This is a very hard one: Pitt vs UPenn

[Maregbe1]

Hey Sdners, I know you all must be tired with threads like this but hey this decision is a very difficult one for me because both the schools are amazing. So here it is:

Pitt
-gave me a scholarship for half tuition( by the way I am a non-penn. resident) which makes total cost around 20,000 a year excluding room and board.
- Great facility and faculty (World Known oral surgeon Dr. Ochs)

- Pittsburgh ( hate the city)

- Students feel happy there and have a good specializing match rate

UPenn
- gave me dean's scholarship ( so half tuition here too) total is about double pitts

-Philly (Love the city)

- Great facility and faculty

- Students also feel happy and they have an excellent specializing match rate too.

So here, all of your opinions would be nice.

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[ArmyOrtho1Day]

alot of people on here will tell you the degree is same regardless where you go, so to go for the cheaper school. no point in carrying twice the debt than you need. but then again, there is something to say for being happy with where you live and go to school for 4 years....

I know it doesn't help much, but that's all I got

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

I interviewed at both, and after seeing the basement at Penn I'd have to give the "facilities" advantage to Pitt. Both were good programs but I felt more comfortable with Pitt's students. I would go to Pitt if I were in your shoes but if you would be drastically happier in Philly/want the Ivy name you won't go wrong either way. Good luck.

 

[Optimism Smiles]

I think Penn is amazing (I loved it there!), but only you can tell whether loving the school and the city is enough to justify spending twice as much for it. I feel your pain because I am suffering a VERY similar dilemma! I usually don't like to comment on these types of threads because it is such a personal decision but I can definitely relate. Here are things I am also considering and maybe it can help

1. Atmosphere: Think back to your interview and the faculty, tour guides, and other fellow interviewees at both schools. I'm sure each school gave different vibes...where did you feel MOST comfortable? The tour guides and other interviewees are probably a pretty good representation of future classmates. How did you mesh with them? My tour guide at Penn scared me a wee bit because he asked us if we wanted to specialize and when no one answered he was just like "Good, it is best NOT to tell classmates because they will remember that information..."

2. Location: Is the cost of living in either city extremely different? Do some online apartment hunting! You mentioned you hated Pittsburgh...is it a strong hate or perhaps some place you could potentially warm up to? Maybe visit it again if time and/or funds allow? And during the first couple of years, how much time do you realistically see yourself having to experience the city? From a lot of students I have talked to, most don't get to really enjoy the places they live until 3rd or 4th year.

3. Cost: How important is this to you? My family gave me this cheesy car analogy to compare it to but I will save you from this for the time being haha

Really...just trust your gut on this one I think! If you'd like more particulars just PM me...good luck! I know it's a rough decision, but I'm sure you'll make the right one!

 

[somethinpositiv]

Both were good programs but I felt more comfortable with Pitt's students. I would go to Pitt if I were in your shoes

I guess you were really comfortable with the married BYU grads that comprised half of Pitt's class.. Not knocking them, when I met them they were really good people, just saying.. They kinda had their own clique that was separate.

 

[DuffMan01]

That is a pretty hard choice! I think there is a post somewhere here comparing the two. It seems to me that the two schools are very much alike except location. I would agree, philly is a great city compared to pitt, so you may take that into consideration. Seems like both school really want you cuz of the scholarships
But in all honesty, chose the school that you felt most comfortable with during the interview. I would chose Penn cuz its in philly and its Ivy!

 

[Maregbe1]

Thanks, I appreciate all your inputs but its still a difficult decision.

 

[Zubnaya Feya]

Thanks, I appreciate all your inputs but its still a difficult decision.

Quick question.... For Dean's scholarship, when did you apply to it? After you got the offer letter? could you please tell me more about it.

Thanks

 

[Maregbe1]

Quick question.... For Dean's scholarship, when did you apply to it? After you got the offer letter? could you please tell me more about it.

Thanks

It came with my acceptance letter. You don't apply for it, they just give it out to students they feel excelled and stood above the norms.

 

[dentalmagnet]

Go Penn. You worked hard, they really want you there, it's an amazing school. You deserve it and you are worth the extra tuition!

 

[eventualOMFS]

I guess you were really comfortable with the married BYU grads that comprised half of Pitt's class.. Not knocking them, when I met them they were really good people, just saying.. They kinda had their own clique that was separate.

That's interesting. Pitt was the only school of my 6 interviews where I didn't meet any married BYU grads - guess it just depends on who you end up with!

BYU is a dental school machine....it's nuts.

