Western or LLU?

[uldental]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Which one would you choose????

Still waiting to hear back from other schools...
But, I got into Western and LLU as of current and I'm having difficulty choosing.

The thing I really don't like about...
LLU is that they still make you do your lab work (time could instead be spent to study/sleep/live a life) and Western is still very new (not accredited yet/too many unknowns with no grad class yet)

HELP!

 

[avangusva]

Western is promising but LLU is proven. LLU is very very very highly respected in the Southern California region. I think Western has a lot of great opportunities, but you're right that they are still new. The fact that they aren't 'accredited' yet is not an issue as they have initial accreditation and should have absolutely no issue getting accredited in the future. However, should they (for any reason) not be accredited in the future, you still have your DMD degree which is fully backed 100% no questions asked. I would consider your financial situation when you make this decision. LLU and Western are both good choices, in my opinion. Good luck!

 

[RCT PC CRN]

Consider following as well when you make your decision.

Western does not have any post doc program. Good thing about this is you won't be referring patient, you will have opportunity to do lot more procedure which will help you when you graduate as gp.

 

[timwatley]

I'd go with LLU. Established and from what I've read on here the students love it. Westerns new and seemed to give me a bad vibe. I interviewed at a few lower tier dental schools and a couple good ones and there is definitely a difference - I don't trust the new programs that keep popping up.

 

[whodat4life]

Yes, we have to do all of our lab work but the way I look at it is if I'm about to pay 300k+ for a dental education, I want to know how to do as much as possible when I get out. I don't know much about Western, I'm sure it's a great school too...but LLU is well-respected in the dental community. I am a D1 at LLU and I would choose LLU over any other school in a heartbeat. You don't feel like a statistic at our school and the faculty all make you feel at home. Btw, on the accreditation front, LLU did not receive ANY "hits" on our last accreditation visit. Apparently that's very rare, and our faculty are all more than proud of that, which they should be.

 

[DavesNotHere]

Yes, we have to do all of our lab work but the way I look at it is if I'm about to pay 300k+ for a dental education, I want to know how to do as much as possible when I get out. I don't know much about Western, I'm sure it's a great school too...but LLU is well-respected in the dental community. I am a D1 at LLU and I would choose LLU over any other school in a heartbeat. You don't feel like a statistic at our school and the faculty all make you feel at home. Btw, on the accreditation front, LLU did not receive ANY "hits" on our last accreditation visit. Apparently that's very rare, and our faculty are all more than proud of that, which they should be.

Lab work all 4 years? My god...I'd take my own life with a wax spatula and burn that place down w a hanau torch

 

[Stoico]

Both are good schools. Do your research. Look at the mission of each school and see what coincides with what you want to do with your future.

 

[dantemac]

I don't know much about LLU, but I got a good vibe from Western. The faculty were proud of their new school and the D3/D4 clinical experience seemed like it was well underway. It will feature rotations/externships like ASDOH, which we all know is amazing clinically.

 

[DavesNotHere]

I don't know much about LLU, but I got a good vibe from Western. The faculty were proud of their new school and the D3/D4 clinical experience seemed like it was well underway. It will feature rotations/externships like ASDOH, which we all know is amazing clinically.

My number one factor for picking a school is how proud the faculty are of predicted clinical experience.

 

[lemoncurry]

Western is promising but LLU is proven. LLU is very very very highly respected in the Southern California region. I think Western has a lot of great opportunities, but you're right that they are still new.

This is the crux of the dilemma as I see it. LLU uses a traditional, tried and true curriculum but which is in touch with modern technology. Western is a new school using a newer style of curriculum that many of the new dental schools will be utilizing. Will it produce the same caliber of dentist that LLU is known for producing? That remains to be seen. I know some of the basic science faculty at Western and they are excellent, but I don't know anything about the curriculum other than that they don't do their own lab work and they will be going on more rotations and externships.