Texas Schools vs OOS 'Prestigious' Dental Schools

[TexasBoy1]

I'm a native Texan (thank God) and I was wondering if there was any circumstance where it was worth going to the prestigious schools such as UCLA, UCSF, Columbia, Harvard, etc? I'm considering different schools and understand that the Texas dental schools offer great value. My education would be completely financed by debt since I'm from a lower income family and I think I want to specialize but I'm not yet sure.

Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that I was accepted to Baylor and UCSF, or UTHSCSA and Harvard for example. Would I be making the wrong decision by choosing the more prestigious school? Frankly, the thought of taking on 100k in debt (let alone 400k) terrifies me, but a school like Harvard offers alot of opportunities and resources. Thoughts?

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[ButlerCard]

Go to your state school and study hard. If you end up wanting to specialize you'll be able to if you studied and kept good grades. I will about 400 in debt but I didn't have a choice because I didn't get into my state school so I took it anyways but I am definitely jealous of my friends who are paying half of what I am

 

[SweetWater54]

I'm a native Georgian (thank my parents) and I would have gone to my state school if I had a choice. I think it's an easy decision, take the cheaper education. Make sure you do well and you will be able to specialize if you want to. Try to keep your debt as low as possible, and also consider that some specialty programs can be very expensive.

 

[bjpenn]

Dentist and nyu alum here. Getting into a state school should be looked as a GIFT, and you should attend there without any hesitation. If you want to specialize straight out of school, grades matter a lot and who you know. It's easier to get to know faculty at state schools bc they are usually smaller. If you don't want to specialize at least just do the best you can so that you have options in the future because you never know what may happen.you'll change along the four years, and what you want could very well change in four years, so you just want to make the right decisions early on so do you have choices in the future.

 

[yappy]

I think you should go to your state school. IMO high debt load will limit your choice of specializing more than the school you attend; if your debt is too high you may come to the conclusion (as many do) that you need to address their debt before they can tackle residency.

 

[TexasBoy1]

Would you say that comparing dental schools for specialization is like comparing undergrads to get into med/dental school? A high gpa and extracurriculars and DAT can get you to a great dental school from pretty much any undergraduate university. Is it like that for specializing?

This is a valid question.

 

[bjpenn]

Would you say that comparing dental schools for specialization is like comparing undergrads to get into med/dental school? A high gpa and extracurriculars and DAT can get you to a great dental school from pretty much any undergraduate university. Is it like that for specializing?

It is like that if you want to specialize RIGHT AFTER school. It's much easier to get into a speciality if you do a GPR. I just found out that this girl who was in my class failed her second year of dental school. She did a 1 year gpr and is now doing pedo. I think she knew the director of the peds program at her gpr. nuts huh?

 

[510586]

It is like that if you want to specialize RIGHT AFTER school. It's much easier to get into a speciality if you do a GPR. I just found out that this girl who was in my class failed her second year of dental school. She did a 1 year gpr and is now doing pedo. I think she knew the director of the peds program at her gpr. nuts huh?

Neat. Never heard of a GPR before. If you aren't specializing, what is the purpose of that?

 

[bjpenn]

GPR- general practice residency

 

[510586]

GPR- general practice residency

Oh yea I googled that. So is there any benefit of it over going straight into general practice after dental school? Maybe just getting more experience?

 

[ButlerCard]

There is the potential benefit of getting faster or learning more advanced procedures. But you make way less money. Some say it's great and worth it. Others say go into practice, make more money, do continuing ed classes. It really depends who you ask. Some people loved their gpr or aegd and some people didn't. Some dentists I know wish they went and others think they are way better off. It's a personal choice

 

[kidsaremypassion]

Texas Schools all the way. Loans suck, and you really want to minimize them as much as you can. If you stay within the top of your class at any school you can specialize and keep that door open.

 

[Daurang]

Texas have great dental schools and cheap tuition is a major bonus. California have an 11% top rate income tax compare to ZERO for Texas. A $800K house in Cali is $200k in Texas. STAY IN TEXAS!!!

After treating 30,000+ patients, I was asked maybe twice. No one cares if you went to Harvard or UCSF. Use the money saved to treat yourself to lots of vacations like me, or buy some real estates for passive income like me, or open your practice right away like me. The lack of debt will give you so much more financial freedom.

