UW vs MWU-AZ vs ASDOH vs Case Western vs Colorado vs UDM

[santipaco]

I know this is a big list but I'm having a hard time deciding between schools. I thought I would be able to decide much easier than this but they are all great programs. Please convince me one way or the other. Also I should mention that cost is important but it isn't the biggest factor for me as Im sure some of you will disagree with that.

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[ncide]

These are schools you've been accepted to? Where are you in-state?

 

[Typical Average Student]

Cost should definitely be your first if not second priority.
Next would have to be location for me.

Personally I would go with Case Western for cost and location (Ohio isn't too bad).
If snow and cold is not your mojo then ASDOH would be your best best.

If you are in-state for any of these schools go for that school.

UW, MWU-AZ, and UDM are very expensive.... so I wouldn't even consider them unless you're in-state.

 

[Frychicken]

Eliminate the 4 most expensive ones and then decide where you'd rather live for the next 4 years.

 

[santipaco]

These are schools you've been accepted to? Where are you in-state?

Sorry should've mentioned but I'm a Washington resident, but I went to UCLA for undergrad in finance and accounting.

 

[Typical Average Student]

Sorry should've mentioned but I'm a Washington resident, but I went to UCLA for undergrad in finance and accounting.

....go to UW.

 

[Typical Average Student]

.

 

[santipaco]

Cost should definitely be your first if not second priority.
Next would have to be location for me.

Personally I would go with Case Western for cost and location (Ohio isn't too bad).
If snow and cold is not your mojo then ASDOH would be your best best.

If you are in-state for any of these schools go for that school.

UW, MWU-AZ, and UDM are very expensive.... so I wouldn't even consider them unless you're in-state.

I really enjoyed the faculty and overall vibes at UDM and MWU-AZ otherwise I would've eliminated them.

I know UW seems like an obvious choice since i would be in-state but a few of the second year students were not particularly happy with the new curriculum changes or so I was told and it's making me second guess things. Side note, did anyone else thing the dean looks a lot like Kevin James (lol)?

ASDOH is a newer school and you can tell from the clinic and the 4th year clinic rotations sound amazing but it's mesa and the summers are making me reconsider.

 

[santipaco]

....go to UW.

Is this purely because of cost? I'd like to be a great clinician coming out of school and work in more rural areas potentially. I'm an older applicant (non traditional) so cost doesn't matter affect me much (saved up quite a bit of money from previous work).

 

[Typical Average Student]

Is this purely because of cost? I'd like to be a great clinician coming out of school and work in more rural areas potentially. I'm an older applicant (non traditional) so cost doesn't matter affect me much (saved up quite a bit of money from previous work).

The only school from your list that I interviewed at was MWU-AZ. I was very impressed with their curriculum and facility but their price tag of $500k+ is an absolute turn off. As a current D1, I can say that no matter what school you go to, you will graduate as a competent general dentist (maybe except the really new schools lol). UW, for you, should be less than $320k, UW is a very good school and the price difference of $180k is not worth the extra amenities that MWU-AZ might offer. You'll gain much more knowledge outside of school once you graduate.

 

[santipaco]

The only school from your list that I interviewed at was MWU-AZ. I was very impressed with their curriculum and facility but their price tag of $500k+ is an absolute turn off. As a current D1, I can say that no matter what school you go to, you will graduate as a competent general dentist (maybe except the really new schools lol). UW, for you, should be less than $320k, UW is a very good school and the price difference of $180k is not worth the extra amenities that MWU-AZ might offer. You'll gain much more knowledge outside of school once you graduate.

This is more or less what I needed to hear. Paying for school isn't the issue for me (I hope I don't sound snobby), I'll be paying for school out of pocket. Who will push me to be the best dentist I can be is what I'm looking for. Thank you!

 

[Typical Average Student]

This is more or less what I needed to hear. Paying for school isn't the issue for me (I hope I don't sound snobby), I'll be paying for school out of pocket. Who will push me to be the best dentist I can be is what I'm looking for. Thank you!

Ahh, I understand. This may help you: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/your-top-5-dental-schools.882132/
I would narrow it down to MWU-AZ, UW, and UDM.
These schools are constantly mentioned in the above thread.

 

[ncide]

Go to UW, and yeah I can see a resemblance of him with Kevin James haha.

