Big Blue or Columbia

[prez_al]

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I seriously wished there was a program that combined the early clinical experience of Michigan with the medical curriculum of Columbia together as I am hesitant to make a decision (even though 51% of me wants Columbia at this moment). What factors do you guys feel is involved in making the best overall athmosphere to spend the next 4 years of your life becoming a dentist?
Cost is irrelavent as I will be paying out of state fees at Michigan. Right now debating the issues of:

1) "big college" experience vs. "ivy league" experience
2) Ann Arbor vs. NYC (closeness to home as well)
3) integrated curr. vs. traditional didactics
4) Differences in research grants (opportunities?)

Honestly, I can see myself at either school and be pretty satisfied, but probably have some regrets turning down the other school; which is why I'm in this dilemma. So far I haven't really gotten really compelling reasons from students to attend Michigan aside from "IT'S MICHIGAN!!!!!!! WOLVERINES!!!!!!!". Any input is appreciated 🙂 .

 

[LoF27]

One of my very good friends went to Michigan for d-school and loved it. From what I've heard, they are better clinically than Columbia. Also, Michigan is well known for having a top dental school. If you were deciding between the two places and Columbia was exactly as it is only it wasn't deemed an "Ivy", which would you pick? Go with your gut answer to this question.

 

[pacbum]

is the michigan d school on the undergrad campus?

 

[Revelde]

isn't michigan more expensive if you pay out of state tuition?

although the cost of living in NYC would weight that out...

 

[IdiotsAnnoyMe]

I seriously wished there was a program that combined the early clinical experience of Michigan with the medical curriculum of Columbia together as I am hesitant to make a decision (even though 51% of me wants Columbia at this moment). What factors do you guys feel is involved in making the best overall athmosphere to spend the next 4 years of your life becoming a dentist?
Cost is irrelavent as I will be paying out of state fees at Michigan. Right now debating the issues of:

1) "big college" experience vs. "ivy league" experience
2) Ann Arbor vs. NYC (closeness to home as well)
3) integrated curr. vs. traditional didactics
4) Differences in research grants (opportunities?)

Honestly, I can see myself at either school and be pretty satisfied, but probably have some regrets turning down the other school; which is why I'm in this dilemma. So far I haven't really gotten really compelling reasons from students to attend Michigan aside from "IT'S MICHIGAN!!!!!!! WOLVERINES!!!!!!!". Any input is appreciated 🙂 .

I'm leaning towards Michigan. There are ways to change your residency after your first year.

They're both big colleges. At Michigan, you can attend the football games and other sporting events, since Ann Arbor is a college town. The city's just okay, but it's a college town. The get-togethers will be more close-knit. Harlem's not "NYC" as we all think of it. The ivy league experience you're referring to is on 64th street or so, not 168th. Besides, the ivy league experience is more inter-school activities, those activities between Harvard-Penn-Columbia. I'm not sure they exist

Research experience is good at all schools. Yet, the greatest dental research is usually done outside the university setting. You may have to seek a private company anyway.

Besides, the Michigan curriculum is much more relaxed, while Columbia is hardcore. I think I'll be happier taking it somewhat easy the next 4 years. I highly value personal tranquility.

 

[claydds]

I'm leaning towards Michigan. There are ways to change your residency after your first year.

.

Out of state=out of state all 4 years

 

[INFNITE]

They're both big colleges. At Michigan, you can attend the football games and other sporting events, since Ann Arbor is a college town. The city's just okay, but it's a college town. The get-togethers will be more close-knit. Harlem's not "NYC" as we all think of it. The ivy league experience you're referring to is on 64th street or so, not 168th. Besides, the ivy league experience is more inter-school activities, those activities between Harvard-Penn-Columbia. I'm not sure they exist

still, even though Columbia is located at 168th street, people go downtown all the time. It's extremely convenient too. Just hop on the A train (express) and you'll be in midtown within 20 minutes. If you enjoy city life, go to Columbia, if you enjoy a more college like atmosphere, go to Michigan.

 

[prez_al]

Thanks for your input guys!

My undergrad institution wasn't a "big college" nor was it in a city like NYC so either place will be a new experience for me.

Idiots, by any chance do you remember whether at UMich you get your own operatory (since we're split into the four colours)??

Infinite, at Columbia, how well do the dental students fit in with the med students there (do they ever work together as the Deans suggest)??

 

[harvarddent]

I'm leaning towards Michigan. There are ways to change your residency after your first year.

