LLU vs. USC vs. WesternU

[californiadentist]

Hello,

I'm applying this cycle and I had a question about the private dental schools in Southern California.

For personal reasons, I pretty much have to stay in Southern California, but my grades/DAT aren't good enough for UCLA.

Which is the best out of these three schools (LLU, USC, Western) and why?

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[artist2022]

I got into all four and it really depends on what you're looking for in a school. Here's my take:
UCLA- I think you should give it a shot, because in the off chance you get in, you'll get in-state tuition! Also, they favor their instate applicants, so that's a plus. Decent class size (88), prestige, P/F/H grading system, quarter system! I came from a quarter system undergrad so that was big to me, plus tuition!
----> UCSF is also a state school that'll be cheap if you can move to NorCal for four years.
LLU- There are mandatory religion courses that are taken alongside the dental courses, and there are things like no caffeine, no meat, etc. that you are expected to abide by. To me, these weren't issues at all because the environment here was exactly like the environment I was raised in. Everyone I interacted with was super friendly. If it wasn't for UCLA, I honestly would have attended! Decent class size (~100), well-known in the SoCal region, graded (if I remember correctly), and quarter system.
USC- Applied as a safety school. The campus and facilities are gorgeous, but the tuition is somewhat ridiculous. Students were really enthusiastic and outgoing, and of course it is a huge class size so there's a lot of different things going on at a time. The rivalry with UCLA is also amusing Thing here is that there is a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum which I didn't like at alllllll. I prefer traditional lectures... Large class size (144), well-known, can't recall grading system, and trimester system.
Western- Lived close to the school so would have commuted if I attended. The school is nice but seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere, like it was in a really deserted area (maybe it was just on my interview day?). One thing I really liked about the school was that it has a virtual 3D table for Anatomy/cadaver dissections, so you have access to it all day as an app on the iPad they issue. It's like a state of the art program that is comparable to actual lab. Smaller class size (64-69), graded, and semester system.

tl;dr: Personally of the three, I would pick LLU because its integration of religion/certain principles is well-known in the SoCal region for producing excellent doctors who take a holistic approach to treating patients. Also, I believe when you take tuition, fees, and living into account, it comes out to be cheaper than the other two.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

For personal reasons, I pretty much have to stay in Southern California, but my grades/DAT aren't good enough for UCLA.

So, you’re only going to apply to 3 programs? Even with amazing stats, I’d say that’s gutsy.

Big Hoss

 

[Life of Pablo]

So, you’re only going to apply to 3 programs? Even with amazing stats, I’d say that’s gutsy.

Big Hoss

Listen, Big Hoss: nothing comes between someone from socal and attending a socal dental school, okay? #socalorbust

But in all seriousness, I think you should broaden the schools you apply to unless is actually not possible.

 

[aspiring-dentist101]

Hello,

I'm applying this cycle and I had a question about the private dental schools in Southern California.

For personal reasons, I pretty much have to stay in Southern California, but my grades/DAT aren't good enough for UCLA.

Which is the best out of these three schools (LLU, USC, Western) and why?

I hope this isn't too late but to be honest, USC. I know people are quick to look at the tuition and step back but I actually think aside from UCLA, they also have a bright future. Their teaching method and education system really seems to align well with students future and to succeed with passing the board exam. This is just my opinion but you can definitely do more research if you still haven't. Best of luck with your application!

 

[SystemB]

WesternU D4 here in case you were trying to make a decision on SoCal schools still.

WesternU pros:

1) No residencies: this will allow you to do literally every type of procedure because post-grad residents will not be taking the more complicated procedures when you are in Clinic.

2) Curriculum: the curriculum is very focused on getting you clinically ready and ready to pass Boards and licensing exams. You will be entering the simulation lab in the first month of dental school and faculty feedback is positive, critical feedback. Furthermore, WesternU has mandatory offsite externship rotations, which will allow you to experience a much deeper clinical experience in that you will be practicing in a private practice setting under private practice schedules. This will allow you to increase your speed at a much greater rate than you will in dental school. Plus, it's a great way to build connections.

3) Location: WesternU is located in Pomona, which is 40 min from LA, 40 min from Newport Beach, 40 min from Palm Springs (think Coachella), and 1.5 hours from San Diego. The cost of living for the type of housing available is also much more cost effective than other areas in SoCal.

You will see the other pros when you get to meet the student body and faculty; the environment at WesternU is very friendly, positive, and enthusiastic.

WesternU cons:

1) Notoriety: because the school is still relatively young, if you are applying to residency in the future, you may or may not have program directors not take you as seriously (I applied to Endo this past cycle and every program director was curious about our new school). However, we have had several recent grads enter post-grad programs (i.e. OMFS, Peds, Perio, Prosth, Endo, Radiology, GPR) so I am not sure if notoriety will be relevant by the time you apply for post-grad programs.

2) Curriculum: if you are not prepared to have many of your didactic courses done through an online platform, this program may be difficult for you. Most current students like it because the platform allows students to have a lot more free time and to work at their own pace. Of course there are in-class follow-up sessions for College accountability, so you don't need to worry about being in an "online school."

3) Research: if you are interested in research, I would say your options at WesternU are limited compared to other more established dental schools.

4) No residencies: because we do not have residencies, you will not have an "in" with a residency program.

I hope that helps! Opinion and experience-wise, I think WesternU was an excellent decision from an experiential point of view. I would do it over again in a heartbeat, except let's be honest, I would never want to do dental school again haha.

Side note: I was also accepted into Tufts and USC. For Endo (which historically prefers applicants with some post-grad experience), I interviewed at Tufts, UConn, UCSF, and UCLA. I am now applying to GPR's and have several interviews.