MY FUTURE PLANS: should I go to USC, live close to family???

[Toothguy80]

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Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

 

[Envision]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

Out of curiosity, how come you didn't include ucla? thats still around the area, so you'll definitely be near home. Another school that comes to mind is LLU. Both of these schools have very good reputations, and are located conveniently in Socal.

 

[Toothguy80]

Umm, UCLA, I hear it is WAYYY too cut-throat and people want to kill you there. I hear that the faculty are rude and unsupportive. I have an ENORMOUS amount of respect for UCLA, it's an amazing school, but I never felt comfortable there. People seem rude, angry, hostile and too intimidating. The few times I visited the campus and Dental School, I got a very unwelcoming feeling, people asking me questions that they shouldn't, they seemed like they weren't happy and were too tense. I asked a doctor a question, and he looked at me and walked right passed me, he saw me, heard me, but it was LITERALLY the rudest thing he could do. I just dont want to add anymore stress to the 4 years than there already is. Im sure lots of people are happy at UCLA but I honestly dont think bad treatment, rudeness and unnecessary attitude is required to be a good dentist in the future. I would rather be somewhere where I wouldnt be terrified to walk into a Professor's office and ask him something.

I always hear from students in UCLA that professors tell them they dont care about Dental students, and that they just arent nice to them. I called the Dental School one time and asked some questions and the guy on the phone seemed like he was working at a Maximum Security Penitentiary. I am seriously not trying to bash UCLA. I know people there are SUPER SMART, both undergrad and MED, Dental, but I feel very scared there and promised myself that I wouldnt go there anymore, so the idea of being in the heart of UCLA for 4 years is very scary to me.

When I visited USC, EVERYONE was SOOO nice, so calm, so happy, not stressed out, really welcoming, they smiled, came over and talked to me, gave me so much support within just 1 hour. I really felt as if I could be happy there.

I applied to LMU, I hear it's a great school and people there are very nice and supportive. I really put a lot of value on how people treat you in Dental School, it's important to me. Like I said, everyone is different and people look for different things when choosing a Dental School.

I hope I get into USC and LMU this year, I would choose USC though if I got into both.

 

[jackbauer!]

how do you plan on paying off $300k in debt in 2-3 years while only making $600/day? C'mon, let's be realistic here.

also, not to be a huge dick, but you kinda sound like a loner.. a mama's boy so to speak. i'm out on a limb here, but i think running a successful practice is 80% your people/business skills and 20% your dental skills. This is of course assuming that your are a competent dentist. Plus, $200k doesn't come easy...

anyways, best of luck to you. i really hope you branch out for your own benefit.

jb!🙂

 

[Toothguy80]

Well, here's the thing, doctors and dentists aren't necessarliy the most social type, are they? I mean, they're not like Bartenders, a lot of us arent that social. Im not really a loner, but just really close to my family and live a lot better when Im in familiar territory.

Ok, well maybe it'll take me 4-5 years to pay off the loans...damn that's a long time.

How do other people see their lives in 7-10 years? Just wondering, I told everyone my dream, now I want to hear about other people's dreams post graduation. Please share them. where do you want to live? What do u want to do?

Specializing is rather difficult and not for everyone, I dont know if it is for me. I might not want to do it after I get out, or I might not be smart enough.

How do others view USC, I mean, other Dental Schools are pretty expensive too, it's just a 50-70K difference, is 50-70K worth me living away for 4 years somewhere I dont know anything about?

