USC or Pitt?

[JTheHopeful]

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Hello SDNers! I'm having trouble deciding which school would be best for me academically as well as financially. I'm a southern California native. I appreciate any words of wisdom and advice!

University of Pittsburgh

Pros:

• Cheap (the difference in total cost of attendance comes out to ~120k)
• Great research program (something I enjoyed while in undergrad and hope to continue in dental school)

Cons:

• Distance from home - I'll be across the country and basically starting an entire new life because I won't be surrounded by any family or friends. Visiting back home will be a very rare occurrence.
  
• Coming back to practice in California will also be a challenge because I won't be able to network back home.
• Possibility that I might not be able to move back to CA until I have comfortably paid off a good portion of my student loans
• Curriculum - one of the hardest out of all dental schools. The students I've talked to have said their coursework is intensive which unfortunately leaves less time to practice hand skills
  

USC

Pros:

• Clinic work starts early, I'll definitely get a head start at USC
• Close to home - I can easily network. I would much rather prefer working as a clinician in California
• Better atmosphere - I felt more comfortable and at-home at USC. I know for a fact I will feel most happy here
• Prestige - Here in SoCal, a USC dentist is held in high regard. This attracts more patients

Cons:

• Cost of attendance - the most expensive dental school in the nation
• Cost (again) - what if I decide to specialize in the future? I'll only be adding to the insane amount of student loans that I'll have to take out for residency

If anyone has been or is in a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate your constructive feedback and advice! Thank you all!

 

[O Gaúcho]

I don't think the extra $120k in debt is worth it. I'm from California as well and would love to stay here, but if I were in your situation I would defiantly pick Pitt. Congrats on your acceptance to both schools!

 

[Typical Average Student]

I was debating between two great schools, Pitt and Midwestern. I went to high school in AZ, the program is outstanding, loved the weather and people there but the $100k difference (roughly the same as USC) is definitely not worth it. I made an budget spreadsheet and found that I would be spending 3+ more years (if I pay it off aggressively) trying to pay off that 100k (not even including interest!) I can open an my own practice, buy a home, or do whatever a lot faster than if I went to MW.

So all in all, Pitt is the better choice in the long run.

 

[cmcner]

$120k will be at a high interest rate if you go with fed loans and you will have to pay taxes before you pay that back so you're looking at $200k post tax income which is almost 2 years of income as a dentist to pay it back if you stay in SoCal when you graduate. I loved USC but I don't think it's worth 2 years of working only to pay the difference. Funny the govt can give 0.25% interest to the banks to bail them out and it gives 7+% to it's students to insure the future of the country.

 

[Daurang]

Save the $200,000 after tax/interest and go to Univ. of Pitts. Almost everyone else went to school outside of Cali and eventually move back to Cali, so that's always an option for you. You may not even want to move back to Cali and prefer to work less and retire early like me...after you graduate. Yes I know Cali have beautiful weather. I will visit and mentor you next year when I drop by Pittsburgh to celebrate the Steelers' 7th Super Bowl win!!!

 

[JTheHopeful]

I appreciate all the advice, thanks everyone

 

[zammyd]

Just out of curiosity when did you get your pitt acceptance?

 

[Rambunctious]

It's ultimately up to you. People on SDN will be telling you to go to the cheaper school which makes sense, but I see your points about being close to home, as well as networking and making it easier to transition into local work in California. You're going to be a dentist, you will pay back both loans regardless of debt.

 

[cmcner]

It's ultimately up to you. People on SDN will be telling you to go to the cheaper school which makes sense, but I see your points about being close to home, as well as networking and making it easier to transition into local work in California. You're going to be a dentist, you will pay back both loans regardless of debt.

For $200,000 you can fly back to CA 1000 weekends and dental school only has 208 weekends. So even flying back every weekend saves you $150k

 

[free99]

Networking is not worth $120k... Going to USC would be a huge mistake. $120k is an enormous difference. That's a down payment on a practice and/or home, your future kids college tuition, etc.

 

[Rambunctious]

For $200,000 you can fly back to CA 1000 weekends and dental school only has 208 weekends. So even flying back every weekend saves you $150k

Round trip/nonstop flights, leaving Pittsburg on a Friday to LAX and coming back that Sunday is $573. Multiplying that by the 208 dental school weekends is roughly $120,000. If the difference in cost is between the schools is $120,000 then your "flying home every dental school weekend saves more money" logic is invalid.

Attending Pittsburg over USC is financially the better option, but it's ultimately up to OP to make that decision. Again, regardless of where they go, they will have debt and will be able eventually pay it off.

 

[cmcner]

Round trip/nonstop flights, leaving Pittsburg on a Friday to LAX and coming back that Sunday is $573. Multiplying that by the 208 dental school weekends is roughly $120,000. If the difference in cost is between the schools is $120,000 then your "flying home every dental school weekend saves more money" logic is invalid.

Attending Pittsburg over USC is financially the better option, but it's ultimately up to OP to make that decision. Again, regardless of where they go, they will have debt and will be able eventually pay it off.

Well everyone knows you have to book travel far in advance to avoid being the victim of airline price gouging. No one is going every weekend anyway. I was trying to prove a point that you could do a lot with $120,000, it's a lot of money and that was the pre interest and tax number. I have over $500,000 in loans and I had a plan that I'm following but it's important to convey the gravity of that decision and not just say every thing is going to be ok, a plan is necessary, no plan is necessary for debt you do not have. No need to be literal on everything.

 

[Confused321]

Well everyone knows you have to book travel far in advance to avoid being the victim of airline price gouging. No one is going every weekend anyway. I was trying to prove a point that you could do a lot with $120,000, it's a lot of money and that was the pre interest and tax number. I have over $500,000 in loans and I had a plan that I'm following but it's important to convey the gravity of that decision and not just say every thing is going to be ok, a plan is necessary, no plan is necessary for debt you do not have. No need to be literal on everything.

Half a million in debt and you graduated USC in 2014?
back in 2010 the 1st year of USC was around 100K
now its 130K for the 1st year, i still don't understand how dental education at USC can be so expensive there is no reason for this, it makes even UPenn seem affordable

 

[cmcner]

Half a million in debt and you graduated USC in 2014?
back in 2010 the 1st year of USC was around 100K
now its 130K for the 1st year, i still don't understand how dental education at USC can be so expensive there is no reason for this, it makes even UPenn seem affordable

In 4 years at USC you will accrue close to $100,000 in interest on your Unsubsidized federal loans at 7.9% by graduation that's why it's $500,000 for me instead of $400,000.
It's a great crime perpetrated on our generation. It's not just dental school it's most higher education. USC cost of attendance for undergrad is around $280,000 now. It's disgusting that these institutions get to sit on billion dollar endowments and get tax exempt status from the irs for being an educational not for profit.

 

[JTheHopeful]

In 4 years at USC you will accrue close to $100,000 in interest on your Unsubsidized federal loans at 7.9% by graduation that's why it's $500,000 for me instead of $400,000.
It's a great crime perpetrated on our generation. It's not just dental school it's most higher education. USC cost of attendance for undergrad is around $280,000 now. It's disgusting that these institutions get to sit on billion dollar endowments and get tax exempt status from the irs for being an educational not for profit.

Just a side note, does interest accrue at the time of disimbursement?

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[musicplease]

Go to Pittsburgh and its a no brainer!

right now the price of USC is only a number, 10 years down the line you will regret not going to Pitt.

with all that money you can literally buy a house and start your own practice!