Let's take this line-by-line since afternoon patients were canceled due to the snowpocalyse. Hopefully I save some future pre-dents reading this post.
Pros:
- In-state tuition
- Strong clinical experience
- Amazing local outreach opportunities
- Large patient pool
- Yes, in-state tuition for Jersey kids from the beginning. In-state tuition for everyone else after D1. It's a HUGE positive.
- I don't know of another school with higher requirements than Rutgers. But actually, you will hate this as a D4. I kinda wish I could graduate with 1-2 dentures like the kids on the other side of the river. Meanwhile, I'm sweating trying to get my 12 dentures and 19 crowns done by May.
- Whare are these local outreach opportunities? That might have been some Admissions mumbo-jumbo. Not sure what you mean, not sure how that is a real pro to a school choice anyway.
- Yes, large patient pool. We literally don't have enough time to see all of our patients here. But it also doesn't matter too much, because you'll do more in 1 month of working than 24 months of dental school clinic.
Cons:
- Not the best location - which is a big deal for me
- Heard it could be a little competitive?? (would appreciate if someone would comment on this)
- I know you think you're going to be out having fun every weekend with your friends. But let me tell you, you are not going to have NEARLY the amount of free time as you think. Also, why is this a big deal to you at Rutgers? Lots of people here live in Jersey City and Hoboken, which is hopping with young professionals right now. I literally couldn't think of a better place to be as a 22 year old student. Also, Newark is fine. I don't know why it gets so much hate. Also the train ride to Manhattan is like 15-20 minutes.
- Yes, it's competitive. But also collaborative. Most people here are trying to do their best, but they aren't going to disrupt you. If you're worried about specializing, keep in mind that at least 50% of students here want to be a general dentist from day 1. Whether you specialize or not depends on YOU, not the school. Can't emphasize that enough.
Pros:
- Pioneer in aesthetic/cosmetic dentistry
- Amazing global outreach programs - I would love to do one!
- Large patient pool
- In the heart of NYC - all of my closest friends + boyfriend will be in the area. I have always dreamed of living in New York in my mid-20's.
- Strong network for alumni
- The aesthetic/cosmetic thing has nothing (like 0.0001%) to do with students. Just like the "outreach" you mentioned above with Rutgers, that sounds like an Admissions talking point that has nothing to do with your education. It won't affect your dental school experience at all.
- People at Rutgers go to the DR and Wyoming Native American reserve every year. If NYU does more, that's cool. They're really fun trips. But shouldn't be a huge factor. If you want to travel, you'll have vacations at each school.
- I've heard the NYU kids struggle to find patients. Maybe that's what happens when you're splitting the patients up among hundreds.
- Being in the heart of NYC is definitely cool, but also hella expensive. If you lived in Newark, you could meet your friends in Manhattan in 30 minutes. Save NYC for when you're making those big bucks.
- What are alumni going to do for you? Get you into a fancy GPR? You don't need alumni for that.
Cons:
- Cost (but I do have a 20k a year scholarship)
- Also, I would possibly live with my boyfriend in NYC (We have been dating over 3 years) and I would not have to pay rent if I lived with him.
- Huge class size
- Cost cannot be emphasized enough. Great that you have a discount, but even with the 20k, what would the difference in Cost of Living be? I fear hearing that price tag. Read some posts about the NYU debt. I really hope you and your boyfriend well, but I must point out the fact that many relationships did not survive dental school so I would not count that living arrangement as 100% guaranteed.
- I don't think huge class size is necessarily a big negative. Maybe it makes getting patients more difficult and standing out trickier, but doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me. Maybe it's cool having so many people around.
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My final verdict: Rutgers. But you knew that already.