 

[jackbauer!]

i'm not saying that you need to be social to be a dentist by any means. a lot of the people i met at my interviews were socially inept. if these are the people i will be competing with when setting up shop, then let's just say i feel fairly confident 😉

to be fair, you need to follow your dreams and go to dental school. but realize that it's best for you to come out of your shell at some point. it's great that your family means so much to you, but independent while still have a great relationship with your family is more important IMO.

about USC-- it has a bad rap on these forums. they get bagged all the time for their PBL program and very very low graduation rate (i hear it's under 20%). i don't feel like their is necessarily a bad dental school, USC included. every dental schools has their issues...maybe USC has more issues than most. maybe not. NYU used to be the school that everyone hated on SDN, but now their reputation around here has taken a 180 degree turn. the con to both of these programs are cost of attendance. both will set you back $350k++ in debt (with interest included) if you are paying for it all with someone elses money. be ready for this.

hopefully i answered some of your questions. best of luck to you..

jb!🙂

 

[SugarNaCl]

You want to be close to your family. That is understandable. I want to be too. That is why I didn't apply to any west coast schools. My husband had more opportunity in VA than in Buffalo and so I'm going to be 10 hrs away from my parents and brother, not 30, and I'm happy with that. Actually, I think it's good for my mom. I went away to grad school in VA for 2 yrs too. Showed her I was independ. and helped her ability to peck me out of the nest. If it makes you depressed, stay close to home.

As far as paying off debt for a CA school in 2-3 yrs, I think you are dreaming. I knew a doctor who said his advice was take the longest loan possible, pay it off as slowly as possible. It helps you on your taxes and 30 yrs down the road, money won't be worth as much. I'm not sure I agree. I just want to get it paid off, but seriously, 10 yrs is more realistic to pay off your dental loans unless you are planning to be about 70K in debt or less.

 

[diane07]

The people I know who got into medical and dental school tended to be cream of the crop type of people. Good looking, intelligent, charismatic ect. I would think that if schools have thousands of applications, they would be able to choose the best and brightest.

A couple of dentists in different practices that I went to were extremely outgoing and sociable. I would think that the practices that are most successful are the ones that have dentists who have the necessary people skills to recruit/retain patients.

To the OP, why don't you wait until you start interviewing before stressing out about the different options? After visiting several dental schools, you may come away with a different impression. There will always be people who love or hate a certain school, but you need to evaluate schools for yourself. Also, wait until you have an acceptance in hand before you worry about all the "what ifs" You may find that you only get accepted to one school, then all that worrying would have been for nothing. A lot can change between now and the next 7 months when the 1st acceptances start being offered. So just relax and do your best.

 

[prez_al]

The people I know who got into medical and dental school tended to be cream of the crop type of people. Good looking, intelligent, charismatic ect. I would think that if schools have thousands of applications, they would be able to choose the best and brightest.

To the OP, why don't you wait until you start interviewing before stressing out about the different options? After visiting several dental schools, you may come away with a different impression. There will always be people who love or hate a certain school, but you need to evaluate schools for yourself. Also, wait until you have an acceptance in hand before you worry about all the "what ifs" You may find that you only get accepted to one school, then all that worrying would have been for nothing.

Totally agree.... especially with the good looking part. Honestly, apply to anywhere that has a good program in your opinion and see from there. When you go to interviews, take notes about the school and try to see what you like/dislike. Applying to dental school is supposed to be an educational experience in itself as this is the last step before we start working. Might as well find the program that prepares you the best (keep in mind, if a program is top notch, might not be worth it if the school and you are not a good fit). It helps to visit each school and ask tough questions before making a choice. For example, I considered Case, Columbia, UDM and Michigan after December 1.

Couldn't do Case because it was too damn expensive and hybrid PBL still has its flaws even though I felt good at the school. Closest to home though.

Couldn't do UDM... great faculty but they're not big into research and they seem to move a lot. And the new school will be in downtown Detroit.

That left Columbia and Michigan... really liked both programs (didactically based, modules, high specialty rates, good location, one was Ivy league, the other has amazing athletics) even after I made a pro/con list I had to resort to SDN and the majority said Columbia. But ultimately there are some things that I cannot live without (like Tim Hortons coffee and not having to fly home) which led me to choose one school over another. If family is really that important to you (like it will affect your dental school happiness) after all this, pick USC if you do receive an acceptance offer from them.

