NYU vs. Stony Brook -- Help me make decision.

[mityaz]

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Hello my fellow pre-dents! I need your input on this dilemma that I have.

I am fortunate enough to be offered admission from two of my top choice schools - NYU and Stony Brook. So now i have to make my decision. Both schools have my deposit already (nyu 2,500 and SB 350).

Here is my situation. I am an only child of a parent that makes just enough money to be considered above poverty level. I also hold a part time job, that pays reasonable good (given that i work the hours). I live in the Bronx with my girlfriend of 13mo (thus moving to Long island by Stony Brook is not an option). My girlfriend is a college graduate and work as a professional in one of the health centers in Manhattan.

So here is my dilemma: Price - NYU is 64k/year vs. SB avg 32k/year. (no room and board and other such expenses included). Im not sure about any kind of scholarship or financial aid yet, so with all else being equal, those are the numbers. 4 year total 252k vs 128k. To me this is a BIG difference, maybe not as much now as it will be when I start paying off the loans (and trying to take a loan out for a practice).

2. Distance - If i were to go to NYU i would move to queens or brooklyn where the commute to my school (and my girl's work) would be short (30mins maybe) or maybe even close enough to pedal my bike. If Im going to SB i will live in queens or brooklyn and commute by car to SB (about 45 mins).

3. Schools' organization - Ive heard from a few people at NYU (i volunteer there) that being that the NYU is private students are often neglected and ignored. Not sure how true this info is but thats what I've heard from at least 5-7 people.

4. School's Image - I know that more average joe's know about NYU than SB. But i really dont care about non-dental people and their opinions. I also know that looking on predents, SB is one of the harder ones to get into (avg dat 21 vs 19.06 for NYU). What do you guys think about this "status" of either school?

5. Class size - NYU 250 (later 350) - plenty people for networking. SB 40 - not so many to know.

Please, chime in, let me know what you guys think. Thank you.

 

[DrDDSman]

Hello my fellow pre-dents! I need your input on this dilemma that I have.

I am fortunate enough to be offered admission from two of my top choice schools - NYU and Stony Brook. So now i have to make my decision. Both schools have my deposit already (nyu 2,500 and SB 350).

Here is my situation. I am an only child of a parent that makes just enough money to be considered above poverty level. I also hold a part time job, that pays reasonable good (given that i work the hours). I live in the Bronx with my girlfriend of 13mo (thus moving to Long island by Stony Brook is not an option). My girlfriend is a college graduate and work as a professional in one of the health centers in Manhattan.

So here is my dilemma: Price - NYU is 64k/year vs. SB avg 32k/year. (no room and board and other such expenses included). Im not sure about any kind of scholarship or financial aid yet, so with all else being equal, those are the numbers. 4 year total 252k vs 128k. To me this is a BIG difference, maybe not as much now as it will be when I start paying off the loans (and trying to take a loan out for a practice).

2. Distance - If i were to go to NYU i would move to queens or brooklyn where the commute to my school (and my girl's work) would be short (30mins maybe) or maybe even close enough to pedal my bike. If Im going to SB i will live in queens or brooklyn and commute by car to SB (about 45 mins).

3. Schools' organization - Ive heard from a few people at NYU (i volunteer there) that being that the NYU is private students are often neglected and ignored. Not sure how true this info is but thats what I've heard from at least 5-7 people.

4. School's Image - I know that more average joe's know about NYU than SB. But i really dont care about non-dental people and their opinions. I also know that looking on predents, SB is one of the harder ones to get into (avg dat 21 vs 19.06 for NYU). What do you guys think about this "status" of either school?

5. Class size - NYU 250 (later 350) - plenty people for networking. SB 40 - not so many to know.

Please, chime in, let me know what you guys think. Thanks you.

First off, congrats on your acceptances, but if i were in your shoes, its a no brainer..SB for sure. If you go to NYU, you would be looking at 250k+ in debt (plus interest over the years). SB is half of that cost. Think of what you can do with an extra 125K saved up! As for status, its really not a big deal, because most of your pateints wont even care to ask or be interested in where you went to school as long as you treat them well.

My 2 cents. Good luck to you

 

[mityaz]

thank you for the response, DrDDS. Keep them coming guys.


P.S. I appreciate the voting, but i would appreciate it even more if the reason was specified.

 

[Kneecoal]

going to stony brook is the smartest choice for sure, and i don't think there's much reason to say that moving out to the island isn't an option because your girlfriend works in the city. do you know how many people commute from here? i don't think there should be much holding you back from moving closer to stony brook and she can take the train in. it would cut the cost of dental school in half, and stony brook is said to be a great school for the value.

plus, i think it's pretty off-base to say your commute is going to be 45 minutes... it takes me almost that amount of time to get to stony brook... and i live near the nassau/suffolk border.

all in all, i think it's silly to automatically say no to moving out on the island because of her job, when the LIRR is such a huge people-mover during the work week.

good luck!

