Hypothetically Tough Question

[study girl]

Lets say someone handed you a box... and than another box.

You open box one to find Case Western; kind of a sketchy city, well known school, sketchy weather, and a 2,000 mile gap between you and your closest friends and attractive male prospects.

In box two, you found the Universtiy of Southern Nevada, a first year school and a location close to home. The box also has a beautiful price tag that is 90,000 higher than the first box.

Which box would you drop and which box would you keep? ... and why?

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[Destiny11]

Lets say someone handed you a box... and than another box.

You open box one to find Case Western; kind of a sketchy city, well known school, sketchy weather, and a 2,000 mile gap between you and your closest friends and attractive male prospects.

In box two, you found the Universtiy of Southern Nevada, a first year school and a location close to home. The box also has a beautiful price tag that is 90,000 higher than the first box.

Which box would you drop and which box would you keep? ... and why?

Are you sure it's hypothetical? I would choose box two for 4 years of safer location and the latest technologies.

 

[Kahr]

Relationships: Something you don't need to be worrying about right now or in dental school, if it happens it happens, and it is something that can happen anywhere; I'm sure there are attractive males at Case Western as well. Just not a good thing to factor in, unless it borders on marriage/children level.

Family/friends: Yes, this sucks, but this is another thing I'd put little emphasis on. The first year it will be hard, but you will also be neck deep in school, so while you may long for those comforts, you will also be so focused on academics that they will likely take your mind off of that longing a lot of the time. And after that year it'll get much much easier (Source: having lived 3k+ miles away from family/friends from 18-27). Also, flying 2000 miles is cake, unless you have some kind of fear of flying. You wouldn't expect to be hanging out and visiting friends/family all the time even if you were living near them, would you?

City: I don't know anything about the city for Box 1 (Cleveland Ohio, right?), but plenty of people go to much worse places (Detroit?) for school and do fine with it. So I wouldn't consider this too important.

Weather: Ugh. This one actually counts IMO, and it's a known fact that weather can have detrimental effects on different people psychology. This is actually one of my reasons for focusing on West coast schools (I lived in NYC for 5 years, after having grown up in Hawaii, it sucks and I never felt I truly got used to it). That said, you can overcome the weather thing too, we aren't talking the rest of your life, 4 years is doable.

Schools: Personally, the whole school thing means nothing to me, other than UoP which gives you a shorter time in school. Otherwise it's all the the same (I won't bother bringing up the whole "networking" thing, "research", etc, whatever). Though you sound like you have more personal respect for Case, or something along those lines.

Cost: So, when it comes down to it, 90k does actually matter. That's not some tiny sum, especially after interest. I'd deal with the weather and distance from family/friends to save 90k.

So, in summary, I'd drop box 2; take my subjectivity with a grain of salt of course.

 

[UCLAzy]

..are you a giant?

 

[Kahr]

..are you a giant?

 

[glo1984]

Keep Box One.

Cost - Considering your future fiscal responsibilities, I personally wouldn't pay an extra 150-180k over the life of your loan to be a part of a test year.

Weather - You won't find much time to enjoy it anyways. Buy an iPad and load it with pictures from a vacation you take to the Bahamas with all your newly saved cash.

City - Is it really that sketchy?

Reputation - With regards to specialization and your entire future, I'd personally attend a program that has a stronger voice.

Attractive Male Species - Until a donkey and a parrot mate, you will find some special males wherever you go. I'd recommend Cleveland Strippers.

Friends - Remember that iPad you bought with your newly saved cash, facetime your support system whenever you like.

 

[321931]

Hands down, Case Western. You are always taking a risk by going to a school that is unknown.

And yes! I've heard it all that new schools will do good, never lose accreditation, are super friendly etc etc. BUT, there maybe a few hitches here and there along the way, and ALL new schools are super friendly. I mean come on. They are new, and need to bring in people.

