Is USC worth it?

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dadou91

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Hello Everyone,

I am seeking some well needed advice. Because of my stats, I have applied to a broad number of schools. However, i have been offered more interviews than i anticipated. And I am grateful and thank God to have had many interview offers. A recent one has been from USC. Money is becoming tight and I am wondering if I should go to the interview in California. I havent bought plane tickets or hotel room yet, Im coming from Florida. I am sure many dental schools are good, but I have heard many negative comments about USC on these forums, among them being from dental students that go there. Do you think it would be fine to cancel my interview with USC and focus on my other interviews. I have 6 other ones. Thank You so much SDN, all comments are very much appreciated.
 
Hi there. Congrats on receiving so many interviews; I'm sure you deserved it. USC may be a good choice if you're into PBL... It's not my cup of tea though so I didn't apply there. Also, USC is one of the most expensive dental schools so you gotta take that into consideration as well. Whatever you decide to do though, good luck with your application and interviews!
 
recently their curriculum has been over-hauled by the new dean and students are happy about it (its on SDN somewhere)
 
You know never know if you'll get rejected at the other schools so just attend USC's interview as a safety net. If you get screwed out of a year (that's one year's salary that you can say goodbye), you might be at a much larger financial disadvantage than paying for that plane ticket and hotel visit right now. I'd play it safe. USC isn't terrible, you'll still be a dentist and if you don't feel comfortable coming out of USC you can always enter a GPR or AEGD. HPSP could help.
 
With 6 interviews I think you are good to go!! GL on your decision, and congratulations on your interviews!
 
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I agree with Stacker. You never know what happens with those interviews!
 
i would attend as well. I got a good amount of interviews as well (8), but I plan to go to all of them - just b/c you never know! Yes, the flights and hotels are expensive but if you think about it, if the interviews you have already don't work out you'll have to wait an additional year. This will cost you even more!

Just go =)
 
If you don't mind me asking what batch were you in? I hope to hear back from them as well. Want more west coast interviews =(
 
Tough choice. USC is last on my list because of PBL and the cost. That being said, I would take every interview if I could. You never know what will happen in the future.
 
Thanx everyone for your replies. I feel its better to play it safe and just go.
 
Hello Everyone,

I am seeking some well needed advice. Because of my stats, I have applied to a broad number of schools. However, i have been offered more interviews than i anticipated. And I am grateful and thank God to have had many interview offers. A recent one has been from USC. Money is becoming tight and I am wondering if I should go to the interview in California. I havent bought plane tickets or hotel room yet, Im coming from Florida. I am sure many dental schools are good, but I have heard many negative comments about USC on these forums, among them being from dental students that go there. Do you think it would be fine to cancel my interview with USC and focus on my other interviews. I have 6 other ones. Thank You so much SDN, all comments are very much appreciated.

USC was the least fun of my interview experiences lol - it consisted of answering questions from a pool + a mock PBL session + filling out a questionnaire, no one on one time or anything. That being said, if it doesn't cost you too much, go to the interview! atleast for the experience and the peace of mind. I went even though I had another acceptance at a preferred school. It was expensive but I don't regret it and LA is beautiful 🙂! (i'm from canada)
 
Hello Everyone,

I am seeking some well needed advice. Because of my stats, I have applied to a broad number of schools. However, i have been offered more interviews than i anticipated. And I am grateful and thank God to have had many interview offers. A recent one has been from USC. Money is becoming tight and I am wondering if I should go to the interview in California. I havent bought plane tickets or hotel room yet, Im coming from Florida. I am sure many dental schools are good, but I have heard many negative comments about USC on these forums, among them being from dental students that go there. Do you think it would be fine to cancel my interview with USC and focus on my other interviews. I have 6 other ones. Thank You so much SDN, all comments are very much appreciated.

Hey,

Does USC update on AADSAS or do they have their own portal on their website? Did they contact you and confirm that your application was accepted before you received an interview invite? I'm in the same batch as you (8th) yet I haven't heard from them at all, They cashed my check and that's it.
 
Hey,

Does USC update on AADSAS or do they have their own portal on their website? Did they contact you and confirm that your application was accepted before you received an interview invite? I'm in the same batch as you (8th) yet I haven't heard from them at all, They cashed my check and that's it.

They have their own portal but they emailed me instead on posting it on their portal.
 
USC is one of the most expensive dental schools

They just increased the tuition for the class of 2016 (so that they can teach them implants) and the statistic that is now being thrown around at USC is that it is the most expensive graduate program in the world.

recently their curriculum has been over-hauled by the new dean and students are happy about it (its on SDN somewhere)

My wife is at USC and according to her the problem is USC has been in a non stop overhaul process for the last several years. It seems like they make major curriculum changes to her class at least once a year. The school's opinion is that they are being new and innovative, but in reality you get a bunch of random untried crap and you don't follow any one path long enough to benefit or even test it out.

That being said it is a good backup school.
 
I'm honestly contemplating on canceling my USC interview too. I have 3 other pre-Dec interviews at Mercy, Minnesota and Buffalo and even if I hypothetically only get into USC, I don't see my self attending there based on the ridiculous cost, course structure and distance. Still not sure though. (I'm Canadian)

If you weren't planning on attending even if it was the only school that accepted you, why apply in the first place?
 
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