 

[bjpenn]

Does it really matter if a school "discourages " specializing ? Forget all the stupid rumors you hear like "oh I hear the faculty is better, or the culture is really cool, or yea they want you to succeed" ppl can say this or that but experiences vary. Like if you ask the hottest girl in my class how nyu was for her, she will give you a completely different story.

I guess as a predent you have nothing else to do in the meantime but think about this kind of stuff, but honestly I think it creates a lot of anxiety and wasted energy. There's no secret formula or fancy tricks.

All that matters is YOU. Get in to the cheapest school, get good grades, network. This won't guarantee you success, but it will increase your chances and choices.

 

[510586]

Does it really matter if a school "discourages " specializing ? Forget all the stupid rumors you hear like "oh I hear the faculty is better, or the culture is really cool, or yea they want you to succeed" ppl can say this or that but experiences vary. Like if you ask the hottest girl in my class how nyu was for her, she will give you a completely different story.

I guess as a predent you have nothing else to do in the meantime but think about this kind of stuff, but honestly I think it creates a lot of anxiety and wasted energy. There's no secret formula or fancy tricks.

All that matters is YOU. Get in to the cheapest school, get good grades, network. This won't guarantee you success, but it will increase your chances and choices.

Oh yea I know it is just me was just wondering what people thought about that rumor. I am not worrying about specializing since I have to get into dental school before that stuff matters. Thanks for the advice!

 

[gn4]

eh...I would stay in Texas. Stay in Texas and work hard to stay in the top 10% of your class. If you don't care about working hard, but still want to specialize, I guess you could go to an OOS "prestigious school" that is P/F. Except Ortho. Gotta work hard for that no matter which school you go to. But that is too much money to pay. Just stay in Texas.

 

[free99]

I cast my vote for a Texas school. I was in your position last year -- UCSF or my state school -- and ended up choosing to stay in-state to save about $90k, before interest capitalization. I still question the decision occasionally when I'm up studying minutia at 2am with a test the next day, trying to secure those few points that might bump me up a letter grade, but I don't think it'd be much different at a P/F school. Regardless of where you end up, nearly everyone who wants to specialize will work hard and distinguish themselves in one way or another. You may have a slight advantage to specialize coming out of a "prestigious school," but you have to ask yourself if that's worth $100k. To me, that price difference was undeniably tangible, and I made what I believe was a practical decision. I understand the temptation to make a decision based on emotion, but I think you'll be glad you chose the cheaper option when you graduate and are already that much closer to financial freedom.

 

[CMistry]

I was in your situation years ago. I turned down the "big name" schools to go to my state school. I do not regret my decision at all. I am currently in OMFS residency.

 

[TexasBoy1]

What's the difference between a GPR and an AEGD residency?

 

[free99]

What's the difference between a GPR and an AEGD residency?

As far as I understand it, GPRs tend to be hospital based and cover a broader scope of dentistry than AEGDs, whereas AEGD tend to mimic what you might be doing in private practice more accurately. It's not uncommon for GPR residents to take call and rotate in various parts of the hospital. Most of the AEGD residents I know have a nice 8-5 schedule with 1 hr lunch. They describe it as "dental school on steroids," where they're still under the supervision of faculty, but are seeing 3-4x as many patients as they did in their fourth year of dental school. Why one would choose one a GPR over an AEGD, or vice versa, I'm not too sure. GPR may be a better stepping stone to a specialty than an AEGD, but I'm just speculating. Maybe some more of the seasoned members on the board can chime in here, too.

 

[Kittenz]

I'm a rising dental student that needed to make the choice between Harvard, Columbia, Penn, UCSF, or state school. My choice was influenced mostly by tuition, but my biggest concern was the ability to specialize. After extensive research, I came to realize that I could specialize anywhere, but the difference in the size of acumulating loans was specific to individual schools. I'm glad I chose against the prestigious schools that didn't offer much additional financial aid. Reinforcing my happiness, after I declined the prestigious schools and sent in my decision letter to the state school, as almost a kind of thank you, they gave me a hefty scholarship. Things just have a way of working themselves out.