Anyways with the price tag one is paying which is I'm assuming 200k, I would invest it in a school that has proven time and time again to churn out good Dentists with research/specialty prospects.

That being said, if you got into any other school, I would go to that school. Case is good in all aspects, but the area is absolutely terrible. I would choose many schools over Case for that reason; however, some people don't care about area and would definitely choose Case. Area for me was my number one choice in school selection.

 

[flapaTron]

i would just throw both boxes away and get an xbox. trust me, you'll be happier in the long run (dental school sucks ba***).

 

[Machiavelliansm]

lol love the totally unnecessary box concept.

 

[promolion]

Go with Case. I know what you mean by the area. i had to walk 25 mins in the snow at around midnight and it was quite scary. Maybe I didn't know the area well but overall, nothing happened. I think it is not that bad. The faculties at case seemed very nice and down to earth.

 

[John Durian]

I'd choose Case tbh. It's cheaper and is established.

Word to the wise. Once you get there, you need to go and buy 1) a snow shovel, 2) a snow scraper, and 3) a wooden plank/board. You'll thank me when you have to spend 1+ hours defrosting your car. Also, if the road is not leveled... always park with the front of your far facing DOWN hill.

Oh, and don't forget super thick boots and a bubble jacket...

 

[UBDent19]

lol love the totally unnecessary box concept.

Agreed...but it did draw me into reading the post

 

[trut24]

i would just throw both boxes away and get an xbox. trust me, you'll be happier in the long run (dental school sucks ba***).

lol... This guy is right and knows his stuff. I would definately go the Xbox route. Thats too funny.

 

[dentalWorks]

Here is what I read:

"Hypothetical box 1... Hypothetical box 2.... 90K DIFFERENCE"

I hope people understand that dental school tuition is something they have to pay back? That 90k difference is HUGE, you shouldn't overlook it.... I'd pick the cheaper school.

 

[prsndwg]

Does USN even have a building yet?

 

[punchdrunk7]

Does USN even have a building yet?

Yeah its pretty cool looking actually. Will be a great school!

 

[schen140]

case is very expensive as is - i think it comes out to be 360-380k for the 4 year expense. is usn really 90k more than that? i haven't heard of any schools breaching 400k (besides possibly nyu and usc)

 

[New2Philly]

case is very expensive as is - i think it comes out to be 360-380k for the 4 year expense. is usn really 90k more than that? i haven't heard of any schools breaching 400k (besides possibly nyu and usc)

Is the bubble going to burst?

 

[Pennywisdom]

Is this something USN applicants should be worried about?

http://www.usn.edu/pages/362/Admissions FAQ

Is the program accredited?

Not yet. As a new program, the USN College of Dental Medicine is completing all requirements for Initial Accreditation of the DMD Program from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). USN submitted the Application for Initial Accreditation to CODA in fall 2010, and had its first site visit in March 2011. We expect to be considered by CODA for "initial accreditation" status in the summer of 2011. Although the University is optimistic that the DMD program will receive accreditation by Fall 2011 when the inaugural class is enrolled, it is not possible to guarantee accreditation.

 

[Cambo21]

Is this something USN applicants should be worried about?

http://www.usn.edu/pages/362/Admissions FAQ

No I don't think it should be a concern. Obviously some people may be nervous that they don't have accredidation yet, but they will. All new schools have to go through this process, and it seems as if the school is taking all the proper steps to become a good program.

 

[dantemac]

I agree with dental works: Cheaper. Loan money is not lottery money - I saw that on here somewhere.

 

[kdent161]

From a location perspective, Case is not really any sketchier than any other city its size. The campus is a safe place and actually downtown Cleveland has a nice nightlife and certain places are rather high class. Plus, a lot of suburbs of Cleveland are very nice neighborhoods. Just saying.

 

[aznxsa2587]

Location is my first priority when choosing which school to go to, because I like to go outside and run every night. I also have a habit studying outside. If I need to pay more for a safer environment, I would.