Terrapins v. Wolverines

[racquetballer]

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So, I was offered admission by U Maryland this week. However, I've already been accepted by Michigan. The cost differential (if I get instate tuition after 1.5 years at Maryland) is 20,000-40,000 in tuition and fees. I want to go on and specialize Oral surgery or Perio. Here is my own evaluation:

U Maryland (Terrapin) pros: new facility, great specialization rate, clerkship program, cool location, board 1 taken 1st summer, higher pass rate than mich.

U Michigan (Wolverine) pros: reputation, good matching rate, lots of externship opportunities.

What is your input? Should I be a terrapin👍 or wolverine👍?

 

[bing12]

So, I was offered admission by U Maryland this week. However, I've already been accepted by Michigan. The cost differential (if I get instate tuition after 1.5 years at Maryland) is 20,000-40,000 in tuition and fees. I want to go on and specialize Oral surgery or Perio. Here is my own evaluation:

U Maryland (Terrapin) pros: new facility, great specialization rate, clerkship program, cool location, board 1 taken 1st summer, higher pass rate than mich.

U Michigan (Wolverine) pros: reputation, good matching rate, lots of externship opportunities.

What is your input? Should I be a terrapin👍 or wolverine👍?

From what I have been hearing, its very difficult to get residency in Maryland, so you should take that out of the assumption. What is the cost differential without instate?

 

[HupHolland]

we are not terrapins!

 

[AlexOdentchkin8]

we are not terrapins!

we're not? than what are we?

 

[eventualOMFS]

So, I was offered admission by U Maryland this week. However, I've already been accepted by Michigan. The cost differential (if I get instate tuition after 1.5 years at Maryland) is 20,000-40,000 in tuition and fees. I want to go on and specialize Oral surgery or Perio. Here is my own evaluation:

U Maryland (Terrapin) pros: new facility, great specialization rate, clerkship program, cool location, board 1 taken 1st summer, higher pass rate than mich.

U Michigan (Wolverine) pros: reputation, good matching rate, lots of externship opportunities.

What is your input? Should I be a terrapin👍 or wolverine👍?

I'm a D2 at Maryland. I agree that we have great sim labs and clinics, and our clerkship programs are pretty good too.

Taking NBDE I during our first summer was nice, because it was a big load off our shoulders. However, we don't get taught "to the boards" as well as some schools do: we had to teach ourselves a significant portion of the exam (no biochem course). Also, it was very frustrating to come back for our second year and take courses that would have really helped us for the boards we just took! I still did pretty well, but it took a lot of work.

I don't know if you'd call downtown Baltimore "cool", but we don't have a shortage of patients. Michigan, located in upscale and dentist-saturated Ann Arbor, can struggle getting enough pts. Poor people get work done in dental schools, and Ann Arbor doesn't have enough poor people.

If you definitely want to specialize, I would actually suggest going to Michigan. You won't get as much clinical exposure, but I've heard great things about the teaching there. And they crank out specialists with the best of them. I wanted lots of clinical exposure, so I came to Maryland. I was leaning toward specializing; but if I didn't, I wanted to give myself the best shot at feeling competent to practice right out of school.

Ultimately, both are great schools. I think you'll receive a great education at either one. I think the main difference is a stronger didactic curriculum at Michigan versus a stronger clinical experience at Maryland.

From what I have been hearing, its very difficult to get residency in Maryland, so you should take that out of the assumption. What is the cost differential without instate?

I just received in-state residency. I think about 20% of the non-residents in my class have established residency. It definitely helped that I'm married (though we're both from New England)...but some single students managed it too.

 

[HupHolland]

we're not? than what are we?

Terrapins are University of Maryland, College Park. This school is 40 minutes south of the Dental School and there is absolutely no connection (no sports tix, no gym access) other than the fact it is a state school.

 

[racquetballer]

Thanks for your responses! I was also wondering about COL (cost of Living). For Maryland the listed COL was between 15-21K whereas Michigan listed the COL as 27-33K. Do you think these #s are accurate?

Also, to answer bing12, If I get instate status in Maryland for just my 3 and 4 years, I will save 30K. If I am OOS all 4 ys then I am paying 24K more at Maryland.

 

[John Durian]

I vote for Michigan. But it's darn expensive and 0 chance of in-state residency. Ann Arbor is beautiful and COL isn't too shabby (compared to Westwood).

 

[bannanse]

Ann Arbor may be somewhat upscale, and fairly saturated with dentists, but I assure that there are NO shortages of patients. People drive from all over the state to seek care at the dental school, and we are literally right down the road from less affluent areas.

 

[dentaldawg32]

Ann Arbor is boooring after a few months. While Baltimore is no NYC, it's a big city with much more to do. My vote is UMB.

 

[racquetballer]

Wow! You say just 20% get residency? Doesn't everyone try to get it eventualOMFS?

 

[eventualOMFS]

Wow! You say just 20% get residency? Doesn't everyone try to get it eventualOMFS?

I don't know how many students actually tried, but I think my 20% is pretty accurate (about 12-15 students out of about 60-65 non-residents).

The burden on the student is to prove that you are not in Maryland primarily to attend dental school. That's why it's so helpful to be married: "My wife had a job lead here, and it seemed like the best place for her to start a career. As I am dependent upon her, I must live in Maryland."

Also, we're paying state taxes, which helps a lot. If you're single, I would strongly recommend working 1 day each month or for a few weeks during the summer, just to say that you had to pay Maryland income taxes.

Obviously they know that everybody is just playing the game. But the man in charge of granting residency made it clear that if they get audited, he needs to be able to show WHY he gave any given student residency. They're lenient, but you have to be creative.

 

[racquetballer]

I don't know how many students actually tried, but I think my 20% is pretty accurate (about 12-15 students out of about 60-65 non-residents).

The burden on the student is to prove that you are not in Maryland primarily to attend dental school. That's why it's so helpful to be married: "My wife had a job lead here, and it seemed like the best place for her to start a career. As I am dependent upon her, I must live in Maryland."

Also, we're paying state taxes, which helps a lot. If you're single, I would strongly recommend working 1 day each month or for a few weeks during the summer, just to say that you had to pay Maryland income taxes.

Obviously they know that everybody is just playing the game. But the man in charge of granting residency made it clear that if they get audited, he needs to be able to show WHY he gave any given student residency. They're lenient, but you have to be creative.

I heard it also helps to be a member of political and religious groups/clubs and have an affidavit right?

 

[eventualOMFS]

I heard it also helps to be a member of political and religious groups/clubs and have an affidavit right?

We didn't register with any political groups, though we changed our car registration, driver's licenses, and voter registration to Maryland.

 

[racquetballer]

Looks like I'm going to be a Terrapin, retriever, or whatever the UMB mascot is!

 

[HupHolland]

Looks like I'm going to be a Terrapin, retriever, or whatever the UMB mascot is!

There isn't one..haha

 

[supermax]

Looks like I'm going to be a Terrapin, retriever, or whatever the UMB mascot is!

I am D1 at Maryland, I would choose to attend Michigan. We don't got any mascot because we are not that cool