Columbia or UOP?

Started by zazzookode
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zazzookode

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I have narrowed it down to these choices. I like Columbia for the name, chance to specialize, and NYC. I like UOP for the 3 year plan, fun atmosphere and clinical skills.

I really want to be an orthodontist. And I heard it's easier coming out of Columbia than UOP?

Only thing that worries me about Columbia is that the in-class competition could be rough since it attracts it's fair share of gunners. And students are pretty much people who couldn't get into Harvard.
 
Columbia for sure if u want to be an orthodontist. Most ppl go to UOP because they want to do general and get out in 3 yrs to work fast.

Columbia will send u to ortho. Not sure about UOP.
 
If you are sure that you want to go into Ortho I would have to side with Tinker Bell. Every dental school is hard, but going to Columbia might increase your chances.

DesiDentist
 
For what it's worth, I shadowed an ortho who graduated from UOP dental. Of course, that was prolly close to ten years ago that he graduated...
But he was an orthodontist after just 5 yrs of school! pretty sweet, huh?

Oh, and another thing. This guy was in a partnership with a general dentist. The general dentist went on a trip to China for a few weeks so the ortho covered for him. I wasn't in a position to judge the quality of his work, but he was almost just as fast as the general dentist - even after all those years of doing ortho. And he was much more gentle with the patients.

I know anecdotes don't count for much, just thought I'd share.
 
Just remember that if you want to go into Ortho you must be in the top 10 or 15 percent of your class (and of course do well on the boards Part I). Since most of the students who enter Columbia wants to specialize it'll be more competitive there. Just ask yourself if you can deal with and do well in a cut-throat atmosphere.
 
To specialize in Ortho, there will be a lot of competition to place in the top 10 % of the class at either schools. However, Columbia does send more of it's students into specialty and has a high matching rate ~90%.
 
If I were you, I would attend the school with the lowest calibre of students if you really want to do orthodontistry. You need to be ranked at the top of your class. And if you are attending a school like Columbia or UOP, it will be just that much harder to finish at the top. It will be difficult to finish at the top at any dental school. But let's be realistic. Political correctness aside, I think it would be easier to finish at the top at a school like Nova versus Columbia. It may not be that much easier, but I think the difference would be signficant. I could be wrong. And if someone wants to indicate how I'm wrong, I'm all ears. It's just my opinion at this point. I don't have as much information as others.
 
I dunno which school is better for specializing. Many dental students start off wanting to specialize and change their mind as they go along. I am not saying you will change your mind but it's a possiblity as you learn more about dentistry. UOP is an awesome school and the faculty takes really great care of their students. Everyone there is like a one big family. I am fortuate to have met many UOP alumni's and D3's. So far everyone I have talked to really enjoys UOP. So far I gathered 3 important things about UOP, excellent training in clinical skills (chances to do many complicated oral surgeries before graduation), 3 yr period and very friendly and approachable faculties. UOP has an open house next sat day, if you are around bay area, I highly recommend you checking out their facility.

Mary
 
yo zazz,

SDOS Class of 2002 Match Results:

OMFS 6
ENDO 2
ORTHO 3
PED.DENT. 7
PED/Ortho combined 1
PERIO 3
PROSTH 0
GPR 31
AEGD 7
Rest = private practice, uniformed svcs, other.

From a typical graduating class of 75 students, seventy-three
successfully competed for post-doc education placement (class of 98). 6 went directly into OMFS training programs. In most US dental schools, approx. one out of every four grads enter post-doc studies.

UOP & SDOS, both great schools with each having its pros and cons. good luck.
 
zazzookode -

Hi! I'll chime my 2cents here. I believe that stats are only as good as each individual. What I mean is that people can throw stats at you about how many students match into specialties all day long.

In the end, it says little about YOUR chances. Remember that those matching in specialties worked extremely hard to get in...no matter what school. In my opinion, it was not the school's name/prestige that got them to this point.

And even if a school's name is taken into account.....it would probably be the committees lowest priority. I doubt that any program would pass up a more qualified candidate just because they did not attend a "better known" school.