 

[Veneto]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

Wow. You asked for opinions so here are a few. I am not being rude and mean no offense by what I say, just keep in mind that this is one guy's opinion. First keep in mind that there are no guarentees about whether you will or will not be getting in. Statistically speaking with an 18 on the DAT you wont be getting in, especially to Harvard. I know you said youre sure you'll be getting higher on the DAT but until the score comes out you cant really be sure. Anyway dont put the cart before the horse. Worry first about the DAT. Second worry about getting into schools. Then worry about choosing where to go. If you cant function without your family near that's fine everyone has their limits, just keep in mind that school is only four years, and you can always live near your family when you open your practice. Now the part about paying off the loans is just not realistic. There is no dental school clinic that you will be making $600 dollars a day in. I didnt even know that schools allowed you to work for them out of their clinics after graduation. I guess its possible but I've never heard of it. Anyway even with $600 per day your loans of 300,000 dollars will take well over three years to pay back.
I have to admit like jb said you sound kinda immature and not really aware of how things are. I think you should go to what school accepts you and learn to be a bit independent. Keep in mind you'll be running a business, and have to make real decisions that could potentially run that business into the ground. As far as being social every doctor needs to be able to talk to people, and present themselves in a sociable manner, or people will not come to see you. Work on those people skills by getting a job as a server or something cause without them it will be really hard to have any kind of practice.

 

[bruinpredent]

Umm, UCLA, I hear it is WAYYY too cut-throat and people want to kill you there. I hear that the faculty are rude and unsupportive. I have an ENORMOUS amount of respect for UCLA, it's an amazing school, but I never felt comfortable there. People seem rude, angry, hostile and too intimidating. The few times I visited the campus and Dental School, I got a very unwelcoming feeling, people asking me questions that they shouldn't, they seemed like they weren't happy and were too tense. I asked a doctor a question, and he looked at me and walked right passed me, he saw me, heard me, but it was LITERALLY the rudest thing he could do. I just dont want to add anymore stress to the 4 years than there already is. Im sure lots of people are happy at UCLA but I honestly dont think bad treatment, rudeness and unnecessary attitude is required to be a good dentist in the future. I would rather be somewhere where I wouldnt be terrified to walk into a Professor's office and ask him something.

I always hear from students in UCLA that professors tell them they dont care about Dental students, and that they just arent nice to them. I called the Dental School one time and asked some questions and the guy on the phone seemed like he was working at a Maximum Security Penitentiary. I am seriously not trying to bash UCLA. I know people there are SUPER SMART, both undergrad and MED, Dental, but I feel very scared there and promised myself that I wouldnt go there anymore, so the idea of being in the heart of UCLA for 4 years is very scary to me.

When I visited USC, EVERYONE was SOOO nice, so calm, so happy, not stressed out, really welcoming, they smiled, came over and talked to me, gave me so much support within just 1 hour. I really felt as if I could be happy there.

I applied to LMU, I hear it's a great school and people there are very nice and supportive. I really put a lot of value on how people treat you in Dental School, it's important to me. Like I said, everyone is different and people look for different things when choosing a Dental School.

I hope I get into USC and LMU this year, I would choose USC though if I got into both.

very interesting...i can tell you from first hand experience that the dental students at UCLA are really chill, very supportive of one another and definitely help one another out...and the faculty is also very supportive. heck i'm only an undergrad, and yet they are still very cooperative and in no way unsupportive...the dental students i know would echo the same sentiment for most professors.

oddly enough, i've heard the opposite of USC...that the professors are unsupportive, unwilling to help you, and supervise you more than anything rather than actually teaching you anything. then again, thats all hearsay...i can't say that USC is like that for sure without having been around the faculty and experiencing it first hand. nor do i think you can generalize UCLA in the way that you did either.

don't let ucla's "cut throat" nature turn you off...unless you aren't willing to put in more study time than most med students, in which case ucla probably isn't the best school for you

gluck this cycle 👍

 

[infernobutterfl]

Realistically speaking, UCLA is a nice school, (although it is always under construction.. 😕)

I agree with the person from a few post up. You are planning WAY too far ahead without support grounds to back up your plans. Firstly, have you even been accepted into USC? If you are not accepted, lets hold the part about planning to live and attend USC until you are either accept or is 90% certain you will be.

