BU Oral Health vs. Rutgers GSBS in Newark - Need help deciding between the two Masters Programs!

[PhillipMacAvity]

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Hey guys. This is my first post ever! So I'm pretty torn between these two programs, and here's why. I am Pre-Dental and both of these programs offer the opportunity to take dental courses with their dental schools, which is a great opportunity. BU seems to be way more competitive, and also much more expensive. I also live in New York, and Newark is less than a 2-hour drive from home. Financially, Rutgers makes sense. But academically, I think Oral Health at BU would be advantageous. But how much advantageous? Is it worth the extra money? Is there a big difference in how dental schools view these MS programs? I hear GSBS at Rutgers has a 50% dental school matriculation rate, and Boston University's website on their Oral Health program states that they have an 80% matriculation rate. Granted, I have not yet heard back from Boston, but was accepted to Rutgers about two weeks ago, and have already sent in my deposit. I would love some feedback, especially from people who are in and/or have finished either of these programs. Thanks!

 

[sgv]

Fyi non-Ivy private schools get ripped here on SDN for being overpriced and for not being any better than state schools. SDN also tends to be more cost conscious and minimize debt as much as possible. Getting any Master's to get into dental school just sucks because you're wasting two years and several thousand dollars. So just stick with the cheapest option and get straight 4.0s. College names are insignificant and Master's names are probably even less significant.

 

[PhillipMacAvity]

Fyi non-Ivy private schools get ripped here on SDN for being overpriced and for not being any better than state schools. SDN also tends to be more cost conscious and minimize debt as much as possible. Getting any Master's to get into dental school just sucks because you're wasting two years and several thousand dollars. So just stick with the cheapest option and get straight 4.0s. College names are insignificant and Master's names are probably even less significant.

I would love to stick with the cheapest option of getting 4.0s but unfortunately I am graduating undergrad next month so it's a little late for that I'm afraid.

 

[PhillipMacAvity]

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[johnwestres]

Hey guys. This is my first post ever! So I'm pretty torn between these two programs, and here's why. I am Pre-Dental and both of these programs offer the opportunity to take dental courses with their dental schools, which is a great opportunity. BU seems to be way more competitive, and also much more expensive. I also live in New York, and Newark is less than a 2-hour drive from home. Financially, Rutgers makes sense. But academically, I think Oral Health at BU would be advantageous. But how much advantageous? Is it worth the extra money? Is there a big difference in how dental schools view these MS programs? I hear GSBS at Rutgers has a 50% dental school matriculation rate, and Boston University's website on their Oral Health program states that they have an 80% matriculation rate. Granted, I have not yet heard back from Boston, but was accepted to Rutgers about two weeks ago, and have already sent in my deposit. I would love some feedback, especially from people who are in and/or have finished either of these programs. Thanks!

While this is an absolutely valid point... keep in mind at BU you will be taking classes with dental/medical students and if you end up staying at BU for dental school you will be able to waive the class you took during your master's that were taught at the dental school (biochem/physio/micro) and you will be at an advantage for pathology when you take it in d-school since that is being taught with the medical school and therefore more indepth. And this will subsequently make your D1 year at BU much less stressful (if you do decide to stay). Worked for me... but yes it is expensive... so weigh the pros and cons and see what works for you.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Rutgers without a doubt. you get to take dental school courses and it's way cheaper. a lot of people get into BU from this program for dental school (and other dental schools, of course). you have a lot of opportunities to do research and you can do the 1, 1.5, and 2 year track. if you get into dental school but don't have the time to finish the masters at Rutgers, you can get a deferment. if you have 24 out of the 30 credits needed to graduate, and you get into dental school, and are crunched for time, you simply tell the program admins that you got in. you'll put your masters degree on hold, start dental school the following year, and back transfer 6 credits from dental school to the masters program after your first semester of dental school. then they'll award you a masters degree. of course, the dental school has to agree to it (every school that i talked to agreed to it when i applied).

people seem to forget that these masters programs are simply a means to an end. your ultimate goal is to get a dmd/dds, so why would you spend unnecessary amounts of money for a 1 year masters which probably doesn't mean much?

*edit: and if you do well in the masters courses at rutgers, you're exempt from them if you go to rutgers for dental school. only PRO of going to BU for the masters, is that given that you're more likely to get into BU for dental school (rutgers is a state school with less seats), the option of being exempt from classes as a d1 is higher. but of course, this is only if you're set on going to BU for dental school. if you don't care where you go, then it doesn't make a difference.