 

[mityaz]

thank you for the reply. If i go to SB im sure i will move close to queens/LI border so that my commute isn't as long. as for the time it takes to get there, speaking from my own experience, i drove to SB for my interview and I got there in 65 mins and i was traveling from the Norths west Bronx (riverdale, almost yonkers). so i think coming from queens should cut at least 10-20 mins off. Another reason that i want to to move to queens is to eliminate all of the bridges. Major Deegan gets PACKED around I95.

Myself, I robably would not mind moving to LI, but i know for sure that my gf will not be happy about it (never piss off a woman that you live with) lol. So we have to compromise. I just hope i will make the right school choice.

 

[Skygrandpager]

thank you for the reply. If i go to SB im sure i will move close to queens/LI border so that my commute isn't as long. as for the time it takes to get there, speaking from my own experience, i drove to SB for my interview and I got there in 65 mins and i was traveling from the Norths west Bronx (riverdale, almost yonkers). so i think coming from queens should cut at least 10-20 mins off. Another reason that i want to to move to queens is to eliminate all of the bridges. Major Deegan gets PACKED around I95.

Myself, I robably would not mind moving to LI, but i know for sure that my gf will not be happy about it (never piss off a woman that you live with) lol. So we have to compromise. I just hope i will make the right school choice.

Let's say everything is equal between the 2 programs (i feel there are +/-'s for both), you really should choose the MUCH cheaper one, I just feel that it's really not smart to pay over +100K for a gf.. clearly Just my opinion.
Honestly consider the lower debt from SB after 4 years with a DDS/DMD to be like winning the lottery.

 

[mityaz]

thanks you guys for replies.

im leaning towards SB myself. Im just trying to make sure im not missing anything, this is why im asking you- the SDN gurus!

 

[Charmm]

Stony Brook, no doubt
Don't you remember the faculty? High-tech dental school? Great location ( in my op) ...

 

[Impulse155]

I go to stony brook right now undergrad.
Its very depressing here.
Thats all I have to say.
However it is very cheap.

 

[mityaz]

thank you guys. any more inputs?

 

[BabushkaDDS]

Hey, I know stony is cheap and all but I'm a third year and I honestly wish I went to NYU. I mean dental school is expensive as it is, but plenty of people go to NYU and manage. Also if you're gonna be commuting from queens you're gonna end up in traffic and it might be just like your 65 min commute from riverdale. You'd really need to dorm really close to here, and if you're dorming its almost the same 60 thousand you'd pay to commute to NYU.

 

[Schwanz]

There is certainly a big difference between the cost of these schools, but at every interview I've been to the financial aid office always stresses that for every dollar you borrow for dental school you will be paying back 2 dollars (principal+interest). I think that when you look at numbers between schools you should double everything for a good idea of the debt you're taking on.

 

[wigglytooth]

i am a second year student at SB. if you are willing to make the compromise with your girlfriend, for at least the first two years and live very close to SB (15 mins tops) then you will be very happy. i commuted a half hour the first half of my first year and i hated it. i was tired all the time and the time spent in the car could have been the time spent sleeping/doing relaxing things/getting to know my classmates. that said, a few students commute from as far as brooklyn because they are married or have to stay there for other family. they're staying afloat, but they are definitely the types that are ok with just passing. it depends on what your professional goals are. it is definitely feasible to see your girlfriend every weekend since the city is just a train ride away (and especially if you can study on the train and especially in the first year).

in terms of the NYU vs SB experience, taking your personal situation out of the equation, i would choose SB again and again over NYU. we start patients in november of our second year, we get the attention we need, we get a broad medical background, and yeah, it's cheep. the patient experience i got this year is excellent so far, and we'll have these patients all the years we are in dental school. no patient sharing unless you have to refer to the specialty programs. you don't have a bay with your name on it the first two years, but you get assigned to the same bays on the days you are in clinic. the main complaints i have is that SB *is* in the middle of nowhere basically, and i'm used to living in philadelphia. i also feel as if there is not a lot of communication between departments and between the dental and medical school, so that there's a lot of repeated material. it's not so bad if you don't remember everything though... but when you're in class from 8-5 and you've heard the same immunology information you got from the med school last year, you really don't want to hear it again.

it's going to be a rough decision considering your girlfriend... time for a lot of thinking and a long conversation with your lady.. good luck!

 

[teethmagnet]

gl with your decision
im just curious though why you would put down a 2500 $$ deposit, understood the first deposit was due of 1500$ but why put $1000 down before the deadline????????
ESPECIALLY SINCE YOUR NOT 100% FOR SURE GOING TO NYU!!!!??!!!