Hence, start with step one: getting into a, or THE, dental school. What are your GPA, DAT, and personal drive?

 

[masterDDS]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

What is your gpa? 18 DAT seems a little low especially for schools like Pacific, UCSF and Harvard.

 

[PChemGrad]

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

I think you should wait and see if you get accepted to these schools first. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

After you visit these schools for your interviews, see if you like them, if you could see yourself there for 4 years. To be honest if you told me I was going to be moving to the east cost a few years ago I would have said that is bull ****, I will never move to the east cost, but after visiting Philly for my interview I realized it was nice, and could see myself there for 4 years. So in 2 months I will be packing up and moving across the country (man is school going to be starting soon).

If the only place you want to go to is USC then just apply to USC. Its not worth it wasting money if you dont want to go to another school.

Good luck paying off your loans in 3 years after going to USC.

Try going to a school in a different part of the country, who knows you may enjoy it, it will give you a since of your identity as you experience different cultures within the US. Why only be confined to SoCal there is soo much more out there.

But as a dentist you do need to be a people person, you have to interact with every type of individual that is in need to dental care, learning to interact with other people besides your family will help you with this. You dont need to be that "player" that goes from bar to bar picking up on different women, but you do need to be that politician who can go up to a group of people and make them feel at ease and make them trust you from the very beginning.

 

[Toothguy80]

Yeah, honestly, I know humans adapt to any situation. I was very independent before, but just recently, I had money issues so I moved in my family and have totally gotten used to living with them and they help me out when they can.

Hey, one question, what's up with interest?
I know that it's tax deductable, but what does that mean?
Can I write off all the interest that I incur while in Dental School when I begin working?

So if I got out with 300K(My god that's a scary #), and incurred 2K interest a month, 13K interest/year, how does that work?

 

[SugarNaCl]

Yeah, honestly, I know humans adapt to any situation. I was very independent before, but just recently, I had money issues so I moved in my family and have totally gotten used to living with them and they help me out when they can.

Hey, one question, what's up with interest?
I know that it's tax deductable, but what does that mean?
Can I write off all the interest that I incur while in Dental School when I begin working?

So if I got out with 300K(My god that's a scary #), and incurred 2K interest a month, 13K interest/year, how does that work?

You deduct what you pay in interest from your income. If you pay 13K/yr in interest and you gross 100,000/yr, you can deduct the 13,000 from 100,000 and it is as if you only made 87,000 that year.

 

[djeffreyt]

To answer your original question...You should go where you feel you will have the best shot at finishing, cause there isn't any reason to go somewhere if you think you'll drop out.

That being said...maybe learning to be a little independent would help. The fact that you think you couldn't make it through dental school without your parents, siblings and all your old friends within a short drive of you is either a sign of great insight...or a possibly great personal weakness.


As for the realism of your dream...I'm not sure you've looked into detail to your dream. But then, that's why it's a dream I suppose and not a plan.

If you accrue $300,000 of debt in dental school, about $266,000 of that will be from unsubsidized loans or loans that accrue interest during your 4 years. At even 6.5% annual compound interest, you'll be looking at about $40,000 in interest after 4 years. Add on another 34,000 of subsidized loans to get to 300,000 and you have $340,000 of debt after 4 years of school.

Then, you want to pay it off in 3-4 years while making $600 a day (about $144,000 a year). This isn't an unheard of starting salary I suppose. But let's say taxes are light on you even though your in the top 5% income bracket of all americans and you only lose 25% of your salary to taxes. Well, then you have $108,000 a year (or about $9000 a month)

To pay off $340,000 of debt, that continues to acrrues interest at a rate of 6.5% annual compound interest, here are some figures:

To pay off in 3 years, you need to pay $10,500 a month
To pay off in 5 years, you need to pay $6,600 a month
To pay off in 8 years, you need to pay $4,600 a month
To pay off in 10 years, you need to pay $3,850 a month

So, let's say you're ambitious and pay it off in 5 years. Well, your monthly income after paying debt is $2,400 or $28,800 a year. That's nothing to spit at...but it's not a hell of a lot of money considering other expenses like living costs.

