Most popular dental schools

[ElMeroGuero]

With all of these school A vs. school B arguments going on I was thinking, I wonder what the most popular dental schools are. By this I mean if every dental applicant were accepted to every school in the US and every school would take as many students as wanted to go there (ignoring the over-saturation problem) which schools would have the most students? I made a short list of the most popular schools based on the highly scientific method of my personal perception of perusing SDN for the past year. What do you guys think? These are mostly schools that get a lot of airtime on the message boards. Feel free to add your own rankings and reasoning.

1. Harvard- it just seems that a lot of people give up cheaper schools and better weather to go here.

2. Texas Schools- as a non-Texas resident I haven't really researched these schools and they aren't usually compared in the school v school threads but these schools are like a hot supermodel, we know we want it but it doesn't make sense to worry about what we'll name our kids because we're not even gonna get a date

3. UCLA- the next three are really close it seems but I just think if you gave a hundred students acceptances to these three you would get about 40 at UCLA 35 at Columbia and 25 at UCSF

4. Columbia

5. UCSF

6. UoP- everyone who has anything to do with this school talks it up like crazy, more than any other school from what I perceive.

7. UPenn- Everyone has respect for this school but it isn't picked as often as the other Ivy leagues.

8. UW- with the instate thing going it isn't as mentioned but I think a lot of students would like to go here

9. UNC- same as above

10. Tufts- of all of the "large public schools that accept lower GPA/DAT" this school seems to get the best rap around here

Honorable mention:

Michigan
Maryland
Louisville
Midwestern-AZ
OHSU

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[Kahr]

It's impossible to rank all together by popularity against all applicants IMO.

A large group of applicants just apply to schools based on region/proximity near them and/or their family, this often includes a in-state cost consideration. I was talking to my mom's dentist (while visiting in Iowa), he and all his partners only applied to a few schools, and they were all very close together in that mid-west region, they all got into Iowa (their state) and practiced in Iowa afterwards (they're all in their 30s btw).

Then you have the group of applicants who apply all over, these come in two sub-groups as well: the first might have average to low-average stats and are applying to many schools in hopes of increasing their chances. The other, and this is where I think "popularity" actually means something, applies to 8-15 schools that they find attractive.

In only the above sub-group, I'll compare reasons for popularity, perceived by me, these overlap with one another as well: reputation(below general reputation, you have reputation for clinical vs research strength vs chances to specialize)/name (I think this is often synonymous with reputation), region of the country, and UoP (the 3 year factor is a stand-alone, and far outweighs anything else in attractiveness to the school, IMO).

I think in a superficial light, and based on the above, your list is pretty solid, except that I'd remove the Texas schools altogether, and I'd drop UCSF below UoP and UPenn.

 

[321931]

I disagree with any ranking of dental schools. As above poster (kahr) mentioned, there are way to many variables involved with it.

Perhaps another way of looking at "popularity" is looking at the number of applicants applied. Some schools have 4000 apps, some have 3000, some have 1000 and so on. The most apps...tends to be the most popular?

Edit: According to 2008-2009 dental guide (only one I could find), Stony Brook wins with 4600 apps....

Hehe...wait that can't be correct...really stony brook has that many applicants???

 

[lnngu]

The Texas schools, really?

Sure, that's like going home with a hot supermodel you meet at a bar.
But then you wake up the next day, the beer goggles are gone, and you're realize you're in Texas.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[John Durian]

I would say that's a pretty solid list. Texas may be hot (weather-wise) but the tuition is really cheap...

 

[dentalWorks]

With all of these school A vs. school B arguments going on I was thinking, I wonder what the most popular dental schools are. By this I mean if every dental applicant were accepted to every school in the US and every school would take as many students as wanted to go there (ignoring the over-saturation problem) which schools would have the most students? I made a short list of the most popular schools based on the highly scientific method of my personal perception of perusing SDN for the past year. What do you guys think? These are mostly schools that get a lot of airtime on the message boards. Feel free to add your own rankings and reasoning.

There goes your problem right there.

But really, you can't put a value to how "popular" a dental school is, thats kinda silly. Majority of dental schools (especially those that are out-of-state friendly) get between 2000-4000+ applications each cycle, I dunno about you, but thats pretty popular to me.

 

[jmt1984]

There goes your problem right there.

But really, you can't put a value to how "popular" a dental school is, thats kinda silly. Majority of dental schools (especially those that are out-of-state friendly) get between 2000-4000+ applications each cycle, I dunno about you, but thats pretty popular to me.

Agreed, a little to popular for my tastes.

 

[armorshell]

The Texas schools, really?

