tufts vs. buffalo

[i3lazin]

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ok so i was waitlisted at stonyy and buffalo, and was feeling a little down.. and then i got acctepted by tufts.. so i put my 2grand down and everything and sort of convinced myself on going there... was a little hesitant about the price tag, but i do feel that it is a good program and a nice city so why not... but today i just got a call back from buffalo and they extended me an offer.. so now this throws everything off, and i have no idea what to do... i remember when i went to buffalo, i rely liked the atmosphere and i rely wanted to go there... but since i semi-committed myself to tufts its kind of a hard decision... i am a NY state resident.. i want some advice on which one i shuld go for...

-when it comes to location, its not much of a bother for me.. i kno how to have fun regardless of where im at, and weather is weather; not something i am afraid of...
-i was trying to get an inside scope of which would be a better program (buffalo you get your own chair)?
-which one is more technologically advanced (tufts got a new 5 flrs coming)?
-the lifestyle of the students, i really want to be in a more laid back setting rather than the gunner mentality..
-and which has a better reputation, for if i decide to specialize (which school has a better match rate)...

i know the instate tution is def a big plus.. but does it really make that much of a difference in the long run?

 

[crackconch]

At the end of the day, you'll be DDS certified regardless of the school you attend.Dental school is hard and so there will be gunner mentality wherever you attend. Speaking from personal experience, school reputation plays little if any if u decide to specialize;why spend a butt load on a dental school education if u don't have to?

 

[somethinpositiv]

Most people will tell you Buffalo, for no other reason other than cost. I can't think of another legitimate reason that Buffalo is a better choice than Tufts, other than cost, but that is a good enough reason for most everyone.

 

[Waitlisted2009]

.

 

[DrReo]

At the end of the day, you'll be DDS certified regardless of the school you attend.Dental school is hard and so there will be gunner mentality wherever you attend. Speaking from personal experience, school reputation plays little if any if u decide to specialize;why spend a butt load on a dental school education if u don't have to?

Congrats on your acceptance! Cost is probably the largest factor. Why pay an extra 100k if you do not have to? That's a massive house payment...- unless you're doing the military.

Having the option to have your own chair is excellent. As you know, Tufts has a large class size but does have night clinics. Any practicing dentist will tell you to attend the cheaper school with their experience. Students will tell you attend where you feel the best.... Take the dentists' word and save thousands even though Tufts is an amazing program.

Best of luck and maybe see you at Tufts in the fall.

 

[hl11]

Most people will tell you Buffalo, for no other reason other than cost. I can't think of another legitimate reason that Buffalo is a better choice than Tufts, other than cost, but that is a good enough reason for most everyone.

yeah cost wins.

 

[apollo2bd]

I'm a first year at Buffalo. Students here are pretty laid back. It seems the upperclassmen are too, but I can say my class definitely is. Everyone (except for maybe 1 or 2) looks out for each other and wants to help each other out. Of course this may be different for class of '13.

 

[i3lazin]

lol i had a feeling I would get the whole cost thing as the main issue.. i kinda knew it myself, it would make so much sense in going to buffalo.. I guess the fact that I spent the whole last month selling myself on tufts, and actually imagining life in Boston is what is making this decision so hard.. I guess end of the day i shuld go with my gut... thanx for the input tho guys..

apollo since your going to buffalo already, can you elaborate on the tech aspect of it a lil more? its been a while since my interview and I kinda dont remember much...
like do they have sim labs and stuff like that? (like im pretty sure all dental schools probably have one, but i fell in love with the one at U of MD and i'm sure tufts will have something similar in their new floors)
i know they give us a laptop, is it because its all e-textbooks or something? and do they record lectures or anything for you? (tufts doesnt either, but i rely like the idea of it)
and i dunno anything else cool worth mentioning, lol im trying to sell myself on this school again, cuz i remember after my interview it def did become one of my tops.. (kinda brain-washed myself with tufts)

 

[DentGuy]

If you're out-of-state then I'd say to go ahead and commit to Tufts. Since you're in-state, go with the cheaper option, unless you're doing HPSP.

 

[Wei87]

If you're out-of-state then I'd say to go ahead and commit to Tufts. Since you're in-state, go with the cheaper option, unless you're doing HPSP.

do keep in mind (if you don't already know) that out-of-state students only pay out-of-state tuition during their first year. Buffalo has a sweet policy that allows anyone who's attended their school for a year to pay instate tuition for the remaining 3 years of dental school.

 

[ncalcate]

I'm a fourth year at Buffalo and I grew up right outside of Boston. I would have loved to stay in Boston for dental school, but I couldn't pass up the cost difference. For my 4 years at Buffalo, the grand total has been about $160,000. Had I gone to Tufts, I would be looking at about $320,000 in debt. That's a HUGE difference.

Another thing about Buffalo over Tufts is that you can really live well for very little money. You can live in a spacious apartment with parking, washer/dryer, a yard, etc. either walking distance to school or a five minute drive away for less than $500 a month. Try finding that in Boston! It would be impossible.

All schools have their drawbacks, Buffalo included. But I'm happy with the clinical skills I've developed and I feel 100% prepared for my GPR. All the residencies at which I interviewed always said the Buffalo grads were very well prepared and trained.

Ultimately, the choice is yours, but you are correct to STRONGLY consider the cost differences.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I'm happy with the clinical skills I've developed and I feel 100% prepared for my GPR.

Tufts has such a comprehensive fixed and removable prosthodontics training that many feel that they are clinically prepared to practice without spending a year doing a GPR/AEGD. Better training means you save a year, a year of earning potential. But then again, maybe that's just clever marketing on Tufts part.

Again, like I said before, Buffalo is the smart choice, because of much lower cost. However, I still stand by my view that there is no legitimate argument that Buffalo is better than Tufts in any way, other than lower cost of tuition and lower cost of living.

 

[CountinCavities]

For me the answer is cost. Buffalo is really cheap for in-state residents. In your position, I would not be able to resist the decrease in tuition.

 

[ncalcate]

Tufts has such a comprehensive fixed and removable prosthodontics training that many feel that they are clinically prepared to practice without spending a year doing a GPR/AEGD.

Don't be so quick to assume/imply that "GPR = not enough clinical experience to enter private practice".

Since you're such an expert on Tufts' program, exactly what are the fixed and removable minimums to graduate from Tufts?

I can't speak for the rest of my Buffalo classmates, but my decision to do a GPR is based upon my desire to develop expertise in certain subject areas that are not covered in pre-doc curriculums.

I am not saying that Buffalo has a better clinical program than Tufts. But to imply that pursuing a GPR means your school's pre-doc clinical program is not "comprehensive" is laughable and just shows that you've been drinking too much of the typical pre-dent Kool Aid.