Decision:Accepted to In-State Public vs. Out of State Private (sort-of)

[torellibiker]

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Well, I've been really fortunate to have been accepted to both my instate school, UT Memphis, and Temple. Here's the connundrum: I really liked Temple when I interviewed, but it costs $100K more than UT plus the higher cost of living in the NE and additional moving/travel expenses. Almost everyone I have spoken with has said, go with the cheapest school, because this is the first business investment to make when entering the field. I imagine I would not see a return on investment in paying the 100K more to go to Temple, but it is a good school and I would rather be in Philly than in Memphis. Can anyone throw out their opinion?

 

[ElectraOnAzalea]

Well, I've made basically the same decision. I was accpeted to Nova, NYU, and WVU on Nov 30th. While i've been waiting my entire life to get out of West Virginia, it just doesn't seem financially responsible to spend an extra 100K (not even including interest) just to move somewhere else. If I've read it once I've read it 5,000 times, All US dental schools are accredited and will provide you basically the same eduction. Dental school is a foundation, there is so much learning that will happen after you graduate anyway.

The only thing that really bothered me when making this decision was thinking about my happiness for the four years i'll be in dental school. If you're miserable you probably will not do well in dental school. I don't want to be thinking "what if" for those four years. I also don't want to limit the things i can pursue in the future though by having an enormous amount of debt that could have easily been avoided.

Basically, it just comes down to the question are Temple and Philly worth 100K+ to you? Do you think you would thrive there? Do you think you would regret going to UT?

 

[UCSF2012]

Memphis could actually be more fun than Philly. I vote UT.

 

[kevin512]

I was accepted to NYU, Temple, and my home school UF. Right now I'm kinda regretting not going to Temple just because I am TIRED of Gainesville.

I am getting a Navy Scholarship so it really didn't matter where I went. If I went to NYU all my stipend money would go to rent without a question.

 

[caffeinehigh]

Well, I've been really fortunate to have been accepted to both my instate school, UT Memphis, and Temple. Here's the connundrum: I really liked Temple when I interviewed, but it costs $100K more than UT plus the higher cost of living in the NE and additional moving/travel expenses. Almost everyone I have spoken with has said, go with the cheapest school, because this is the first business investment to make when entering the field. I imagine I would not see a return on investment in paying the 100K more to go to Temple, but it is a good school and I would rather be in Philly than in Memphis. Can anyone throw out their opinion?

Stay in the region in which you plan to practice in... easier to pass the regional licensure exam with patients already established....

 

[gryffindor]

Go to the cheaper school. For those of you feeling trapped in your home state schools like I did, remember that after graduation you can do a 1 year paid residency (GPR or AEGD) anywhere in the country and have a chance to experience life somewhere else without taking on more debt. You can then come back home or stay away and start your career in private practice.

I was miserable in dental school but it only motivated me to do better so I could have every option open to me when I got out. However, dental students complain at every school so that's not such a good indicator of whether you will be happy or not. Now that I've been out for 3+ years, I don't regret going to my state school at all. I went on to specialize after dental school and that can mean more debt. The costs of starting/buying a practice are not cheap and it feels better knowing that I can consider taking a higher practice loan because my school loans are so low.

 

[litldime]

Hapiness is fleeting and is subjective. It is based on your attitude mostly which is something you can control. You have to make the best out of your situations. $100,000 is absolute. The government will want their money back

 

[jeezy]

what if it was 50,000

 

[toofshucker]

Hapiness is fleeting and is subjective. It is based on your attitude mostly which is something you can control. You have to make the best out of your situations. $100,000 is absolute. The government will want their money back

Go cheap and when you graduate and if you still want to live in the NE, take that $100,000 + interest and put that down on a house in the NE or even take that money and buy yourself a nice, nice car. Or be smart and live like a doctor 3-5 years before I get too. 😀😉

 

[litldime]

Go cheap and when you graduate and if you still want to live in the NE, take that $100,000 + interest and put that down on a house in the NE or even take that money and buy yourself a nice, nice car. Or be smart and live like a doctor 3-5 years before I get too. 😀😉

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