First Educational Pathway Costing 1 Million in Debt

[Silent Cool]

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I was looking at the cost of attendance at USC and realized that if one has 50K of undergrad debt, attends USC dental, goes to a GPR and then becomes an orthodontist at USC's Ortho grad program, that person will have >1 million in student loans. There it is, folks. A cool one million to be an orthodontist at USC. That must deserve an award or something. It has to be a first.
Tweedy, do you want to chime in? Maybe you could ask your USC-alum wife: is that too rich for your blood? Or hers?

Interested in all responses.

 

[Silent Cool]

I was looking at the cost of attendance at USC and realized that if one has 50K of undergrad debt, attends USC dental, goes to a GPR and then becomes an orthodontist at USC's Ortho grad program, that person will have >1 million in student loans. There it is, folks. A cool one million to be an orthodontist at USC. That must deserve an award or something. It has to be a first.
Tweedy, do you want to chime in? Maybe you could ask your USC-alum wife: is that too rich for your blood? Or hers?

Interested in all responses.

BTW, this also assumes 7.3% interest.

 

[txaggie03]

yup. there are lots of bad choices to make in life.

 

[ortho lurker]

There's a sucker born every minute. 🙂

 

[88845]

That debt level is clearly beyond the pale. I get nervous thinking about any professional degree costing over $250K w/interest.

 

[magriva]

That's why I love texas schools. We get excellent education with affordable tuition.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[DrJeff]

Mistake #1 - why they heck is that hypothetical person so hell bent on going to a private school for their entire education?? In all seriousness I probably get asked where I went to dental school and/or undergrad less than 10 times a year (and my degrees AREN'T hanging in my operatories/waiting room/etc - they're not even in my office, they're at my home)

Mistake #2 - who going into ortho does a GPR?? That's going to be a very small percentage, and i'm guessing that most ortho residents that have done a GPR, then went into private practice for a few years before deciding that they wanted to go into ortho - and even then many of those GP's have probably already realized that they can do most cases with a combo of invisalign and/or ortho CE without having to go through a few years of residency

Mistake #3 - guesses that that person would likely try and not live within their means while racking up that much debt, and then once they get out into practice continue to live beyond their means??

 

[Seahawk]

Hypothetical person might in fact be a *****.

 

[Silent Cool]

Hypothetical person might in fact be a *****.

The sad thing is that that price tag isn't much beyond what it would cost at a range of other private institutions.

 

[thewingman]

Hypothetical person might in fact be a *****.

So are most people that end up going to these ridiculously prices schools.

It will be hilarious watching these schools shut down once students actually start saying, "FU, I am just going to medical school."

 

[yappy]

How about this alternative plan?

No UG debt --> 170k for state DS --> Mayo ortho @ 40k Stipend / yr.

 

[Silent Cool]

How about this alternative plan?

No UG debt --> 170k for state DS --> Mayo ortho @ 40k Stipend / yr.

Yappy,

That's a great idea. Unfortunately, I would say a good half of people in dental school can't do that. A high percentage of dental schools are private, and almost no or ortho programs pay a stipend.

 

[GTFOOMICT]

How about this alternative plan?

No UG debt --> 170k for state DS --> Mayo ortho @ 40k Stipend / yr.

A smokin deal

Also baylor and vandy ortho I believe.

 

[88845]

How about this alternative plan?

No UG debt --> 170k for state DS --> Mayo ortho @ 40k Stipend / yr.

Winning! That's the yellow brick road right there.

 

[Seahawk]

How about this alternative plan?

No UG debt --> 170k for state DS --> Mayo ortho @ 40k Stipend / yr.

Yap has is right!



Mine is the same (minus ortho)!

So are most people that end up going to these ridiculously prices schools.

It will be hilarious watching these schools shut down once students actually start saying, "FU, I am just going to medical school."

Either that, or they will still go, then get on SDN and complain about how dentistry sucks. Oh wait...

 

[jmh018]

Yappy,

That's a great idea. Unfortunately, I would say a good half of people in dental school can't do that. A high percentage of dental schools are private, and almost no or ortho programs pay a stipend.

I think iowa gives a small stipend as well.

 

[yappy]

Thanks for the support! I agree that tuition is crazy right now; but, I think one can still be successful if you anticipate / accommodate for the debt. Like many people on the board I busted my *** to get into my state school that will run me a reasonable price (in my view).

The only reason I pointed out Mayo with the stipend was to show that there are paths that alleviate debt but no one is entitled to them - they're competitive as hell. If I had gotten into a really expensive school I would have followed through with HPSP... especially if I wanted something like ortho.

Yap has is right!



Mine is the same (minus ortho)!





Either that, or they will still go, then get on SDN and complain about how dentistry sucks. Oh wait...

 

[yappy]

Thanks!

Congratulations on your acceptance, yappy!

 

[ncamc]

I wish I could just make my ug debt dissappear haha. And I went to a state school

 

[txaggie03]

That's why I love texas schools. We get excellent education with affordable tuition.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

You need to give credit where credit is due.

You need to thank the Texas tax payer for picking up a large portion of your tuition.


Our tuition isn't cheap "just because".

 

[Silent Cool]

Mistake #1 - why they heck is that hypothetical person so hell bent on going to a private school for their entire education?? In all seriousness I probably get asked where I went to dental school and/or undergrad less than 10 times a year (and my degrees AREN'T hanging in my operatories/waiting room/etc - they're not even in my office, they're at my home)

Mistake #2 - who going into ortho does a GPR?? That's going to be a very small percentage, and i'm guessing that most ortho residents that have done a GPR, then went into private practice for a few years before deciding that they wanted to go into ortho - and even then many of those GP's have probably already realized that they can do most cases with a combo of invisalign and/or ortho CE without having to go through a few years of residency

Mistake #3 - guesses that that person would likely try and not live within their means while racking up that much debt, and then once they get out into practice continue to live beyond their means??

I don't think anyone is hellbent on attending USC or any other private school. Instead, it is the only option for many people unless they want to re-apply.

RE: attending a GPR, many applicants from what I understand do this or work for a year because they didn't get in to their Ortho program the first time applying.

 

[coolslugs]

No UG debt --> HPSP: free for private DS --> military ortho @ 70-85k / yr.

 

[Silent Cool]

No UG debt --> HPSP: free for private DS --> military ortho @ 70-85k / yr.

Military Ortho pays you that much as a stipend during training?

 

[coolslugs]

Military Ortho pays you that much as a stipend during training?

Yes you get your normal paycheck as a dentist in the military during residency.