Pittsburgh or Howard?!

[No19Prophy]

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Hello everyone!

I've been accepted in both Howard and Pittsburgh. Each school has its merits, and I had a relatively hard time choosing. While I preferred Howard mainly because I've been a DC area resident for many years, I eventually decided to go to Pitt. Because of that, on March 30th, I sent an email to Howard declining their offer of acceptance (after paying the initial deposit).

However, recently today (April 14th) I received a letter from Howard offering me a full scholarship. I was offered a scholarship from Pitt, but it was very small compared to Howard. Howard offered the entire $28,750 at least for the first year, and applying for it annually so long as I maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Now, I am a little torn:
Go to Howard (potentially graduating debt-free, and not have to move), or go to Pitt (which is far more expensive)? I know a few people who have lived in Pittsburgh, and had nothing but praise for the city.

Any constructive input or support will be greatly appreciated!
I was also wondering if there were any Howard or Pitt students or applicants who also have some advice.

Thanks

 

[Bman1047]

IMO...I think you're on the right train of thought. $$$ is a HUGE issue when it comes to funding graduate school, cause paying back over 200K is going to be brutal, and avoiding that is an awesome opportunity.

I would chose the cheaper school....Howard. It sounds like a win win...you don't have to worry about moving (huge expense), familiar with the area, and DC is a great city as well. NW is a little sketchy, but its not a bad place to live and get educated (I graduated from Howard)

I say chose Howard....

Best of luck!

 

[mylilpony]

Hello everyone!

I've been accepted in both Howard and Pittsburgh. Each school has its merits, and I had a relatively hard time choosing. While I preferred Howard mainly because I've been a DC area resident for many years, I eventually decided to go to Pitt. Because of that, on March 30th, I sent an email to Howard declining their offer of acceptance (after paying the initial deposit).

However, recently today (April 14th) I received a letter from Howard offering me a full scholarship. I was offered a scholarship from Pitt, but it was very small compared to Howard. Howard offered the entire $28,750 at least for the first year, and applying for it annually so long as I maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Now, I am a little torn:
Go to Howard (potentially graduating debt-free, and not have to move), or go to Pitt (which is far more expensive)? I know a few people who have lived in Pittsburgh, and had nothing but praise for the city.

Any constructive input or support will be greatly appreciated!
I was also wondering if there were any Howard or Pitt students or applicants who also have some advice.

Thanks

I am a big Pitt fan. But nothing bad to say about the city? People complain about every city, especially Pittsburgh. It's too cold, too hot, too rainy, too sunny, to urban, not urban enough... it really just depends on who you ask IMO. What did you think? Are you very interested in research? I hear Pitt has great research opps...just what they told us at the interview.

Me? I would go with the money, Howard. Which is the better fit for you? I bet Howard is an awesome school and you get to save major money. Seems like a win, win.

 

[baseballjunkie]

Hello everyone!

I've been accepted in both Howard and Pittsburgh. Each school has its merits, and I had a relatively hard time choosing. While I preferred Howard mainly because I've been a DC area resident for many years, I eventually decided to go to Pitt. Because of that, on March 30th, I sent an email to Howard declining their offer of acceptance (after paying the initial deposit).

However, recently today (April 14th) I received a letter from Howard offering me a full scholarship. I was offered a scholarship from Pitt, but it was very small compared to Howard. Howard offered the entire $28,750 at least for the first year, and applying for it annually so long as I maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Now, I am a little torn:
Go to Howard (potentially graduating debt-free, and not have to move), or go to Pitt (which is far more expensive)? I know a few people who have lived in Pittsburgh, and had nothing but praise for the city.

Any constructive input or support will be greatly appreciated!
I was also wondering if there were any Howard or Pitt students or applicants who also have some advice.

Thanks

Go to Howard. You will never regret saving the money in the end...

Pitt isn't a bad school (I was accepted there), but in the end would you rather pay back 300k in student loans or go to school with little or no cost?

If you asked me....it'd be a no brainer. However, go where you think you'll be happy...