 

[Dentchica]

i'm in the exact same situation, pitt vs. penn, and i don't know what to do!!

i have thought about this extensively and the pro and con list is about equal for each school for me.

when it comes down to it, im not sure they're really that different. they're both very good schools (for various reasons), in PA, and the students seemed to like both places.

cost is the most important difference. so are you willing to take out extra loans to live in philly?...i haven't decided yet if i will.

btw, congrats on the scholarships

 

[Andrew324]

UPenn wins for sure

 

[Neuro178]

That's interesting. Pitt was the only school of my 6 interviews where I didn't meet any married BYU grads - guess it just depends on who you end up with!

BYU is a dental school machine....it's nuts.

What is BYU?

 

[prydA]

What is BYU?

brigham young university. i've met at least 30 of them throughout my interviews.. they are EVERRRYYWHERRREEE! hahahaa

on topic however, i would choose penn. everything about that school appealed to me (except for the dungeon lol). students seemed very happy to be there, and there was a big sense of comraderie among classmates. plus the dean's scholarship gives you a hefty cut on tuition, and i think the campus and city life is a lot better at penn.

plus penn was founded by benjamin franklin and benjamin franklin was the MAN. that alone should be a good enough reason...

 

[somethinpositiv]

brigham young university. i've met at least 30 of them throughout my interviews.. they are EVERRRYYWHERRREEE! hahahaa

i.e. Mormons. Nothing at all wrong with being Mormon, they just tend to hang out together in their own clique that's separate. And when half of the people are hanging out together in their own clique, that's half of the dental school class that probably isn't hanging out with you. Though we're not going to D-school to make friends lol

 

[DuffMan01]

brigham young university. i've met at least 30 of them throughout my interviews.. they are EVERRRYYWHERRREEE! hahahaa

on topic however, i would choose penn. everything about that school appealed to me (except for the dungeon lol). students seemed very happy to be there, and there was a big sense of comraderie among classmates. plus the dean's scholarship gives you a hefty cut on tuition, and i think the campus and city life is a lot better at penn.

plus penn was founded by benjamin franklin and benjamin franklin was the MAN. that alone should be a good enough reason...

lol I too was wonerding wat BYU was! and wow I didnt know Penn was founded by Benjamin Franklin! That is a reason alone hahaha

 

[Maregbe1]

I appreciate all the input and I think I am one step closer in making my decision. For all others who are in the same boat i feel this ancient thread will help:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/archive/index.php/t-94442.html

It gives a true perspective of a student deciding whether to go to penn or another dental school and then 3 yrs later at penn gives his opinion of the school. As of right now I feel that I am leaning toward Penn.

 

[Flipper405]

I appreciate all the input and I think I am one step closer in making my decision. For all others who are in the same boat i feel this ancient thread will help:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/archive/index.php/t-94442.html

It gives a true perspective of a student deciding whether to go to penn or another dental school and then 3 yrs later at penn gives his opinion of the school. As of right now I feel that I am leaning toward Penn.

I read that thread, and I'm pretty sure the guy who came back didn't have very many good things to say about Penn other than an advantage for specialization...

On the other hand, I'm also leaning towards Penn out of the schools I have to decide among

 

[HupHolland]

i.e. Mormons. Nothing at all wrong with being Mormon, they just tend to hang out together in their own clique that's separate. And when half of the people are hanging out together in their own clique, that's half of the dental school class that probably isn't hanging out with you. Though we're not going to D-school to make friends lol

friends are the ones that will make dental school bearable! you will most likely meet many lifelong friends in dental school.

Hup

 

[Maregbe1]

Hey does anyone know if Penn gives you time off to study for the Boards? (I was thinking that one could do it during summer before 3rd year, but was not really sure.)

 

[PSU SHC 414]

Hey does anyone know if Penn gives you time off to study for the Boards? (I was thinking that one could do it during summer before 3rd year, but was not really sure.)

Yes... you get ~4 weeks over summer break after 2nd year to study for Part I.

I'm also kind of the in the same situation except it's down to UNC (out-of-state acceptance) vs UPenn. Since I didn't get the Dean's from Penn, you'd think this decision would be much easier for me, but I'm still pretty torn.

I had the chance to shadow a D4 at Penn right before the Christmas break. As a few others have said, this D4 confirmed that there is only 1 exam/week in the 1st year, and furthermore, that finals are NOT cumulative (I still find htis hard to believe). I'm also a fan of the fact that courses at Penn are on a block system.

Here are the cons of Penn as I see it (after shadowing the D4):

1) You get virtually no patient exposure until 3rd year (only a cleaning on a friend, and you learn basic perio & anesthesia on classmates prior to 3rd year).

