Temple vs. UTHSCSA

[pinkfairydust]

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So I am a Texas resident who just got accepted into Temple and UTHSC San Antonio and I'm really having a hard time picking a school. Usually Texas residents stick to Texas for tuition purposes and it would be close to my family but I fell in love with Temple when I was there. Lots of people say dental school is just school and it doesn't matter where you go, but I feel like it does if you specialize. I am deposited at both. Temple has a 90% match rate while San Antonio doesn't even publish theirs. Also, back when they did school rankings San Antonio was a ranked #1 (but that was in 1999 and who knows how far it's dropped since then).

So if any current dental students or people who know about either school can help me with this decision I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Faux]

Its like a +130k difference, no? Don't you be skipping out on that Texas tuition and the family support on a feeling! If you could specialize in temple, you can specialize in Texas.

 

[customx]

Its like a +130k difference, no? Don't you be skipping out on that Texas tuition and the family support on a feeling! If you could specialize in temple, you can specialize in Texas.

Add in interest accumulating for a few years and you could be looking at a $150-170k difference. San Antonio all the way!

 

[re2pect]

Students struggle to get by in SA. I have few friends graduated/attending SA and they regret choosing SA over Baylor or UTSD. Im heading Philly in August and Im pretty happy about going.

 

[I want to go to there]

What's the price difference? The most important factor for matching into specialty is your academics. I think 90% match rate Temple advertises includes GPR. I met a graduating student at Temple who did not get into oral with 3.7 gpa, so I wouldn't say it's easier to specialize at Temple.

 

[pinkfairydust]

tuition isn't a huge factor, but I just want to go to the better school in case I decide to specialize down the line.

 

[pinkfairydust]

Students struggle to get by in SA. I have few friends graduated/attending SA and they regret choosing SA over Baylor or UTSD. Im heading Philly in August and Im pretty happy about going.

Did you choose between a texas school and temple? or just decided you wanted to go to temple based on your interviews?

 

[pinkfairydust]

Add in interest accumulating for a few years and you could be looking at a $150-170k difference. San Antonio all the way!

I'm worried I won't like San Antonio, I'm trying to compare between the two schools and competency upon graduation.

 

[pinkfairydust]

What's the price difference? The most important factor for matching into specialty is your academics. I think 90% match rate Temple advertises includes GPR. I met a graduating student at Temple who did not get into oral with 3.7 gpa, so I wouldn't say it's easier to specialize at Temple.

price difference would be without cost of living for UTHSCSA at 115,000 for 4 years and 240,000 for Temple

 

[re2pect]

I interviewed at Temple and Baylor but liked what I saw from Temple. I have no interest in specializing atm so their large patient pool got me sold on Temple.

 

[I want to go to there]

price difference would be without cost of living for UTHSCSA at 115,000 for 4 years and 240,000 for Temple

Wow, UTHSCSA is really dirt cheap. With that big of a price difference, go to UTHSCSA so you can open your private practice faster with less financial burden. How close is your family to UTHSCSA? You would have more time to study if they give you food and do other chores for you.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

this should not even be a topic for debate. san antonio for sure. you have the unique situation of having a clinically excellent school that's super cheap.

you can specialize from any school. considering you haven't even started school, i'd say put that idea on the back burner for now, seriously.

if you get to the point where you have the ability to specialize and decide to do so, keep in mind that you have to pay out of pocket for a large majority of residency programs. and unless it's a state school, you're looking to spend at least 60k a year.

 

[cacajuate]

Students struggle to get by in SA. I have few friends graduated/attending SA and they regret choosing SA over Baylor or UTSD. Im heading Philly in August and Im pretty happy about going.

Could you expand on this a little bit? I assume people would rather live in dallas/Houston but what are the other factors? PM me if you dont want to make it public

 

[Chga]

I lived in San Antonio for years, its a pretty good city to live in. The dental school is located in a pretty good area too. I've also noticed that the students at UTHSCSA seem more stressed than Houston or Baylor students (just an observation).
Even though San Antonio does not publish their residency statistics, I would choose San Antonio.
1. Tuition is way cheaper
2. Location: Since you'll be busy, you'll want to live near campus to cut down on travel times. UTHSCSA is located in good area. Also, family is driving distance away.
3. You'll still match into specialty from UTHSCSA or Temple. But worry about that after NBDE I.

 

[cacajuate]

I lived in San Antonio for years, its a pretty good city to live in. The dental school is located in a pretty good area too. I've also noticed that the students at UTHSCSA seem more stressed than Houston or Baylor students (just an observation).
Even though San Antonio does not publish their residency statistics, I would choose San Antonio.
1. Tuition is way cheaper
2. Location: Since you'll be busy, you'll want to live near campus to cut down on travel times. UTHSCSA is located in good area. Also, family is driving distance away.
3. You'll still match into specialty from UTHSCSA or Temple. But worry about that after NBDE I.

I live in SA also and would like to attend there because I own a house here.

Why does it seem they are more stressed at SA? Is it really hard to get your seat filled at clinic?

 

[Chga]

No, the patient pool is very large in SA. They also do mission trips in south Texas.

 

[mrdocta]

I live in SA also and would like to attend there because I own a house here.

Why does it seem they are more stressed at SA? Is it really hard to get your seat filled at clinic?

I'll be attending this July. From what I've seen on this site is that the main issue is between students and faculty. Some people complain that a lot of faculty are ex-military, so they may be more strict and not as lenient. Not sure how true it is, just what I've noticed people say. Another issue is that they're very strict with clinical requirements and if you miss one requirement you may have to repeat the year or something. Some students have to pay out of pocket for patients who cannot afford.

I haven't began yet so Idk how credible this info is. could just be a couple of bitter sdn's. I just see it as dental school will be tough wherever you go and you will have issues with faculty and clinical requirements. No one really knows how much better another school is because they only attend one school. Some people might find dental school easier than others.

I just see it as four years where you need to keep your head down, get your **** done, and grind it out.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

dental school is tough no matter where you go. you don't go to one dental school over another because of location. you barely have any downtime

even if it came down to location, you don't want to go to philly. temple's dental school is in a pretty bad area.

any school that works you hard during dental school will not only make you develop thick skin, but it'll be good to develop good clinical skills. you're not paying tuition so that they can just pass you along and you can get a degree.

 

[pinkfairydust]

dental school is tough no matter where you go. you don't go to one dental school over another because of location. you barely have any downtime

even if it came down to location, you don't want to go to philly. temple's dental school is in a pretty bad area.

any school that works you hard during dental school will not only make you develop thick skin, but it'll be good to develop good clinical skills. you're not paying tuition so that they can just pass you along and you can get a degree.

Not really trying to go to an easier dental school per say, but a dental school that wants to see me succeed and it on my side instead of trying to make me repeat a year for things I can not control. The attitude at San Antonio seems to be that the faculty are a whole lot meaner to students, and that doesn't really make a happy student.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Not really trying to go to an easier dental school per say, but a dental school that wants to see me succeed and it on my side instead of trying to make me repeat a year for things I can not control. The attitude at San Antonio seems to be that the faculty are a whole lot meaner to students, and that doesn't really make a happy student.

believe it or not, it's like that everywhere, even at my school. you learn to suck it up and get through it. still not worth forgoing that much $$ that could be saved towards potentially opening up a practice or specializing, if you're in the position to do so. we're talking about approx. 150-200k with interest that you'd be saving.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

all i'm saying is, dental school is tough no matter where you go. every school has its flaws. anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. part of this whole experience requires you to give a little bit, embrace change, and push yourself beyond your limits.

send me a message if you have any questions and i'd be happy to go in detail.