $199,360 in costs (and almost ALWAYS do things go over budget), and say someone ends up $150k in loans. The math is pretty simple, but the realistic situation works out to be $264,142 ($264k - $150k = $114k EXTRA money down the drain in interest). Now keeping in mind these are AFTER TAX DOLLARS, and assuming he is taxed at 28% the realistic situation of $264k really is $343k, or $146k lost to interest that goes down the toilet and you will never see again.

Losing $146k to interest in the realistic situation is a pretty crappy deal, but hey! you got to graduate a year yearly and didn't get summer vacation, or the chance to go to other countries like Thailand or Prague to do externships in your last year (4-year schools do these awesome things).

I worked the math out on my calculator, but you can double check anything at this website http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loanpayments.phtml

So yeah, you might have an extra year to work, but you end up spending a *lot* of money in interest for an over priced school. Personally, I would take the tax free $80k, reducing my loans and going to a great school that keeps my options open for GP and specialization. Looks like a no brainer to me, but I guess some people don't mind throwing away $77k to $146k down the toilet to interest (or more).

On top of all that, you know Penn REALLY wants you to attend there, if they're throwing that serious coin at you. Chances are you aren't going to be forgotten, swept aside, or fall through the cracks. Plus, you can put on your resume you were a "dean's scholar." That's pretty sweet (as well as getting $80k tax free).

Personally, I would pick Penn.
 
DDSMAN2006 said:
Personally, I would pick Penn.
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Good points all around. Actually, your debt estimates were LOW from what the folks at Pacific told us. 300K and up are normal coming from there. What makes Pacific competitive to the average student, not someone in a situation of being offered a 50% scholarship, is that in the long run that kind of debt is fairly common no matter where you go. Living in SF is as expensive as it gets, but it's only 3 years. Subtract that year of living expenses and add what you will make while others are in school and things level out a bit.

Another thing that perhaps only those who have been to Pacific will understand is that there is definately a feel to it that is hard to describe. Every one of the people I interviewed with said they planned on attending. Every student I talked to raved about it. The Alumni love the school and are huge supporters. It really is the happy school.

But from a shear fiscal point of view, I might just take the UPENN scholarship as well. Tough decision.
 
jmick101 said:
Good points all around. Actually, your debt estimates were LOW from what the folks at Pacific told us. 300K and up are normal coming from there. What makes Pacific competitive to the average student, not someone in a situation of being offered a 50% scholarship, is that in the long run that kind of debt is fairly common no matter where you go. Living in SF is as expensive as it gets, but it's only 3 years. Subtract that year of living expenses and add what you will make while others are in school and things level out a bit.
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Glad you could see my points. I was worried you would think I was ripping on your school (which I wasn't). I'm just in shock how someone can be undecided when they're being offered 50% off on a top of the line (ivy) situation.

I had no idea that my numbers were low, and $300k is a more realistic estimate for debt. Wow.. holy crap. If IHD turns that scholarship down, there will be a *very* happy person at Penn willing to take it in a second.

The UOP argument is moot for IHD's situation, and here is another way to thing of it. UOP might give you an extra year to work, but at UOP YOU PAY FOR AN EQUIVALENT 4 years (http://dental.pacific.edu/finaid/DDS/cost_of_attendance.htm).

Going to Penn you have one less year to work, but you pay for only 2 years of school (versus paying for 4 years at UOP).

Granted UOP is a fantastic school, but I don't think there should be any question in one's mind about where to go when offered 50% off at Penn. That's why I've posted a few replies on this thread.. no matter how you look at it ($140k lost down the toilet to interest, paying for only 2 years of dental school) I honestly am baffled how anyone can even consider going somewhere else than Penn.

Besides, Penn is showing through actions (serious, guaranteed $$) they want him to attend there. UOP didn't really do the same. Wonder what school the dean's going to know his name, if he decides to specialize and needs LORs from the dental dean from..?

Man.. you have no idea how I would like to be in this situation. I would go to ANY school if they gave me 50% off, let alone an ivy like Penn. Seriously. I can't believe IHD is even considering going somewhere else.
 
