Location > Cost

[OBI603]

I'm wondering if it's just me but is there anybody that would rather go for the location of a school over cost. I understand that cost is important because that determines the amount of debt but lets face it, there are more appealing places in this country than others with more appealing people. I'm a Pennsylvania resident but I'm a little tired of the northeast and would rather try a place totally different. If you had the choice of going to one of the top tier cities in the country for school (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles) rather than a cheaper school would you go for the top city?

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[Bereno]

Nope.

Lets say you had the option of a 300K school and a 400K school in a cool city. Would you pay 100+ grand (after interest) just to live in a certain city for 4 years? Not a chance.

 

[autoclavemonkey]

No, I'd choose cost & education quality over location any day.

 

[Ferneezy]

lol, no.

 

[UCSFx2017]

I'm trying to decide between my state school and UCSF. If I go to my state school, I'd graduate with 155K in debt because my parents are able to pay for living expenses and accrued interest. At UCSF, my parents wouldn't be able to cover for the higher living expenses and interest rates so I would graduate >235K in debt.

I guess it depends on what's important to you. First choice: Difference of >70K dollars that will accrue interest and that you will eventually have to pay back and be forced (due to higher loan repayment) to work longer hours and for more days per week after graduation just so you can live in a sweet city for four years even though you'll basically be in class from 8-5. However you do get half-days on Tuesday's and Wednesday's and have two 3-month long summers off. If you plan on practicing in California, you can end up making friends/connections by going to UCSF instead of going to your state school and then leaving everything at home after graduation in order to move to California and starting over with very little social capital.

Second choice: Save a fortune and use that money to get you started in California after graduation and live more comfortably.

I'm not particularly materialistic but I do value an enjoyable experience and simple pleasures like natural/man-made beauty like the entire city of San Francisco or NorCal coast in general. I don't think I would particularly enjoy buying 70K in material things or going on nice vacations and I don't mind hard work. I like to associate myself to a school after graduation so attending a school of best-fit is very important to me.

If you can convince yourself to go to your state school then go to your state school and save a lot of money and time.

Location should not be the primary reason why you are attending the more expensive school. That's silly.

 

[diasIItema]

^ Or you could utilize loan forgiveness programs or federal scholarships to make up the difference.

"Education quality" is a very ignorant term when it comes to dental school. This isn't medicine. Dental school is dental school, save for a select few that are outrageously overpriced or overcrowded. You can specialize from anywhere; it's the person, not the institution. You will quickly realize this upon matriculation, especially when some of the top applicants become below average students.

Granted, while cost ended up not being a factor in my decision, my primary reason for picking my school was where I thought I would be most fulfilled spending the next 4 years of my life. Life doesn't stop for dental school and you'll never get 4 years in your twenties back. Just sayin'.

 

[walawala3]

^ Or you could utilize loan forgiveness programs or federal scholarships to make up the difference.

"Education quality" is a very ignorant term when it comes to dental school. This isn't medicine. Dental school is dental school, save for a select few that are outrageously overpriced or overcrowded. You can specialize from anywhere; it's the person, not the institution. You will quickly realize this upon matriculation, especially when some of the top applicants become below average students.

Granted, while cost ended up not being a factor in my decision, my primary reason for picking my school was where I thought I would be most fulfilled spending the next 4 years of my life. Life doesn't stop for dental school and you'll never get 4 years in your twenties back. Just sayin'.

 

[OBI603]

diaslltema Now that's the response I've been looking for. I understand cost issues but dang it, we're in our 20's. I hate to use that stupid you only live once phrase but it's true. Why not suffer 4 years in paradise rather than 4 years in hell?

 

[Surive123]

diaslltema Now that's the response I've been looking for. I understand cost issues but dang it, we're in our 20's. I hate to use that stupid you only live once phrase but it's true. Why not suffer 4 years in paradise rather than 4 years in hell?

Because it is cheaper.

 

[NDPitch]

diaslltema Now that's the response I've been looking for. I understand cost issues but dang it, we're in our 20's. I hate to use that stupid you only live once phrase but it's true. Why not suffer 4 years in paradise rather than 4 years in hell?

Because you'll extend your suffering well beyond those 4 years of school with enormous loan payments for quite some time. Take it from someone who's worked a full time job with a large health care company over the last few years making somewhat decent money...life is expensive, and it's sometimes a challenge to manage your cash flow effectively so that you're not living paycheck to paycheck. Don't underestimate the loans you'll accrue. Dental school is not a 4 year decision, it's more like a 10-20 year decision. Also, ask any dental student, I think most would say no matter where you are, dental school is never "paradise".

 

[OBI603]

^^^ I guess you have a point