Hardest decision.... UPENN vs. Colorado

[Aladdin1]

So I've been racking my brain over this decision for quite sometime. I know the benefits of PENN (great established program) and I know the benefits of Colorado (decent up-coming program with better location in the country for me)

Projected costs
PENN: 1)$79,086 2)$79,565 3)$81,916 4)$79,399
Colorado:
w/ WICHIE: 1)$29,661 2)$25,869 3)$25,896 4)$24,146
w/out WICHE: 1)$52,769 2)$49,004 3)$49,004 4)$47,254


I used to tell myself if I received WICHIE it would be a no-brainer (choose Colorado financal), but now that I'm thinking about it... is it really a better decision?

I mean my state sucks on letting you know if you've received WICHIE funding, so it's almost like I need to make a blind decision on my SCHOOL before knowing if I receive WICHIE funding....

where and why would you spend the next 4 years, given my circumstance?

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[UCSF2012]

Col. ....or Penn on military scholarship.

 

[gijohn529]

I had an interview at Colorado and I have to say they get a 10/10 for their facilities. Dental students get treated like kings and queens. They really let you focus on dental skills... they take care of your supplies, booking patients, etc... while you do dental work. Don't forget your 52 student class size. I don't know much about UPenn but Colorado is pretty solid and I think you'll enjoy your years there.

Come to think of it, I don't know how the hell I got an interview there. I'm glad I did though.

 

[Quattro DMD]

Quick question for you. Its already June and you haven't decided which school. Does Arizona even have WICHIE money left at this point? I was under the impression that it was first come first serve for those that were at the top of the WICHIE list and they only have so much aid for so many first year dental students.

 

[DCRedskinsRule]

When does UPENN take the boards? I'm pretty sure CO students take them after the first year instead of the second year ( which doesn't make sense IMO)

 

[SugarNaCl]

Honestly, I would consider one of 2 things. 1. The expense, 2. Where you want to practice when you graduate. The school matters, but it seems any dental school in the US will make qualified dentists out of us...it is what you do after, that will define you in the profession.

The bottom line is this. If you don't care where you practice after, go for the less expensive school. If you do care, the regional boards are different (PA is NERB and CO is the western counterpart) The biggest inconvenience I would think, would be to go to PA and decide you want to practice out west and have to make clinical exam arrangements on the other side of the country (unless they accept NERB or the other way around...Im not sure)... unless of course you are planning on completing a GPR, AEGD or other specialty... then it also doesn't make a big difference.

 

[SugarNaCl]

When does UPENN take the boards? I'm pretty sure CO students take them after the first year instead of the second year ( which doesn't make sense IMO)

What doesn't make sense? VCU does the same thing. So instead of breaking our general sciences over the first 2 years, there is more time for clinical and field related experience (we take all of our gen. medical sciences first year). This past year (1st year), we already took Dental Anatomy, Gross Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology/ Immunology, Histology, Neuroanatomy, Pathology as well as dental (operative-- many hours of lab and lecture), clinical skills, lit review, perio etc. It was a really tough year, but now it's over and we are well prepared for boards.

I'm glad VCU does it this way... more time to focus on our future profession.

 

[Aladdin1]

Quick question for you. Its already June and you haven't decided which school. Does Arizona even have WICHIE money left at this point? I was under the impression that it was first come first serve for those that were at the top of the WICHIE list and they only have so much aid for so many first year dental students.

The Arizona Board of Leg. are a little slow when it comes to passing bills. From the information I have gathered, realistically there IS going to be money for AZ WICHIE (they just probably won't pass the budget till the last possible day)


But I guess it's an age old Question.... do you spend a lot of money and go to the IVY League? or do you choose to cash in at the local school and go on scholarship?

....one option gives you a better route to specialize, the other option means you'll have a better chance to specialize if you work to the top...

 

[UNR.Grad]

When does UPENN take the boards? I'm pretty sure CO students take them after the first year instead of the second year ( which doesn't make sense IMO)

It works for them, they ranked 6th in part 1 and 7th in part 2 last year.




To the OP: i don't know much about Penn but I have a buddy from undergrad who just finished his first year at Penn and loves it. As far as Colorado, I had a tough time turning Colorado down, they have an awesome program and CO is a great place to spend four years. My pros for Colorado were: class size, facilities, faculty, and location. The cons for me were: price (I was out-of-state nonwiche), mac computers (I've tried one and couldn't ever adjust), Aurora (the medical campus is amazing but the neighborhood is not, but in a few years it will be as well), and the possibility of a funding issue. I ended up going with UCLA for personal reasons, but I think I would have been just as happy at my other top choices, Colorado and UOP. Penn and Colorado are both great schools and you'll be a solid dentist either way.

A word of advice: once you make your choice, don't ever look back and think what if...