Temple or wait a year for UoP?

[Bear_Down]

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I need help making my decision.

I got accepted to temple off the waitlist and I have until tomorrow to make my decision... They matriculate in 5days!

I was also on the waitlist at UoP and they said I'm virtually guarantees a spot next cycle. This has always been my dream school.

These were my only two interviews last cycle. What do you guys think I should chose?


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[Charles_Darwin]

That's a tough decision and I have no clue how to answer, just wanted to say congrats this is a good problem to have!

 

[DSlotted]

Do you want to be a dentist sooner or do you want to gamble your chances this cycle reapplying despite being accepted? I hear schools have reservations about reapplicants who were accepted elsewhere. I'm not familiar with UoP's waitlist and acceptance the year after but in any case there's no guarantee unless it's in writing.

 

[lemoncurry]

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. you're going to finish at the same time, might as well give yourself some breathing room.

 

[personalstatementsbyeric]

Is UOP that much better?

 

[zombieboi1]

If UOP is 100% guaranteed I think I would wait a year if it my dream school. I'm assuming you from Cali by your sn, so you can also stay close to home. Plus Cali is much nicer than Pennsylvania. What 1 year in the big picture anyway. Take the extra year and save up some money so you won't have to take out max loan. But I would only wait if they 100% guarantee me a spot next year.

 

[BeaverLover]

I'm virtually guarantees a spot next cycle.

Is this written?

 

[Bear_Down]

Im actually from AZ and San Francisco is a lot closer to home.

 

[zombieboi1]

do they guarantee a spot for every applicants that is on the waiting list from the previous cycle? or are you the exception to the rule? but if i was in your position i would wait it out.

 

[Bear_Down]

@zombieboi1 Everyone on the waitlist. They review your application again and recommend classes or to retake the DAT if necessary, but I've already taken all of their recommended classes and got a good score on my DAT, so I'm set.


Also another thing to mention is my sister is a D4 at Temple dental haha


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[zombieboi1]

if your sister is there already, just take the acceptance at temple. if she could make it out there then you could make it out there.

 

[BeaverLover]

I think I recall Stan saying something very similar.

 

[Bear_Down]

@BeaverLover You were on the waitlist?


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[BeaverLover]

No, he came to our school and talked about UoP

 

[clutchfans]

Im actually from AZ and San Francisco is a lot closer to home.

@BeaverLover They said they cant give a written guarantee because of the adea Dec 1st acceptance policy, but they its a sealed deal and I'll get a call in December


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To be honest, this sounds really fishy. I would go with the 100% guarantee and attend Temple

 

[zombieboi1]

if you are basically guarantee a spot for next year does that mean you get to skip the interview for next year? also for the people who was on the waiting list, if they do everything admission said, does that mean they are guarantee a spot too? that a lots of spot guarantee just from the previous cycle! that hard to believe. just take the temple offer!

 

[nonociceptors]

To be honest, this sounds really fishy. I would go with the 100% guarantee and attend Temple

It's not fishy. I've talked to Stan from UoP a bunch and it's definitely a thing. I don't really agree with then giving everyone on the wait list a spot the following year because then it just pushes qualified people out of the next cycle again and again and again. But at the same time a lot of people probably don't wait a year if they get accepted somewhere else so maybe it isn't a big deal.

 

[science luv]

I would definitely accept the offer. there is nothing can prvent UpO from taking back there promise, so you would lose everything! " what is in your hand is better than future promises"

 

[nonociceptors]

Either nobody here applied to UoP or nobody has talked to the admissions director because UoP's waitlist guarantee is pretty well known to everyone in California afaik. I personally have 3 friends who are at UoP through that "path." It's a guarantee. They can't put it in writing because the Dec 1 agreement between schools, so yeah you have to take their word for it but they have never promised that to someone and then taken back that promise. They do this because UoP loves applicants who truly want to attend their school as their #1 choice.

 

[clutchfans]

It's not fishy. I've talked to Stan from UoP a bunch and it's definitely a thing. I don't really agree with then giving everyone on the wait list a spot the following year because then it just pushes qualified people out of the next cycle again and again and again. But at the same time a lot of people probably don't wait a year if they get accepted somewhere else so maybe it isn't a big deal.