 

[Vicviper]

Wow, yeah, that's amazing. As long as you don't mind the area it's in, Howard is a really great school, and the prospect of graduating near debt free is really hard to pass up. At Pitt, you'll need to take out 70-80k in loans a year, so you're saving over a quarter of a million bucks! I often say that money isn't very important in making your decision, but man, free is free. I like Pitt, heck, I'm like one of the main Pitt representatives on here, but that's an amazing deal. I was also accepted at Howard, and I really did like some of their academic policies better than Pitt - they've got more academic support, a better remediation policy, and you just need to pass all of your classes to graduate.

 

[wreMtH]

I second the above posters and would jump at the chance to attend Howard free of tuition. What a great opportunity! You will feel awesome when graduating without that debt on your back.

 

[ub40]

howard! DC is great and the price is even better!

 

[w3u46]

Howard! That's an enormous amount of money to be saving!

 

[Scoopie12]

Before you decide for sure, you may want to call Howard and be sure you still even have a spot. Howard tends to be unorganized with their stuff regarding the admissions process and it's possible they may have just sent you that offer without talking to the admissions office. I know that sounds weird but I would first call Mrs. Hewitt-Clarke if she is the person still responsible for admissions like she used to be. Good luck with the choice!

 

[Bman1047]

first call Mrs. Hewitt-Clarke if she is the person still responsible for admissions like she used to be. Good luck with the choice!

She is not...she is the reason HU carried a bad rep in regards to organization...its under much better control.

 

[preppydoc]

I would go with the money... Howard is a great school and I think that it will be an amazing experience with all of the clinical and community aspects... I don't think that Ms. Hewitt-Clark was the problem so unless you know for a fact, I wouldn't say that she was the actual problem... But, I would never want to be in such crazy debt!!! If you have a full ride I say go for it!!! There is so much that you can learn and from what I hear it is an amazing education!!

Congrats to you!!! And best of luck with your decision

 

[preppydoc]

and BMan... who says that NW is sketchy... if you know anything about DC, it is one of the wealthiest places in the country... where Howard is located may be sketchy (currently in the process of change), but NW DC as a whole is beautiful and has the wealthiest areas in the city...

 

[nartnad]

ill go to a school in guatemala if it was free tuition!

 

[Bman1047]

and BMan... who says that NW is sketchy... if you know anything about DC, it is one of the wealthiest places in the country... where Howard is located may be sketchy (currently in the process of change), but NW DC as a whole is beautiful and has the wealthiest areas in the city...

Slow ya roll playa, I say NW is sketchy which is my opinion (ya know, those things everyone is entitled too). I actually graduated from Howard...which means I lived in NW DC (4 years), and was active in the dental school (worked and volunteered), therefore validating BOTH the claims I made, if you don't agree, thats fine, I was responding to the OP anyhow.

it is one of the wealthiest places in the country...

What does that have to do with anything???

 

[No19Prophy]

Thanks for the input everyone. I have mainly decided to go to Howard. However, if somehow Pitt offers something either better or even "close in value", I'll just go there then.

Regardless of any of that, the fact that I got accepted into more than one dental school alone is enough for me to get excited, let alone getting scholarships! A little over a year ago, I set out preparing for the DAT, and didn't even know if I could make it. I am thankful, as I should.

 

[No19Prophy]

I have no idea why you guys are arguing. I've been to Howard and its neighborhood many times over the last few years. It was (and still is to some degree) "sketchy", so Bman is right about calling the area so, though I personally don't think that the term applies to all of NW. At the same time, ultimately one man's hell is another man's heaven. I think that Howard is still a good school nonetheless.

However, it was only recently that Howard's surrounding neighborhood started to get uplifted more, getting less and less sketchy, and noticeably so. I can say the same about, say, VCU, which changed A LOT since I first saw its campus nearly 7 years ago.

Don't forget about first impressions.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I preferred Howard mainly because I've been a DC area resident for many years

...I know a few people who have lived in Pittsburgh, and had nothing but praise for the city.

In my opinion, DC has a lot more to offer than the city of Pittsburgh in most ways (unless you're obsessed with sports, that is). However, that is a moot point, University of Pittsburgh is located in Oakland, not Pittsburgh. Most likely, you'll rarely have the time or want to spend the effort to get to the city of Pittsburgh proper...

