Pennsylvania Resident Dental School Applicants

[jaypea65]

Does anybody know why Pennsylvania residents are at a serious disadvantage in dental school admissions as compared to other state schools? All Pennsylvania dental schools admit a much greater percentage of non-residents than residents. It seems a little backwards compared to other state related schools.

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[ak47]

Does anybody know why Pennsylvania residents are at a serious disadvantage in dental school admissions as compared to other state schools? All Pennsylvania dental schools admit a much greater percentage of non-residents than residents. It seems a little backwards compared to other state related schools.

some states dont have any dental schools!

 

[Flipper405]

Does anybody know why Pennsylvania residents are at a serious disadvantage in dental school admissions as compared to other state schools? All Pennsylvania dental schools admit a much greater percentage of non-residents than residents. It seems a little backwards compared to other state related schools.

Remember that it only matters for public institutions - I believe both Temple and UPenn are private (Pitt is public?)

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

None of the three dental schools in PA are public. Temple and Pitt offer in-state tuition and I think receive some state funding, but they are private universities. Penn is completely private. Temple and Pitt are both still ~50% PA residents but yeah, it's a shame we don't get more favoritism, and lower tuition 😡

 

[jaypea65]

None of the three dental schools in PA are public. Temple and Pitt offer in-state tuition and I think receive some state funding, but they are private universities. Penn is completely private. Temple and Pitt are both still ~50% PA residents but yeah, it's a shame we don't get more favoritism, and lower tuition 😡

From what I understand, which is not very much, Pittsburgh and Temple are private state-related schools. However, they are funded by the state of Pennsylvania. For instance, in 2007, Pittsburgh received 182 million dollars from the state of Pennsylvania according to their own fiscal accounting record. I am not crying because I didn't receive an invite, but I think that applying to dental school as a Pennsylvania resident is a disadvantage statistically and comparatively to other state-related schools. I think that the Texas schools are actually under legislative mandate to only allow a certain number of out-of-staters. I will admit it is somewhat disheartening to know that I have been a taxpayer for my whole working life of 26 years in Pennsylvania, and I receive an invite from a private school 2000 miles from home when I have 3 dental schools in my own backyard. When 3 dentists are leaving the field per only 2 entering, one would think that sooner or later Pitt or Temple will need to change their admission practices for state residents.

 

[dent2009]

I know for a fact that Temple favors PA residents over out of staters (straight from the adcoms mouth). Perhaps Temple accepts more PA residents overall but on Day One of school, perhaps the class makeup is split down the line. Schools can't really control who comes to their school.

 

[banana87]

Actually (and I am say this because I was told this from a doc who used to teach for pitt AND be an adcom there), Pittsburgh does have a mandate saying they have to admit a certain number of in-staters. I am pretty sure that temple does as well. Even though the ratio may only be 50:50, that still gives you a huge advantage compared to an out-of-stater. I'm from Michigan and Umich is the same way. They have to admit so many Michigan students, but its much much less than some of the other state institutions.

 

[burnzee06]

We also lose out on decent in-state tuition prices... not cool.

On the bright side, I am an undergrad at Pitt and the dental school accepted 15/16 Pitt applicants last year. I guess they are showing some love.

 

[katy5787]

Pitt and Temple might not accept a majority of PA residents like other state schools, but they definitely will accept PA residents with slightly lower stats than out of state applicants, which helps. The above poster is right, I go to Pitt undergrad too and almost all Pitt undergrads who apply to Pitt dental school will get in there if they have decent grades. Someone on Pitt adcom told me they like students who went to undergrad in the Pittsburgh area especially and they will try to help them get in if they can. I know some PA residents that had slightly lower stats than average, but they did get into Pitt and Temple at least, but nowhere else. They definitely will cut PA residents a little bit of a break from what I have observed.

 

[jaypea65]

Pitt and Temple might not accept a majority of PA residents like other state schools, but they definitely will accept PA residents with slightly lower stats than out of state applicants, which helps. The above poster is right, I go to Pitt undergrad too and almost all Pitt undergrads who apply to Pitt dental school will get in there if they have decent grades. Someone on Pitt adcom told me they like students who went to undergrad in the Pittsburgh area especially and they will try to help them get in if they can. I know some PA residents that had slightly lower stats than average, but they did get into Pitt and Temple at least, but nowhere else. They definitely will cut PA residents a little bit of a break from what I have observed.

I don't know about this Katy you obviously would know more than me since you went there for undergrad, but Rose said that there are no quotas at Pitt for in state residents or anything else for that matter. They accept the best candidates regardless of state status and that resident numbers fluctuate depending on how competitive the in-state applicants are. My grades are good, but my DAT scores are average, and I have been a resident of Pa for 35 years of my 43 year life. (yes, I am older than dirt as far as dental admissions go). Rose advised me to retake DAT. I also live about an hour and a half drive to Pitt. However, I think that Temple does cut Pa residents some slack when it comes to stats. If this is the case, I do not think that Pitt is doing a good job of trying to keep dentists in Pennsylvania. One would think that a resident would be more likely to stay and practice in Pennsylvania than a non-resident. In a few years in our rural town, we are going to have a large exodus of dentists that are retiring. We need dentists that are willing to practice in these rural type settings rather than the larger cities and suburbs.