USC vs U PENN dental school

[yitchard]

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[girlygirl87]

WOW...just reread your pros/cons and go to the state where you want to practice...you'll meet new friends at USC

 

[loved]

it sounds like you want to go to California! it will be great, especially if you will be graduating with 0 debt. it is hard to practice in LA (have you ever visited? there is a dental office on practically every block), but since you won't have to worry about repaying student loans, it will be easier for you.

 

[hoss19]

so you already were admitted to usc and penn......before dec. 1st? amazing!

 

[yitchard]

so you already were admitted to usc and penn......before dec. 1st? amazing!

nope sorry for the misinterpretation that I might have caused
this is all ASSUMING that I do get invites for those schools
sorry this question has been on my mind for weeks and I've been missing sleep over it
I think the chances are good comparing my GPA and DAT scores with the avg for both schools and interviews went good so...

 

[visbimmer79]

I am a Korean American and I want to work in California later. I am most likely going to apply for a military scholarship so cost of school is less of a concern for me. I would really like to own a car (I am a car maniac and its been hard going without a car through college).

pros for Penn
1. Name value... I know there is no ranking and people rarely care but I wonder how true this is in the Korean American community. Koreans always care about school names and I am curious whether this is true for the KA community in LA. So this could potentially be a huge factor.

So please help me make an informed decision!!
It would also be helpful if I could know how hard it is to become a dentist in LA if I get my degree at Penn and the connections that come for graduating USC for serving Korean American community

Both schools are known to Korean community. In cali, many people may know more about USC dental school.

To whom you want to visit for ur dental treatment?
USC doctor vs Upenn doctor?

I would go to a doctor who has a sort of reputation that could be heard from my parents, friends, relatives, or any other acquaintances.
Parents>Relatives>Friends>Other acquaintances

& Close from my area~

Personally speaking, I always always always have been to doctors(doctor) who are either friends of my father or other acquaintances.

If u really want to get the best medication, I can easily think the top doctors at the most prestigious hospitals.

Conclusively, I will visit to a doctor who is at the most popular hospital, if I am not visiting GP's.

 

[PSU SHC 414]

nope sorry for the misinterpretation that I might have caused
this is all ASSUMING that I do get invites for those schools
sorry this question has been on my mind for weeks and I've been missing sleep over it
I think the chances are good comparing my GPA and DAT scores with the avg for both schools and interviews went good so...

Since you seem pretty confident, would you mind sharing your stats? And don't forget that numbers aren't everything... at least not anymore given that the quality of the applicant pool to DS now is more competitive than ever.

With regard to USC vs UPenn. Based on what I've gathered from talking to dentists and friends currently in D school, UPenn dental has a great reputation. I'd go so far as to say that, overall, UPenn is pretty far ahead of USC (especially when it comes to their post-grad programs... and yes, I think this does matter when choosing a dental school).
That said, however, everyone I've talked to has agreed that in most cases, it's simply not worth the extra $150,000+ that you'll be paying for a Penn dental education...

Given the "extravagant" lifestyle you seem to want to follow while in D school, I don't think Penn is even a consideration.

 

[smile101]

I would be surprised if USC didn't have a name in Korean community. I personally can't tell you where to go, but I do wanna say that you seem to be leaning more towards Cali than you realize. I don't know how familiar you are with the USC area and may be thats why you think that it will better living cost and all compared to Penn. I personally thought LA was way more expensive than Philly.
One more thing to take into consideration is your interest. I felt like USC was more of a research focused school while UPenn has more clinics.
If you want to serve only Korean American Community, then you may want to think of an area where there are more Korean Americans.

 

[PSU SHC 414]

I would be surprised if USC didn't have a name in Korean community. I personally can't tell you where to go, but I do wanna say that you seem to be leaning more towards Cali than you realize. I don't know how familiar you are with the USC area and may be thats why you think that it will better living cost and all compared to Penn. I personally thought LA was way more expensive than Philly.
One more thing to take into consideration is your interest. I felt like USC was more of a research focused school while UPenn has more clinics.
If you want to serve only Korean American Community, then you may want to think of an area where there are more Korean Americans.

I'd have to argue that Penn places a ton of emphasis on research too... hence the reason that I believe that Penn is a pretty well-rounded program (where good didactic+clinical+research experiences = "well-rounded"), although I have heard that Penn's clinical training could use some improvement...

 

[visbimmer79]

USC
Loma Linda
UCLA

Have popularity among Korean communities especially in Southern California.

Don't forget about Loma Linda!!

Why?

How many Koreans at LLU?

And based on my experience, I think this is pretty true!

Conclusively, all schools are actually gooooooood!

Cuz, what they produce is doctors!

 

[a1pha]

maybe I'm totally off here...but didn't USC have recent problems with either graduating on time or passing the boards? Like I said... maybe I'm wrong but that's what a few current dental students who applied last year passed on to me.

 

[Hysteria24]

maybe I'm totally off here...but didn't USC have recent problems with either graduating on time or passing the boards? Like I said... maybe I'm wrong but that's what a few current dental students who applied last year passed on to me.

