Iowa (with Scholarship) VS OSU

[papichulo]

I am using this as a last option in helping me decide. I am so torn between these two schools and I have been soliciting help from everyone I know. Please give advice if you have any. I know this is lame, but guys I am so torn and I don't want to be one of those guys holding two spots if I don't have to be, it just doesn't seem right. Here are some pros and cons I have come up with:

Iowa:
With the scholarship it ends up costing about $12,000 less over all 4 years to attend Iowa (My wife can work in Columbus and I can get in-state tuition as of the first year at Ohio State, but Iowa still comes out cheaper!)
Better facilities (look online at their preclinics) I must admit OSU has crappy preclinics, meanwhile Iowa has very good preclinic facilities
Overall, Iowa is a very well funded University
Absolutely NO traffic EVER!

Ohio State:
Seems to have a larger patient base
More memories (Football, basketball, trips to DC, Niagra Falls, Even New York)
Seemed to have a friendlier student body
Columbus is more appealing to live in than Coralville, IA.
I hear the traffic in the morning can be awful
As I plan to fly home 2-3 times a year, rates to Columbus are about half the price as the cost of flights to Cedar Rapids IA

They both seem to have very low costs of living and provide a good education. I want to at least have the OPTION of specializing but it seems that neither school has an advantage in that department.

Thanks guys, I need all the help I can get, and FAST!!!!!!!!

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[papichulo]

Anyone?

 

[29DATyep]

Based on what you said...it sounds like OSU is where you want to be.
If your wife is able to work while in Columbus and tickets are cheaper...then in the end perhaps OSU wld be cheaper in that respect.

Good luck...do whatever is best for you...follow your heart and your wife's as well.

 

[papichulo]

Based on what you said...it sounds like OSU is where you want to be.
If your wife is able to work while in Columbus and tickets are cheaper...then in the end perhaps OSU wld be cheaper in that respect.

Good luck...do whatever is best for you...follow your heart and your wife's as well.

Thanks 29DATyep. Did you decide on Iowa then?

 

[gotpremier]

papichulo: I had a similar decision to make so I sought the advice of some local dentists that I know well and I'll pass it on to you; don't make your decision based on preclinical facilities--we all do/learn the same thing whether it's in front of a flat-panel or a commodore 64.

On the flip-side, money's a big factor too; either school will get you where you want to go, but the more debt you graduate with the more limited your options become as you decide when/where/how to begin practice.
I've found it hard to get tuition/loan-related advice for two reasons:

1. The dentists who know what its like to begin paying off their student loans can't comprehend the magnitude of OUR upcoming indebtedness--the price of dental school has skyrocketed over the past few years. i.e.: my bro-in-law graduated from Louisville in 2000, his OUT-OF-STATE tuition then was 17K/year!!! Look at what it is now (I think around 40K). Even graduating with only 70K total debt he still complains about the burden of his repayment obligations every time I see him (and you can expect 2-3 times that amt).

2. Those who are currently incurring such debt loads are in school right now and have yet to get their first bill in the mail. Right now its just "magic money" that just appears every few months with no apparent obligation.

Saying all that, I don't know the exact cost difference between OSU and Iowa, but Ohio State has one thing that Iowa doesn't. . . . . . . . ME!!😀

Good luck with your decision, hope my blabbering helps.

 

[papichulo]

bump

 

[Denticized]

Since they are both extremely cheap, you should not be asking us for advice. Talk to your wife and see where she is happiest. Your marriage is more important that a few minute differences between two the very top programs nationwide.

I can tell you that both are amazing from what I have heard. In terms of history both are endowed with greatness. Dr. Woelfel taught at OSU and Dr. Fuller taught at Iowa.

 

[reapply2007]

If you've got family I would say go where the memories are going to be, along with some easy trips to some pretty great sights. 12K isn't enough of a factor to be a real difference in cost. Plus, you'll need to think of the spouse and spousal work possibilities to keep you from eating tender vittles through d-school. Good luck.