Michigan (OOS) vs. Pitt (IS) vs. Columbia

[quakeroat]

Michigan: ~250k
*Pros*
1. great reputation
2. cool college town location

*Cons*
1. ann arbor is a wealthy suburb- patients not as diverse or medically complex
2. need to find patients i think?
3. graded and ranked- competitive?
4. specialzing not as good as columbia?

Pitt: ~240k
*Pros*
1. great reputation
2. location
3. clinical experiences with being in a city may be cool and diverse


*Cons*
1. graded and ranked
2. specialzing not as good as columbia?

Columbia ~350k
*Pros*
1. medical school integration
2. P/F
3. high levels of specializing

*Cons*
1. cost

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[macsak]

Columbia
*Cons* 350k

either of the 2 cheaper schools
choose between them by considering how many friends/family members you have in the area, ease of driving/flying home for breaks and holidays, and which is closer to where you want to practice after graduating...

 

[zdoq]

You don't need to find your own patients for Michigan. All specialties are represented at Michigan, and the faculty are world class so it's a great place to specialize (letters of rec, research opportunities, exposure to the field). But you're right, it's incredibly competitive and a lot of students are interested in specializing. It really depends on the class, but most if not all students are collaborative/not so cut-throat that they try to sabotage you. Ann Arbor is a wealthy suburb but many patients travel to Ann Arbor from neighboring towns, as UMich is the only dental school in Michigan asides from Detroit Mercy.
Administrative wise, it is a little frustrating at this school because they seem to prioritize research over everything. Currently the school is under construction... So for D1s and D2s, due to lack of classroom space, classes are still online which has been a huge point of contention. I believe by the time you start, the construction should be over. Feel free to DM me if you have any more questions.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Michigan seems solid. We had some people interview from there and they all seemed to like it. Plus, Ann Arbor is one of the best places to live in the country, isn't it? I would just go to Michigan.

 

[quakeroat]

Do you think Michigan has the edge over Pitt with regards to specializing (I know OMFS is one of the most competitive specialties)? And is the cost of Columbia not worth it for specializing?

Michigan seems solid. We had some people interview from there and they all seemed to like it. Plus, Ann Arbor is one of the best places to live in the country, isn't it? I would just go to Michigan.

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

I think all three are going to be fine for specializing. Which curriculum do you feel like you’d struggle least in? Is Pitt closer to family and support? Did you factor NYC cost of living into the cost? It’s probably a bigger cost difference than that.

Columbia is probably the “best” option for specializing if cost weren’t a factor or you were SURE (like whole family of oral surgeons sure), but in reality I’d lean towards Pitt and keep $1-200k worth of options open.

 

[mcuban00]

i committed to columbia over my much cheaper state school and i am willing to take the cost for multiple reasons. the P/F and unranked curriculum will keep my mental health at ease and i won't have to worry about literally every single point on an exam or my ranking literally every day. i also know i definitely want to specialize into ortho and columbia is known for specializing and is very proud of that. these are my main reasons and these reasons alone are what im willing to pay $170k more and i'd be able to pay it off when i become an ortho from columbia (hopefully) versus a possible GP from my state school (with obviously a lower salary) who couldn't get into an ortho program.

my point is, if cost is a factor for you for columbia (which i def agree it is), this is how i look at it

 

[bracketbuster68]

All 3 are specialist powerhouses, so the differences in opportunities are negligible. I'd go Michigan if you care about name, otherwise Pitt

 

[mcuban00]

lol i love how i got downvoted for giving my own personal reasoning for columbia like what lmao it doesn't affect you. is anything i said wrong cause i'd love to know. im sure you would also thrive at a P/F and unranked school so im not sure about the downvotes

 

[deleted1109581]

lol i love how i got downvoted for giving my own personal reasoning for columbia like what lmao it doesn't affect you. is anything i said wrong cause i'd love to know. im sure you would also thrive at a P/F and unranked school so im not sure about the downvotes

Chill bro. It all good.

 

[1futuredentist]

i committed to columbia over my much cheaper state school and i am willing to take the cost for multiple reasons. the P/F and unranked curriculum will keep my mental health at ease and i won't have to worry about literally every single point on an exam or my ranking literally every day. i also know i definitely want to specialize into ortho and columbia is known for specializing and is very proud of that. these are my main reasons and these reasons alone are what im willing to pay $170k more and i'd be able to pay it off when i become an ortho from columbia (hopefully) versus a possible GP from my state school (with obviously a lower salary) who couldn't get into an ortho program.

my point is, if cost is a factor for you for columbia (which i def agree it is), this is how i look at it

I just up-voted you. I liked your thought process. What is the sticker price on a graded and ultra-competitive environment like Michigan? Someone who will be working 30 years as a dentist will be making say 200K average for GP * 30 years = 6M$. And if say 300K (or more) * 30 years = 9M$ for speciality. So why not spend 170K now take lower stress and nearly guaranteed admission to your choice of specialty (if that's what you desire).

 

[mcuban00]

I just up-voted you. I liked your thought process. What is the sticker price on a graded and ultra-competitive environment like Michigan? Someone who will be working 30 years as a dentist will be making say 200K average for GP * 30 years = 6M$. And if say 300K (or more) * 30 years = 9M$ for speciality. So why not spend 170K now take lower stress and nearly guaranteed admission to your choice of specialty (if that's what you desire).

exactly!!! i got downvoted to -3 lmao. and it's definitely more than 300k, which drives the point even more. obviously we are just predents who havent gone through a career of dentistry, but this thought process is what myself (and many others) think that certain schools are worth it. but anyways, to each their own. do what makes sense to you

 

[thepfourthmolar]

Michigan: ~250k
*Pros*
1. great reputation
2. cool college town location

*Cons*
1. ann arbor is a wealthy suburb- patients not as diverse or medically complex
2. need to find patients i think?
3. graded and ranked- competitive?
4. specialzing not as good as columbia?

Pitt: ~240k
*Pros*
1. great reputation
2. location
3. clinical experiences with being in a city may be cool and diverse


*Cons*
1. graded and ranked
2. specialzing not as good as columbia?

Columbia ~350k
*Pros*
1. medical school integration
2. P/F
3. high levels of specializing

*Cons*
1. cost

I think all those 3 schools have a great reputation. Dont rely too much on specializing because I dont think you'll know that until your 3nd or 4th year in dental school. Make a list of what stands out to you more (location, tech, community service, curriculum, teaching style, etc.)

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

P/F and unranked curriculum will keep my mental health at ease

My friend graduated from Columbia in 2016, and at that time they did in fact have “secret” internal ranking. He didn’t find out until graduation. If you applied to residency, in your dean’s letter it mentioned your rank I believe by quartile. Not sure if this is still how they operate. This is how some other “unranked” schools operate as well.

Big Hoss