How Much Do Dental Students Usually Owe From Undergrad?

[AQUAA]

How much loans do dental students usually owe from attending undergrad? Is it bad to owe a lot before dental school? I'm trying to find out if it is a bad idea to borrow a lot for undergrad or does undergrad doesn't matter for dental school and I should choose a cheaper college instead for undergrad?

Thanks!

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[Dgeorg6]

$0 here

 

[mr24]

I owe zero as well. i went to a school no one knows about, but it was cheap. i advise you do the same. dental school is expensive enough, i would do everything you can to enter with as close to zero debt as possible.

 

[AQUAA]

Least amount of debt is good but isn't higher ranked schools better in preparing undergrads? If it helps, I'm deciding between Penn State and CUNY City College. I would love to dorm and don't want to stay at NYC for another 4 years but PSU didn't give any aid and I'm an OOS applicant.

@mr24, what school did you go to? Did you think it was difficult applying to dental schools b/c your college prob didn't have a good advising program for Pre-dental?

 

[GobBluth]

Where you go for undergrad really doesn't matter, as long as it's not a community/vocational college. It's where you get your Masters, Ph.D., doctorate, etc. that counts. And even then, in terms of dental school, it matters even less. Your patient pool will be determined by your location and your price/quality of care. Where you go for school is more about personal preferences, ability to pay, etc.

Go to a small, cheap school; excel; get into the dental school that you like the most (for whatever reason: location, cost, curriculum, etc.) and worry about being a good clinician, not the name of your school. In the end, you'll be the same as everyone else.

 

[AQUAA]

What if I don't get into dental school? I'm so worried that I think I should have a plan if I don't get accepted.

What is the maximum number of times I can apply to dental schools?

And I see some people saying their school for undergrad has a really 'good' Pre-dental program. Does that mean undergrad does matter in preparing for dental schools?

 

[Shnurek]

Least amount of debt is good but isn't higher ranked schools better in preparing undergrads? If it helps, I'm deciding between Penn State and CUNY City College. I would love to dorm and don't want to stay at NYC for another 4 years but PSU didn't give any aid and I'm an OOS applicant.

NYC sucks...leave while you can!

 

[AQUAA]

NYC sucks...leave while you can!

I saw your biography...

 

[TuckerT21]

60K due to being on 100% loans for undergrad. I'm pretty sure it does impact your borrowing power in dental school because you have a maximum amount of federal unsub & sub (don'y exist anymore) that you can have at any one time. The federal unsub loans from undergrad count towards that total.

 

[Parklife]

I had the same question. I called up dental schools and the verdict is undergrad matters, but not that much. GPA, DAT, volunteering etc. is more important.

I would say go to your flagship state school at least, and try to spend as least as possible. Don't sacrifice your college experience for money though. If you would be happy at UCLA instead of San Diego State University then do that. After all, you only through initial undergrad once right?

I'm in undergrad and as of now I have spent 0

I thought that undergrad might matter because patients will ask you about it. My ortho went to Wake Forest for undergrad and that was one of the reasons my mom picked him. It turns out he is the best dentist in my area. You should consider difficulty. Don't go to Harvard to do pre-med. Higher ranked schools are harder than lower ranked schools but professional schools don't consider this.

 

[Mr. Thirsty]

How much loans do dental students usually owe from attending undergrad? Is it bad to owe a lot before dental school? I'm trying to find out if it is a bad idea to borrow a lot for undergrad or does undergrad doesn't matter for dental school and I should choose a cheaper college instead for undergrad?

Thanks!

Go to a cheaper university!

I will be entering dental school with almost 100k in undergrad loans..I went to an expensive undergrad and my parents are divorced and both remarried have decent jobs so the government did not help cover my tuition that much 'assuming' that they could help me through. Truth is I had to turn to private loans to cover the 15k tuition + housing. Graduating high school I did not see what I was getting into exactly.

Because I chose an expensive undergrad, I now must consider the HPSP to cover dental school - otherwise with the dental school debt + interest I would be looking at 500K+ money to pay back after I actually become a dentist. I would much rather do the HPSP and throw everything that I earn in my payback years at my undergrad debt, so that I can open my own practice by age 30.

Your undergrad institution matters slightly, but as long as it is not a community college it will work just fine. Save your money.

 

[dentalprodigy]

Personally I don't owe anything for undergrad.

I read somewhere that the average college student debt is ~25-30k

That's why i say go to the cheapest school preferably your state school ...sure your colleges reputation matters slightly but as others have pointed out, that can be balanced out by your GPA/Dat/extracurriculars.

In the grand scheme of things I think your universities prestigious/name holds <10% weight on your overall application.dare I say even 5%

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[TheToothsayer]

Dental school do consider your undergraduate institution. However, they do not put as much emphasis on it. As stated, some schools are simply larger and more difficult compared to others. Ivy leagues consider your undergraduate school even more.

However, I would advise against taking out a loan for undergrad. Dental school is very expensive and you do not want to be in a poor financial situation in terms of borrowing money.

That being said, you only go to college once. Many pre-health students will make the blanket notion that your undergraduate school "doesn't matter." Many dentists will tell you to find the cheapest option. While, valid this is the wrong mentality. You should go to the school that you have dreaming about attending. If you have your heart set on a more expensive school - and if this school is BETTER than an alternative then you should go to that school.

You need to weigh the scale yourself. Some will find that the extra money is not worth it but others will find it is. In terms of dental school and dentistry, no your undergrad school will not matter as much. In terms of life-long and changing college experience it will make you. Remember, you're focused but you're still young. Don't forget to live and enjoy your college years. Get involved, go to football games, go to a party maybe once or twice. After undergrad you will be busy with dental school and then you will enter the work force.

I would advise against taking out loans unless that is what you need to be HAPPY.