Pitt vs USC

[fireblast713]

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So I recently was accepted to USC, I already placed a deposit down for Pitt, Dec 1st. I'm from CA so USC is in state for me Pitt would move me a substantial distance away.

Here's my dilemma, my parents really want me to stay in CA, and I do also to some extent, however USC really only has the instate going for it (I'm not a huge college football fan so I'm not really counting their team), from what I've read a lot of people are unhappy with the 100% PBL, the cost is ~450k for 4 years which is 100K+ more expensive then Pitt. The disadvantage of Pitt is that it's far away, the move would be substantial, and weather would probably be worse, and I would have to be re certified to practice for CA upon graduation (if I wanted to move back to CA, which I probably would).

Anyways I was wondering if I could get some unbiased opinions of the schools and what you guys would do in my situation. If I've gotten any of the negatives/positives about the school wrong, please don't take offense as this is just from what I've heard and feel free to correct me.

 

[fireblast713]

any chance a mod could move this to the dental forum, so I could get some responses from people currently @ these schools? thanks

 

[CzechSteelPens]

Is that you Justin? If I were you, I'd go to Pitt, but maybe I'm just being a homer. But to be fair, I lived in Cali longer than I have in Pittsburgh. I guess Pittsburgh fits my personality better, I don't really care for SoCal and wasn't all that sad about leaving UCI, except leaving my friends. Being that far away from home isn't all bad, lets you branch out a bit and I actually found it a bit liberating not having to feel like I had to visit home frequently.

Saving a 100k would be another big incentive and you can probably have more fun for less money in terms of your free time. Also, the weather here isn't that horrible. It probably rains just as much as in NorCal and winter's haven't been that snowy recently. Summers are tolerable, can be humid at times but don't have the horrendous LA pollution either. My dentist went to Pitt and had nothing but good things to say about it.

In any case, don't think there is any bad decision here, just whatever fits better for you.

 

[fireblast713]

Is that you Justin?

Yup sure is, thanks for the info John, I'm pretty much leaning towards Pitt right now, but thanks for the insight.

 

[dantheman2007]

how many incoming students is pitt accepting this year.
i thought it was 80, until I saw the ADA guide that said 115
anyone know how big the class is suppose to be?

 

[ColdFish]

It's only 80 seats.

 

[livingdreams]

Yeah, I think you should go with what you feel comfortable with. I am in your situation too, trying to decide between USC and an east coast school.

If I were you, I wouldn't listen so much of what people have to say on here. Most people on here that have negative things to say about USC, don't even go to USC!😳 They just have heard things about the school.

What I did though, was found current, and recent graduates of USC through facebook, and asked them honestly how their experience has been. I also went to the school, and asked students what they felt, especially the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years. There were different opinions.

Most students are used to someone lecturing them and telling them what they need to know, which is why it would be something to get used to. But, it was nice talking to current students who said that they learned more and retained more from being active learners. A fourth year told me she has enjoyed her experience, and credits her incredible board scores from PBL (which is medically based like the Boards), because in the past (like DAT), she was a horrible standardized test taker. She also said that their average board score was around 90%.

Another student told me that she likes USC because PBL has given her more lab time, which is good because USC's clinical requirements are one of the highest in the nation, which is why they become great clinicians.

I also heard that they are working to improve whatever the students are concerned about, and have town hall meetings. For example, after one town hall meeting, labs were opened throughout the weekend so that students could have more time to finish their work.

So, YES. I think you should investigate on your own, and go where you feel happy. Please don't get all wrapped up in what so many people, who don't even go to USC have to say. 😉

Good luck w/ your decision!

 

[ColdFish]

LIVINGDREAMS- what a great post!!!
I have been accepted to some east coast schools as well(including PITT) and I now have an upcoming USC interview. I am so ready to get to the school and ask the students what they think instead of just hearing the same things from people who aren't at the school.
By the way PITT is a great school and as of now is my top choice but I am keeping an open mind, or trying to at least with all the "SDN USC haters", california is a great place to be and where I would ultimately like to end up and that is a big reason why USC could be a great choice.

 

[gatorgirl984]

USC ALL THE WAY!!!!
I interviewed in both. I loveeeedddd it...I wasn't too impressed with Pitt. Don't pass USC up my friend...I wouldn't

 

[ElectraOnAzalea]

USC ALL THE WAY!!!!
I interviewed in both. I loveeeedddd it...I wasn't too impressed with Pitt. Don't pass USC up my friend...I wouldn't

gatorgirl, are you waitlisted at pitt? Your last three posts are on pitt VS. other school threads, and you're other posts indicate you haven't been accepted to pitt and are waiting for the call. It's kind of lame to try to sway someones decision because you're waiting for a seat at pitt yourself.

 

[Ecniv]

I was choosing between the same two schools last year and I decided to go to USC. When it comes down to choosing a school, you just have to find one that you would fit best in and where you would be most happy. Dental school is by no means easy (although the 1st year at SC has been fairly relaxed) so being happy with where you are at would give you a more positive attitude and allow you to be more productive. Personally, I choose USC for a couple of reasons, most importantly being that I wanted to stay in california. Second, I was never a big fan of lectures during undergrad so I thought a little change up in that aspect would be good. PBL sounded very interesting when I was looking into USC and hasn't disappointed me yet. I feel that I have learned a lot more because I've retained a lot of what we have covered in case. Also learning by using case studies has allowed me to learn how the body functions as a whole rather than understanding each chapter of the book individually. On the other hand, it was quite hard letting go of Pitt because so much cheaper. I know some people choose their schools by choosing the cheapest school since we are all dentists once we graduate. I've been happy with my choice and have been been enjoying my time at USC. Good luck to all of you who are choosing between schools. Its good to have choices, but sometimes, it seems to only cause more problems.

 

[fireblast713]

gatorgirl, are you waitlisted at pitt? Your last three posts are on pitt VS. other school threads, and you're other posts indicate you haven't been accepted to pitt and are waiting for the call. It's kind of lame to try to sway someones decision because you're waiting for a seat at pitt yourself.

Agreed... at least don't be so transparent about it... Don't be one of those Predents who gives predents a bad rep 😛