 

[FanOfCostco]

not case because of this

 

[DMikes]

Now think about if you invested 400K in a mutual fund at a conservative ~5% growth - in 30 years it'd be worth close to $16 million.

Your math is off.

$1.73 million.



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[PremedNoob]

Whats wrong with Colorado?

 

[FanOfCostco]

Whats wrong with Colorado?

they didnt let tebow play.

 

[ncide]

Whats wrong with Colorado?

I liked Colorado a lot when I interviewed there, but Seattle is great and in-state tuition is an easy decision IMO.

 

[DC206R]

Normally, I would say pick the cheapest school but since you said that money isn't a huge factor, then choose the school that you felt would prepare you to be the best clinician. Which one impressed you the most? Do you want a change of scenery? Good luck!

 

[Grinz]

Your math is off.

$1.73 million.



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Oops, i meant 1.6 but left out the decimal. Your answer is the more accurate one.

 

[DMikes]

Oops, i meant 1.6 but left out the decimal. Your answer is the more accurate one.

If it were 16 million I'd become a full time stock trader....

 

[LaughingGas]

at the end of the day, I can tell you it should come down to the cheapest school. Every school has their own problem, despite of what it looked during interview days. You will have few students that complain for x reason or the whole class complaining because they are just cry babies. You just don't know until you are one of them. IMO, what you make out of dental school is very student dependent, not the school itself. Even now, some of the 4th years are very comfortable using CADCAM and can do some PG stuff, while some others can barely do a decent crown prep. If you want to become a great clinician, I would spend more on the good CE courses with the money you save by going to a cheaper school.

 

[TLV-TUS]

AZ resident here, waiting to hear back from both MWU and UW. Didn't apply to the other schools so can only compare the two. I would go with UW, especially if I was IS like you. Amazing school, new curriculum seems very good. They are not as cutting edge in technology as MWU but I feel they teach you the basics better rather than relying on technology. I like the smaller class size and general atmosphere. MWU did great job selling the program during interview day but after interviewing in UW I can say that it looks to me as MWU are trying to sell you the program while UW care more about how much you and the school are a good match. Wish I could help you with any perspective on the other programs you got accepted to but I have no idea about them. At the end you gonna go to a great program and if money isn't a big factor, which may seem weird to most people here with me among them, just go with where you felt you going to belong the most.
I'm sure you notices but a friendly reminder; if you don't like Mesa for the weather, Glendale is not very different if at all...

 

[OntheCusp2016]

I too was admitted to UW, Case with $100k scholarship, UDM, ASDOH, and Midwestern. I chose UW BECAUSE I was admitted into the RIDE program, in which students see 10 plus patients per day during the fourth year. To me the most important things about a dental school are the clinical requirements and the volume/diversity of procedures during the fourth year. The RIDE program is excellent for that. If I had been accepted to the Seattle campus only, I would have looked very strongly at ASDOH and Midwestern. Both of these schools graduate students who are ready to go, no gpr or aegd necessary. In fact both schools say their fourth year is more intense than a general residency, which is awesome. That is not just lip service either; my sister graduated from ASDOH in 2010, and was very fast/competent at all the gp procedures, although she went into a pediatric masters program at Ohio State (#1 in country) due to a love of working with kids.

 

[santipaco]

I too was admitted to UW, Case with $100k scholarship, UDM, ASDOH, and Midwestern. I chose UW BECAUSE I was admitted into the RIDE program, in which students see 10 plus patients per day during the fourth year. To me the most important things about a dental school are the clinical requirements and the volume/diversity of procedures during the fourth year. The RIDE program is excellent for that. If I had been accepted to the Seattle campus only, I would have looked very strongly at ASDOH and Midwestern. Both of these schools graduate students who are ready to go, no gpr or aegd necessary. In fact both schools say their fourth year is more intense than a general residency, which is awesome. That is not just lip service either; my sister graduated from ASDOH in 2010, and was very fast/competent at all the gp procedures, although she went into a pediatric masters program at Ohio State (#1 in country) due to a love of working with kids.

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing that. I didn't apply to the ride program (foolishly) because I didn't know much about it at the time but the interview orientation definitely made me regret that...but my final decisions are definitely between UW and the two Arizona schools. I'm never this indecisive but these schools are all great in their own regard. I'll probably need another week to mull it over.

Side question: Why would you not attend the main Seattle campus if you didn't get into RIDE? Any specific reasons? Feel free to pm me too.