You said San Diego...well, the average studio apartment in San Diego is around $700 a month. A nicer one is $800. I lived in a decent 1 br apartment in San Diego and paid $900 several years ago. In a few years, let's say you'd be paying $100 a month for rent and utilities in a studio. Well, there goes another $12,000 of your annual income.

Then there is gas...you have to drive in San Diego cause public transit suck. You also might want to eat and do all that stuff...well, you're income will go pretty fast.

Anyway...all this crap is just to say...your dream is nice, but it's not realistic. You haven't made any real plans and put a whole lot of thought to it yet. Have you looked at whether or not it is easy to open up a new practice in San Diego? Looked at how much it costs to purchase a practice in San Diego? Looked at how much a house in a nice area of San Diego Costs?

I'm not saying you can't have what you dream...but it's not as easy as dreaming and hoping. San Diego is also a part of the country that happens to have a lot of dentists for the very reasons that you want to live here. The national average is 6000 people in the population per 1 dentist. In most of San Diego and it's surrounding suburbs, it is 1000 people to 1 dentist...making it harder in San Diego, and many other popular metro areas, to just come and start a successful practice. It is doable, but would be even harder to do if you planned on paying off your loans in an unrealistic amount of time.

Sorry to be a downer man.

 

[starfishbear]

k

 

[lifeisgood]

To answer your original question...You should go where you feel you will have the best shot at finishing, cause there isn't any reason to go somewhere if you think you'll drop out.

.......

Sorry to be a downer man.

How do you really feel Dr Jeff? I do have to agree with many of your points. I'd say if you (the OP) really want to pay off your debt within 5 years, join the military, they'll pay for everything (& give you money while in school), then you do your 4 years and call it a day.

 

[dentistmichelle]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

Wow... you worry too much. 😱 Don't try to plan your whole future out.. there is no point. Instead of typing long posts on the internet, maybe you should study more to pull up your DAT scores and then you will have your choice in southern California schools to apply to 🙂

 

[seansk]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR LOANS IN 5 YEARS, ITS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. PEOPLE ARE ON 30 REPAYMENTS, COSTING THEM ABOUT 2500 A MONTH, IF YOU CHOSE THE 10 YEAR PLAN IT'LL BE ABOUT 5000 A MONTH...DON'T FORGET TAXES!!! good luck! if you plan to make a good living, dentistry is only your starting point, you can't rely on it to make all your money.

 

[claugh]

Honestly, it sounds like you know your answer. the only thing stopping you from making a decision and sticking with it is the fact that you worry about what other people will think about the school you go to and its prestige. Going to a school with a name is not everything and it sounds like it wont necessarily make you happy. do what you think will make you happy cause in the end if you get depressed again you might not even finish dental school. so i think its better to stay close to home, be with the people you love, have the support you will need, graduate and go from there. dental school is gonna be rough and it is ok to need and want help of your family.

 

[wizziefiend]

How do others view USC, I mean, other Dental Schools are pretty expensive too, it's just a 50-70K difference, is 50-70K worth me living away for 4 years somewhere I dont know anything about?

USC was aweful when I interviewed there. Nothing impressed me.

That 50-70K shouldn't make or break your decision. But it's stay paying way too much for something that isn't all that great at all.

 

[Revellian]

Umm, UCLA, I hear it is WAYYY too cut-throat and people want to kill you there. I hear that the faculty are rude and unsupportive. I have an ENORMOUS amount of respect for UCLA, it's an amazing school, but I never felt comfortable there. People seem rude, angry, hostile and too intimidating. The few times I visited the campus and Dental School, I got a very unwelcoming feeling, people asking me questions that they shouldn't, they seemed like they weren't happy and were too tense. I asked a doctor a question, and he looked at me and walked right passed me, he saw me, heard me, but it was LITERALLY the rudest thing he could do. I just dont want to add anymore stress to the 4 years than there already is. Im sure lots of people are happy at UCLA but I honestly dont think bad treatment, rudeness and unnecessary attitude is required to be a good dentist in the future. I would rather be somewhere where I wouldnt be terrified to walk into a Professor's office and ask him something.

