Hey guys...for those of you (us) who got accepted to both UIC and SIU which one will you be attending and why? Has anyone withdrawn from the other program yet? I still have to make my decision...both have pros and cons to me.
UIC vs. SIU
- Thread starter jstar86
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UIC is a great school, but so is SIU. If you're from the Chicago area and want to stay there, then go to UIC. But, SIU allows you to go to school in a small town, but be within 40 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
As for meeting new "contacts" -- it all depends on what you want to do after dental school. If you want to stay in central/southern Illinois, then SIU would be the school for you. If you want to stay in the Chicago area, then UIC is the school for you. However, I don't think that just being in Chicago will give you the opportunity to meet more people. You can meet important contacts at SIU, as well!
As for meeting new "contacts" -- it all depends on what you want to do after dental school. If you want to stay in central/southern Illinois, then SIU would be the school for you. If you want to stay in the Chicago area, then UIC is the school for you. However, I don't think that just being in Chicago will give you the opportunity to meet more people. You can meet important contacts at SIU, as well!
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UIC is a definite. 1) Chicago 2) More name recognition 3) Better positioned for specialty , etc .
This is all opinioned based. UIC may have a bigger name, but it isn't due to their academics. It is because it is Chicago. SIU scores top board scores every year. The facilities are very new. Just renovated the oral surgery department. They are adding a $4 million dollar simulation lab with electric sensors to sense pain and water. I believe they will be one of only four DS. They also have a small class size of 50. No distractions because the campus is only for dental students and they are away from the undergraduates, graduates, and other professional schools. And it is considerably cheaper than UIC. Not only tuition, but also cost of living.
St. Louis is still close and has everything that someone would want to do. And I have to agree the contacts comment is depending on where and how you want to practice. Rural dentistry will thrive down south at SIU. They have programs and scholarships for it. Like I said it's all opinioned based on what you want to do, where you want to practice, and what your personality is like. We will all be colleagues.
St. Louis is still close and has everything that someone would want to do. And I have to agree the contacts comment is depending on where and how you want to practice. Rural dentistry will thrive down south at SIU. They have programs and scholarships for it. Like I said it's all opinioned based on what you want to do, where you want to practice, and what your personality is like. We will all be colleagues.
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Adding to what Molarbear said:
SIU Pros:
-Cost of education
-Cost of living
-Didactic Education (#4 in the country in board scores, UIC scores are pretty average)
-Technology/Sim Lab (which UIC lacks)
-New Facilities (UIC's are pretty ancient)
-Focus on implants? (not sure if it's true, that's what I heard)
-Good patient base? (I assume there's no shortage of rednecks with methmouth
I kid, I kid.)
-Safe area (UIC campus isn't that safe at night. or during the day? my dad got his car broken into in broad daylight on the UIC campus with a cop car parked a block away)
-Proximity to University of Illinois campus! GO ILLINI! 😉
UIC Pros
-CHICAGO! Location, location, location. (SIU board scores are high for a reason, they have nothing else to do but study lol. I read in an old SDN post that going to SIU dental school in Alton was like being locked up in jail for 4 years, though that person ultimately found the experience rewarding...)
-Diversity (a priority here, you'd be hard pressed to find a more diverse dental school class)
-Clinical Education (there might have been a battle for patients when Northwestern and Loyola had dental schools, but now UIC is the only dental school in Chicago, which is really ridiculous. you won't find a better patient base anywhere else, and the clinical training is superb)
-Cheaper than a private school (like Tufts) lol
They are both great schools. Objectively, SIU is probably the better choice, all factors considered. And if you wanted to practice in or around Chicago, you could do that after you graduated. I didn't apply to SIU though, location and diversity were my main priorities, and UIC was near the top of my list of schools.
SIU Pros:
-Cost of education
-Cost of living
-Didactic Education (#4 in the country in board scores, UIC scores are pretty average)
-Technology/Sim Lab (which UIC lacks)
-New Facilities (UIC's are pretty ancient)
-Focus on implants? (not sure if it's true, that's what I heard)
-Good patient base? (I assume there's no shortage of rednecks with methmouth
I kid, I kid.)-Safe area (UIC campus isn't that safe at night. or during the day? my dad got his car broken into in broad daylight on the UIC campus with a cop car parked a block away)
-Proximity to University of Illinois campus! GO ILLINI! 😉
UIC Pros
-CHICAGO! Location, location, location. (SIU board scores are high for a reason, they have nothing else to do but study lol. I read in an old SDN post that going to SIU dental school in Alton was like being locked up in jail for 4 years, though that person ultimately found the experience rewarding...)