Thank you for your thoughts, everyone. And thanks SRW for finding that thread from last year. I would have a hard time not calling myself a fool if I did decide to turn Penn down. The thing about this situation is no matter what I choose, I have a feeling that once I get into the grind of d-school I am going to have a grass-is-always-greener type of feeling at any school.
 
in her drawer said:
Thank you for your thoughts, everyone. And thanks SRW for finding that thread from last year. I would have a hard time not calling myself a fool if I did decide to turn Penn down. The thing about this situation is no matter what I choose, I have a feeling that once I get into the grind of d-school I am going to have a grass-is-always-greener type of feeling at any school.
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Obviously it is your choice, but I honestly cannot believe you are even considering it. They're both great schools, but one makes you pay for 2 years whereas the other makes you pay for 4.

This guy talks about a little money (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=3151672&postcount=6 ). You will be saving an OBSCENE amount of money by going to Penn. You won't be a burden to your parents, and will still be able to do the same things when you graduate. The calculations above I did just blew my mind.. I would love to be in your position. Seriously. None of your patients will care where you went to school. Do you care where your dentist went to school? I didn't think so.

I'll stop posting here, because every point I've made is good and I don't want to put more time into thinking of other reasons since I'm not lucky enough to be in your shoes, but personally I would pick Penn.
 
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DDSMAN2006 said:
Obviously it is your choice, but I honestly cannot believe you are even considering it. They're both great schools, but one makes you pay for 2 years whereas the other makes you pay for 4.

This guy talks about a little money (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=3151672&postcount=6 ). You will be saving an OBSCENE amount of money by going to Penn. You won't be a burden to your parents, and will still be able to do the same things when you graduate. The calculations above I did just blew my mind.. I would love to be in your position. Seriously. None of your patients will care where you went to school. Do you care where your dentist went to school? I didn't think so.

I'll stop posting here, because every point I've made is good and I don't want to put more time into thinking of other reasons since I'm not lucky enough to be in your shoes, but personally I would pick Penn.
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I appreciate everything you've offered, DDSMAN. :)
 
in her drawer said:
I appreciate everything you've offered, DDSMAN. :)
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Well good luck with your choice. Don't you have 45 days or something? Should be enough time to think about it, talk it over with your parents, and stuff. Good luck.
 
DDSMAN2006 said:
Well good luck with your choice. Don't you have 45 days or something? Should be enough time to think about it, talk it over with your parents, and stuff. Good luck.
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It's only half that for the dean's scholarship, 12/21. But yeah, I'll definitely talk it over with the parents.
 
I also think there are other factors that set Pacific apart...number one being the type of clinical experience you get at Pacific. A school llke Penn has specialty programs so you end up having to refer hard cases to specialists. Pacific doesn't. They have ortho and OMS, the rest is done by undergrads. My husband is in his second year, second semester at Pacific and he has done four root canals on molars. At a school with specialties, most, if not all of those would have been referrals. They buy equipment that is usually giving only to specialist for the second years here...all the exposure to different procedures means you will be referring less in your practice and thus making more money and doing more interesting work. Pacific does cost a lot (sometimes it feels like monopoly money) but for us being exposed to all kinds of procedures, having the kind of faculty and the staff that Pacific has, and especially the clinical knowledge is well worth it. Plus, three years does make a difference...it is a strong three years and all the people we know from last year hit the ground running and are making great money. Plus, your loans will NOT be interest free during school so the sooner you start paying the sooner they stop just compounding and growing...Pacific is an expensive three years but on par with most other private schools, but above average in the education you get for the price. Getting chairs is easy, getting help is easy, being happy is easy (after first year :)) Just a side note on the finances: Pacific has one of the lowest default rates on loans of any dental school so you know they are putting out great practitioners who are making money.
 
in her drawer said:
Hi, everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in trying to choose a program to attend. I don't really know what factors are the most important when trying to choose a dental school.

At first I thought price was most important (i.e. cheapest school), but then I started thinking, "in the long run what's X amount of dollars to attend the place I want to be?" I've also thought location (city) was relatively important. I understand that school will be a major focus during my time there, but I have to think that I'll get out at least once in awhile right? And then there's also curriculum and grading system. I've received acceptance at one pass/fail school, and I would think this makes classes a lot less stressful. I am sure I could handle a letter grading system, and I'm not trying to slack off by wanting pass/fail. I understand there is camaraderie amongst students at every school, but I have to think it is even more so in a pass/fail system due to lack of competition. As for classes, traditional lectures would be fine, but I got kind of interested in PBL after my interview at one of the schools. There's also specialty options: some schools are more geared toward preparing people who will continue on to specialize, while others are for GP, and still others provide a balance of the two. I'm not sure how to pick a school right now since I don't know for sure if I want to specialize. Finally, I'm thinking of age. I got into the only three year program in the country, and I'll be 25 when I graduate if I attend there. Is there really a big difference in taking an extra year at other programs? No, I suppose there's not. Since I'm still young, I guess the length of schooling shouldn't matter to me, right?

