Ivy's vs the rest

[TomCat22]

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Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone would mind shedding light on what they feel makes the ivy programs so strong. Is it specialization alone? Im wondering 1) Location aside, who has the best program between Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. and 2) Is it really worth it to go there over some great schools like Stony Brook, UMDNJ, Maryland?

Would really appreciate what everyone had to say as I try and learn about the schools.

Thanks!

 

[bluepills]

Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone would mind shedding light on what they feel makes the ivy programs so strong. Is it specialization alone? Im wondering 1) Location aside, who has the best program between Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. and 2) Is it really worth it to go there over some great schools like Stony Brook, UMDNJ, Maryland?

Would really appreciate what everyone had to say as I try and learn about the schools.

Thanks!

Is your question Columbia vs. Harvard vs. Penn? Or Columbia/Harvard/Penn vs the rest?

 

[TomCat22]

Sorry for the confusion, it is mainly which is the best ivy of those 3. And then why (name brand aside) it is better than other great state schools.

Thank you, I really appreciate your help.

 

[DentalGunner]

It depends on what you want in a curriculum. Each one of them has their individual strengths, so it depends on what matters most to you.

In general: If you really like policy/administration then go to Harvard, if you really like research then go to Columbia, if you really like a mix of clinical and research then go to Penn. If you want to specialize, then go to any of them.

I don't think you need to go to an Ivy to do what you want in dentistry.

 

[TomCat22]

Thanks Gunner, I appreciate your response. Im just trying to figure out what schools I want to apply to and hopefully attend if I am fortunate enough. The IVY's are a great name, and sound so similar on paper, I just wanted to know what makes them great. And also if their worth the extra dollars.

Thanks. Would appreciate what anyone wanted to input.

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

Harvard is the cheapest followed by Columbia then Penn. However, all three are excellent schools in awesome cities. You can't go wrong with any of them.

State schools are definitely, on the whole, going to be cheaper. They also have excellent programs so it is difficult to compare. However, I must add that the Ivy's generally have higher specialty placement rates. Whether that is because of the student body or the name is a mystery to some. Then again, they do have great reputations and been around forever.

 

[DentalGunner]

Thanks Gunner, I appreciate your response. Im just trying to figure out what schools I want to apply to and hopefully attend if I am fortunate enough. The IVY's are a great name, and sound so similar on paper, I just wanted to know what makes them great. And also if their worth the extra dollars.

Thanks. Would appreciate what anyone wanted to input.

I think once you visit all 3 of them, you'll see which one you fit in with the best, and whose philosophies you identify with the most. All 3 are amazing programs and give you the opportunities to do virtually anything you like in the future, with respect to dentistry. You can argue that Harvard does things better than Columbia, and Columbia does things better than Penn, and Penn does things better than Harvard, and then go on for hours; but you're arguing a pointless battle, because they all give you an undeniably great education. It's not like picking between a university and a community college.

 

[TomCat22]

Do any of you buy into "Columbia or Harvard doesn't produce good clinical dentists?"

 

[TomCat22]

OK great, thank you for your input makes sense to me. Just going to have to see which one feels right because all are awesome and can't reallllly go wrong. Appreciate your honest, I just hear a lot of negative comments from people about each school from rival schools and can never get a clear picture, like you said.

 

[DentalGunner]

Do any of you buy into "Columbia or Harvard doesn't produce good clinical dentists?"

No. Do they produce the best clinical dentists? Probably not. Do they produce dentists who can do procedures effectively and efficiently? Absolutely. That's what boards/accreditation are for.

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

I think once you visit all 3 of them, you'll see which one you fit in with the best, and whose philosophies you identify with the most. All 3 are amazing programs and give you the opportunities to do virtually anything you like in the future, with respect to dentistry. You can argue that Harvard does things better than Columbia, and Columbia does things better than Penn, and Penn does things better than Harvard, and then go on for hours; but you're arguing a pointless battle, because they all give you an undeniably great education. It's not like picking between a university and a community college.

+1

One school tailored for one person may not be tailored for the other.

 

[TomCat22]

you guys are the best, very helpful, always on this site.

interesting poll results as well. of course, just a gauge-not an end all.

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

Do any of you buy into "Columbia or Harvard doesn't produce good clinical dentists?"

No, they just have exceptional didactics via a medical school curriculum their first two years. Just because they have strong didactics doesn't mean they have weak clinical. They both produce great clinical dentists despite popular SDN belief. They wouldn't be accredited and wouldn't have very high specialty placement rates otherwise.

 

[DentalGunner]

you guys are the best, very helpful, always on this site.

interesting poll results as well. of course, just a gauge-not an end all.

I don't think the poll results tell you anything at all, really. I liked Penn's curriculum a lot more than Columbia's, but I'm probably going to Columbia because it's a smarter financial decision.

 

[TomCat22]

Penn is definitely expensive. Still a few weeks left for me to make my decision.

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

I don't think the poll results tell you anything at all, really. I liked Penn's curriculum a lot more than Columbia's, but I'm probably going to Columbia because it's a smarter financial decision.

You should come to Penn with me.

 

[TomCat22]

Harvards smaller class size may mean better student/faculty ratio in the clinic. But definitely more clinical exposure at penn year 1 and 2 probably from what it sounds like.

 

[amalgamgrillz]

You should come to Penn with me.

No, let him go to Columbia, so he can give his Penn spot to me.

Harvards smaller class size may mean better student/faculty ratio in the clinic. But definitely more clinical exposure at penn year 1 and 2 probably from what it sounds like.

I think they both have a ~1:5/1:6 ratio.

 

[dantemac]

I would say Harvard > Penn > Columbia. Just an opinion.

 

[uclaDDS101]

In my opinion, Harvard. But I'm biased, cuz I like it here. However, I did choose Harvard over Columbia/Penn (w/ scholarships) for a reason (actually, multiple reasons). In retrospect, I was really in a really poor position to judge the quality of dental programs as a pre-dent (albeit a very well-informed pre-dent). You really don't know the quality of a program until you get there, and even then, it's very difficult to try and make comparisons with only one direct perspective. I guess all you can do is just observe the outcomes of graduates and trust the word of current students. All I can say now is that I'm glad that the positive assumptions I made about Harvard before coming here turned out to be true.

 

[TomCat22]

Thanks everyone for your input, appreciate it a lot.