UPENN vs UNC...opinions?

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Triniprincess

Triniprincess

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Hi everyone...
i got accepted to UF, UNC and UPENN however, my heart is being tugged between PENN and UNC. I got the Dean's scholarship from PENN, however am still waiting to hear if I got any awards from UNC. I don't know what to do because i am in PENN undergrad so it would be so much easier to stay here and i do love the school but i FELL IN LOVE with UNC when i visited it for the interview. I am also afraid of cuthroat competition at PENN. Does anyone have any advice? I need to make a desicion by this weekend!!!!
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For me, I would go to whereever I love the most since I will spend next 4 years at that school. Like you said, the dental school is very stressful, I def. will go to the school I feel most comfortable.
 
If you are considering returning north after your education. You will have to retake boards and find patients. This could be difficult because you have been training in the south for four years. I was told to consider this by a specialist in the north that strongly considered UNC's program.
 
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PD3 said:
If you are considering returning north after your education. You will have to retake boards and find patients. This could be difficult because you have been training in the south for four years. I was told to consider this by a specialist in the north that strongly considered UNC's program.
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So it does not work the other way around...I will not have to retake boards for the south if im moving there from the north? I thought all boards were National though...isnt it standardized?
 
I was told you would have to take the state board in NC to graduate, then if you came up north you would have to take the NERB. If I am incorrect, please feel free to comment. I am the first to admit I am not completely familiar with the process yet. This is just what I was told be a practicing specialist I spoke with.

Where do you plan to be after graduation?
 
i want to specialize after in orthodontics...
the thing is that PENN's numbers of people who specialize are high...however so is UNC's and UNC has the best ortho program in the country...
but alot of people who want to do ortho from PENN get it...
i think my main thing is the PEOPLE at each school because the groups are different if u kinow wat i mean...not in a bad or good way...the are just different...
i think that having a support system is really important and i wanna make sure i have that for the next four years of school...
 
Sounds to me like you know what you should do. You have weighed the options and know what is important. You will get a great education at either place and it is a great dilemma to be in.
 
lol i still dunno which to pick tho...
finances wise...UNC will work out cheaper once i get in state residency which 95% of the people who apply for get...
however PENN is ivy league (which im not sure if that means anything anyway because noone in the real world really cares and UNC is in top 5 as well) and i am already here and will not have to readjust to a whole different environment...
what school do u attend by the way?
lol what if i just flip a coin...
 
Go to Penn because Ill be there... lol
 
ok... i change my answer here it is for the nerb:

http://www.nerb.org/

there may be some other test that has a lot more states, but i am not sure... i am trying to call a friend still in sc, but she is currently with a patient and she will return my call in a few moment...

good luck
 
UNC is renovating its dental school facilities and wants to build a new research building right next to the old dental school, so I believe you'll have to bear the construction noise and the hardship of having to move your stuff every now and then, plus the school will be a mess in a couple of months. It has already started, come see for yourself.
This renovation project is due to be completed by 2011, so you won't even get to use any of the facilities until your fourth year!
You can look up this project on their website: www.dent.unc.edu
...By the way this is a "hush hush" thing...no one knows...after all they don't want to scare their potential students away!
...And in case you are wondering, I've rejected my UNC interview in Nov, so you going there or not doesn't make any difference for me:D
 
UNC2008 said:
UNC is renovating its dental school facilities and wants to build a new research building right next to the old dental school, so I believe you'll have to bear the construction noise and the hardship of having to move your stuff every now and then, plus the school will be a mess in a couple of months. It has already started, come see for yourself.
This renovation project is due to be completed by 2011, so you won't even get to use any of the facilities until your fourth year!
You can look up this project on their website: www.dent.unc.edu
...By the way this is a "hush hush" thing...no one knows...after all they don't want to scare their potential students away!
...And in case you are wondering, I've rejected my UNC interview in Nov, so you going there or not doesn't make any difference for me:D
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At my UPenn interview they also mentioned renovations...well they just started fundraising so I dont know when the hammering will commence there either...hahah your in a tough pickel there triniprincess...both great schools and both underconstruction (??) on top of everything else to think about
 
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slovak27 said:
At my UPenn interview they also mentioned renovations...well they just started fundraising so I dont know when the hammering will commence there either...hahah your in a tough pickel there triniprincess...both great schools and both underconstruction (??) on top of everything else to think about
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lol thank u for re emphasizing this lol...:)
 
Based on your first posts, it seems obvious to me that you really want to go to UNC, and know that it'll work wonders for you...falling in love isn't easy, lol.

Besides, you've had four years already at Penn; if the choice to stay there isn't absolutely obvious, i would take it as a sign that you're ready on some level to see and experience something new. UNC is nothing to scoff at; you already know this and love the environment there. Worst that could happen is you'll end up a well-trained dentist either way!

Good luck! trust me, your "dilemma" is hardly going to matter once this weekend passes :)
 
What exactly causes UNC to be in the top 5? What is the top 5? I thought they stopped ranking D schools a long time ago? Do they do it by boards 1?
 
Hi trini!

