Private vs. State school ( i need help)

[jam21]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Okay guys.
I narrowed my choices down to columbia and univ of florida.
I tried to list positive things for both schools but I still can't decide! Even after hearing some negative stuff about columbia, I still want to go because of its name and I want to live up north.
(florida weather is boring~~). But it's hard to give up UF because it's sooo cheap!. Should I just not think about the money issue and head to north or is it worth it at all???
What do you guys thinK? Do people actually decide not to go to their state school if they get accepted?
(I don't plan to specialize)

I'll be happy with any comments!! Thanks

 

[DesiDentist]

if you don't plan on specializing it is in your best interest to go to UF. However, it seems like you dont' like the area/weather and you wish to move. I'm in the same predicament (if accepted to U.Washington). Damian (another SDN fellow) is tied between PENN and UF as well but he got a 50% minority scholarship at PENN so his debt will not be as much as Columbia.

I don't know, but judging from your interests it looks like you want the name, reputation etc. I don't blame you, but 10,000 a year vs. 34,000 a year is a big difference.

You want a lot of clinical experience and I don't know if Columbia will offer that to you.

Tough choices, indeed. I hope i'm not put in that situation.

DesiDentist

 

[GV Black Jr.]

Dental School is already too expensive even at state schools. I decided to go to a state school (UMDNJ) because private school is just too expensive. Besides the tuition, room and board in Manhattan is huge too. If you want to be a specialist just be highly ranked in whatever dental school class you're in (which may be easier to do at UF) and do well on the boards (NBDE step 1), that's more important than the school you go to. Lots of people from my school are going into specialties after grad, and we aren't Ivy League.

And weather! You've got to be kidding. I just drove through the slipperiest snow of my life to get home and I can't wait to get some place warm, my house is freezing

Just the opinion of a Jersey Guy,

GV Black jr. 😎

 

[gryffindor]

If Florida is $10,000 and Columbia is $34,000, you'd be saving almost $100,000 by going to Florida. Think about it this way - do you know what kind of a car you can buy with $100,000? Unless you have no money issues (but it sounds like you do), go to Florida. Even if Florida weather is boring, so many people up here are clamoring to go to Florida and be in the sun. The snow is only pretty to look at when it falls on Christmas and you don't have to shovel it. But when you have to clean it off your car every morning and every evening (after being in school all day), it really starts to get to you.

The Florida boards are one of the toughest in the country, right up there with California. Going to UF will probably give you a better chance at passing them because the instructors there are in tune with what they look for on those boards. With NY state, you can do a 1-year general practice residency ANYWHERE after dental school and come practice in NY. Or you can complete a specialty program ANYWHERE and come to NY. It's the new PGY-1 law that is going to take effect on Jan. 1, 2003.
As long as the prgoram is ADA accredited, you're good to go.

If you don't plan to specialize, go with UF. Even if you did plan to specialize, go to UF. From speaking with Columbia upperclassmen, they get ZERO clinic exposure their first two years and don't do a whole lot their third year either compared to other schools. Just looking at their pre-doc objectives on their website, it sounds like patients aren't assigned to you till fourth year. UF's website seems to indicate that third years definitely see patients and also receive some mock board exam training.

 

[damian12]

Hey Jam !

Well, I guess we're on the same boat. I too am still debating whether I should attend Penn or UF. I can't seem to decide between either due to several factors.

First, tuition is a pretty big factor. UF, I beleve, costs roughly 12K yearly ? That was a guesstimate. Then on the other hand you have Penn - a private institution, 40K yearly on tuition.

Secondly, UF prepares you for the Florida boards, one of the more difficult licensure exams around. Penn and Columbia will be preping you for the NERB.

I can't even type anymore cuz of these darn brain cramps !!!
😡 😡 😡

 

[teethdoc]

I am in the same situation as the two of you..except I am deciding between NYU and UF. Although everyone tells me to go to UF, when I went on my interview there I got bad vibes. I feel the students are very competetive and it is very hard to get patients. I am getting my masters now in Philadelphia and I love the northeast. You cannot get the same education in the south. At UF, students have to get there own patients or fight for the ones avaiable through the school..is that something u want to deal with in two years. U need to go where u are going to be happy regardless of the cost...in the end u will be able to pay it back.

 

[juan7677]

I chose Uop (private) over Ucla (public) because I felt that uop's program suited my desires and goals better. I wanted to go to a school that's clinically very strong and uop is just that. Ucla, however, is not as strong clinically. Also, uop is 3 yrs which is a big plus. I figured that if I went to ucla, i would be there 4 years and after I would have to spend another year in a post grad residency. Everyone I talked to who graduated from ucla went onto GPR or AEGD b/c they didn't feel ready to practice and they said that this is the same for the majority of ucla graduates. But the majority of Uop graduates come out of school ready to practice. Only a small number go into residency programs. So instead of waiting 5 years to go out and start practicing on my own, I would be spending only 3 years. So I chose uop even tho the tuition/fees are much more than ucla....~$41,000 vs ~$11,000. So I suggest that you go to a school that you feel is best for you and your future.

 

[jam21]

oh my gosh. Thanks for all the thoughtful comments! !!
I'm leaning towards UF though. UF is definitely more clinically oriented. And since it's not that hard to practice in other state after graduating from the florida school, i guess I should be satisfied with UF. I'm still debating and not 100% sure about uf yet, but all the replies helped me a lot!

Thanks!




To teethdoc: I didn't realy like the school when I had an interview at UF either. But, i think UF 's facility was nicer than NYU's although NYU seemed to be more exciting place.

 

[bananabt]

Hey, I also had to make a decision between Florida and Columbia. I chose not to even apply to Florida because of 1) Personal reasons, my girl friend is going to UMDNJ and 2) I cannot stand Florida. I visited Florida and got the impression that students get treated very secondary. For instance, to answer my question about chair time and its availability, a dental student walked into the room and interupted our talk with the administrator. He basically said that he would not get chair time due to his position on a 'waiting list'. Now, Columbia on the other hand is not so much better but it is a general improvement. We were told in a roundabout way that we would not get our own chair, but would only have to share a chair with one other person. Also, the patient base is astronomically better at Columbia. Good luck with your decision.

 

[arns51]

heh, i hope that he has gotten around to his decision by now😉