Detroit Mercy vs. BU

[Habslive]

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So I've been accepted to BU, with a chance to complete the application for Detroit Mercy. I really don't feel like doing it since it wasn't high on my list of schools initially, but I've been hearing good things about it. The flipside is that I don't know if I can really envision myself living in Detroit for four years. I know BU is more expensive, but I've accepted the fact that I'll be in a lot of debt no matter where I go (unless I can get accepted here in Canada).


Can a current UDM student or Detroit resident offer some insight into what city life is like in Detroit? Do you feel safe? I may be stereotyping, but stereotypes are often brought about from real observations.

Did anyone get accepted into one of their top choices before they heard back from schools lower down on their list? Did you still go through with the second application?

Thanks in advance.

 

[bassplayer400]

Hey!

I will be starting at UDM in the fall so I might be a little help to you. I also was accepted to a school that was higher on my list initially(Case), but after my interview at UDM and talking to a bunch of dentists I decided to attend UDM. The students, faculty, clinical experience, and out reach programs at UDM pretty much changed my mind. UDM was lower on my list initially mainly because of the whole having to live in Detroit thing. There are a bunch of really nice suburbs that are about 15-20min away from the school where most of the students live. I am going to live in Royal Oak which is a really nice safe town with a sweet downtown full of coffee shops, bars, clubs, live music, and other businesses. It sounds like a fun place to live even though I won't have much free time to enjoy it. The school is also really close to the expressway so you don't have to ghetto cruise a long way to get to it. Plus its surrounded by an iron fence and they have security guards! ha ha Well I hope this helps a bit. Good luck with your choice!

 

[Thaxil]

I always entered the city and left the city with at less a halve a tank of gas. Maintain your car and have good tires. :Last thing you want to do is break down in Detroit. Also, we all know the city is bad, but so are your classmates. I have lived in some poor areas, but have never been rob from as much as I experienced from other students. Do not leave anything out that you don’t want to loose. I was just astounded at other students robbing each other.

 

[bassplayer400]

I always entered the city and left the city with at less a halve a tank of gas. Maintain your car and have good tires. :Last thing you want to do is break down in Detroit. Also, we all know the city is bad, but so are your classmates. I have lived in some poor areas, but have never been rob from as much as I experienced from other students. Do not leave anything out that you don’t want to loose. I was just astounded at other students robbing each other.

Wow looks like someone had a bad experience and is a bit bitter. I can tell you care about your classmates by accusing them of stealing. You might want to work on those people skills before you start practicing. I hear they are important in dentistry.... 👍

 

[Spencer Brown]

Before recently moving to California 7 months ago, I have lived in the metro Detroit area (Troy, about 30 minutes away) my entire life. Like any other big city, there are parts of Detroit that you do not want to be at night. I went down there on a regular basis without feeling or being physically threatened. I have never worried about my car breaking down in Detroit, getting a flat tire, or stranded there. I'm not saying that I'm not aware of my surroundings when I go down there at certain times but its no different than any other big city. That being said, Boston would obviously be a more fun city to live in during dental school. I am not making that argument. Detroit does not have a downtown atmosphere where people hang out like other big cities. The metro area has many nice areas (Grosse Pointe, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, Rochester, Troy, etc.) that are just as safe as any city in the nation. Plus, being a native of Canada (speaking of stereotypes) I'm sure you would enjoy living in Hockeytown with the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

 

[shoombol tallah]

I would go to BU and wouldn't think twice about it. Boston is one of the coolest cities in the country and living there for four years would be an experience you'd never forget.

 

[vegeboy]

Hey, I am kind of in the same situation. I have been accepted to both BU and Detroit and now I have to make a decision about where to go. I am also from Toronto so I was thinking that Detroit would be a better option since its so close by. Also the school and faculty seem pretty nice and the clinics there are amazing, very up to date. Boston would be a nice place to live and I think I would have a more enjoyable time there but its so damn expensive. So I dont know what to do. I think I will give it a couple of days and then make my decision.

 

[sdooner30]

Like above, the surburbs of Detroit are really safe and a great place to live. And the school with its fence and secruity makes it feel safe when you're in school. However, Detroit city itself is a really bad city, with lots poverity-stricken people and crime. So just be smart and don't wander around the area around the school, especially at night or you'll be asking for trouble. And I don't know if you heard, but the city was pretty corrupt when Detroit mayor kwame kilpatrick was in office. Hopefully with the new election, the city will get a good mayor that can get the city going again. That being said, since there are so many underserved communities, it provides good patient base.

And I don't know anything about BU, just would imagine that there would be lots more to do in Boston than in Detroit.