UCLA vs. USC

[jay47]

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Did no one read what I wrote earlier? Ask any practicing dentist (recently out of school) what the most important factor should be when choosing a dental school.

I guarantee you will get out of your education whatever you put in, but the real question is what is it going to cost you?

 

[New2Philly]

Did no one read what I wrote earlier? Ask any practicing dentist (recently out of school) what the most important factor should be when choosing a dental school.

I guarantee you will get out of your education whatever you put in, but the real question is what is it going to cost you?

True, I have never meet a dentist that is happy with their debt.

 

[ooowee]

Thanks for all the thoughts... I think I've made my decision. 🙂

 

[Tommy43087]

Thanks for all the thoughts... I think I've made my decision. 🙂

What did you choose?

 

[jol2008]

What did you choose?

I am guessing UCLA, since someone (dentdin) has recently been accepted to USC 🙂

 

[ooowee]

I'm not 100% yet on my decision, but I'm leaning toward UCLA because of the cost and because it might be the safer choice in the case that I want to specialize; although I might be happier at USC, cost seems to be an issue!

 

[xhamburgersamx]

I'm not 100% yet on my decision, but I'm leaning toward UCLA because of the cost and because it might be the safer choice in the case that I want to specialize; although I might be happier at USC, cost seems to be an issue!

COnsidering you got into UCLA, you must be a highly competitive applicant. You might get offered a scholarship at USC if you choose to attend, although you won't know until you get in. There are scholarships ranging from 100% tuition down to 25% per year

 

[knyt]

As a 2010 USC grad, I strongly advise you to go to UCLA. 400k in debt is a b!tch, it's already haunting me every night. However, wherever that you choose to go, you should consider the military scholarship. I'm deeply regretting the decision of not applying for it, now I'm still without a job and the 400k is knocking on my door 🙁

 

[Tommy43087]

COnsidering you got into UCLA, you must be a highly competitive applicant. You might get offered a scholarship at USC if you choose to attend, although you won't know until you get in. There are scholarships ranging from 100% tuition down to 25% per year

Do you know when they release who recieves these scholarships?

Also one of the emails Brian sent that mentioned the scholarship described it to be not based on grades and DAT, but more on other parts of the app(EC's, LOR, PS, economic status, etc...)

 

[ooowee]

I checked that the cost for attendance for 1st year at UCLA is $75,149!? Isn't that the same as USC's? I should probably check with UCLA, but does anyone have an updated tuition costs list for UCLA?

And for knyt:
Do you feel as though alumni connections with USC makes a difference for when you venture out into the work force? I was told by a UCLA dent alum that I should go to USC over UCLA if cost isn't the issue and if I don't specialize. Do you feel the same way?

Also, for xhamburgersamx:
So you won't know of obtaining scholarships at USC until you're fully enrolled? Like August/Sept?

Thanks guys!

 

[New2Philly]

I checked that the cost for attendance for 1st year at UCLA is $75,149!? Isn't that the same as USC's? I should probably check with UCLA, but does anyone have an updated tuition costs list for UCLA?

And for knyt:
Do you feel as though alumni connections with USC makes a difference for when you venture out into the work force? I was told by a UCLA dent alum that I should go to USC over UCLA if cost isn't the issue and if I don't specialize. Do you feel the same way?

Also, for xhamburgersamx:
So you won't know of obtaining scholarships at USC until you're fully enrolled? Like August/Sept?

Thanks guys!

Total cost of attendance (everything) for UCLA: $278,128; USC: 380,770. That is a difference of $102,642, which is a lot of money. Found if on their websites. Go to UCLA, in what universe is 100K not an issue? Unless your going into the military, and UCLA is still better..... Why is this decision so hard?

 

[knyt]

Total cost of attendance (everything) for UCLA: $278,128; USC: 380,770. That is a difference of $102,642, which is a lot of money. Found if on their websites. Go to UCLA, in what universe is 100K not an issue? Unless your going into the military, and UCLA is still better..... Why is this decision so hard?

I agree with New2Philly, $102,642 is a lot of money and this is not even factoring in the accumulating interest over the 4-year period. I owe about 400k+ right now including interests. If I want to pay back with a 10 year repayment period, it's about 5000 per month, and with a 25 year repayment period, it's about 3000 per month. Point is, choose the cheaper school. And no, alumni connection with USC does not make a difference. It's still pretty hard to get a job in SoCal.
It's true that at USC, we have a stronger clinical training compare to UCLA. However, I do agree with previous posters that after a couple years, a UCLA graduate is just as the same as a USC graduate in terms of hand skills.
If I were you, I'd choose UCLA in an instant just because it's a lot cheaper. You'll end up getting similar education anyways, and UCLA area is a lot nicer and safer and much closer to the beach 🙂

 

[ooowee]

I've been leaning toward UCLA for a while, but I'd be living at home if I went to USC, instead of on my own (in pricey westwood area) if I went to UCLA... which brings total cost to almost similar? (And it seems that UCLA bumped up the costs for this year, payment dues from their URSA website seems different from that shown on the public website info.?)

But I suppose if USC alumni connections aren't all that in terms of landing a job, it might be good to suck it up and head for rigorous UCLA...

 

[xhamburgersamx]

I've been leaning toward UCLA for a while, but I'd be living at home if I went to USC, instead of on my own (in pricey westwood area) if I went to UCLA... which brings total cost to almost similar? (And it seems that UCLA bumped up the costs for this year, payment dues from their URSA website seems different from that shown on the public website info.?)

But I suppose if USC alumni connections aren't all that in terms of landing a job, it might be good to suck it up and head for rigorous UCLA...

scholarship when you enroll, very limited at USC. If you get one, you are really lucky.

Connections not so good unless you really have connections like family. If anything, you can always work corporate for a year or two before establishing your own place. Many people move out of state and get good jobs (high salary).

 

[knyt]

scholarship when you enroll, very limited at USC. If you get one, you are really lucky.

Connections not so good unless you really have connections like family. If anything, you can always work corporate for a year or two before establishing your own place. Many people move out of state and get good jobs (high salary).

True, the scholarships are really hard to get. Unless you have an exceptional application or knowing the right people at the school. And if you can commute to UCLA, I'm sure you can save tons of money too.

 

[Dr Ethics]

nobody debates this. the cost of attendance aside, the edge goes to USC in my book. cost of living should be about the same. maybe a bit more for UCLA (beverly hills) vs USC (south central)

Cost of attendance aside, you should go to USC, because you get to experience living in the ghetto, cramming to get a chair in the clinic, wasting your time in PBL sessions, and dealing with ill-tempered professors on a daily basis. All these advantages aside, you also get to attend an esthetic's club by Dr. Magne once a month. I guess that is why all my classmates said, "Nah" when they got their acceptance letter from UCLA, and simply moved on to USC (including me😉 )

 

[Oracle DMD]

Cost of attendance aside, you should go to USC, because you get to experience living in the ghetto, cramming to get a chair in the clinic, wasting your time in PBL sessions, and dealing with ill-tempered professors on a daily basis. All these advantages aside, you also get to attend an esthetic's club by Dr. Magne once a month. I guess that is why all my classmates said, "Nah" when they got their acceptance letter from UCLA, and simply moved on to USC (including me😉 )

spend less time on SDN and more time in dr. magne's lecture. stop whining about the "ghetto" and start realizing how lucky you are. EVERY dental school has clinic and lecture frustrations...its just the nature of the beast. if you don't make the most of being at USC, you are being a donkey.