"I will be attending ____ and turning down my acceptance to ____" 2018-2019 edition

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It should definitely be monitored but I’m a little less scared now. An OMFS I work for said they were $500k in debt and is now debt free after probably 10-12 yrs of work, all while enjoying life, taking multiple foreign vacations a year, etc. I think SDN looks at average income (~150k) as what everybody perpetually will make, which makes even $300k debt look like an impossible hill to climb.
In theory, if you become an oral surgeon then yeah $500k in loans is doable. Problem is, not everyone with 500k in loans becomes an oral surgeon lol.

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In theory, if you become an oral surgeon then yeah $500k in loans is doable. Problem is, not everyone with 500k in loans becomes an oral surgeon lol.

I feel like getting into the right practice and putting your money in the right places, most people in GPR can pull similar amounts to OMFS relatively quickly, don’t you think?
 
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I feel like getting into the right practice and putting your money in the right places, most people in GPR can pull similar amounts to OMFS relatively quickly, don’t you think?
General dentists have the potential to make comparable money, but most decide to practice in areas more saturated than a 12 oz steak with butter lathered on top of it. Also, not everyone is that great of a business person - hence why the average salary of a general dentist is listed at 150k or whatever.
 
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General dentists have the potential to make comparable money, but most decide to practice in areas more saturated than a 12 oz steak with butter lathered on top of it. Also, not everyone is that great of a business person - hence why the average salary of a general dentist is listed at 150k or whatever.

This is very true. I know at least three GPs making that kinda money but we are rural and only one Corp office has opened here recently. In the future it will be different but for now if you go to an “undesirable” place you will make a very good income.
 
Or maybe the current state of dental school tuition is something that they have never had to deal with.

This, and also other factors like a curtailed salary contributing to the increasing debt:salary ratio.

The money will always take care of itself if you work hard.

I have friends who are doing well and some who are doing badly. They all work pretty hard as far as I know. For some of them, money won't take care of itself if they don't manage money well.

Graduating with >400k debt should be daunting - if it isn't, then either you have your parents paying it off or you already have an approach on how to pay it off. Opening up a practice has become so uphill, dental service organizations (DSOs) are even becoming way more lucrative. With an interest rate of 5%, that's going to be an additional 20k the first year you have to chip off before you pay off the principal amount. The real climb is the first 5 or 6 years after dental school when you have a starting salary and high interest.
Those who live frugally after school and pay off their loans aggressively will save many years down the road. It's hard since the first thing you want to do after being in school for 12 years is to treat yourself, but you have to manage your finances very well if you want to pay off your loans fast.
 
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Yeah lol. Absolutely loved the school, the clinic blows every other school I've looked at out of the water. I truly believe I will leave MWU-AZ ready to hit the ground running. I have the money saved to cover costs of living, so should only need loans for tuition. The money will always take care of itself if you work hard. The loans don't scare me one bit after talking with current and former students.
How much more expensive is MWU than your cheapest option?
 
Anybody else care to comment on the underlined part? I have talked to a lot of dentists about my options, and they all keep saying this: the money will take care of itself eventually. I mean, it seems easy for them to say since they are currently in the position of earning money vs. borrowing money. But maybe they are smarter than we are. Or maybe the current state of dental school tuition is something that they have never had to deal with.
I definitely agree with you in that the current state of dental school tuition is unknown to most middle aged current dentists. I am from a rather rural area and the few dentists within ~100 mile radius all seem to do quite well and have encouraged me to choose what school I liked the most rather than looking at costs alone. I cannot speak for those who plan to practice in more urban settings, as I know they are far more competitive.
 
How much more expensive is MWU than your cheapest option?
About 15,000 per year. So not an astronomical difference. I think if that number were more like 30,000 I would absolutely reconsider.
 
This, and also other factors like a curtailed salary contributing to the increasing debt:salary ratio.



I have friends who are doing well and some who are doing badly. They all work pretty hard as far as I know. For some of them, money won't take care of itself if they don't manage money well.

Graduating with >400k debt should be daunting - if it isn't, then either you have your parents paying it off or you already have an approach on how to pay it off. Opening up a practice has become so uphill, dental service organizations (DSOs) are even becoming way more lucrative. With an interest rate of 5%, that's going to be an additional 20k the first year you have to chip off before you pay off the principal amount. The real climb is the first 5 or 6 years after dental school when you have a starting salary and high interest.
Those who live frugally after school and pay off their loans aggressively will save many years down the road. It's hard since the first thing you want to do after being in school for 12 years is to treat yourself, but you have to manage your finances very well if you want to pay off your loans fast.
I wish parents were paying it off lol. It is a high amount, not denying it one bit. But in my opinion, and my opinion only, of my options the ROI from MWU is worth it for me. I worked hard the last 2 years to save up the money to cover my costs of living for the next 4 years. Definitely important to have a plan of attack on how to approach the debt, and be disciplined when I get out as far as paying it off. Just happy to be accepted and ready to get rolling.
 