-Diversity (a priority here, you'd be hard pressed to find a more diverse dental school class)
-Clinical Education (there might have been a battle for patients when Northwestern and Loyola had dental schools, but now UIC is the only dental school in Chicago, which is really ridiculous. you won't find a better patient base anywhere else, and the clinical training is superb)
-Cheaper than a private school (like Tufts) lol
They are both great schools. Objectively, SIU is probably the better choice, all factors considered. And if you wanted to practice in or around Chicago, you could do that after you graduated. I didn't apply to SIU though, location and diversity were my main priorities, and UIC was near the top of my list of schools.
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St. Louis doesn't hold a candle to Chicago, let's not kid ourselves.
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You only live once...UIC baby! SIU is a good school, but def #2
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I agree about the location, that is undeniable.
But UIC hardly has name recognition. Neither school does really. Your patients won't care whether you went to UIC or SIU, that's just a bunch of letters.
And why would a UIC dentist be better positioned for specialties? SIU has stronger didactics and thus much higher Board Scores, and the last time I checked, board scores were pretty important if you wanted to specialize. Just playing devil's advocate here.
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Hey guys...just so you know the chance that you will ever use the sim lab at siu is very slim. last i heard (very very recently) no one has even an estimate of when it will be done and, with the illinois budget cuts and the fact that the government owes siue $115 million dollars and the school can barely make payroll, I wouldn't count on the sim lab for your personal experience.
don't get me wrong...i love the school. I just wouldn't put my bets on the sim lab and don't want everyone thinking it will be done soon.
EDIT: SIU is still an awesome school and I'd love to go there regardless of the sim lab. Sorry it totally sounded like I was anti-SIU. I'm definitely not!
don't get me wrong...i love the school. I just wouldn't put my bets on the sim lab and don't want everyone thinking it will be done soon.
EDIT: SIU is still an awesome school and I'd love to go there regardless of the sim lab. Sorry it totally sounded like I was anti-SIU. I'm definitely not!
Good stuff both ways. I personally like SIU because of the stronger clinics. Both are great schools but I was in Chicago for undergrad. Frigid winters and fun, but expensive city. Went out a lot and bank account suffered for it. SIU had enough to where you can go out with your classmates usually once a month when you're not head deep in a textbook.
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Adding to what Molarbear said:
SIU Pros:
-Cost of education
-Cost of living
-Didactic Education (#4 in the country in board scores, UIC scores are pretty average)
-Technology/Sim Lab (which UIC lacks)
-New Facilities (UIC's are pretty ancient)
-Focus on implants? (not sure if it's true, that's what I heard)
-Good patient base? (I assume there's no shortage of rednecks with methmouth
-Safe area (UIC campus isn't that safe at night. or during the day? my dad got his car broken into in broad daylight on the UIC campus with a cop car parked a block away)
-Proximity to University of Illinois campus! GO ILLINI! 😉
UIC Pros
-CHICAGO! Location, location, location. (SIU board scores are high for a reason, they have nothing else to do but study lol. I read in an old SDN post that going to SIU dental school in Alton was like being locked up in jail for 4 years, though that person ultimately found the experience rewarding...)
-Diversity (a priority here, you'd be hard pressed to find a more diverse dental school class)
-Clinical Education (there might have been a battle for patients when Northwestern and Loyola had dental schools, but now UIC is the only dental school in Chicago, which is really ridiculous. you won't find a better patient base anywhere else, and the clinical training is superb)
-Cheaper than a private school (like Tufts) lol
They are both great schools. Objectively, SIU is probably the better choice, all factors considered. And if you wanted to practice in or around Chicago, you could do that after you graduated. I didn't apply to SIU though, location and diversity were my main priorities, and UIC was near the top of my list of schools.
Ehh the location comment isn't accurate. Im from up north and chicago is a pain in the ass. Its a project to get anywhere, and it costs a lot to do nearly anything. Parking is a joke, traffic is a joke, constant bombardment by a variety of people while just walking down the street, no peace or serenity at all. And SIU scores aren't high becuase they have nothing else to do. We have plenty of things we do besides study, we go to st louis we go to edwardsville, its really not the middle of nowhere or bufu like everybody seems to think. Its actual a bit nice to get away, not only that but St Louis is surprisingly awesome. Like a more maneagable Chicago, parking isn't a pain and there's still things to do, they also have an amazing oktoberfest and are the 2nd largest mardi gras festival location too. Either way, the stigma of the dreaded 'south' should be shed because its not really the middle of nowhere.
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We should change the title of this thread to Chicago vs. St. Louis
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As well traveled SIU grad....
It's really simple. If you are a "Big City Kid" go to UIC. If you are a "Small Town Kid" go to SIU.
It's really simple. If you are a "Big City Kid" go to UIC. If you are a "Small Town Kid" go to SIU.
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My previous statement stands.
Oh, the good thing about St. Louis is that it's safer than it used to be. It's now only the #2 most dangerous city in America, based on murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. Sounds like a place I'd like to hang out with my classmates, the one time a month that I'd have free time. Awesome. 👍
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