UCLA, UPenn or MUSC(in-state) PLEASE HELP!!!

[dental7]

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Please help,
MUSC has very nice new facilities but does not have same reputation as UPenn or UCLA;
UCLA has great weather and cheaper tuition compared to UPenn (but living expenses probably even it out);
UPenn is ivy (but does it really have better reputation then UCLA)?

I need to make my decision soon. I am driving myself loco!!! Any input on this topic would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[dental7]

Please help,
MUSC has very nice new facilities but does not have same reputation as UPenn or UCLA;
UCLA has great weather and cheaper tuition compared to UPenn (but living expenses probably even it out);
UPenn is ivy (but does it really have better reputation then UCLA)?

I need to make my decision soon. I am driving myself loco!!! Any input on this topic would be greatly appreciated!!!

Please help!!! Does anyone have any inside info that I should be considering???

 

[Vaheb]

If you are specializing definitely go for UCLA.

Personally I would pick UCLA over anything..great rep and pretty good clinic.

 

[dental7]

is it true there will be less faculty available because of California budget cuts? Are the students very academically oriented, or do you guys find time to relax? Do you go out together, or is it more of a competitive atmosphere where everyone is just taking care of their own stuff? How does the faculty treat students?

 

[FutureDent020]

MUSC is a great school. It's your cheapest option and Charleston is a fun area. Your familiar with the region and I imagine you want to practice somewhere around the Southeast when you graduate b/c of family and friends. Be flattered that you received offers from UCLA and Penn, two great schools, but be practically and go to MUSC. And you would be perfectly fine specializing at MUSC, if you choose to. A majority of SDN users are from the California area, so you hear a lot about UCLA, and it is a great school, but don't choose it over MUSC if you are from South Carolina.

 

[dental7]

Well, MUSC total budget in-state is $74,249 per year. UCLA is 77,800 for the first year and ~63K on average for the last three years (since the UCLA admissions people assured me I will easily become an in-state resident after the first year). So, as you can see MUSC is not any cheaper then UCLA (MUSC tuition has been going up ~%17 per year recently). In terms of family - I have very few relatives in SC (but I do love Charleston). I don't know that much about LA. I am just very conflicted, because I want to make sure I make the correct decision.

Does anyone know if going to school in California or Philadelphia or Charleston has any impact on the ability to pass licensing exams in different areas? If I go to UCLA, can i still practice in SC, FL, or NY? I just am not ready to make the "I want to live and practice in XXX" decision? Will I have flexibility in the future, or will I have to stay in the area where my school was?

Thanks for any helpful input guys, I really appreciate it!!!!

 

[ukbasketballis1]

I would just feel fortunate that you have an in-state option even if the costs are high (I'm from NH and we don't have an in-state school). I'm stuck paying OOS costs for the schools I got into and MUSC is by far my favorite. But as far as where to go for specializing, if you finish high up in your class for any of these locations, why would it really matter?

 

[Mulberry Tooth]

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