25 and over - Pitt or Buffalo

[Jetta727]

Hi,

I've narrowed my choices to either Pitt or Buffalo. I've read some of the posts that compare the two and I'm still trying to decide. I hear Buffalo is cheap and is a great clinical school. Pitt has awesome facilities. I felt more at home during my interview at Pitt but Buffalo is cheaper.

Also, I'm 25. Whoelse is my age or older that decided to go to either of these schools and how did you decide??

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[Firedragon524]

I can try to help you. I've never been to Buffalo, but I'm an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, and I did undergraduate research there last semester. Pitt's a very nice school and Oakland is a very happening city. Tons of things to do. The weather in Pittsburgh also isn't as cold as it is in Buffalo during the winter. And come on, you cant beat our sports teams (Steelers, Penguins...disregard the Pirates), Pittsburghers are fanatical about their sports teams. Its up to you. Go where you feel comfortable.

 

[DDSY]

Go where your gut instinct tells you to go

Buffalo-cheaper. Definitely save lotsa $$$ if you're instate. Good clinical experience.

Pittsburgh-one of the most underrated schools out there. Has a tradition of excellence in healthcare. Also has a very good clinical education from what I've heard and a pretty diverse patient pool. Sim lab is pretty nice.

As a bonus:
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http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/brief/mdrrank_brief.php

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/honorroll.htm
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Also, located in a metropolitan area (I like cities, heh).

---Take your pick

 

[RozhonDDS]

Pittsburgh runs the scene like james dean

 

[CCDD12]

i did not get invited to interview at buffalo BUT my cousin goes there and absolutely loves it. She is in her second her and took a couple years off before she went....shes 26. She says great things about the school and really likes the students and faculty. The clinical experience is really good too. She was also choosing between a couple schools...(i think between tufts, buffalo, and vcu) and is very happy with her choice.

 

[CCDD12]

if u have any other questions i could ask her bc im really close w her....PM me if u want..

 

[CCDD12]

second YEAR not second her...im ******ed

 

[xoxomegss]

Definitely Buffalo. It's amazing there and has much better clinics! and... more importantly.. pitt is WAY overpriced, especially for out-of-state! i think you know my opinion.

 

[LIDO]

......I am not sure where everybody gets off thinking that UB is cheap. The city of Buffalo is cheap, but the school....not so much. The tuition is posted at about 15,000 for instaters....BUT.....if you look at the dental school website they have thousands of dollars in mandatory fees. It has everything added together and comes to about 47,000 dollars a year. That includes about 10,000 in living, food, transportation fees. Still....that is not that cheap. It basically cost around 36,000 a year if you were to live at home, be given free food, not pay for gas/car and such.

Pitts gives a living allowance of 15,000 dollars and with all of that included comes to about 60,000 a year.

That extra fifty thous. dollar difference will equate to roughly two hundred dollars more a month for loan repayment on a thirty year loan.

Buffalo is a good time.....but the cold weather does suck. Pitts def. has a lot over Buffalo...

 

[CCDD12]

Buffalo is def a lot cheaper than pitt, especially out of state..... i was told that pitt's out of state tuition is close to $68,000 a year (that includes a rough estimate of housing)

 

[I'mFillingFine]

I'm at UB now, and you would probably be near the younger side, or at least right in the middle. Every class is different, but I happened to get a class with a LOT of married students (more than half) and 70% guys, but each year is totally different since they don't know who will take their acceptances.

However, I believe that 24-25 is the average age in most dental schools. Once you're there, you have no idea how old anyone is. Sometimes you get surprised! "You're 35????? " etc.

Perhaps take another visit to both and talk to a lot of the students to see where you'd feel most comfortable.

 

[tooth decay]

......I am not sure where everybody gets off thinking that UB is cheap. The city of Buffalo is cheap, but the school....not so much. The tuition is posted at about 15,000 for instaters....BUT.....if you look at the dental school website they have thousands of dollars in mandatory fees. It has everything added together and comes to about 47,000 dollars a year. That includes about 10,000 in living, food, transportation fees. Still....that is not that cheap. It basically cost around 36,000 a year if you were to live at home, be given free food, not pay for gas/car and such.

Pitts gives a living allowance of 15,000 dollars and with all of that included comes to about 60,000 a year.

That extra fifty thous. dollar difference will equate to roughly two hundred dollars more a month for loan repayment on a thirty year loan.

Buffalo is a good time.....but the cold weather does suck. Pitts def. has a lot over Buffalo...

Not even close. Look at the websites for Pitt vs Buffalo tuition and fees. You are talking about at least a $20,000 difference per year.

http://www.dental.pitt.edu/students/budget.php

http://src.buffalo.edu/financialaid/dentalcost.shtml



Though Buffalo has more snow, Pittsburgh is not exactly in sunny California or Florida. It has >200 days of cloudy weather. This was addressed in a previous thread. The website for Pittsburgh weather is

http://www.cityrating.com/cityweather.asp?city=Pittsburgh

 

[cptdemorgan]

IS THIS A SERIOUS QUESTION???