I realize that this choice is ultimately mine to make, but I would appreciate any insights. What do you guys think about each of the factors I've laid out? Am I being silly about the whole thing? Should I just go to the cheapest school, or do I go to the city I want to be in? With that being said, here are my schools so far:

Pacific (10k per yr scholarship, I would absolutely love to be in SF but it's the most expensive tuition)
Harvard (5k per yr scholarship, I think pass/fail grades and no rank would alleviate a fair amount of stress)
Penn (half tuition scholarship! By far the cheapest tuition, plus not a bad program at all)
Iowa
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Congratulations.

I really like UOP's three year program, but Penn and Harvard, as it stands right now, would be my top choices.

I would contact Harvard and even UOP as soon as possible, tomorrow, and let them know what Penn has offered you. They may reconsider their scholarship offers. Should your scholarship offers change, get everything in writing before making any final decisions. When you contact the schools, let them know you are very interested in their school. I don't think they will reconsider if you do not have a sincere interest in attending.

We have friends whose daughter, Princeton undergrad, was accept at UPenn's medical school a couple of years ago and Michigan, as well. Michigan offered a full scholarship, Penn only 1/2 tuition scholarship. She really wanted to go to UPenn. After contacting Penn, Penn matched the Michigan scholarship. She currently attends UPenn.

You are obviously a very bright student who has worked very hard and would be a good catch for any school. Harvard with just P/F would be very appealing. It's just a very nice approach. They believe in their acceptance decisons. They know they have accepted the best and trust their students.

It really doesn't matter from a patient care point of view. Patients want a doctor who is licensed, is gentle, does work they understand and work that is dependable and, to a certain degree, well priced.

Talk to your parents. Good luck with your decision.
 
dentalwife said:
I also think there are other factors that set Pacific apart...number one being the type of clinical experience you get at Pacific. A school llke Penn has specialty programs so you end up having to refer hard cases to specialists. Pacific doesn't. They have ortho and OMS, the rest is done by undergrads. My husband is in his second year, second semester at Pacific and he has done four root canals on molars. At a school with specialties, most, if not all of those would have been referrals. They buy equipment that is usually giving only to specialist for the second years here...all the exposure to different procedures means you will be referring less in your practice and thus making more money and doing more interesting work. Pacific does cost a lot (sometimes it feels like monopoly money) but for us being exposed to all kinds of procedures, having the kind of faculty and the staff that Pacific has, and especially the clinical knowledge is well worth it. Plus, three years does make a difference...it is a strong three years and all the people we know from last year hit the ground running and are making great money. Plus, your loans will NOT be interest free during school so the sooner you start paying the sooner they stop just compounding and growing...Pacific is an expensive three years but on par with most other private schools, but above average in the education you get for the price. Getting chairs is easy, getting help is easy, being happy is easy (after first year :)) Just a side note on the finances: Pacific has one of the lowest default rates on loans of any dental school so you know they are putting out great practitioners who are making money.
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Dental school is like a leaner's permit. You're allowed to drive, but it's up to you to become a good driver. That comes from experience after graduating, attending seminars, certifications and things you do after dental school. Everyone knows the first two years or so is when dentists get their speeds up and get good at what they learned in school.

I bet people coming out of any of these schools (Harvard, Penn, UOP, etc.) are making good money. But seriously, you know what would help someone make even more money? (and I'm talking obscene amounts) By not going into debt in the first place.

I'm sure IHD would make a ton of money anywhere, but by paying for 2 years of d-school, versus 4 elsewhere in cities with higher cost of living of Cambridge or San Francisco. A low default rate is nice, but wouldn't it be nicer to graduate having little to no debt to pay off in the first place? Wish I was getting a 50% discount.