They're both big colleges. At Michigan, you can attend the football games and other sporting events, since Ann Arbor is a college town. The city's just okay, but it's a college town. The get-togethers will be more close-knit. Harlem's not "NYC" as we all think of it. The ivy league experience you're referring to is on 64th street or so, not 168th. Besides, the ivy league experience is more inter-school activities, those activities between Harvard-Penn-Columbia. I'm not sure they exist

Research experience is good at all schools. Yet, the greatest dental research is usually done outside the university setting. You may have to seek a private company anyway.

Besides, the Michigan curriculum is much more relaxed, while Columbia is hardcore. I think I'll be happier taking it somewhat easy the next 4 years. I highly value personal tranquility.

Unless someone has visited a place for over a week period, they don't have the right of commenting on the life at somewhere. Michigan is generally a more boring town, not to mention, not everyone is into the football game, and the football game is not year long.

 

[cryptozoologist]

I lived in Ann Arbor for 25 years, now live in portland, or. ROCK SOLID town. Lots to do, lots of great restaurants, lots of interesting grad students that like to party. med, dent, law, business...you name it, you'll run into all them on the weekends at the handful of bars they frequent.

college sports are fun...BIGTIME college sports are a lifestyle...and mich has it all seasons: Football Fall, Winter Hockey and Basketball, Spring...well it's spring...the weather gets nice so nobody cares about sports...

Mich is a school parralleled by only a small handful of public dental schools. Specifically I've heard all these schools say they are each others peers: UNC, Mich, Texas SA, Washington, UCSF...with respect to research, quality of education, clinical, faculty. the fact that all these places also correspond to kickass towns is also helpful.

as for the comments regarding 'getting instate later'...they are partially true. If your parents/inlaws live in Michigan and have done so for a long time, you can probably get residency. secondarily, if you own a home in your home state and have a spouse that works...clearly coming to michigan dental means you are severing 'outofstate ties' with selling your home and spouse quiting job, and potentially cementing them in michigan (with a house purchase and a working spouse in state.) These are circumstances that help to demonstrate residency...it's still not a shoe-in and some would say difficult at best...but it is possible via these limited paths.

 

[shamrock84]

i wouldn't pick michigan

 

[BallDontLie]

Ive actually attended both schools (went to Michigan for undergrad), so I think I can be of some help here...

1) "big college" experience vs. "ivy league" experience

you will not get the "big college" experience as a dental student. the big college experience is about living in a dorm with 100's of other students, meeting all kinds of new people, joining various clubs, getting drunk and going out on a weeknight when you have way to much work to get done, etc..basically a bunch of things you will not have time for as a dental student. You are in class with the same 100 people everyday from 9-5. Yes, you will have football saturdays (which is awesome by the way), going to bars/clubs friday and saturday night, but the college experience youre thinking of wont exist M-F. "ivy league" experience?? not really sure what youre getting at there..id just remove that ivy label from your thought process..it really doesnt matter. Besides, michigan and columbia are both pretty big names so it shouldnt be a factor in your decision

2) Ann Arbor vs. NYC (closeness to home as well)

NYC gets the nod here. Ann Arbor is great, but the appeal is pretty much big football weekends. If youre into sports, theres plenty of pro sports in new york, you wont miss out there. You can do the bar/club scene in both cities, you will have more options in NYC, but honestly after a while all the bars are the same, so its a wash in my opinion. Besides, drinking and going out is great and all, but if youre not in the mood to get ****faced, then what else is there to do? In AA, not much...in ny? i think its obvious....

3) integrated curr. vs. traditional didactics

intergrated curriculum? do u mean the IMS at michigan? If so, we have a similar class here at columbia...its called sciences basic to the practice of dentistry (SBPD). It covers cell bio, molecular bio, genetics, physiology, histology + lab, , immunology, endocrinology, etc...im sure theres more, but i cant recall right now. If you want more info PM me and ill dig up a syllabus to send u. If you want the same for the IMS at michigan, let me know...a few of my friends are D1s at michigan..ill see if i can get one for u

4) Differences in research grants (opportunities?)

Cant really comment with any certainty since im not interested in research. I do know there are ample opportunities at both schools since they both tend to focus on didactics more than clinical. Michigan probably has a slight edge in this category since they are so hardcore about it, but dont get me wrong, Columbia has plenty of opportunites if youre interested.

One last thing...the difference in cost of living might not be as big as you think, especially if you get university housing at columbia. My rent is actually slightly cheaper at columbia than what I paid in ann arbor. Of course the overall cost of living is cheaper in Ann Arbor, but the difference isnt as big as some people make it out to be.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions...Good luck!