I always hear from students in UCLA that professors tell them they dont care about Dental students, and that they just arent nice to them. I called the Dental School one time and asked some questions and the guy on the phone seemed like he was working at a Maximum Security Penitentiary. I am seriously not trying to bash UCLA. I know people there are SUPER SMART, both undergrad and MED, Dental, but I feel very scared there and promised myself that I wouldnt go there anymore, so the idea of being in the heart of UCLA for 4 years is very scary to me.

Far be it from me to try to convince you to go to a school you think you would be miserable at, but I wanted to let you know that my experience at UCLA has been the exact opposite of what you've described. I'm not sure where people are hearing that this school is cut-throat, but this couldn't be further from reality. My class is a tight-knit group, as was the class of 2006. My classmates are the reason I graduated on Sunday. We helped each other with study materials, clinical requirements, and got each other through the WREB licensure exam.

The faculty and staff here have been amazing. The vast majority of pre-clinical and clinical instructors are very approachable and genuinely care about the students' success. When I arrived I was a little intimidated having to talk to so many doctors, but this fear soon dissipated and I'm leaving with quite a few friends among the faculty.

Of course go where you think you'd be happiest, but I've been extremely satisfied with UCLA, and your assessment couldn't be further off.

Good luck with your application process.

 

[Denticized]

Family is the way to go. I wish I had gotten into USC so I could be near my family. I envy you. Please stay with your family for what else can fill their place?

 

[Dauber]

Hi, so I am a re-applicant.
I applied 5 months late last year with an 18 DAT so I didn't get an interview anywhere.

This year I know I will get in places because I applied May 15th, and I have a good application and I know Im going to get higher on my DAT.

I live in Southern Cali and I want to go to USC but I hear awful things about it and it's so expensive. If I get into Tufts, UOP, UCSF or even Harvard, should I go?

the thing is, I get very depressed when I am away from my family. I went away for undergrad and I had a TERRIBLE time. I know, I know, there are amazing people out there that go away from home and do great, but Im not one of them. I need to be close to my family, friends dont cut it for me.

When Im close to my family and in Southern Cali, I study harder and do better and Im happier.

My future plans are to graduate, have a close Alumni network, maybe take some courses in cosmetic dentistry and make lots of money, have my patients love me because I care about them and do a good job and buy a practice when I get more money.

I dont want to get into research or teaching, none of that, it's just not my thing. All my life I have been moving and loosing friends and going away for great schools, and now I just can't bear it anymore. Im not strong enough. I am a smart person and very goal-oriented.

................PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS REALISTIC............

Graduate from USC on time(4 years), work in their clinic, make $600 a day, pay off student loans in 2-3 years, move to San Diego, get a private office there, take some courses in cosmetic dentistry, make 200K a year...live happily ever after. Have my USC dental school friends close by since there only 1.5 hours away and be happy. Go to the beach, work out, live a dream life.

This really is my dream, please tell me what you think. And please dont joke or say something rude because everyone is different. Last year I didn't care about getting in, but this year I actually have the potential of getting into Harvard, which I would probably not go because I can't live in Boston for 4 years. The people are sort of cold and angry, weather sucks, wouldnt have my family and friends and probably no beach, car or luxury.

I am just afraid that I will get into a prestigous school, go there with dreams, get depressed and drop out or do horribly and when I graduate, be bitter and angry and when I come back to SoCali, I wont have my Dental School friends close by and it will be hard to find a job here because I dont know anyone here.

Please tell me what you think I should do....thank you

Worry about this when you have your options (i.e. any acceptances). You're beating yourself up over what-if's. One step at a time, buddy...