Just my two cents, but I think people are really missing the point here. Every school is going to give IHD the ability to pull teeth and fill fillings. Only one school is giving IHD a serious discount setting him up for life and pretty much guaranteed fact the dean will know his name when he asks for LORs to specialize.
 
DDSMAN2006 said:
A low default rate is nice, but wouldn't it be nicer to graduate having little to no debt to pay off in the first place? Wish I was getting a 50% discount.

Just my two cents, but I think people are really missing the point here. Every school is going to give IHD the ability to pull teeth and fill fillings. Only one school is giving IHD a serious discount setting him up for life and pretty much guaranteed fact the dean will know his name when he asks for LORs to specialize.
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My husband and I are with you, debt is an extemely important consideration. If that debt sounds big while you are in school borrowing it, it feels even more massive when you are in repayment. If we were in IMH's situation, Penn would be our number one choice. However, if Harvard were to match UPenn's offer or get close, we would go with Harvard. Should IHD decide to specialize in the future, no class rank means everybody is on par with each other. Plus, with a P/F grading system there likely would be a very limited number of cut throats, if any. P/F fosters a collaborative environment. With the caliber of students and professors, Harvard could prove to be a very rewarding learning and growing environment.
 
Here's some other info you might be interested in, ihd. HSDM doesn't do merit scholarships, but it looks like they have some significant need-based scholarship and loans programs available: http://www.hsdm.harvard.edu/asp-html/PDF-files/FAManual-2006-07.pdf
(see pages 21-23 for example financial aid packages)

So that could help lower HSDM costs for you, if your family is poorer than dirt like mine, lol :D
 
I agree with all that has been said about Penn being a no-brainer. I applied to Penn too, and if they offered me what they offered you, I'd be there in a hurry! Penn is a great school, but of course there are other things to consider other than the tuition. You have to decide which school suits you best. No matter what you decide, you'll get a great education because all of your choices are top notch. In the long run, it's your decision. Good luck!
 
I called HSDM a couple of minutes ago, and apparently, my scholarship there is actually $10k per year. So looking strictly based at tuition (without associated living expenses for Boston or Philadelphia), HSDM would only be $10,860 more expensive than Penn.

Sure, Boston is a much more expensive place to live than Philadelphia, but I have to think that $10k makes this less of a no-brainer for Penn. Obviously, there is interest to be had on that price difference but even so, I think I am leaning more toward HSDM now.

Am I wrong in thinking 10k is (relatively) nothing when talking about tuition? I would appreciate any further comments.
 
Fiscally Penn makes more sense. Money is huge, but it is not everything. If I wasnt going to Pacific, then I would go to a school that did PBL. I think the pass/fail system is great too in that it sounds less cutthroat. If you got into Harvard, I dont think any specialty program is going to question your worthiness as an applicant, especially if you rock the boards like you did the DAT. Besides the fact the Harvard name will open doors for you forever, the educational approach I think sells itself.
 
I turned down a scholarship at one school to go to another school in a better location. It was only about a $9000 difference though. I think money is the most important issue for me, but if other factors add up to me wanting to go to some place slightly more expensive, then I'm going to go there.
 
Is the Harvard money based on need? That was something Anne drilled in at the interview that "WE DON'T GIVE MONEY"
 
aggie-master said:
I turned down a scholarship at one school to go to another school in a better location. It was only about a $9000 difference though. I think money is the most important issue for me, but if other factors add up to me wanting to go to some place slightly more expensive, then I'll going to go there.
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Hi Aggie, Hope all is well with you. After all the factors are weighed, you just have to go with your gut. It's not all about the money, but it does weigh heavily for most everyone nowadays. When we sent our kids off to college, we certainly did the math, but it was not the only consideration, and we did not end up sending them to the least expensive schools. Cost was just a strong consideration; the value of their education, in many respects, was more important. Best wishes.
 
Don't forget about being happy. Go where you think you will be happiest for the 3-4 years. Yes, cost is a major factor. But a difference in 10k-50k is not THAT big of a deal. You can pay that off in your first year of practice. Lucky, lucky you with all those decisions. ;) Good luck.
 
futrdentist said:
Is the Harvard money based on need? That was something Anne drilled in at the interview that "WE DON'T GIVE MONEY"
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It is not need based. I had no idea HSDM even had scholarships.
 
