Tufts vs. Maryland?

[Lefty7]

For those of you who have interviewed at both tufts and maryland, what are your impressions? I live on the west coast and for pure financial reasons am trying to decide if I should only attend one of the interviews. What do you all think are the pros and cons of these schools?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[berryfremont]

Also, I would like to know how many people maryland has already accepted if known..and how many they accept in total..thanks

 

[tofufob]

I've been accepted to both schools. Tufts and Maryland were both really friendly schools with staff members ready to help you at all times. They both offer great clinical programs and post-graduate placement. I would put them on the same level in most aspects. Your preference really boils down to whether you'd want to live in Boston or Baltimore. There's a rumor that Tufts accept 60-70% of the applicants they interview while Maryland is a state school that does give preference to in-state residents, so statistically, you may have a better chance at getting in Tufts after receiving the interview invitation. But again, nothing is for certain.

Also, you have to realize that dental school tuition is far more expensive in comparison to a couple of plane tickets, I would strongly encourage you to visit both schools if you have the time to do so. Financial reason should not stop you from gaining more perspectives on dental school, after all, pre-doctoral education will have a life-long impact on your career as a dentist.

Hope this helps, good luck on your decision!

 

[Spyglass]

Any more opinions?

It seems like Maryland has a better program; the revised curriculum is appealing and the new building looks phenomenal. However, I would rather live in Boston over Baltimore. Or is living in Baltimore not that bad? Anyone know?

What to do, what to do......

 

[berryfremont]

Well, they (baltimore) just were ranked as the most fit city in america by some magazine...haha, if that helps you decide...I just finished interviewing in baltimore and it was definately a culture shock for me...The drivers are crazy and so many gangsta looking people walking the streets...So, I guess I fit in, ha......no clue about boston though

 

[greenday]

For those of you who have interviewed at both tufts and maryland, what are your impressions? I live on the west coast and for pure financial reasons am trying to decide if I should only attend one of the interviews. What do you all think are the pros and cons of these schools?

They are equal schools, pick the cheaper one.

 

[syn_apse]

maryland's facilities >> tufts

baltimore city << boston city

did you try flipping a coin?

 

[DieselKJ]

Having visited both cities several times Boston would be a much nicer place to live.

 

[coral2005]

Boston is not that great...plus, who cares what city you live in when you're studying? From what I hear, it's not like you're gonna be going out that much anyway.

If it comes down to those 2, pick the cheaper school you get into...I'd say. But go to both interviews!!

Good luck.

 

[darius99]

boston drivers (and boston roads/highways) are possibly the worst in the nation, so i doubt baltimore is any worse.

and what is revised in the MD curriculum? i'm interested to know

 

[Audio]

Well, they (baltimore) just were ranked as the most fit city in america by some magazine...haha, if that helps you decide...I just finished interviewing in baltimore and it was definately a culture shock for me...The drivers are crazy and so many gangsta looking people walking the streets...So, I guess I fit in, ha......no clue about boston though

Philly was a culture shock for me too, homie.

 

[Typo]

and what is revised in the MD curriculum? i'm interested to know

They rearranged our schedule so that we can take Part I of the boards after first year. Maryland students used to take every class for Part I except pathology during first year, and then took the boards over a year after they finished all the classes. This year, they pushed patho into first year, so we'll take our boards with everything relatively fresh in our minds.

 

[La Miraflorina]

I never interviewed at Tufts but being from MA, I can tell you a little bit about Boston. Just take into account that I haven't been back to Boston in 5 years!

Boston and Baltimore are both very small cities (compared to NYC or LA, etc..) Boston is very Irish... the nightlife revolves around pubs and sports bars, (not my thing). If you're into the clubbing thing, there is a street full of clubs, though if you're used to NYC clubbing, they fall very short of expectations! The people are very intellectual and academic since there are so many universities and graduate/doctoral programs there. The style is either laid back, (jeans, t-shirts and sneakers) or very preppy, (Gap)... There is a decent amount of cultural activities... Beaches are nearby in RI or Cape Cod...

As for Boston housing, if you live near Tufts, you'll most likely be renting a room in a very old house, (again, not my thing).

I spent a total of 22 hours in Baltimore but my overall impression was good. It seems like a small city, about the same size as Boston. The west side where the school is located is beautiful. I know Baltimore has a bad reputation for being just an industrial city and quite dangerous, I didn't see anything like that. The school is nestled in a downtown area with tons of high-rises near the inner harbor which is filled with restaurants, clubs and museums. The housing options near campus are mostly luxury apartments/lofts all with a $800-1100 rent range for one person living alone. It seems like the nightlife is pretty much like Boston's with lots of sports pubs and few dance clubs... but I can handle that since I'll be studying most of the time anyway!

The dental school in MD is what really impressed me. It's part of the UMB campus which is where all the graduate programs are: Law, nursing, medicine, biomed research etc.. etc.. etc... While the dental students don't take classes with the medical students, most of the science faculty is the same. And since UMB's medical school is pretty highly ranked, I'd assume that IF dental schools were to be ranked, it'd be pretty high on the list as well. Also, the dental school is #2 in the nation for NIH funding, which speaks very well for the school.

The new building will be hands down the best facility in the nation once it is finished. Even the old building wasn't that bad... there was ample space for clinics and there seemed to be LOTS of patients there.

The faculty I met were all amazing... and the students were cool for the most part.

Quite honestly, I thought UMB dental was the best dental school of all the ones I saw: Columbia, Nova and UMDNJ... and of course UMB

As another poster suggested, I'd visit both schools. Honestly, I couldn't afford to travel to that many schools either but I sucked it up and put my trips on my credit cards. And I'm so glad I did because when I began my interviews, UMB was at the bottom of my list, and also the most expensive trip I took. I almost didn't go and am SOOO glad I did now!

If you have any other questions about MD, feel free to PM me