Please help a high school senior choose where to go for undergrad!!!

[kuroikumo98]

Hello SDN!!
I am a high school senior in CA. My goal is to go to dental school and graduate undergrad in three years if possible. I'm trying to decide if I should go to community college or attend University of Redlands, a small liberal arts school in southern California. PLEASE help me choose between those two options!!!
(I also got waitlisted to UCSB and UCI but I'm not considering them now because I might not get off the waitlist. I would probably go to either if I'm off the waitlist)


University of Redlands pros:
---A four year college! I heard dental schools prefer to see most requirements from a four year college
---Be able to craft my own major. I got into the Johnston program, which allows me to create my own major; meaning I get to choose every class I take.
--- not very competitive (which I like) , more attention paid to each student.

University of Redlands cons:
--- not very prestigious, I heard that UC dental schools (where I want to go for dental school) prefer to take students from UC undergrad institutions.
--- location is practically in the middle of nowhere. The nearest city is over an hour away with a car
--- more expensive than community college. They gave me scholarships but I still have to pay about 7-8K a year in tuition.
--- will probably stay in U of R for four years instead of three. Since most privates like to keep their students for four years, I probably will not be off the hook
--- trump's new budget might take away Cal Grants?? Meaning that I won't get much government help.


Community college pros:
--- already familiar with the place. I've been taking community college classes for more than a year.
--- cheaper than U of R. I pay nothing to go to community college.
--- I can get out of community college in one year then go to a UC since I have a lot of college credit already; meaning it's possible to graduate in three years.
--- location is great.
Community college cons:

--- dental schools don't like to see pre-reqs taken at a community college.
--- the UCs I transfer to won't probably have the same class size and personal attention U of R has.
--- it's harder to get letters of rec when I only have two years to establish a relationship w a professor at a UC.
--- it's harder to find research when I will only have two years at a UC.
For housing I'm going to stay w family for both options.

What do you think? I apologize if this has been long! Thank you SOO much for your time!!!

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[neoevolution]

I think 2 years is doable for research and LoR especially if you are proactive and start contacting people once you've set up your transfer. I think class size / attention is overrated anyway when it comes to college; you have office hours and ECs to get to meet profs personally and pre-reqs are usually large classes everywhere.

I've heard prereqs at CC aren't as bad if you attend full-time and transfer vs. taking them in the summer while at a 4yr, but idk how much it matters.

How much would the UC cost for years 2 and 3?

 

[kuroikumo98]

I think 2 years is doable for research and LoR especially if you are proactive and start contacting people once you've set up your transfer. I think class size / attention is overrated anyway when it comes to college; you have office hours and ECs to get to meet profs personally and pre-reqs are usually large classes everywhere.

I've heard prereqs at CC aren't as bad if you attend full-time and transfer vs. taking them in the summer while at a 4yr, but idk how much it matters.

How much would the UC cost for years 2 and 3?

I still think that attention kinda matters because I'm so used to small class sizes throughtout my life? Thank you for replying!!! A UC would probably cost the around the same of Redlands.

 

[Cali20002]

If your undergrad will be completely paid for by your parents, I would look into Redlands. If not, go to the cheap community college for sure, but you will have to do further research on a school by school basis to see which schools have a preference towards CC/Non-CC credits. As long as Redlands has a GOOD sciences program, you will be OK when it comes time to apply. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[neoevolution]

I still think that attention kinda matters because I'm so used to small class sizes throughtout my life? Thank you for replying!!! A UC would probably cost the around the same of Redlands.

Undergrads have small group discussions with TAs for science classes usually and there's always office hours for help too. For any questions you can't ask during/after lecture, I know people who would go to office hours essentially weekly. I think adjusting to that style of learning is important for medical school too where it's very self-driven.

 

[Toutie]

Go to the least expensive option. Dental school is outrageously expensive!!! You do not want to have undergrad debt on top of dental school debt.

 

[DoctHouse]

CC.

 

[Lardy Boy]

Cc to ucr


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