2) Apparently scheduling a chair as a D3 is a hassle at Penn, which makes sense since you don't do any work towards fulfilling your clinical requirements until D3, so all of the D4s are scrambling to complete requirements so they can graduate (and they get priority in the clinic). Things are probably going to be worse for the C/O 2013 since the main clinic is likely going to be going through renovations as we enter our 3rd year. I was told that the main clinic will be renovated one bay at a time, and that there are "overflow" clinics that can be used while renovations are occurring, but I still think it's going to be a hectic situation for students.

3) As you're all probably aware, Penn has a "group" model for clinical instruction. So, you're randomnly assigned to a specific group of clinical instructors with ~10 other students in your class, and you remain with those people during D3-D4. The D4 I shadowed said that he was fortunate to be assigned to a group of great clinical instructors, but he said many of his classmates were not as lucky. As a result, while he's had a great clinical experience, some of his classmates' clinical education experiences have been "absolutely miserable". I asked this D4's instructors (and the other students in his group) what percentage of Penn's instructors they would consider to be "good", and they said "about 50%". I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to leave such an important part of my dental education to chance.

 

[Maregbe1]

Thanx PSU SHC 414, much appreciated. But yea 50%. Is there truth behind this or is this based on the opinion of some students and not all. But yea is it easy to find parking around the dental school?

 

[somethinpositiv]

[edit: whoops, misinterpreted OP's question! ]

 

[Maregbe1]

Yes... you get ~4 weeks over summer break after 2nd year to study for Part I.

I'm also kind of the in the same situation except it's down to UNC (out-of-state acceptance) vs UPenn. Since I didn't get the Dean's from Penn, you'd think this decision would be much easier for me, but I'm still pretty torn.

I had the chance to shadow a D4 at Penn right before the Christmas break. As a few others have said, this D4 confirmed that there is only 1 exam/week in the 1st year, and furthermore, that finals are NOT cumulative (I still find htis hard to believe). I'm also a fan of the fact that courses at Penn are on a block system.

Here are the cons of Penn as I see it (after shadowing the D4):

1) You get virtually no patient exposure until 3rd year (only a cleaning on a friend, and you learn basic perio & anesthesia on classmates prior to 3rd year).

2) Apparently scheduling a chair as a D3 is a hassle at Penn, which makes sense since you don't do any work towards fulfilling your clinical requirements until D3, so all of the D4s are scrambling to complete requirements so they can graduate (and they get priority in the clinic). Things are probably going to be worse for the C/O 2013 since the main clinic is likely going to be going through renovations as we enter our 3rd year. I was told that the main clinic will be renovated one bay at a time, and that there are "overflow" clinics that can be used while renovations are occurring, but I still think it's going to be a hectic situation for students.

3) As you're all probably aware, Penn has a "group" model for clinical instruction. So, you're randomnly assigned to a specific group of clinical instructors with ~10 other students in your class, and you remain with those people during D3-D4. The D4 I shadowed said that he was fortunate to be assigned to a group of great clinical instructors, but he said many of his classmates were not as lucky. As a result, while he's had a great clinical experience, some of his classmates' clinical education experiences have been "absolutely miserable". I asked this D4's instructors (and the other students in his group) what percentage of Penn's instructors they would consider to be "good", and they said "about 50%". I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to leave such an important part of my dental education to chance.

Thanx PSU SHC 414, much appreciated. But yea 50%. Is there truth behind this or is this based on the opinion of some students and not all. But yea is it easy to find parking around the dental school?

 

[PSU SHC 414]

Thanx PSU SHC 414, much appreciated. But yea 50%. Is there truth behind this or is this based on the opinion of some students and not all. But yea is it easy to find parking around the dental school?

Umm... obviously that 50% figure is based on the opinion of the few students and instructors that I spoke to. But I'm sure the people I questioned have talked to a fair number of their classmates in other clinical groups or inevitably heard complaints about poor instructors. Not sure what point you were trying to make?

Even if the school had some sort of rating or grading system for each of their clinical instructors, I highly doubt that they would make this information readily available to their students.

 

[Maregbe1]

Umm... obviously that 50% figure is based on the opinion of the few students and instructors that I spoke to. But I'm sure the people I questioned have talked to a fair number of their classmates in other clinical groups or inevitably heard complaints about poor instructors. Not sure what point you were trying to make?

Even if the school had some sort of rating or grading system for each of their clinical instructors, I highly doubt that they would make this information readily available to their students.

Sorry, I just quoted you because someone else taught I was asking a question about something they said but yea what the question was really after was to get more info on what you said. Thats all.

 

[Maregbe1]

And its official, i am concluding this thread with my decision:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>UPENN CLASS OF 2013<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<



thanks all, i appreciated all your inputs.

 

[Clubby]

And its official, i am concluding this thread with my decision:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>UPENN CLASS OF 2013<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<



thanks all, i appreciated all your inputs.

Would have made the same decision. WTG and congrats!