For The Record

[Mo007]

I have seen so many people on these threads, struggling to decide which school is better to accept, and highlighting some negative points on certain schools just because they read crazy stuff on SDN ... whether its the Cost of Tuition, Bad Neighborhood or as simple as "UGLY Chics" - Its funny what people bring up to turn down a school.

Schools don't make great students, rather, the students are what make schools great. If you've been offered few spots, chances are that you're a great student anyways and you're going to do well no matter where you go. In fact, you'll probably have a better chance to stand out equally from all those schools you have been accepted, while a rejection could simply have been due to a state school with a lot of BS requirements for out-state applicants (TEXAS and CALIFORNIA schools).

Since a lot of you are dreaming to SPECIALISE, If you do well in school (at any school) chances are you're going to match at the residency of your choice. There's nothing like graduating from a Dental School w/o any debt (Thanks to schools like BU and NYU for setting a trend). You'll actually be able to make an informed choice and go into any field you want without the "monkey" of debt hanging on your shoulders forcing you to pursue something just for the sake of $ and being able to pay off your loan. But I'm sure if you asked many post-grads, they'd tell you to go to a school where you'll graduate debt free. It's only in retrospect when you realize that your $200K+ loan + plus interest could have bought you a nice home... and that custom made M3 you probaly went to Dental School for in the first place.

I wouldnt mind, and it would probably not a make a difference, if I graduated from Arizona, Indiana or Harvard (which I think are equally good in many aspects), as long as I know I am prepared to do my best... and care less about what others think.

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[UMDeeMan]

i agree, let everyone fight about getting into harvard and columbia. that means more open spots (but still saturated with applicants) for me at Minnesota, Ohio St, etc when i apply in 3 years.

and chicks are a huge factor. hopefully i can meet mrs. right during dschool.

 

[gryffindor]

Great advice Mo007; I thought I read the same advice somewhere on the allopathic board earlier tonight... Anyway, it's still very applicable to dentistry and makes a lot of sense.

Something I noticed over on DentalTown - almost none of the dentists have their alma mater dental school listed in their signature. If you ask, they'll tell you where they went and if they liked it or not - some of them are incredibly bitter about dental school and being 2 months from graduation, I completely understand why. Instead, they have their dental practice address or website or some witty saying in the signature.

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by griffin04
Great advice Mo007; I thought I read the same advice somewhere on the allopathic board earlier tonight... Anyway, it's still very applicable to dentistry and makes a lot of sense.

Something I noticed over on DentalTown - almost none of the dentists have their alma mater dental school listed in their signature. If you ask, they'll tell you where they went and if they liked it or not - some of them are incredibly bitter about dental school and being 2 months from graduation, I completely understand why. Instead, they have their dental practice address or website or some witty saying in the signature.

Precisely.

 

[blankguy]

But guys. If people don't find someway to discriminate between schools how are they going to choose if all schools make you decent dentist at the very least? It may seem flaky but what if you didn't like the type of crowd that a particular school has??

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by blankguy
But guys. If people don't find someway to discriminate between schools how are they going to choose if all schools make you decent dentist at the very least?

That's where you're wrong. All schools don't make you a decent dentist. In fact, none do.

The student makes themselves a decent dentist, and all schools provide the minimum facilities and education for such a goal.

And that's the OPs point: students create their own future.

Further, you are correct that there need to be some discriminating points when applying to schools. The OPs comment was that Board scores or residency matches don't always matter. Simply said: just because somebody else matched into a program doesn't mean you will. And conversely, just because not many matched into a program doesn't mean you won't.

Go where you feel comfortable, but also keep in mind that paying more $$ doesn't get you more of a dental degree. It just gets you more loan consolidation.

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by ItsGavinC
Go where you feel comfortable, but also keep in mind that paying more $$ doesn't get you more of a dental degree. It just gets you more loan consolidation.

You will be suprised to see how many people dont take that point into consideration. Many believe that some schools are just ment for the FINEST students, and they simply fetch the ivy leagues ($50K-$60K) - which in my opinion are bunch of clueless hopefuls.

The real business starts by making the right choice with the right school for you. Gavin is right, a balance between minimum costs and maximum comfort is always the smarter decision.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by Mo007
You will be suprised to see how many people dont take that point into consideration. Many believe that some schools are just ment for the FINEST students, and they simply fetch the ivy leagues ($50K-$60K) - which in my opinion are bunch of clueless hopefuls.

In the case of dental school you're correct. This isn't law school (where the Trilogy of Harvard, Standford and Yale reign supreme), it isn't business school (where Wharton is a superior education) and it isn't medical school (where rankings are based on research funding).

 

[bryan45876]

and chicks are a huge factor. hopefully i can meet mrs. right during dschool.