Sure, that's like going home with a hot supermodel you meet at a bar.
But then you wake up the next day, the beer goggles are gone, and you're realize you're in Texas.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Except then you wake up and realize that there are far more beautiful women in Texas vs. San Francisco.

This post directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

 

[amalgamgrillz]

I'm surprised NYU didn't make that list. Once you get past the tuition, there's no denying that NYU has the best location and the best facilities.

 

[BLTDENT]

The Texas schools, really?

Sure, that's like going home with a hot supermodel you meet at a bar.
But then you wake up the next day, the beer goggles are gone, and you're realize you're in Texas.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And when you wake up you realize that those at UoP will be $400,000 in debt and you will be no more than $150,000 in debt.

 

[lnngu]

Except then you wake up and realize that there are far more beautiful women in Texas vs. San Francisco.

This post directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

We could start our own thread to debate this. It'd be just as subjective as this one.

 

[eringer]

I'm surprised NYU didn't make that list. Once you get past the tuition, there's no denying that NYU has the best location and the best facilities.

Most applicants I know didn't even apply to NYU and it was usually because of location...which isn't totally surprising because I am from the West. The facilities might get a nod, but it isn't worth being crammed in the clinic with a billion of other students.

 

[ElMeroGuero]

I'm surprised NYU didn't make that list. Once you get past the tuition, there's no denying that NYU has the best location and the best facilities.

While NYU is applied to by tons of applicants, I just don't think a majority of accepted students choose it when accepted to the other schools mentioned, mostly because of cost. I definitely considered it though because of location.

 

[amalgamgrillz]

Most applicants I know didn't even apply to NYU and it was usually because of location...which isn't totally surprising because I am from the West. The facilities might get a nod, but it isn't worth being crammed in the clinic with a billion of other students.

You're split up for clinics so you have a standard class size. And you have higher studentrofessor ratio for clinic (so I'm told).

 

[Kahr]

Except then you wake up and realize that there are far more beautiful women in Texas vs. San Francisco.

This post directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

You may have been exposed to both, but you can't really compare a single city to an entire state. But since we're making silly comments in a decidedly silly thread, the women I met in Texas weren't very attractive at all for the most part, but then, they were all on Air Force bases, so perhaps my perspective is a bit limited.

I'm surprised NYU didn't make that list. Once you get past the tuition, there's no denying that NYU has the best location and the best facilities.

Sure, if NE weather, ultra high cost of living, and 4 times the population of Hawaii crammed into Manhattan, equals the best location. I kid I kid, I do have a few fond memories of new york.

 

[babypapa]

1. Harvard- it just seems that a lot of people give up cheaper schools and better weather to go here.

2. Texas Schools- as a non-Texas resident I haven't really researched these schools and they aren't usually compared in the school v school threads but these schools are like a hot supermodel, we know we want it but it doesn't make sense to worry about what we'll name our kids because we're not even gonna get a date

3. UCLA- the next three are really close it seems but I just think if you gave a hundred students acceptances to these three you would get about 40 at UCLA 35 at Columbia and 25 at UCSF

I only agree with your opinion about top three schools on your list. Others, I am not quite sure. To a person like me who chose a school not listed on your ranking over one of ivy schools, ranking schools based on what so ever criteria does not seem to carry any useful information.

 

[iamsyc]

With all of these school A vs. school B arguments going on I was thinking, I wonder what the most popular dental schools are. By this I mean if every dental applicant were accepted to every school in the US and every school would take as many students as wanted to go there (ignoring the over-saturation problem) which schools would have the most students? I made a short list of the most popular schools based on the highly scientific method of my personal perception of perusing SDN for the past year. What do you guys think? These are mostly schools that get a lot of airtime on the message boards. Feel free to add your own rankings and reasoning.

You, sir, are funny. lol!

But yeah, it does depend on a person's limitations/expectations/preferences, etc. Those that want in-state, location, specializing, etc. etc. etc.

Then there are also like .. a LOT of other dschool applicants that don't even know about SDN and all the invaluable resources it offers so I guess in a way, the "popular" schools being popular are just a coincidence between how many people apply/get accepted/and go to that school and are actively ... active .. in this forum.

 

[dentalpath]

I'm surprised NYU didn't make that list. Once you get past the tuition, there's no denying that NYU has the best location and the best facilities.

+1
Especially lucrative for those who already live in the NY/NJ area...tuition comes out to around 200k ..since I will most likely be living at home...LOVED this school for all the facilities it had to offer...not to mention very reputed for its clinical education.

 

[dantemac]

Read Doc Toothache's post "Where Should I Apply?" At the very top of the threads in the pre-dental forum. I agree with his list of 20 popular schools to apply to.