I guess i've herd ok things about buffalo, but common...Pitt is most definitely where its at. The sim lab is top of the line and the clinic at buffalo is old and very outdated...(they will be updating it within 6 years so that doesn't help you any). My cousin is a second year at pitt and says its dynamite. He interviewed at buffalo as well and said that there was no comparison. Now he says all the time how supportive Pitt is and how happy he is about his choice. I hope thats where i will be next year.

 

[tooth decay]

IS THIS A SERIOUS QUESTION???

I guess i've herd ok things about buffalo, but common...Pitt is most definitely where its at. The sim lab is top of the line and the clinic at buffalo is old and very outdated...(they will be updating it within 6 years so that doesn't help you any). My cousin is a second year at pitt and says its dynamite. He interviewed at buffalo as well and said that there was no comparison. Now he says all the time how supportive Pitt is and how happy he is about his choice. I hope thats where i will be next year.

For every student who you find that likes Pitt, you will find a student who likes Buffalo, so testimonials are not an accurate comparison. Pitt may have a modern sims lab, but I assure you that no dental school will tell you that is what makes a great dental school. Outside of that, look at the factors that will affect you now in training as well as the practical aspects (e.g. costs,etc.) which will affect you in the longer term.

If you can prove to me that Pitt dental graduates make more money, have a higher rate of specialty training, score higher on national tests, etc., then maybe all the hype around Pitt may mean something.

 

[Regmata]

Buffalo all the way...I will even go so far as to say it is a better city...if you know what you are doing

 

[RozhonDDS]

Buffalo all the way...I will even go so far as to say it is a better city...if you know what you are doing

Whoa, saying that buffalo is a better city is very far fetched. First off it shouldn't even be considered a city and all the sports teams blow, except the sabers. I live in syracuse right now (its about the same size as buffalo) and it is very boring, choose a city with good sports teams, good history and historic sites, if anything at all. If your worried about tuition its a wash either way

 

[t man]

The way the Sabres took care of my Islanders... I have nothing good to say about Buffalo. First the school turns me down after an interview, and now this. This animosity towards Buffalo will last at least until the end of the playoffs, with the possibility of it lasting longer!

 

[tooth decay]

Whoa, saying that buffalo is a better city is very far fetched. First off it shouldn't even be considered a city and all the sports teams blow, except the sabers. I live in syracuse right now (its about the same size as buffalo) and it is very boring, choose a city with good sports teams, good history and historic sites, if anything at all. If your worried about tuition its a wash either way

While I am not going to say that Buffalo is one of the nation's prime time cities, there are much worse places you could live. Even if you do not like Buffalo, it's location of being close to Niagara Falls, and 90 minutes from Toronto, 60 minutes from Rochester make it close to other large cities and other attractions. Besides, unless you plan to stay in Buffalo, you should be more concerned with the training rather than the location.

As far as tuition costs, I think the schools' websites speak for themselves. There is no other way you can spin it. Buffalo is more cost effective. Also, for those out of state residents going to Pitt , according to the University of Pittsburgh, will not be eligible for instate tuition even after attending school there for one year. This is in contrast with New York state and the SUNY dental schools. See website below ( condition #1)

http://www.bc.pitt.edu/students/tuitionguide.php

 

[cptdemorgan]

It is my feeling that too many prospective dental students choose dental schools according to convenience and cost. I think this is definitely the wrong way to go about choosing a school. It is more important for students to focus on factors about schools that will help predict their success at the school and then later on in speciality training or even practice. Too often a school is chosen simply for cost and the benifits of a more costly school are overlooked.

 

[CCDD12]

i agree with what your saying...buutt sometimes if you are COMPLETELY torn between 2 schools and each has its positive qualities, tuition is good way to make the final decision

 

[I'mFillingFine]

the clinic at buffalo is old and very outdated...(they will be updating it within 6 years so that doesn't help you any).

What other dental school gives each student his/her own operatory for the entire time you are a student there? It is your chair, just like you'll have in practice. Your name is on a plaque in front of it and everything. Not to mention tons of windows and natural lighting, and more up-to-date stuff than I saw when I was interviewing elsewhere.

Also, I have noticed that anyone who says Buffalo lacks culture and is boring is sitting on their asses and not going out. If you cannot find enough things to do in a city that has an excellent art museum, science museum, history museum, maritime museum, zoo, aquarium, theatre district with over 30 theatres (including Shea's and the Irish Classical Theatre), 3 drive-in movie theatres, a web site devoted to showing live music shows at venues throughout the city (www.artvoice.com), outdoor Italian film festivals, Thursdays in the Square, more restaurants than you can eat at, lots of bars/clubs....

....then I think you may just be home studying all the time and bitter about it. And it is a larger city than Syracuse, just to clear up any confusion.

Sorry to get defensive, but PLEASE do research before boasting facts!

 

[tooth decay]

It is my feeling that too many prospective dental students choose dental schools according to convenience and cost. I think this is definitely the wrong way to go about choosing a school. It is more important for students to focus on factors about schools that will help predict their success at the school and then later on in speciality training or even practice. Too often a school is chosen simply for cost and the benifits of a more costly school are overlooked.

I am curious to know what you think the factors are when choosing a school that will help predict a person's success in dental school and later in his or her's training and practice?