(another) USC vs NYU thread

[lava890]

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It is pretty frustrating to be a pre-dent, with a USC acceptance, seeing all the bashing going on by 2 or 3 current students. Is anyone at USC on this board happy there besides seansk?

Would I be crazy to pick USC over NYU?

Does anyone besides DentOfAllTrades or TeethVader hate it?

 

[philchungski]

It is pretty frustrating to be a pre-dent, with a USC acceptance, seeing all the bashing going on by 2 or 3 current students. Is anyone at USC on this board happy there besides seansk?

Would I be crazy to pick USC over NYU?

Does anyone besides DentOfAllTrades or TeethVader hate it?

dont listen to what other people have to say.... honestly... YOU are gonna be the one spending 4 years at whatever school you choose... its whatever you think will fit you better... good luck...

 

[dentofalltrades]

It is pretty frustrating to be a pre-dent, with a USC acceptance, seeing all the bashing going on by 2 or 3 current students. Is anyone at USC on this board happy there besides seansk?

Would I be crazy to pick USC over NYU?

Does anyone besides DentOfAllTrades or TeethVader hate it?

fyi, another opinion from someone at USC: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=390621#31

fyi, another good point: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=391567#3

 

[DrThizzle]

just sent in my second deposit to USC. I was in the same decision as you were. Although I'm hesitant w/ PBL, I think SC will be better cuz I do want to open my practice in california and it'll be a good way to begin networking w/ USC alum and begin forming a patient base. Being a cali native, i also wasn't a fan of that -3 degree weather when i went to NYU for my interview.... f*ck the yankees too!

 

[keibee82]

f*ck the yankees too!

👎 👎 👎 👎

 

[lava890]

fyi, another opinion from someone at USC: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=390621#31

fyi, another good point: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=391567#3

True, you're probably right with the second link.

 

[Dauber]

Go with your gut. You know which one you should pick/had a better experience at. Just sit down and think about what you really want. Both have pros and cons. Do the one you think you'll succeed at. Then make sure you're comfortable when loan interest on those outrageous tuition fee's bend you over cause you're going to be there for a while.

 

[xdianaax]

Well then how a bout look at the big picture, like living, and amenities around, stuff like that. Don't let someone else sway your decision so much, take it into consideration, but I mean ultimately they chose that school for a reason, maybe they just didn't get out of it what they were looking for...I say take everything into consideration, cost, amenities, living, distance from home, PBL, clinical exposure, and so on, give each school a point for each thing they have that you want, and then let the score board speak for itself. Go to the school that fits your needs best. Good luck!

 

[browneyes4]

I'm totally in the same boat as you lava, i have to decide btw NYU, USC and Tufts SOON! (like tomorrow bc, dr. m at NYU says so) ahh

i think everyone gave good advice. I also am hesitant about pbl, actually i'm pretty sure it is a waste of time, but BUT after seeing all the crazy posts on USC i'm determined more than ever to make sure I study on our off days.

And basically i'm with dr.thizzle? i think that was. yeah. I'm basically deciding to go to USC for those same reasons, although i actually do love NY.

 

[SummaryRuled]

I interviewed at both... waitlisted at both. I did my undergrad at USC and am from NYC.


USC- better weather, near LA, PBL, better layout of school, great reputation (if you stay in LA)
NYU- in my opinion one of the best parts of Manhattan, HUGE school with an annoying layout, great reputation (if you stay or leave NY)

 

[lava890]

I'm totally in the same boat as you lava, i have to decide btw NYU, USC and Tufts SOON! (like tomorrow bc, dr. m at NYU says so) ahh

i think everyone gave good advice. I also am hesitant about pbl, actually i'm pretty sure it is a waste of time, but BUT after seeing all the crazy posts on USC i'm determined more than ever to make sure I study on our off days.

And basically i'm with dr.thizzle? i think that was. yeah. I'm basically deciding to go to USC for those same reasons, although i actually do love NY.

I got the same call from Dr. Mejia on Monday. She gave me two days. I drove 2 hours to my parents house Tuesday night to deliberate with my parents. I called some current dentists, some retired dentists, my friends in dental school, and even someone really nice from SDN who offered me to call her because she had made a similar decision recently.

I ended up making the tough decision to attend USC. I am really nervous about PBL, and feel like I'm crazy for turning down a "traditional" school for PBL. But, I think i was letting SDN sway me too much. Every non-SDN person I spoke with warned me about the large class size and so forth at NYU, and how great a reputation USC has. I'd prefer to live in Cali, I will have huge but affordable debt from either, and I will be a dentist no matter where I attend. Both schools have issues depending on who you talk to, so I'll be happier at USC, and that's what I chose.