Howard offered the entire $28,750 at least for the first year, and applying for it annually so long as I maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Full ride? People would KILL to be in your position. Sure Pittsburgh has a better name/reputation than Howard, but your patient's won't care or know the difference. And how bad could it be to maintain a 3.0 at Howard (especially with your tuition on the line).

Better city, better price, better patient base (ghetto vs suburbs), no need to transition to a new city, and your patients won't care where you graduated from as long as you're a competent clinician. Howard is the way to go, in my opinion.

 

[agentdocta]

The question I have is what do I need to do to get a similar full ride sholarship from Howard? I agree with all the other posters who have said that they would go to Howard. I definitely would choose Howard is I was getting such a scholarship, I don't need to add to the debt I already ganered from undergrad.

 

[Blue Panther]

However, that is a moot point, University of Pittsburgh is located in Oakland, not Pittsburgh. Most likely, you'll rarely have the time or want to spend the effort to get to the city of Pittsburgh

If not Pittsburgh then where is Oakland located unless this map is lying:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania_neighborhoods.svg

 

[coin25]

Why are you even asking man? ...................Go to Howard ........THEY PAY YOU???

 

[Vicviper]

If not Pittsburgh then where is Oakland located unless this map is lying:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania_neighborhoods.svg

Yeah, Oakland is definetly part of the City of Pittsburgh . I live in an area called Squirrel Hill - but it's still in Pittsburgh. And it does take all of 10 minutes by bus to get to downtown Pittsburgh, though, I agree with the poster before, there's not much to do in downtown Pittsburgh on your day to day basis, so you won't be going there often, haha.

 

[preppydoc]

Slow ya roll playa, I say NW is sketchy which is my opinion (ya know, those things everyone is entitled too). I actually graduated from Howard...which means I lived in NW DC (4 years), and was active in the dental school (worked and volunteered), therefore validating BOTH the claims I made, if you don't agree, thats fine, I was responding to the OP anyhow.



What does that have to do with anything???

I am not quite sure why you are referring to me as playa, but, where Howard is located is VASTLY different than the rest of NW DC. And yes, you are entitled to an opinion, but I don't think that you should say that NW is sketchy, SHAW is sketchy, not NW. Besides, several students live in places such as Adam's Morgan, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Glover Park, and West End (to name a few) all in NW DC.

The OP just needs to have a more accurate view of the area as a whole, not just your opinion of the area surrounding the school. You should clarify that you think that HU's area is sketchy, not NW.

 

[askadds]

Hello everyone!
Howard offered the entire $28,750 at least for the first year....

that's not a full scholarship, is it?

 

[minotaur9]

Wait a second, why did you decline your offer to Howard in the first place.....?

 

[AskJeeves]

Pittsburgh, obviously . . .

 

[kokokaware3]

Pittsburgh, obviously . . .

why ?

 

[minotaur9]

Pittsburgh, obviously . . .

Thanks for your opinion, but I was asking the OP for a little more detail as to why not, there may be a story there and it may be a good reason or something to consider in choosing to/not to take the scholarship....trying to look at both sides of his question. It's the next 4 years of his life.

 

[No19Prophy]

Thanks for your opinion, but I was asking the OP for a little more detail as to why not, there may be a story there and it may be a good reason or something to consider in choosing to/not to take the scholarship....trying to look at both sides of his question. It's the next 4 years of his life.

I eventually decided to go to Howard, even though I like a lot of things about Pitt more. Howard offered me a bigger scholarship and its costs are much smaller, not to mention I am a local resident of the DC Metropolitan area, and have been living here for many years, and I love it here (even though I think Pittsburgh is cool too).

I figured that even if the scholarship only covered the 1st year, it is proportionally bigger than Pitt's offer. Also, while Howard might not have the same great reputation as Pitt, their students do very well in their board exams, and graduate to become competent dentists.

I did call contact Pitt asking about their scholarships, and was told that they were limited, and that I will eventually have to apply for supplementary private loans as part of my financial aid package (something I can avoid by going to Howard).

If I were more enthusiastic about graduate school and research, I would have preferred to go to Pittsburgh, but that is not the case.

 

[snaggletoof]

good choice!!! free dental school. good luck!!! im from bethesda.