Stats for the cheapest schools vs top tiers?

[CbasCoC2016]

From what I've been reading for the past few days, most of the SDNers agree that going for the cheapest dental school is the best option. However, since the top dental schools look for very competitive stats and their tuition is high, is it really worth having such competitive stats if you're not thinking about going there? I'm a bit confused in what is considered a relatively "cheap" dental school and if its just as hard as into getting accepted into a top tier school vs "cheap" school.
Thanks!

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[schmoob]

Dental school is different. The relationship between cost and admissions competition is not linear. In fact, many of the highly competitive schools are on the more affordable side.
The reason is because tuition is just so expensive. Many people are not willing to pay that amount of money, so they choose to go to a school that costs $200K less. Since more people are doing this, the applicants to the affordable schools become more competitive because they want to save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

[Str82th]

Well said, schmoob.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Yes. The state school I go to averaged a 22 DAT and 3.74 GPA. There are other state schools high like this as well. It's best to keep your options open.

I LOVE being a California resident as well! High income taxes, extremely high cost of living, and ridiculously competitive state schools! What more could we ask for? #grateful

 

[Likkriue]

What matters most is coming out a dentist.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I LOVE being a California resident as well! High income taxes, extremely high cost of living, and ridiculously competitive state schools! What more could we ask for? #grateful

Don’t forget the motorcycle lane-splitting! Oh, and the ongoing hepatitis A outbreak. #stoppoopingonthesidewalk

Big Hoss

 

[blablabla1]

What in the world is a “top tier” dental school?

 

[doc toothache]

Yes. The state school I go to averaged a 22 DAT and 3.74 GPA. There are other state schools high like this as well. It's best to keep your options open.

You mean UCLA.
2017 Ranking of DS Based on GPA/DAT/Other

 

[testtest123]

I LOVE being a California resident as well! High income taxes, extremely high cost of living, and ridiculously competitive state schools! What more could we ask for? #grateful

The COLA (Cost of living Adjustment) should still make it a great place to live. Its expensive to live there but if you know what you're doing, you should make much more to make up for it.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

The COLA (Cost of living Adjustment) should still make it a great place to live. Its expensive to live there but if you know what you're doing, you should make much more to make up for it.

You are aware of how ridiculously saturated California is with dentists, right? That actually drives income way down. I can all but guarantee you will make more as a dentist in any "fly-over state." You also make California sound as if it's a state flush with cash. The reality is that the state is home to 1/10 of the US population, but 1/3 of the welfare recipients (Is California the welfare capital?). A full third of the state's population is on Medicaid and the state has some of the lowest physician reimbursement rates in the country (California’s Medicaid-Spending Crisis). It's no wonder almost a million, mostly middle-class individuals left California between 2005 and 2015 (Californians Are Voting With Their Feet | RealClearMarkets).

Big Hoss

 

[Life of Pablo]

You are aware of how ridiculously saturated California is with dentists, right? That actually drives income way down. I can all but guarantee you will make more as a dentist in any "fly-over state." You also make California sound as if it's a state flush with cash. The reality is that the state is home to 1/10 of the US population, but 1/3 of the welfare recipients (Is California the welfare capital?). A full third of the state's population is on Medicaid and the state has some of the lowest physician reimbursement rates in the country (California’s Medicaid-Spending Crisis). It's no wonder almost a million, mostly middle-class individuals left California between 2005 and 2015 (Californians Are Voting With Their Feet | RealClearMarkets).

Big Hoss

It’s funny that you say that because at my USC interview, the financial aid people literally told us not to practice in CA and instead practice in a “flyover state”. Their reasoning: we won’t be able to pay back our loans working as a dentist in California. I appreciated their honesty.