 

[Columbia07]

Both are great schools! When you do decide (if it's SC' of course) then join the USC Class of 2011 facebook group! Good luck with your decisions.

http://columbia.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2256280383

 

[yeabuddy]

I was in the same position a few months ago. I received acceptances to both USC and NYU and it was a tough decision. Your best bet is to evaluate each of the schools (location, tuition, class size, clinical experience, etc.) and make your best personal decision regardless of what others say. Each school has its positives and negatives and there will always be students who hate the school or love the school. For me personally im from NY so I could save money by commuting to NYU. Also I prefer traditional lectures as opposed to PBL. There is a HUGE number of patients and cases you experience at NYU. Those are just a few examples. Best of luck to you.

 

[browneyes4]

thanks for both of your guys' inputs. i should have sat down at home to deliberate this, but made the unfortunate or (fortunate) mistake of going to a music festival (Coachella) instead.

I'm having problems bc I LOVE NY (my bro, my friends are going there, and i'm from CA) but ultimately want to end up practicing in CA. I don't know if it makes a whole lot of sense then to go to NYU, if i want to practice in CA but at the same time i can't help but think that I have the rest of my life to spend in CA. ah!!

 

[keibee82]

thanks for both of your guys' inputs. i should have sat down at home to deliberate this, but made the unfortunate or (fortunate) mistake of going to a music festival (Coachella) instead.

I'm having problems bc I LOVE NY (my bro, my friends are going there, and i'm from CA) but ultimately want to end up practicing in CA. I don't know if it makes a whole lot of sense then to go to NYU, if i want to practice in CA but at the same time i can't help but think that I have the rest of my life to spend in CA. ah!!

CA is definitely a nice place to live, but I am sick of this weather! I want some rain and snow. I get excited on rainny days now. Am i crazy??

 

[Denticized]

Ok I am gonna sound like the biggest hypocrite: If I did get into to SC I'd go but just because it's close to home.

HOWEVER, I strongly believe NYU is by far better than many other schools let alone USC which has a poor program anyway. NYU is extremely didactic in the traditional lecture way for the first two years and it is extremely clinical in the last two years. It has the largest patient pool in the country and EVEN when you do the patient per capita (i.e. student) it is still the largest in the country. I have asked both NYU and SC students about many things and I have visited both schools on more than one occasion. NYU students actually COMPLAIN about having to see too many patients.

Trust me if NYU cost half as much, no one would go to Harvard. NYU is the future of dentistry. Many med schools have started to follow NYU in enlarging their class size in order to increase cut-throat competition and diversity as well as more peer medical interaction.

 

[lava890]

And if you ask virtually any dentist or administrator, they will tell you that USC has far and away the better reputation. People cringe when you mention NYU. A lot of people on SDN don't seem to agree. Realizing that there are detractors to both schools, I care more about what the real world thinks.

 

[armorshell]

And if you ask virtually any dentist or administrator, they will tell you that USC has far and away the better reputation. People cringe when you mention NYU. A lot of people on SDN don't seem to agree. Realizing that there are detractors to both schools, I care more about what the real world thinks.

I think you're virtually wrong. The only bad reputation NYU has outside of SDN is being ridiculously expensive, and I think you'll find that you won't be doing too much better in the wallet department at USC.

Your mistake is thinking that the real world actually cares where you went to dental school.

 

[lava890]

I think you're virtually wrong. The only bad reputation NYU has outside of SDN is being ridiculously expensive, and I think you'll find that you won't be doing too much better in the wallet department at USC.

Your mistake is thinking that the real world actually cares where you went to dental school.

I had a tough time choosing between both schools, and I ended up turning them both down. I don't have a vested interest here.

I am not saying the real world cares. I'm talking about which school has the better reputation for where you want to spend the next four years and which graduates better dentists (according to the people who might be deciding to hire or accept you in the future).

No one here will likely sway anyone's opinion, both schools are awesome and will make you a good dentist. It's a tough decision when you have to choose between the two.

 

[armorshell]

I had a tough time choosing between both schools, and I ended up turning them both down. I don't have a vested interest here.

I am not saying the real world cares. I'm talking about which school has the better reputation for where you want to spend the next four years and which graduates better dentists (according to the people who might be deciding to hire or accept you in the future).

No one here will likely sway anyone's opinion, both schools are awesome and will make you a good dentist. It's a tough decision when you have to choose between the two.

You'd be surprised how much faith people put into random internet posts.

As far as the real world caring about reputation, I was including the people deciding to hire and accept. We are lucky to be in a profession where merit counts for much more then credentials. Maybe it's different in California, but every dentist I've met cares a lot more about patient interaction, personality and technical skill then the school attended in a potential hire.

But hey, think whatever you want. I'm sure if you were talking to dentists on the east coast you'd be hearing the opposite. And it's not like the completely arbitrary and subjective opinions of an minute sample size amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.