Forgive me for asking such a basic question (I'm just getting started with the whole application process and looking into schools), but how does one go about looking into scholarships? And I mean merit-based, not need-based. Are there individual applications for each school or will the schools automatically offer you scholarships based on your application strength without you having to do any extra work, fill out any forms, etc.?

Thanks in advance for the help, I have already learned so much from reading these boards.
 
You are considered for scholarships as soon as you are accepted. No further applications are needed for merit scholarships. As for need-based, you would need to fill out a FAFSA and then they will award you accordingly.
 
catytweety said:
You are considered for scholarships as soon as you are accepted. No further applications are needed for merit scholarships. As for need-based, you would need to fill out a FAFSA and then they will award you accordingly.
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Thanks caty.

Do all, or at least the vast majority of, schools offer their own merit-based scholarships or is it unique to some of the top schools?
 
ice4804 said:
Thanks caty.

Do all, or at least the vast majority of, schools offer their own merit-based scholarships or is it unique to some of the top schools?
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To be honest, I am not sure about this one. I think mostly private schools offer merit scholarships (I could be wrong though).

For example, NYU and UoP offered me merit scholarships, where as UF, which is a state school, offers need-based. Hope this helps!
 
catytweety said:
To be honest, I am not sure about this one. I think mostly private schools offer merit scholarships (I could be wrong though).
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UConn is the only public dental school in New England and they give out merit scholarships. ... I don't know about any other public schools, though. It could be an exception to the rule.
 
ice4804 said:
Forgive me for asking such a basic question (I'm just getting started with the whole application process and looking into schools), but how does one go about looking into scholarships? And I mean merit-based, not need-based. Are there individual applications for each school or will the schools automatically offer you scholarships based on your application strength without you having to do any extra work, fill out any forms, etc.?

Thanks in advance for the help, I have already learned so much from reading these boards.
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just kinda curious why you picked this thread to ask about scholarships?

but ya, when you apply, you get considered for merit based scholarships. however, there is a lot less free money in dental school, so i think it's not as common to get merit based scholarships, and if you do, the amount isn't that much (exceptions that i can think of are penn that awards half tuition and nyu)

but good luck, hope it all works out
 
oh and there are private scholarships, but only a few grand a year, tops. but then again, every little bit helps. they'll talk about them more during the interview process
 
in her drawer said:
Hi, everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in trying to choose a program to attend. I don't really know what factors are the most important when trying to choose a dental school.

At first I thought price was most important (i.e. cheapest school), but then I started thinking, "in the long run what's X amount of dollars to attend the place I want to be?" I've also thought location (city) was relatively important. I understand that school will be a major focus during my time there, but I have to think that I'll get out at least once in awhile right? And then there's also curriculum and grading system. I've received acceptance at one pass/fail school, and I would think this makes classes a lot less stressful. I am sure I could handle a letter grading system, and I'm not trying to slack off by wanting pass/fail. I understand there is camaraderie amongst students at every school, but I have to think it is even more so in a pass/fail system due to lack of competition. As for classes, traditional lectures would be fine, but I got kind of interested in PBL after my interview at one of the schools. There's also specialty options: some schools are more geared toward preparing people who will continue on to specialize, while others are for GP, and still others provide a balance of the two. I'm not sure how to pick a school right now since I don't know for sure if I want to specialize. Finally, I'm thinking of age. I got into the only three year program in the country, and I'll be 25 when I graduate if I attend there. Is there really a big difference in taking an extra year at other programs? No, I suppose there's not. Since I'm still young, I guess the length of schooling shouldn't matter to me, right?

I realize that this choice is ultimately mine to make, but I would appreciate any insights. What do you guys think about each of the factors I've laid out? Am I being silly about the whole thing? Should I just go to the cheapest school, or do I go to the city I want to be in? With that being said, here are my schools so far:

Pacific (10k per yr scholarship, I would absolutely love to be in SF but it's the most expensive tuition)
Harvard (5k per yr scholarship, I think pass/fail grades and no rank would alleviate a fair amount of stress)
Penn (half tuition scholarship! By far the cheapest tuition, plus not a bad program at all)
Iowa
Click to expand...
I can't believe this guy turned down harvard for ucsf. I mean, unless he's really hardcore about california, I can't understand it. To everybody else in this position, don't make the same mistake.
 
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