I have no idea who is Stan. Name is rather meaningless to mean in this discussion. Again, I'm only giving my advice and if you do prefer to go to UoP and wait a year that's good for you.

 

[clutchfans]

I have no idea who is Stan. Name is rather meaningless to mean in this discussion. Again, I'm only giving my advice and if you do prefer to go to UoP and wait a year that's good for you.

*to me, not to mean

 

[nonociceptors]

I have no idea who is Stan. Name is rather meaningless to mean in this discussion. Again, I'm only giving my advice and if you do prefer to go to UoP and wait a year that's good for you.

So my statement about people thinking it's fishy probably didn't apply to UoP still stands. Stan Constantino, the director of admissions, explicitly mentioned their wait list guarantee several times lol. I'm also not the OP 😉

 

[zombieboi1]

So my statement about people thinking it's fishy probably didn't apply to UoP still stands. Stan Constantino, the director of admissions, explicitly mentioned their wait list guarantee several times lol. I'm also not the OP 😉

I don't know how many seats UOP have, but let say for example they have 60 seat. If 20 people was wait listed last year, so the applicants for the new cycle is fighting for 40 seat left? Do the waiting list from last year still have to interview or do they just have to apply? I'm curious because this is the first time I heard about this.

 

[Bear_Down]

Thanks for all the input!
Yeah guys, I'm not worried about UoP going back on their word. Anyone who knows the admissions faculty at UoP knows that they are respectful and honest and would not do anything to screw you over. Plus they emphasize this whenever they do a presentation at a school and they told us this at our interview.
My only concern is taking a year off and paying more to go to UoP.
Right now I am leaning toward UoP just because of it being close to home and they have a better program overall. I'll sleep on it though.

 

[Bear_Down]

I don't know how many seats UOP have, but let say for example they have 60 seat. If 20 people was wait listed last year, so the applicants for the new cycle is fighting for 40 seat left? Do the waiting list from last year still have to interview or do they just have to apply? I'm curious because this is the first time I heard about this.

UoP has 140 seats. There are about 40 ppl on the waitlist at the end of each cycle. Most of these people will either get in off the waitlist or chose to go to another school leaving only around 10-15 reapplicants. And it depends if they have to interview again or not. The committee meets again and decides that, but in my case they told me I did not have to.
I know it sounds odd, but UoP "interviews to accept" and they told us the only reason we were waitlisted was because there was not enough seats therefore when there is a seats next cycle, we will get it.

 

[zombieboi1]

UoP has 140 seats. There are about 40 ppl on the waitlist at the end of each cycle. Most of these people will either get in off the waitlist or chose to go to another school leaving only around 10-15 reapplicants. And it depends if they have to interview again or not. The committee meets again and decides that, but in my case they told me I did not have to.
I know it sounds odd, but UoP "interviews to accept" and they told us the only reason we were waitlisted was because there was not enough seats therefore when there is a seats next cycle, we will get it.

ok i got it, if that is the case i probably would take the year off and wait for UOP if that was my dream school. i rather wait one year and be where i want to be than have doubt about my decision for the next 4 years at temple.

 

[nonociceptors]

UoP has 140 seats. There are about 40 ppl on the waitlist at the end of each cycle. Most of these people will either get in off the waitlist or chose to go to another school leaving only around 10-15 reapplicants. And it depends if they have to interview again or not. The committee meets again and decides that, but in my case they told me I did not have to.
I know it sounds odd, but UoP "interviews to accept" and they told us the only reason we were waitlisted was because there was not enough seats therefore when there is a seats next cycle, we will get it.

how much more expensive is UoP than Temple? If the difference isn't huge I'd wait and take this year as a gimme gap year. You can try to work to save some money and then dump that on your tuition costs to further reduce the gap between the schools, you can travel, spend time with family/friends, work on something you enjoy or have been delaying because you never had the time, etc. I definitely understand the cost dilemma though. I turned down UoP for UCLA because of that factor alone. If it was even 50k cheaper I'd have bit the bullet but it was closer to 100k :\

 

[schmoob]

I say take Temple. If I had an acceptance I would take it.
What if you don't get a UoP seat? I understand they have this unwritten "rule" or policy, but there are no guarantees. If you don't get the spot, there is nothing you can do. Something I've learned the hard way is trust and agreements. Being "pretty much guranteed" a spot is not the same as an official offer of admission. If it's not on paper, it doesn't exist.
Maybe you'll get in somewhere else next year also, but then you just lost a year when you could've gone to Temple from the get go.

