Advice? Opinions? BU or UofPitt

[SoulRFlare]

Ok, well, I'm a first- time poster under the guise of my brother's user name because for some reason the sight won't allow me to post under my own name, TalulaJem.

Anyway, right now I am desperate. I just got an acceptance from Boston University this past Friday and I have to let them know by this Friday- with the hefty $3000 deposit. I am at a complete loss as to which school to choose. I absolutely LOVED BU completely, but it is very far away from friends and family and extremely extremely expensive.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, WAS my first choice (until I visited BU), and it's a little cheaper and much closer to family.
Which school has the better reputation? Anyone know?
As soon as I think I've made up my mind to go to Boston, the expense just weighs on me. For those of you who have decided on BU, how are you dealing with the expense?
I would love to hear some feedback, considering I need to make a decision by Friday.

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[Zurich5]

I've never been to BU, but if being close to family is important to you, then I would go with Pitt. It's a good school, and Boston is a much, much, much more expensive city than Pittsburgh.... Most dentists will tell you to go with the cheaper school, that is if you don't mind living in Pittsburgh for four years.

 

[gatorfan99]

I chose B.U. because of the quality of education that they offer.. I really like the way everything is high-tech, lots of classroom material on DVD, etc.

Also, from what I could gather from the students there (more then any other school I interviewed at), there is a real support system for the students and you will get bad grades only IF YOU WANT TO. They have tutors and the profs are willing to help you out. I found that REALLY important, since I am considering to specialize and therefore I need really high grades...

As far as the price is concerned. I 100% agree, its almost beyond belief how expensive that school is.. I am choosing to go with an Army scholarship. From what I heard from the students there is that money should not drive you away from doing dental school there. According to them, B.U. graduates are all able to pay back their loans, given enough time.

Oh, did I mention that B.U. is in Boston?? << love that city!


Gatorfan.

 

[TalulaJem]

Ok, now that I know how to log in correctly, I can use my own name...

Thanks a lot for your inputs, Zurich and Gatorfan.

Anyone else have advice?

 

[peiganman]

Definately go with Boston!

(I'm on the waitlist at Pitt )

 

[SoulRFlare]

I say you get off the waiting list at Michigan and go there...but that's just me

(<-----the brother)

 

[marshall]

I went on a mission trip with some D4's from Pitt dental and they hated it. Absolutely hated it. SO, given that, I would probably say BU.

 

[Radioheadblue]

I will be attending BU next year, but I also was accepted to Pitt. I thought it was a really great school and really headed in the right direction. I also heard from upperclassmen, if you will, that they had hated the school, but that it has drastically changed in the last couple of years and continues to change for the better. I chose BU over Pitt because of location alone.

As far as finances goes, I am considering doing an Air Force scholarship, not 100% positive. However, if I don't get or use the military scholarship I don't believe that I will be struggling to pay my loans after school. Boston is expensive, but for me, I'm getting what I pay for. I love Boston. Go Sox!

 

[grr123]

BU is not as fun as you think. First, if you want to live near BU, the rent is HUGE. The living budget they gave you is not that enough if you want to live comfortably. People in the city are very rude. I live here, I feel that way. People constantly say that as well. Their APEX program is NOT as great as they described. According to the dentist that I work for, who just graduated from BU, their APEX program is just a vacation, you don't learn anything from it. One more thing, don't forget they have SO many students, any you are going to be a number in it. And have I mentioned the rent? Their price is ridiculous, I cannot possibly imagine why they charge so much, with Tufts being a much better clinical school and Harvard being a much better research school around it. I mean I just don't get it. So, if you have chance to go somewhere else, don't go to BU, it does not worth the big bucks.

 

[Radioheadblue]

Originally posted by grr123
BU is not as fun as you think. First, if you want to live near BU, the rent is HUGE. The living budget they gave you is not that enough if you want to live comfortably. People in the city are very rude. I live here, I feel that way. People constantly say that as well. Their APEX program is NOT as great as they described. According to the dentist that I work for, who just graduated from BU, their APEX program is just a vacation, you don't learn anything from it. One more thing, don't forget they have SO many students, any you are going to be a number in it. And have I mentioned the rent? Their price is ridiculous, I cannot possibly imagine why they charge so much, with Tufts being a much better clinical school and Harvard being a much better research school around it. I mean I just don't get it. So, if you have chance to go somewhere else, don't go to BU, it does not worth the big bucks.

BU Room and Board: 14,165 or 1180/month
Personal Expenses: 3,050 or 254/month
Transportation: 1,185 or 98/month

Ok, so if you live by yourself and you can't find a place for 1180, you're nuts. And if you find a roomate, or live with your significant other it is much easier. If you live close to the school then you won't need the 98/month for transportation, if you do, a combo for buses and the T is only around 71/month.

And as for the Apex program, just like school, I think it is what you make of it. And if it is a vacation, Heck yeah, maybe I'll spend alittle more time studying for boards and relaxing while other people are studying for summer exams and such.

Looks like you're just another BU hater. Great first post though, I commend you. Now go away.

 

[TalulaJem]

To those of you who heard negative feedback from the Pitt students, do you remember what they specifically said as to why they were so unhappy at their school?

 

[Radioheadblue]

The students that said that they didn't like the program based their feelings on things like bad clinics, which they have recently improved, and a basic feeling like the faculty didn't really care about the students or take the program seriously, but they said this has also drastically changed in the last couple of years.

The horrific Pittsburgh weather was by far the biggest complaint I heard.