So......if you think you can get the best grades and highest scores at Columbia....then go there. If not, go to UOP. Sorry, I don't mean to make your decision sound so simple, but this is exactly what I thought about when I was choosing schools.

Remember that it's all about your grades/rank, NBDE I score, research experiences, and networking skills that will determine whether you match into a specialty. Ask around and see what others have to say....especially dental students and those already in a specialty program to get a well-rounded perspective. They will provide the most accurate picture for you. Ultimately, it's your decision. Best of luck to you!
 
I'm pulling away from Columbia. I'm not one of these pre-dents who want to do anything other than GP. You know the type I'm talking about. They don't feel like being a GP is good enough so they want to attend a school that will give them the best chances of specializing. I'm not one of the people. I want to be an orthodontist. Becoming a preriodontist or a pediatric dentist is a not a substitute in my opinion. I would rather be a GP than one of these fields. I'm not worried about the stigma of becoming a GP.

You guys made me realize that class rank is the most important thing. Anyone can study and do well on the boards. But having a high class rank is what pretty much determines your fate. So I need to attend a school in which I have a realistic chance of placing in the top 10%.

I need to check out Nova. 🙂
 
Quotes:
"So......if you think you can get the best grades and highest scores at Columbia....then go there. If not, go to UOP. Sorry, I don't mean to make your decision sound so simple, but this is exactly what I thought about when I was choosing schools"

I disagree with the above statement. I believe that there are some students with super stats go to UOP. Every year, UOP gives out about 20 scholarships to outstanding students. Compete with those smart kids is not an easy task to say, let go to UOP so you can have high class rank. I don't believe that is the case.....At least Juan on this board, will go to UOP, and he has awesome stats. And it's not easy to rank higher than him.

Everywhere you go, there will be some very smart kids ready to kick your ass. So, you have to be prepared to be tough. Even at NOVA, AZ, and etc.....Someone else on the Arizona post said that there is a student who denied UCSF and HARVARD to go to AZ. So, don't think that going to school like AZ or UOP will increase your chance of having high rank in the class. Because you'll have to compete with those smart kids. There will be at least 10 of them, regardless where you are heading.

Besides, UOP is big, having 135 students in the class. And my guess is that at least 30 of them will be very ready to kick a$$ as soon as they start. Don't believe me? Wait until July and you tell me.

Board scores, class rank and research are what sending you into specialty. You have to weight out your options at all these.....
But let me tell you, class rank is not the only factor. Because not all the top ranking students will go to ortho. They do endo and pedo, so you can always move up. Board scores is it. You take the test only once, you pass, the score sticks with you. It's not like DAT that you can repeat and get the high enough scores to get in.
Columbia is so good in preparing for the first two year, hence board I, that's why they have sent so many students into specialty.
 
Tinkerbell-

I think you have misunderstood what I have said. I do not for one minute think that if zazzookode attends UOP he/she will not meet/compete with other high caliber students for specialty programs. UOP attracts its fair share of bright and talented students and it's obvious that zazzokode will encounter these folks at ANY dental school. I for one will be trying to match into an endo program....so I know.

What I was suggesting is simply to attend a school he/she thinks would do well in. I know my personality and the type of environment I excel in....and with that, made my decision to attend UOP. My advice for zazzokode is just that. What kind of environment do you see yourself succeeding in?

I bring this up since the original poster mentioned it:

I have narrowed it down to these choices. I like Columbia for the name, chance to specialize, and NYC. I like UOP for the 3 year plan, fun atmosphere and clinical skills.
Click to expand...

So.....will the name, chance to specialize, and NYC get you where you want to be? Or will the 3 year plan, fun atmosphere, and clinical skills get you into a specialty program? That's it.....

Like I said in my original post, it's all up to the individual whether he/she matches into a program. I never said that he/she would not encounter competition at either school. Just that as for me, the environment plays a big part on whether I do well or not. I wanted to know if zazzokode is the same way.

If you still disagree after reading this, then I apologize. You definately have the right to disagree. Just wanted to clear things up, just in case.
 
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