 

[clutchfans]

So my statement about people thinking it's fishy probably didn't apply to UoP still stands. Stan Constantino, the director of admissions, explicitly mentioned their wait list guarantee several times lol. I'm also not the OP 😉

oops, my apologies

 

[lemoncurry]

I did apply to UoP, interviewed for a waitlist spot and was put on said waitlist. I would still take the sure thing. Again, you're going to finish the same year. Do you have plans to specialize? If that's your goal all along, then maybe holding out for UoP makes sense, but if you are going to be a general dentist, I would take Temple. The extra year gives you that much more experience and time to hone your skills, IMO.

Nothing against UoP. If I had been accepted to the class itself, I would probably have gone there.

 

[Hi Im Dent]

how much more expensive is UoP than Temple? If the difference isn't huge I'd wait and take this year as a gimme gap year. You can try to work to save some money and then dump that on your tuition costs to further reduce the gap between the schools, you can travel, spend time with family/friends, work on something you enjoy or have been delaying because you never had the time, etc. I definitely understand the cost dilemma though. I turned down UoP for UCLA because of that factor alone. If it was even 50k cheaper I'd have bit the bullet but it was closer to 100k :\

UoP is a little over 100k a year before living cost.

 

[nonociceptors]

UoP is a little over 100k a year before living cost.

Oh I know. I was accepted to UoP and it was one of my top choices but the price is what kept me from attending. I just wanted to know how much cheaper Temple is because maybe the OP would think paying $x more is worth it in this case.

Anyway, OP, ignore everyone in here who keeps insisting "well it's not in writing so it sounds risky ya never know!!" The friggin director of admissions talks openly about it. They're not in the business of screwing people over, and the only reason they can't put it in writing is because of the Dec 1 agreement between schools. I think it just comes down to cost at this point and the value you place on being able to have a "free" gap year. A year off was the best decision I made. When I read threads with people asking what dental volunteering, shadowing, research, prep courses, etc they should do during their gap year it makes me laugh. Sure, they don't know if they're in yet so I can understand putting in max effort until Dec 1, but once you're in just stop doing dental **** until school. And in your case, you'd have an entire year and then some to enjoy yourself because you have an acceptance from UoP already. You won't have time once school starts or after you graduate so make that free time count. Go travel.

 

[ry_guy_chi]

Don't wait. Go to temple. This is a sign.

 

[IHavePotential]

OP what were your stats? Just curious...

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[Bear_Down]

Just in case anyone was wondering, I decided to take my talents to Philadelphia and attend Temple University I'll always have the regret of turning down my dream school, but I just couldn't stand thinking about taking another year off from school. I just took Histology, Gross anatomy, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology recently, so if I took a year off, I feel like I would've forgot a lot of the material making the dental courses slightly more difficult. I felt like if I started school right away, I would do better in those courses. But whatever! I'm going to be a dentist!

Thanks everyone for your input and advice!

 

[nonociceptors]

Just in case anyone was wondering, I decided to take my talents to Philadelphia and attend Temple University I'll always have the regret of turning down my dream school, but I just couldn't stand thinking about taking another year off from school. I just took Histology, Gross anatomy, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology recently, so if I took a year off, I feel like I would've forgot a lot of the material making the dental courses slightly more difficult. I felt like if I started school right away, I would do better in those courses. But whatever! I'm going to be a dentist!

Thanks everyone for your input and advice!

You couldn't stand taking a gap year? Wow I must hate school or something because I'd have jumped at that opportunity haha. Good luck!

