Maryland v. Upenn

[coolraz]

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Well you're probably sick of seeing threads like this, but oh well that's what SDN is for 😉

Here's some of my thoughts so far:

Maryland has amazing new facilities (though they still have some fundraising to fully pay for it) and the new clinic will be all digital. Also, the dean is huge on technology and is looking to collaborate w/ private industry to push UMD to be the most tech school in the US. So, I think UMD's rep (which is already very high in the MD, VA, DC, PA area) and ability to attract great faculty will only increase. And, there's comfy theater style seating in the lecture hall : D

Penn certainly lags behind in the clinic areas, but every dentist i talked to said that after anyone does a GPR, their skills level out. Very good placement rate to specialites (probably not for me, but it's nice to have the options). And of course you have the name, which i really dont care about except for two reasons: it's an ivy so it sort of validates the hard work of the last 4 yrs of college AND since i would be the first in my family to attend an ivy school (i also applied to upenn undergrad but got rejected 🙂 it would be setting a good legacy precedent.

Finally, the cost for me turns out pretty equal (big surprise, actually). UMD for out of state (they are really unlikely to ever give me in state status) is 69k while Upenn is 71k. BTW, does anybody know why the total budget is the same while room and board for both is 12k but Upenn is 46k tuition while UMD is "only" 35k? Also, does anyone know how likely you would be to get a Dean's Scholarpship at Penn at the second round (I know a few people from previous years had not gotten it with initial acceptance but requested to be reconsidered after submitting fall grades and then got it)

Either school I go to I know I'll be happy (though probalby for different reasons) and my fiancee also got accepted to both, so we'll be sure to be at the same school (which no one believed would happen..HA!)

So which school would you choose?

Thanks!

 

[Richnator]

Well you're probably sick of seeing threads like this, but oh well that's what SDN is for 😉

Here's some of my thoughts so far:

Maryland has amazing new facilities (though they still have some fundraising to fully pay for it) and the new clinic will be all digital. Also, the dean is huge on technology and is looking to collaborate w/ private industry to push UMD to be the most tech school in the US. So, I think UMD's rep (which is already very high in the MD, VA, DC, PA area) and ability to attract great faculty will only increase. And, there's comfy theater style seating in the lecture hall : D

Penn certainly lags behind in the clinic areas, but every dentist i talked to said that after anyone does a GPR, their skills level out. Very good placement rate to specialites (probably not for me, but it's nice to have the options). And of course you have the name, which i really dont care about except for two reasons: it's an ivy so it sort of validates the hard work of the last 4 yrs of college AND since i would be the first in my family to attend an ivy school (i also applied to upenn undergrad but got rejected 🙂 it would be setting a good legacy precedent.

Finally, the cost for me turns out pretty equal (big surprise, actually). UMD for out of state (they are really unlikely to ever give me in state status) is 69k while Upenn is 71k. BTW, does anybody know why the total budget is the same while room and board for both is 12k but Upenn is 46k tuition while UMD is "only" 35k? Also, does anyone know how likely you would be to get a Dean's Scholarpship at Penn at the second round (I know a few people from previous years had not gotten it with initial acceptance but requested to be reconsidered after submitting fall grades and then got it)

Either school I go to I know I'll be happy (though probalby for different reasons) and my fiancee also got accepted to both, so we'll be sure to be at the same school (which no one believed would happen..HA!)

So which school would you choose?

Thanks!

No one can make the choice for you. I would say Univ of maryland though, if I were given the choice. I just loved it there. End of story.

 

[Audio]

Can't go wrong with either!

 

[La Miraflorina]

Sounds like Maryland is the school for you. Re-read your original post! You list lots of excellent reasons for attending MD... all concrete reasons. Your Penn reasons all centered around prestige.... i.e. abstracts.

It is an honor to be accepted at an Ivy.. you said it would validate your undergrad years. I think just being accepted is validation enough but you've got the rest of your career to work on now. You should go to a school that will best prepare you.

I went through the same thing when considering Columbia vs. Maryland. When I heard I'd gotten into Columbia, I was on cloud-nine and I thought for sure I'd go. It wasn't that I really wanted to go... it was more that I couldn't imagine myself saying no to an Ivy. But when I got over the initial excitement, and thought about it rationally, I realized that I couldn't go to a school based purely on its reputation.

If you do decide to attend Penn, make sure it's for the right reasons.

Oh yea, and you said you probably don't want to specialize? Then definitely go to the school with the best clinical curriculum! I don't know much about Penn, but I know MD has an excellent well-rounded program.

 

[clp]

OP: it sounds like you've been thinking quite a lot about these schools and that is good you aren't taking the situation lightly. however, remember that both of these schools are great! and when you graduate you will be a dentist. your experience isn't just going to depend on facilities or prestige - it will depend also on what you make of it.

with all that said, i'm biased: go for maryland!

p.s. to miraflorina: are you going to MD then?

 

[TiggerJSA]

Well you're probably sick of seeing threads like this, but oh well that's what SDN is for 😉

Here's some of my thoughts so far:

Maryland has amazing new facilities (though they still have some fundraising to fully pay for it) and the new clinic will be all digital. Also, the dean is huge on technology and is looking to collaborate w/ private industry to push UMD to be the most tech school in the US. So, I think UMD's rep (which is already very high in the MD, VA, DC, PA area) and ability to attract great faculty will only increase. And, there's comfy theater style seating in the lecture hall : D

Penn certainly lags behind in the clinic areas, but every dentist i talked to said that after anyone does a GPR, their skills level out. Very good placement rate to specialites (probably not for me, but it's nice to have the options). And of course you have the name, which i really dont care about except for two reasons: it's an ivy so it sort of validates the hard work of the last 4 yrs of college AND since i would be the first in my family to attend an ivy school (i also applied to upenn undergrad but got rejected 🙂 it would be setting a good legacy precedent.

Finally, the cost for me turns out pretty equal (big surprise, actually). UMD for out of state (they are really unlikely to ever give me in state status) is 69k while Upenn is 71k. BTW, does anybody know why the total budget is the same while room and board for both is 12k but Upenn is 46k tuition while UMD is "only" 35k? Also, does anyone know how likely you would be to get a Dean's Scholarpship at Penn at the second round (I know a few people from previous years had not gotten it with initial acceptance but requested to be reconsidered after submitting fall grades and then got it)

Either school I go to I know I'll be happy (though probalby for different reasons) and my fiancee also got accepted to both, so we'll be sure to be at the same school (which no one believed would happen..HA!)

So which school would you choose?

Thanks!

I have to agree with what others have been telling you. Now, of course I'm a little bias since I'm finishing up at MD, but the reasons you state to go to UPenn should not be weighed that heavily. Now, this in no way is meant to offend any Ivy league school, but when it comes down to dental school, an Ivy name don't mean didly. Furthermore, as far as encouraging specialists, I believe this to be much more dependent on the individual than the school. MD produces graduates in every specialty every year, and most get in to their top choices if they have worked hard. If you want opportunities available, all you have to do is keep your grades up, do well on boards, and do extracurriculars (research, organizations, etc.). This can be done at any dental school. So, when you make your choice, be sure to focus on what you are ultimately looking for in a dental program. But, again, you really can't go wrong with your choices. Good luck!

 

[La Miraflorina]

p.s. to miraflorina: are you going to MD then?

I think so!! I was going back and forth between MD and UMDNJ and MD is coming out the clear winner 😀

I guess we'll be classmates then 😉