KDBuff said:
Another common misunderstanding is that UOP students get no breaks. We in fact get one month off every summer. It's hard to justify the price versus a state school, but the price is not much different than any other private school, plus you have an extra year of earning potential.
In addition, it would seem that some simply don't value the choice - of school, of curriculum and most importantly of location (which also includes alumni are going to be). If everyone went to their state schools they would in most cases have only one school to choose from. Private schools cost the around the same with a few exceptions, and they give you a lot more choice. You could extend this argument to undergrad as well, why wouldn't everyone go to their "default" school and save money. People choose private schools and pay more for all sorts of reasons. Making the assumption that everyone thinks like you (or having the belief that everyone
should think like you) is quite the narrow minded way to approach things.
There is a certain time value to saving a year that can help you get settled earlier, it can give you some extra time to enjoy life for some extra time without encumbrance. In terms of your career, it can allow you retire earlier or have an extra year at the prime of your career during which you should be earning a lot more than $120,000. In general less debt is better than no debt, but getting out of a crap town (pardon my French) is sometimes priceless.
In any case this shows the actual expected expense at UOP:
http://dental.uop.edu/finaid/DDS/cost_of_attendence.htm
The total for a single student
including inflation is $256,549. It will be slightly higher for students entering in 2004.
I don't know which state school has a four year cost of attendance of $80,000, but I know my school doesn't.