 

[lemoncurry]

Just in case anyone was wondering, I decided to take my talents to Philadelphia and attend Temple University I'll always have the regret of turning down my dream school, but I just couldn't stand thinking about taking another year off from school. I just took Histology, Gross anatomy, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology recently, so if I took a year off, I feel like I would've forgot a lot of the material making the dental courses slightly more difficult. I felt like if I started school right away, I would do better in those courses. But whatever! I'm going to be a dentist!

Thanks everyone for your input and advice!

Unless you absolutely hate it, your regret will diminish with time. I think you made the right choice to accept what was there for the taking.

 

[DentSwag]

If it were me, I'd pick temple 100%

 

[zombieboi1]

You couldn't stand taking a gap year? Wow I must hate school or something because I'd have jumped at that opportunity haha. Good luck!

i agreed. if i just finish my undergrad i would definitely taken a year off to travel and actually enjoy life for a little bit before jumping back in for another 4 years. but can't really go wrong with either decision tho. gl op

 

[KristenD77]

I don't trust anyone when they tell me something is 100% guaranteed. I believe in "most likely" but not definitely. With that being said I would do Temple. That is just my opinion though.

 

[melmu001]

I need help making my decision.

I got accepted to temple off the waitlist and I have until tomorrow to make my decision... They matriculate in 5days!

I was also on the waitlist at UoP and they said I'm virtually guarantees a spot next cycle. This has always been my dream school.

These were my only two interviews last cycle. What do you guys think I should chose?


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As I read into the Temple University School of Dentistry website it says that under academic standards Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry meets or exceeds national GPA and DAT metrics, according to the most recently published American Dental Association survey regarding dental school admissions. I would like to know what does that mean? Here is the link:

https://dentistry.temple.edu/admissions/requirements

 

[Bear_Down]

As I read into the Temple University School of Dentistry website it says that under academic standards Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry meets or exceeds national GPA and DAT metrics, according to the most recently published American Dental Association survey regarding dental school admissions. I would like to know what does that mean? Here is the link:

https://dentistry.temple.edu/admissions/requirements

I think all it means is that their average gpa and DAT for their incoming classes are at or above the average for all enrolled dental students(same ones in the adea guide book.

 

[melmu001]

I think all it means is that their average gpa and DAT for their incoming classes are at or above the average for all enrolled dental students(same ones in the adea guide book.

You mean that the average DAT and gpas for incoming students are at the national average of 18-19 or above it? My AA is an 18 and TS is a 19. my gpa is close to a 3.2.

 

[Bear_Down]

You mean that the average DAT and gpas for incoming students are at the national average of 18-19 or above it? My AA is an 18 and TS is a 19. my gpa is close to a 3.2.

No, I meant exactly what I said, the avg GPA and DAT is at or above the for enrolled dental students last cycle. And I believe the avg DAT was a 19 for enrolled students the last couple of years. You can ask the admissions office if you want to be 100% sure, but I'm pretty certain they are referring to the avg for enrolled dental students around the country.

But here's my opinion, I would retake the DAT 100%. With an 18, you may have a shot at other schools maybe, but but knowing temples admissions process, they wont take you with anything under a 20 with that GPA. I can almost guarantee it. Its up to you tho.

 

[melmu001]

No, I meant exactly what I said, the avg GPA and DAT is at or above the for enrolled dental students last cycle. And I believe the avg DAT was a 19 for enrolled students the last couple of years. You can ask the admissions office if you want to be 100% sure, but I'm pretty certain they are referring to the avg for enrolled dental students around the country.

But here's my opinion, I would retake the DAT 100%. With an 18, you may have a shot at other schools maybe, but but knowing temples admissions process, they wont take you with anything under a 20 with that GPA. I can almost guarantee it. Its up to you tho.

What about UDM?

 

[socal6]

Do what feels right. If it were me, I'd go for UoP. It might be a good idea to call the office before you decline Temple's offer and request some type of written statement that you are guaranteed a spot in next year's class. Best of luck!

 

[Bear_Down]

Didn't apply to UDM so I couldnt tell you


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[zombieboi1]

What about UDM?

Even if you apply to udm or any schools, you most likely wont get in anywhere with a low dat and low gpa. With your gpa you need at least a 20 to have a chance anywhere, so expect to take the dat again before the next cycle.