 

[mityaz]

gl with your decision
im just curious though why you would put down a 2500 $$ deposit, understood the first deposit was due of 1500$ but why put $1000 down before the deadline????????
ESPECIALLY SINCE YOUR NOT 100% FOR SURE GOING TO NYU!!!!??!!!

thank you guys for the above inputs.

teethmagnet, i didn't get accepted to SB on Dec 1, I got it in jan. And before Jan 15 i was pretty sure i was going to NYU. But yeah, i should have waited with the last 1000 till the deadline. (there are 2 deadlines, 1500 before jan 15 and 1000 before apr1).\


This choice will definitely be something to consider. And a positive feedback/breakdown about SB above really sounded like something i wanted to hear.
thank you guys


Anybody else care to chime in?

 

[teethmagnet]

thank you guys for the above inputs.

teethmagnet, i didn't get accepted to SB on Dec 1, I got it in jan. And before Jan 15 i was pretty sure i was going to NYU. But yeah, i should have waited with the last 1000 till the deadline. (there are 2 deadlines, 1500 before jan 15 and 1000 before apr1).\


This choice will definitely be something to consider. And a positive feedback/breakdown about SB above really sounded like something i wanted to hear.
thank you guys


Anybody else care to chime in?

i hear that
but wish you held on that 1000 bucks
but whatever, its an investment

and SB is a greattttt school, one of my top, waiting to hear back from them, but still veryyyyy happy with my current school, BUT i wouldnt question STONY>NYU, only thing you gtta sacrifice some of your social life, but in end it'll be worth it. Think about it hard bec this decision will guide ur life

 

[mityaz]

another thing...

I am being told over and over that at NYU i will meet a whole lot more people, and some of them are quite connected and well of. This would contribute to my networking and maybe being able to get on with my practice sooner. Any thoughts on this?

My thoughts: I realize that NYU will probably offer me a greater variety of people to know, but again, they split all of the 350 people in like 12 clinics, so really you would be with your 30 people most of the time.

Any NYU students? Please chime in

 

[midiland]

go to SB
I go to NYU right now and they don't really teach anything.
Also, some row instructors are lazy, very unprofessional, and unfair when it comes down to grading ur practical tests

 

[mityaz]

midiland, do you feel like you are at an advantage being that the class size is 350?

 

[midiland]

my class size is close to 240 and my answer to your question is no.
so my only advice i can give to you is just go to SB. I am not sure about how other dental schools teach but my school seems like they are always busy trying to make you move onto something new without even teaching you basic skills. I will eventually learn how to do it but why waste so much time trying to learn if i could learn the same stuff in a short period of time?
NYU is not a HORRIBLE school but i just have a problem with the way they teach GDS.

 

[gegogi]

I personally liked my interview day at nyu and didn't experience anything good at stonybrook. I grew up in the city and I wouldn't survive the rural life at stonybrook. If anyone who don't care about the tuition, as a fortunate situation of mine, my parents will pay the whole tuition, nyu is a good option to consider. I don't even think there are so many difference to go any dental school by the way, so I chose to go nyu b/c I don't want to move out and don't care my tuition.

 

[somethinpositiv]

2. Distance - If i were to go to NYU i would move to queens or brooklyn where the commute to my school (and my girl's work) would be short (30mins maybe) or maybe even close enough to pedal my bike. If Im going to SB i will live in queens or brooklyn and commute by car to SB (about 45 mins).

Well, it's either a commute of 30 minutes or a commute of 45 minutes, you have to commute a long time either way, and you'll be living in the same part of NY either way. It's not like you're choice is living across the street from NYU or a 45 minute commute to Stony Brook... Distance seems like hardly a factor in the scenario you described, thus your decision should be based mainly on other factors (Cost, ect), rather than commute.. An extra half an hour per day will save you 50% ($128K) on tuition..

 

[mityaz]

Well, it's either a commute of 30 minutes or a commute of 45 minutes, you have to commute a long time either way, and you'll be living in the same part of NY either way. It's not like you're choice is living across the street from NYU or a 45 minute commute to Stony Brook... Distance seems like hardly a factor in the scenario you described, thus your decision should be based mainly on other factors (Cost, ect), rather than commute.. An extra half an hour per day will save you 50% ($128K) on tuition..

you have a very good point there. thanks you for inputs everybody. it seems like im will be coming to Stony brook. Expect a vacancy at NYU

 

[endobmm]

Hey,

I'm also starting graduate program in Stony Brook this fall. My wife works in the city, and like your girlfriend, would not be happy to move out to LI!

I plan on driving out there and i think the commute will be a lot easier if I share the driving responsibilites, i've been looking for car pools but havent seen any.

Are you interested?

 

[wanttobedmd]

Hey,

I'm also starting graduate program in Stony Brook this fall. My wife works in the city, and like your girlfriend, would not be happy to move out to LI!

I plan on driving out there and i think the commute will be a lot easier if I share the driving responsibilites, i've been looking for car pools but havent seen any.

Are you interested?

Isn't it like "an hour" away without traffic congestion? And, chances are...there will be always so much traffic on LIE.