I agree with you UMDeeMan, finding a girl is up there on my priority list too, maybe I should consider UCLA??

Something I noticed over on DentalTown - almost none of the dentists have their alma mater dental school listed in their signature.

Does anyone know what the answer to this question is?

"In dentistry, what does the 'O' in MOD stand for?"

Apparently, you need that to login over at Dental Town.

 

[Mo007]

What's with you guys and the serious search for spouses from your dental school? - Why not explore other professions - Pharmacy chics are by far the hottest girls in any profession... even though they make less $$ than a Dental Chic would, I could care less what her profession is - as long as I find her SEX-C! and SEX-ESSFUL.

 

[trypmo]

Ironically, it was only when I had stopped actively looking for a partner that I found my spouse.

I say pursue what you love to do and the chicks/guys/life-partners/whatevers will follow.

But of course that's easy for me to say, right? I know it's not that easy!

 

[bryan45876]

I guess I need to elaborate on my last post. I didn't mean that I want my wife to be a dentist or even to have a career related to dentisty at all (I think a teacher or nurese would be awesome). What I did mean is that I'm going to put a lot of thought about a d school's location, how many students are there, and wheter or not they have a large under grad population or not. I also think being by the ocean would be a big plus too.

 

[bryan45876]

I say pursue what you love to do . . .

What if what I love to do is chicks?!

 

[ShawnOne]

Originally posted by bryan45876

Does anyone know what the answer to this question is?

"In dentistry, what does the 'O' in MOD stand for?"

Apparently, you need that to login over at Dental Town.

occlusal

 

[trypmo]

Originally posted by bryan45876
What if what I love to do is chicks?!

whatever

 

[sxr71]

I'd have to say that dating a classmate is a risky proposition at best - for a few obvious reasons.


It helps to keep in mind that we are going to be attending professional school, with the tacit understanding that a professional demeanor is expected from us at all times. Dating a classmate creates the potential for many scenarios that make it quite difficult for many to maintain the required professional demeanor.

However, I think it is possible to pull it off if you have two mature individuals who can successfully handle the complex issues involved. Ironically, it is most likely that the ones who tend to show the most outward and constant interest in "hooking up" during dental school are most likely the ones who will not be able to successfully handle those complex issues.

 

[UMDeeMan]

what i meant is that i will be at a point in my life in dschool (hopefully) where there will be some stability. right now as an undergrad, i don't really want to get into anything serious for many reasons.

1) the allocation of time to school, work, girlfriend, fun just would be too difficult. there isn't enough time in a week for all of that for me

2) I could be in nevada, minnestoa, florida, massachussetts, california, michigan, etc 3 years from now. i dont hvae faith that i would find a woman strong enough to follow me as i pursue dentistry.

3) i'm a career guy. i want a good career started before i get seriously invloved/marry/have kids.

4) i'm the best boyfriend a lady can have. that requires the time, money, and affection i dont have to give at this moment. i give it all in a relationship, but right now my relationship is with chem, physics, physiology, etc..

i know this may sound shallow and all that stuff but i'm just extremely focused on getting into dschool and i dont want to make the path and tougher than it is. i barely party anymore and i study on many saturday nights (well 50%) instead of going out getting crunked and hooking up. i wasted my first year of college doing that and i'm getting myself out of the hole i dug back then. if becoming a dentist was easy everyone would do it, and they would be wasted while doing it.

 

[Mo007]

4) i'm the best boyfriend a lady can have. that requires the time, money, and affection i dont have to give at this moment. i give it all in a relationship, but right now my relationship is with chem, physics, physiology, etc..

Dude,

You need a seat at Oprah.

 

[UMDeeMan]

i dont get it? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

i usually can get witty comments and such, but i don't get this one.

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by UMDeeMan
i dont get it? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

i usually can get witty comments and such, but i don't get this one.

, I just thought you said things as if you will be isolated forever.

I was just kidding by the way, dont sweat it.

 

[UMDeeMan]

it's all good, i can take jokes

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by UMDeeMan
it's all good, i can take jokes

So, which schools have you applied to? we might be kicking it together at DS1.

 

[UMDeeMan]

i've got a while yet till i apply mo007. i won't be applying until 2007 (2 years of undergrad left and then taking a year off to gain experience, DAT, shadowing, etc). I'm just trying to get as much info as possible as early as i can. But when that time does come, here are my choices in some order.

Fav's : UMinn, UNLV, NOVA, Marquette (my state school, but one of the admissions guys told me i would have a tough time with a couple jc credits, basically he said i couldn't get in because of that), Nebraska, Michigan, Arizona, Boston

Maybe : Columbia, Indiana, Southern Illinois, UCLA