I'm actually at penn undergrad now, but i live in NC, and haha i of course am super biased towards UNC. i shadowed 2 endodontists who graduated from UNC, and were on the adjunct faculty, and they really were open to teaching me, and being really thorough. they told me that the reason why they still like to teach is b/c that's what their faculty did for them.

i think location is a big thing, i'm not sure i can see myself in philly for another 4 years, and i do miss home! :) so i think that's something to definitely think about.

it's amazing how many people are pre-dental at penn that i never knew....
 
TheWiredNerv said:
What exactly causes UNC to be in the top 5? What is the top 5? I thought they stopped ranking D schools a long time ago? Do they do it by boards 1?
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they dont rank schools...well the ada doesnt but other people do...i thihnk its based on everything...liek the whole package...how much research the school does how much clinical work how they do on boards etc...
there isnt a formula for it i dunno really how it happens but you can find information telling you if the school is in the top five or not...usually on the school's website...
 
ilovemangoes said:
Hi trini!

I'm actually at penn undergrad now, but i live in NC, and haha i of course am super biased towards UNC. i shadowed 2 endodontists who graduated from UNC, and were on the adjunct faculty, and they really were open to teaching me, and being really thorough. they told me that the reason why they still like to teach is b/c that's what their faculty did for them.

i think location is a big thing, i'm not sure i can see myself in philly for another 4 years, and i do miss home! :) so i think that's something to definitely think about.

it's amazing how many people are pre-dental at penn that i never knew....
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LOL I LOVE MANGOES TOO...
wait wat year r u?
 
i think...its just well i lvoe PENN too and i dont want to seem like an idiot for turning down the Dean's scholarship at an ivy league school...
but does "ivy league" really mean anything in the world of dentistry anyway?
i mean...personally i dont think it does because to me UNC and PENN are on par...
 
PD3 said:
If you are considering returning north after your education. You will have to retake boards and find patients. This could be difficult because you have been training in the south for four years. I was told to consider this by a specialist in the north that strongly considered UNC's program.
Click to expand...

Which state you ultimately want to practice in/regional board exams necessary should be low on your list of priorities when picking a dental school. Taking multiple regional board exams is basically an extra annoyance to deal with at the end of your senior year. Many students do it each year. I went to school in NY and we had a number of students take and pass Florida, NC, and California state board exams. You shouldn't let it influence which school you choose.

Ivy league means nothing as a practicing dentist. Pick the cheapest school. Especially if you want to specialize, you may end up accumulating more debt during your specialty training because getting into a specialty is much more difficult than dental school admissions and your choice of programs can be very limited.
 
When I was at an interview I did hear about some horrible rumors at UNC... its def not anywhere near top in board scores....From what I heard, last years class or the year before did really bad on the new boards... like many many failed
 
Honestly.... if I was an NC resident.... I would go to UNC in about 2 nanoseconds.... i would not trade that nice weather for anything....
 
lollipop999 said:
Honestly.... if I was an NC resident.... I would go to UNC in about 2 nanoseconds.... i would not trade that nice weather for anything....
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I disagree...why? refer to my earlier post!
Chapel Hill is a very small town...there is nothing to do here, NOTHING. If I was in class from 8-5 everyday, I would want to go out every now and then and have fun and avoid getting depressed!
 
UNC2008 said:
I disagree...why? refer to my earlier post!
Chapel Hill is a very small town...there is nothing to do here, NOTHING. If I was in class from 8-5 everyday, I would want to go out every now and then and have fun and avoid getting depressed!
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I live in a city of almost 1 million , my undergrad was in a city with 350,000 people. Both places dont have much things to do honestly. But if you are with the right people, you will have fun in a place even smaller then Chapel Hill

my 2 cents
 
UNC2008 said:
I disagree...why? refer to my earlier post!
Chapel Hill is a very small town...there is nothing to do here, NOTHING. If I was in class from 8-5 everyday, I would want to go out every now and then and have fun and avoid getting depressed!
Click to expand...
The thing is that Chapel Hill is small however you can drive to the city of Charlotte etc. so i mean that isnt really an issue...lol im from trinidad lol...trust me i dont care about big cities...
This is a concern though...how UNC did on the boards...does anyone have anymore information on that?
 
ok i found out nothing about possible money from UNC so with that in mind any advice?
the hting is that either way PENN works out either a little more expensive or alot mroe expensive if i remain out of sstate for UNC but if i get in state tuition its alot cheaper...
but will i be an idiot to give up the ivy league name...or is it jsut a name...
does it matter...i mean UNC does have the best orthodontics program...
 
