U of MICH v. MWU-AZ

[racquetballer]

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Hey guys! So I am accepted at Michigan and have an interview with MWU-AZ. I have heard that Michigan has trouble getting patients and only has average boards scores, but that it does have good specialization rates, a neat curriculum, and great faculty. It would cost me 82.5k.
MWU-AZ costs 90.5K and is not freezing. I hear it has nice facilities because it is so new, they have a good patient base, and they have better than average boards. I do not know how they will do with specialty placement, though. I want to go into OMFS. Any advice???

 

[Osity]

Hey guys! So I am accepted at Michigan and have an interview with MWU-AZ. I have heard that Michigan has trouble getting patients and only has average boards scores, but that it does have good specialization rates, a neat curriculum, and great faculty. It would cost me 82.5k.
MWU-AZ costs 90.5K and is not freezing. I hear it has nice facilities because it is so new, they have a good patient base, and they have better than average boards. I do not know how they will do with specialty placement, though. I want to go into OMFS. Any advice???

I don't know much about Michigan, but I thought MWU was an amazing school for all of the reasons that you posted. I had a tough time deciding between there and Creighton, but ultimately I chose Creighton because of cost, an established reputation, and an awesome clinical education.

In your case, where cost is pretty similar, I would say choose the place you felt best and the area you would like to live in. At MWU, I think you would get an outstanding education. Although they're new, I asked about specialties, and they said if you are in the top 10-15% of your class and get good letters of recommendation, you'll get the specialty that you want.

I have heard lots of good about Michigan, but I don't know any details. Personally, I would choose MWU. Arizona is an awesome place to live, MWU seems to have have happy students, incredible facilities, and a good patient base.

 

[kdentg]

Hey guys! So I am accepted at Michigan and have an interview with MWU-AZ. I have heard that Michigan has trouble getting patients and only has average boards scores, but that it does have good specialization rates, a neat curriculum, and great faculty. It would cost me 82.5k.
MWU-AZ costs 90.5K and is not freezing. I hear it has nice facilities because it is so new, they have a good patient base, and they have better than average boards. I do not know how they will do with specialty placement, though. I want to go into OMFS. Any advice???

I had to choose between UNLV, OHSU, and Michigan. It was a very tough choice for me between OHSU and Michigan.

I chose Michigan for many reasons. First off, prestige. I know everyone says that prestige doesn't matter...but I have worked my butt off and I want to reap the rewards. They are known as one of the top 5 dental schools in the nation and University of Michigan has just been ranked 15th in the entire world by US News & World Report as an overall institution (grad programs included).

http://www.usnews.com/education/wor.../2010/09/21/worlds-best-universities-top-400-

The current ADA president is from University of Michigan and there have been 4 previous ADA presidents from there. I know I will be more proud to be Michigan alumni than anything else.

I know a few of the dental students from each year and they all told me that they have no problems with the patient base. Detroit-Mercy just takes all the patients in Detroit and Michigan gets all the other patients in the state. They also do many outreach programs during the 3rd and 4th years so they do have a strong patient base.

Michigan is also ranked #1 in NIH funding (if research matters at all) with over $21 million dollars granted per year. Many journal articles and dental breakthroughs have come out of Michigan.

I am so excited for the college town and the 43,000 other students and the out-of-this-world football games. I know I will be busy with dental school but during those times I do have some spare time I know I will have much to go out an enjoy...from partying to the outdoors.

It may be extremely cold during the winter but it's only 4-years. You will get used to it and I don't believe weather should be a factor. It's your education that matters. And I believe Michigan provides the best education. It has the podcasting for lectures. With it's prestige, it doesn't have as much problems with funding. It can continually upgrade it's technology and equipment. It might have an increase of 3-5% in tuition per year which is very minimal compared to the 20% increase OHSU promised me per year. Plus, MWU isn't as established as an institution and I wouldn't doubt that it will be having problems with funding...but obviously I have no source for that, just personal thought.

This is just my two cents though. Michigan is where my heart is and is the best decision for my career. I will have the most fun here. Have the best education. I strongly believe I will have more opportunities down the road in the future with being a Michigan alumni. The list goes on and on. I have so many things under the "pros" section and nothing under the "con" section.

But go where your heart is telling you to go. Whichever place you initially were excited for and wanted to go. Your first instinct is the right instinct. If MWU was it, then go there. Michigan was that for me and every little factor pointed to it. If I got accepted to all other 8 schools I applied to, I would still choose Michigan. But go where you think you'll be happiest.

Hope this helps.

 

[Osity]

"Plus, MWU isn't as established as an institution and I wouldn't doubt that it will be having problems with funding...but obviously I have no source for that, just personal thought."

Yes, MWU isn't as established, but they will not likely have a funding problem, since they are a private school. It's the public schools that are having problems (UNLV, OHSU-I also decided against going there partly because their tuition is rising so quickly).

MWU also said there would be a 5% increase each year, so since they are starting higher than Michigan, a 5% increase will end up costing you more than it would (maybe) at Michigan.

I agree with kdentg though, if cost is pretty similar, which is seems to be, go where you want to go. You will end up a dentist graduating from either school, the only difference will be the letters after your name. At Michigan, you'll be a DDS, and at MWU, a DMD.

 

[HillsNayyr]

I had to choose between university of MN and MWU-AZ. The price gap was so huge that I had to take mn, but, mwu is still an amazing place and I would have loved to go there. The facilities are AMAZING. That along with a large patient base and very friendly faculty (the ones I met) would make me want to go there.

 

[Rlow04]

I'm going to MWU-AZ because I don't want to specialize and I think it will prepare me very well for general dentistry. If I wanted to specialize (especially in OMFS or Ortho), I wouldn't be going to MWU-AZ. They are a private, clinically focused school without a history. Michigan is an amazing research school (one of the top NIH funded programs) with a great record of producing specialists.

If an admissions committee had 2 students to choose from with identical stats/research opportunities, etc., they would choose the Michigan student because of the reputation. Now, add to that the fact that your research opportunities at MWU-AZ will not be as good as those from Michigan, and you're at a disadvantage.

If you want to specialize, go to Michigan. If you want to be a great general dentist, come to MWU-AZ.