Passing the boards is not a problem here! Over the last few years (not sure how far this goes back), USC has ranked in the top "quintile" (meaning top 5th) of all 56 schools that took the boards. If you do the math, that ranks us at least in the top 11, and is definitely one of the factors I used when choosing to attend.

As far as graduation, it has been well chronicled that the class of 2007 did not fare too well (~18% on time). Now that I've been here for a while, I have learned of a few events that helped contribute to that low number. The key is that most of those students were out in the summer, missing the official grad check out date by a week or two. In just one year that grad rate jumped into the 70's for the class of 2008 (could be higher but too lazy to go dig up the exact figure). As for the future, they are overhauling the entire way clinic is run here which will make it much easier to finish all of the requirements on time.

 

[smile101]

I'd have to argue that Penn places a ton of emphasis on research too... hence the reason that I believe that Penn is a pretty well-rounded program (where good didactic+clinical+research experiences = "well-rounded"), although I have heard that Penn's clinical training could use some improvement...

...which is why i said "more clinics," especially when comparing to USC, where research is so big that they have a full day dedicated to it!!!

I agree that UPenn is well rounded and they provide you with opportunity to do all of it if you can.

 

[Hysteria24]

...which is why i said "more clinics," especially when comparing to USC, where research is so big that they have a full day dedicated to it!!!

Are you referring to the USC School of Dentistry Research Day? Although we do have that, it's not like we are all required to do research and present our findings there as a part of the normal curriculum. It is all extracurricular, and those opportunities are available for those wanting to participate.

 

[yitchard]

Since you seem pretty confident, would you mind sharing your stats? And don't forget that numbers aren't everything... at least not anymore given that the quality of the applicant pool to DS now is more competitive than ever.

With regard to USC vs UPenn. Based on what I've gathered from talking to dentists and friends currently in D school, UPenn dental has a great reputation. I'd go so far as to say that, overall, UPenn is pretty far ahead of USC (especially when it comes to their post-grad programs... and yes, I think this does matter when choosing a dental school).
That said, however, everyone I've talked to has agreed that in most cases, it's simply not worth the extra $150,000+ that you'll be paying for a Penn dental education...

Given the "extravagant" lifestyle you seem to want to follow while in D school, I don't think Penn is even a consideration.

reply to PSU SHC
I would rather not share my stats as I don't like sharing those things and no I am not fairly confident I was making some assumptions

Also I don't think you've read my original post unless you have decided to disregard all the info that I have layed out about myself.
Again, I will be gunning for a military scholarship which will pay for the tuition. I have my reasons for eliminating other schools for now so I would like to focus on these two schools.

Plus following an "extravagant" life style so I must give up Penn?
This has me so confused - if you mean owning a car, this is a necessity for many Americans and does not necessarily mean extravagant. I simply want the freedom to travel.

 

[yitchard]

thank you everybody the replies are helping.
I guess what I am more concerned about are the cons of USC and how hard (or the advantage) it would be to become a dentist in LA if I go to Penn.

 

[misstoothfairy]

reply to PSU SHC
I would rather not share my stats as I don't like sharing those things and no I am not fairly confident I was making some assumptions

Also I don't think you've read my original post unless you have decided to disregard all the info that I have layed out about myself.
Again, I will be gunning for a military scholarship which will pay for the tuition. I have my reasons for eliminating other schools for now so I would like to focus on these two schools.

Plus following an "extravagant" life style so I must give up Penn?
This has me so confused - if you mean owning a car, this is a necessity for many Americans and does not necessarily mean extravagant. I simply want the freedom to travel.

I think you should share your stats so people can help you with your decision better. I mean, its not like we know your face, name, student number etc. I find it weird that the koreans at my school don't like to share their marks either. Also, if you don't have a GPA that is above 3.5 you must have some crazy story in your personal statement to be considered for admission. for the 2007 entering class they did not accept anyone lower than 3.6.

 

[yitchard]

I think you should share your stats so people can help you with your decision better. I mean, its not like we know your face, name, student number etc. I find it weird that the koreans at my school don't like to share their marks either. Also, if you don't have a GPA that is above 3.5 you must have some crazy story in your personal statement to be considered for admission. for the 2007 entering class they did not accept anyone lower than 3.6.

thanks for the generalization
JK
my info that I provided already gives a good hint as to who I am (ie to dental schools) and I wouldn't be too surprised if admission officers were scanning these boards either. I would let people know my stats if I actually knew them as a person - all my acquaintances who were interested know my scores and my extracurriculars and personal statement and what not - but I don't like the idea of spreading my info to everyone and anyone which is what happens when you write it online.

Anyways, what i'm asking for is a comparison of two schools and I'm sure the dental schools will do their job on deciding to accept me or not

 

[somethinpositiv]

For you, USC is the clear choice. After reading all your Pros and Cons, I think that is the best choice for you.

 

[telebeans]

I have some family down in LA and they've told me about how hard it is to practice there if you don't graduate from UCLA or USC because of their tight alumni communities. If you are set on coming here to practice, I would suggest going to USC.