Triniprincess said:
ok i found out nothing about possible money from UNC so with that in mind any advice?
the hting is that either way PENN works out either a little more expensive or alot mroe expensive if i remain out of sstate for UNC but if i get in state tuition its alot cheaper...
but will i be an idiot to give up the ivy league name...or is it jsut a name...
does it matter...i mean UNC does have the best orthodontics program...
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No money from UNC, one year of out of state tuition(assuming that you will become NC resident after one yr), comparing to an awesome grant from an ivy school?! that is hard to decide, ain't it?
I don't want to sound like someone who is telling you, "not UNC, because I need your spot" but I live in Chapel Hill, and I know the d-school very well.
Like someone else said earlier, UNC is planning to increase the class size from 81 to 100 and add a couple of new buildings to the current bldg, and from what I have heard they are gonna literally rip the clinics' and sim lab's walls and add more space to rooms! that'll be fun for students right? Also in a couple of years ECU is opening a new d-school, so NC will be flooded with dentists!(and it already is), so you are gonna have to eventually move somewhere else anyway.
I have applied to UNC and I'll be interviewing on Jan 12th, but honestly if I had a choice like you, I would write down the pro/cons for both school on a sheet of paper and then count them to see which one I'll be better off at.
no one knows better but you, yourself!
hope this helps:)
 
looks like the Lord is telling you to come to Penn!!!! please!!!!!
 
lol this is drivin me mad...i goin an sleep yes :scared:
 
Gigidi said:
from what I have heard they are gonna literally rip the clinics' and sim lab's walls and add more space to rooms! that'll be fun for students right?
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construction can be annoying, but its not going to get in anyone's way, trust me. besides, you cant hear any construction over dozens of handpieces running simultaneously anyway. You go to UNC so you can be taught by amazing faculty in amazing facilities, the work going on outside the building is not going to change that much.

Also in a couple of years ECU is opening a new d-school, so NC will be flooded with dentists!(and it already is), so you are gonna have to eventually move somewhere else anyway.
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Hahaha, you are kidding me right? NC is already flooded with dentists? There are numerous counties in the state without a single dentist! Granted, it is more difficult to break into practice in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or Charlotte, but its not impossible, new grads do it every year. Try breaking into Philadelphia or West Chester, no contest.

And the ECU school, probably wont even be open by the time you graduate.
 
runrabbitrun said:
construction can be annoying, but its not going to get in anyone's way, trust me. besides, you cant hear any construction over dozens of handpieces running simultaneously anyway. You go to UNC so you can be taught by amazing faculty in amazing facilities, the work going on outside the building is not going to change that much.


Hahaha, you are kidding me right? NC is already flooded with dentists? There are numerous counties in the state without a single dentist! Granted, it is more difficult to break into practice in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or Charlotte, but its not impossible, new grads do it every year. Try breaking into Philadelphia or West Chester, no contest.

And the ECU school, probably wont even be open by the time you graduate.
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So you are admitting that you have to have DOZENS of hand pieces running SIMULTANEOUSLY to avoid hearing the construction noise, and is that from 8-5 for 2-3 yrs? sounds like a good idea! And then what do you have to do to avoid the mess?

NC does have a lot of rural areas/counties, and they are soooo rural that no body wants to go there! would you go open up an office in a town of 100 ppl?
 
Hahaha

I am admitting that you have to have dozens of handpieces running simultaneously to PASS THE COURSE! I've had to do nothing to avoid the mess or drown out any noise.


With the exception of Chapel Hill (and maybe Greensboro), there is no city/town in NC oversaturated with dentists b/c
1. The state is growing so fast and has been the last 20 yrs
2. UNC has always kept the class size at about 80 or under
3. Up until recently it has been notoriously difficult to gain liscensure in NC if you weren't a NC resident (its much easier now)

Trini, go where you fell in love with and think will provide you with the better education
 
runrabbitrun said:
Hahaha

I am admitting that you have to have dozens of handpieces running simultaneously to PASS THE COURSE! I've had to do nothing to avoid the mess or drown out any noise.


With the exception of Chapel Hill (and maybe Greensboro), there is no city/town in NC oversaturated with dentists b/c
1. The state is growing so fast and has been the last 20 yrs
2. UNC has always kept the class size at about 80 or under
3. Up until recently it has been notoriously difficult to gain liscensure in NC if you weren't a NC resident (its much easier now)

Trini, go where you fell in love with and think will provide you with the better education
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thankx for ur feedback! what school do u attend if u dont mind me asking?
 
Gigidi said:
Like someone else said earlier, UNC is planning to increase the class size from 81 to 100 and add a couple of new buildings to the current bldg, and from what I have heard they are gonna literally rip the clinics' and sim lab's walls and add more space to rooms! that'll be fun for students right?
Click to expand...

I was just at UPENN a week ago and they also have some massive construction underway...I literally was dodging holes in the basement floor and sidestepping construction as I was being interviewed!
 
runrabbitrun said:
construction can be annoying, but its not going to get in anyone's way, trust me. besides, you cant hear any construction over dozens of handpieces running simultaneously anyway. You go to UNC so you can be taught by amazing faculty in amazing facilities, the work going on outside the building is not going to change that much.


Hahaha, you are kidding me right? NC is already flooded with dentists? There are numerous counties in the state without a single dentist! Granted, it is more difficult to break into practice in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or Charlotte, but its not impossible, new grads do it every year. Try breaking into Philadelphia or West Chester, no contest.

And the ECU school, probably wont even be open by the time you graduate.
Click to expand...

West Chester PA, or (Westchester NY)= supersaturated with dentists
 
ok so I decided on UPENN :)
i will DEFINITELY miss al lthe great UNC people i met tho...
HOWEVER...the bright side is that we will all be collegues:)
 
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