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the ROI from MWU is worth it for me.

I would like to point out that this could read "ROI from [insert any school here] is worth it for me". All points (cost, *cough*) aside, no matter how great the clinic is, at any any school, you'll be just about as under qualified as the rest of us recent grads.

There is a reason why AEGD and GPR programs are on the rise everywhere.

That said, you have a great attitude, and if you've been able to save the living expenses over the last two years, you've got the work ethic to kill it, so I wish you the best of luck.

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I'll be turning down OHSU, Temple and Touro, and will be attending UMD
 
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Anybody else care to comment on the underlined part? I have talked to a lot of dentists about my options, and they all keep saying this: the money will take care of itself eventually. I mean, it seems easy for them to say since they are currently in the position of earning money vs. borrowing money. But maybe they are smarter than we are. Or maybe the current state of dental school tuition is something that they have never had to deal with.
Older dentists have tended to make a lot more money than us younger dentists will. Reimbursement rates from insurance companies are declining. And if a single payer system is ever implemented in the future that includes dentistry, your reimbursement could be even lower... its a tough and risky time for dentists, hence the flocking to corporate positions with secure salaries and benefits...
 
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Officially turning down UCSF and going to my #1 Colorado. Good luck everyone!!
 
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I will be attending SIU and turning down MWU-AZ. Got waitlisted at LECOM
 
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I will officially be attending UMN and turned down Iowa, VCU, and Utah!
 
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I will be attending UCLA and turning down my acceptances to UCSF, UNC, UConn, UOP, and UT San Antonio.

Merry Christmas everyone!
 
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I will be attending UCLA and turning down my acceptances to UCSF, UNC, UConn, UOP, and UT San Antonio.

Merry Christmas everyone!

yay congrats!!
You had some great choices to choose from. If you don't mind me asking, what made you choose UCLA over the others?
 
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Yeah I have IS for UCLA with some scholarship, OOS tuition for UTSA with no scholarship so UCLA actually ended up being less. I went to UCLA undergrad so I have made a lot of great relationships with students and faculty at the dental school and it’s a place that I really feel comfortable in and enjoy. Plus I’m from SoCal and all my family and friends are nearby which is a big plus for me!
 
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Yeah I have IS for UCLA with some scholarship, OOS tuition for UTSA with no scholarship so UCLA actually ended up being less. I went to UCLA undergrad so I have made a lot of great relationships with students and faculty at the dental school and it’s a place that I really feel comfortable in and enjoy. Plus I’m from SoCal and all my family and friends are nearby which is a big plus for me!

Made the right choice for you! Congrats dude!
 
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Attending Minnesota, turning down Iowa, Penn, Detroit Mercy, Tufts and Case Western.
 
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Attending nova and declined my spot for LECOM, tufts, MWU AZ, temple, Louisville and interview at VCU.
 
I'll be attending University of Minnesota, turned down Tufts and will turn down NOVA Southeastern if I ever get off their wait list!
 
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Just curious how many who have posted on this thread have actually notified the schools you're turning down?

I'm one who is on a few wait lists so I'm just curious if you've contacted those schools yet to let them know.

Thanks :)
Same situation. I think at many schools, today is the deadline for those who got a December 3 acceptance to either pay a deposit or turn down the offer. Over the next few days, schools will have a count for how many seats they have left. Some schools may start calling people from the wait list once they are done counting, others may wait until they after finish their post December interviews and make decisions with those candidates included.
 
Officially attending UNC Chapel Hill

Turning down my spots at MUSC (in state), Kentucky, Oklahoma and UAB. Best of luck to those on waitlists for these schools.
 
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Turning down seats at CU, CWRU, and Pitt. Also removing myself from the waitlist at UCSF and UNC. Officially attending Michigan. I hope my seats go to some of those patiently waiting! Good luck to everybody and congrats on your acceptances!
 
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Declined: Louisville, NOVA, DCG, Colorado, UoP
Attending: UCLA!

Good luck to everyone next week!
 
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Will be attending UNLV, declining offer to MWUAZ and Roseman (if I get off the waitlist).
 
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I’ll be attending UNLV and turned down UCLA! Still waiting on UCSF but I’d only go for a scholarship
 
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trueeee lol
how come you're removing yourself from UNC waitlist? Wasn't that your top choice?

UNC and Michigan were pretty much tied for my top choice. I jokingly was hoping only one would accept me so I didn’t have to choose and I guess I got what I was wishing for lol. Michigan gave me a scholarship so I took it and didn’t wanna hold my spot at UNC over someone who was waiting for that!
 
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