P.S. I know there are many non-USC or UCLA dentists in LA, I'm just pointing out that you have a definite advantage as an alumni.

 

[Hysteria24]

I have some family down in LA and they've told me about how hard it is to practice there if you don't graduate from UCLA or USC because of their tight alumni communities. If you are set on coming here to practice, I would suggest going to USC.

They don't call it the "Trojan Family" for nothing.

 

[HupHolland]

Passing the boards is not a problem here! Over the last few years (not sure how far this goes back), USC has ranked in the top "quintile" (meaning top 5th) of all 56 schools that took the boards. If you do the math, that ranks us at least in the top 11, and is definitely one of the factors I used when choosing to attend.

As far as graduation, it has been well chronicled that the class of 2007 did not fare too well (~18% on time). Now that I've been here for a while, I have learned of a few events that helped contribute to that low number. The key is that most of those students were out in the summer, missing the official grad check out date by a week or two. In just one year that grad rate jumped into the 70's for the class of 2008 (could be higher but too lazy to go dig up the exact figure). As for the future, they are overhauling the entire way clinic is run here which will make it much easier to finish all of the requirements on time.

Oh really? You're really lucky that basic math isn't on Part I !

Also, source please?

-Hup

 

[harrygt]

Seems like somebody answered his own question very well. Go to USC then. You can enjoy the good weather, have your car, get cheaper plane tickets, and spend less time in airplane. I was in Phili Yesterday. Freezing colllllllllddddd. I prefer LA's weather too. That's where I am now, and glad to be back.

 

[yitchard]

I have some family down in LA and they've told me about how hard it is to practice there if you don't graduate from UCLA or USC because of their tight alumni communities. If you are set on coming here to practice, I would suggest going to USC.

P.S. I know there are many non-USC or UCLA dentists in LA, I'm just pointing out that you have a definite advantage as an alumni.

Thanks
This is the sort of the info i want to hear
I put up my pros and cons list for a reason - so that people won't give me info I already know and so that people can fill me in with other reasons that I am not aware of.
I know I am heavily favoring USC but that's why I posted this thread to begin with - so that people will help me make a more objective decision.
replies would be constructive if they were answering what I was asking
thanks!

 

[Hysteria24]

Oh really? You're really lucky that basic math isn't on Part I !

Did you really just bash me for spelling out numerically where a school falling in the top quintile would rank? Or did you want me to not round my answer and leave it as 11.2? A sizable group of SDNers probably don't even know how many d-schools are even out there. And for the point I was making, how many schools have students that took the boards (i.e. not Midwestern, or Western).

Also, source please?

-Hup

I agree with you here, in that I am not a fan of unsupported claims. Although I do not have it in writing, it is something our Dean told us in his powerpoint presentation during the first week of school.

 

[glk2101]

They don't call it the "Trojan Family" for nothing.

how hard is it to get a residency in california coming from a northeastern dental school?

 

[Bruinlove]

Go to USC if you like PBL and believe you can be top 10% of the class.
(which I don't think will be a big problem for ya since you attended UPenn and managed to get 3.7+)

Another Tip: you are already Penn alumni. So, going there for the Ivy league school name or network isn't really necessary.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

It sounds like you like USC and therefore you should go there if you get accepted. Looks like you will with a 3.7 at Penn. There arent that many koreans in each class fyi despite being only a few miles away from korea town - not that many korean patients as well.


Also to your relocation to LA after miltary. After you serve your 4 years, you can obviously come back to Los angeles and I am sure A LOT of dentists will hire you as an associate with 4 years of experience. The next thing you woulud do after working a year or two in LA is to build your own practice - you will have the necessary funds and nice car like you indicated.lol

 

[Bruinlove]

There arent that many koreans in each class fyi despite being only a few miles away from korea town - not that many korean patients as well.

Really? I thought there'd be at least 20 of them per class.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

Really? I thought there'd be at least 20 of them per class.

Maybe Persian, not Korean

 

[Bruinlove]

Maybe Persian, not Korean

I can understand why there are many Persian, but it's kinda shocking that there aren't many Korean at USC SOD.

 

[Hysteria24]

Go to USC if you like PBL and believe you can be top 10% of the class.
(which I don't think will be a big problem for ya since you attended UPenn and managed to get 3.7+)

We are not ranked, so it is impossible to officially be in the top 10%.

And in response to the UPenn 3.7+ GPA comment...
Us first years have quickly learned that the grading in our PBL curriculum is a whole different ballgame. The same things that are done in order to do well in a lecture based system do not necessarily translate to the same grades here.

 

[Silent Cool]

I think you should share your stats so people can help you with your decision better. I mean, its not like we know your face, name, student number etc. I find it weird that the koreans at my school don't like to share their marks either. Also, if you don't have a GPA that is above 3.5 you must have some crazy story in your personal statement to be considered for admission. for the 2007 entering class they did not accept anyone lower than 3.6.

Right, which is why their incoming class average was ~3.3

 

[MBlue16]

Right, which is why their incoming class average was ~3.3

Why are you commenting on a 4.5 year old post? lol