WHere to go? UMDNJ? NYU? Maryland?

[soontobe]

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hey guys,

i am excited and in a big confusing situation now 😕 ...... recently i got accepted at UMDNJ, NYU and Maryland. I would like to get inputs from my senior collegues in the matter of choosing between these schools. I have a full scholarship to UMDNJ, which i am so lucky to have, but I have heard of it's reputation with the scandal and I'm wondering how that is effecting students when they graduate. NYU appears to have a wonderful name, but I have heard draw back about their training. Lastly, Marlyand appears to have strong clincial experience.

My question is about clinical experience at any of these schools, pros or cons, weather, and most of all, cost and reputation. Do you go to a school simple because it's a free ride? Or does name and prestige matter in my future career at dental school?

I'm hoping someone will be able to speak on this issue! Thank you!

 

[dmd2011]

hey guys,

i am excited and in a big confusing situation now 😕 ...... recently i got accepted at UMDNJ, NYU and Maryland. I would like to get inputs from my senior collegues in the matter of choosing between these schools. I have a full scholarship to UMDNJ, which i am so lucky to have, but I have heard of it's reputation with the scandal and I'm wondering how that is effecting students when they graduate. NYU appears to have a wonderful name, but I have heard draw back about their training. Lastly, Marlyand appears to have strong clincial experience.

My question is about clinical experience at any of these schools, pros or cons, weather, and most of all, cost and reputation. Do you go to a school simple because it's a free ride? Or does name and prestige matter in my future career at dental school?

I'm hoping someone will be able to speak on this issue! Thank you!

take the full scholarship at UMDNJ. having little to no loans to pay back after you graduate is a huge plus.

 

[jackbauer!]

UMDNJ and NEVER look back!! a full scholarship to any school is too good to pass up!

best of luck to you & congrats! jb!🙂

 

[soontobe]

So, you both said take the FREE ride to UMDNJ. i don't know if either of you are in dental school now or even where, but in your experience does prestige or anything matter in terms of specializing? And if i'm NOT going to specalize does it matter in terms of working with someone after? Just wanted to know if there are any cons that you know of about goingto UMDNJ or should i just "not look back and take the free ride!"?

 

[dentofalltrades]

i am excited and in a big confusing situation now 😕 ...... recently i got accepted at UMDNJ, NYU and Maryland. I would like to get inputs from my senior collegues in the matter of choosing between these schools. I have a full scholarship to UMDNJ, which i am so lucky to have, but I have heard of it's reputation with the scandal and I'm wondering how that is effecting students when they graduate. NYU appears to have a wonderful name, but I have heard draw back about their training. Lastly, Marlyand appears to have strong clincial experience.

You're joking, right? Take the full scholarship and laugh the rest of your life. This will let you graduate debt free, and better yet the lack of debt allows you to make career decisions that interest you the most. You just won at the game of life.

 

[dmd2011]

So, you both said take the FREE ride to UMDNJ. i don't know if either of you are in dental school now or even where, but in your experience does prestige or anything matter in terms of specializing? And if i'm NOT going to specalize does it matter in terms of working with someone after? Just wanted to know if there are any cons that you know of about goingto UMDNJ or should i just "not look back and take the free ride!"?

ask most of the current dental students on SDN and they will tell you that the "prestige" of a school matters little in terms of specializing. you can go to any school and specialize. it all depends on how hard you work.

 

[jackbauer!]

So, you both said take the FREE ride to UMDNJ. i don't know if either of you are in dental school now or even where, but in your experience does prestige or anything matter in terms of specializing? And if i'm NOT going to specalize does it matter in terms of working with someone after? Just wanted to know if there are any cons that you know of about goingto UMDNJ or should i just "not look back and take the free ride!"?

there are pros and cons with EVERY school.... prestige matters very little in terms of specializing. doesn't matter if you go to UMDNJ, NYU, or maryland...you're still going to have to work your ass off to be at the top of your class and get 90+ board scores.

i'm tellin you- go UMDNJ and when you get out of school with no tuition debt you will be laughing your way to the bank. trust me...

jb!🙂

 

[soontobe]

You guys are probably right. And I will probably go ahead with taking the full ride since it will mean the least amount of debt. So THANK you for opening my eyes.
However, just for my own knowledge, could you share anything good or bad that you have heard about those three schools? Just so I can make sure that I am making the right decision regardless of price?
Thank you.
Also, on a different note, if you do not spealize and you just want to do a general residency and an Associate position with a dentist until you can open up your own office, how does that work? Do your boards matter for that?

 

[dentofalltrades]

When did dental schools begin giving out full rides? Can you share the circumstances that allowed you to be offered one?

As a sidenote I can't believe you are even considering other schools when you got a full ride. You ever seen a $200k bill? If you haven't yet, your scholarship offer is one.

 

[jackbauer!]

You guys are probably right. And I will probably go ahead with taking the full ride since it will mean the least amount of debt. So THANK you for opening my eyes.
However, just for my own knowledge, could you share anything good or bad that you have heard about those three schools? Just so I can make sure that I am making the right decision regardless of price?
Thank you.
Also, on a different note, if you do not spealize and you just want to do a general residency and an Associate position with a dentist until you can open up your own office, how does that work? Do your boards matter for that?

here is how i see the three schools (keep in mind that i did not interview at UMDNJ, so my opinion is speculative)...

NYU
pros: excellent general population reputation, NYC, opportunity (aesthetics)
cons: $$$, rumors of low attrition rate (probably untrue), so-so rep. among dentist population

Maryland
pros: facilities, down to earth students and faculty, clinical & research school
cons: baltimore, $$$ for out of staters , baltimore, baltimore...

UMDNJ (speculative)
pros: FREEEEEEEE, great clinical rep, free, free, freee
cons: newark

as for getting an associateship: i have heard that if the dentist ever asks for your board scores or GPA to run!! being a successful dentist has a lot to do w/ your personality, not how well you did in d-school. this is not to say that you should slack off or whatevers....but any good dentist knows that if you graduated than you are trainable and you have the ability to be productive.

hope that helps, let us know what you choose! jb!🙂

 

[landonious]

I was in the same position as u, choosing between NYU and Maryland. My heart was in maryland for sure. My best friend from high school lived there, i was moving there for the summer before school starts. life is great! But then NYU dropped a bombshell and gave me a full ride scholarship. I had to go with the money and I know all the friends i made in maryland, will still be my friends. go with the free money bro and dont look back.

 

[soontobe]

Hey Landious,

I sent you a message to your email. I had a quick question. Are you a current first year?

Thanks!!

 

[rahmed]

I have a full scholarship to UMDNJ, which i am so lucky to have.....NYU appears to have a wonderful name, but I have heard draw back about their training.....

Definitely UMDNJ. The money that you never borrow and hence never spent help you to think clearly and take vital career decisions. There are times in life when freebies don't come with a string attached to it. A full scholarship is one of those situations and clearly not a free ride. It certainly is a great achievement.

BTW, what did you hear about the drawbacks of NYU training? I will be starting there soon and really worried. Plz post it.
THX

 

[Dr.McSultry]

Definitely UMDNJ. The money that you never borrow and hence never spent help you to think clearly and take vital career decisions. There are times in life when freebies don't come with a string attached to it. A full scholarship is one of those situations and clearly not a free ride. It certainly is a great achievement.

BTW, what did you hear about the drawbacks of NYU training? I will be starting there soon and really worried. Plz post it.
THX

hey rahmed,

I interviewed at 2 GPR programs in the New England area and both program directors mentioned that they would hesitate interviewing graduates from certain dental schools...at the time they wouldn't give me specific names but after talking to their current residents - came to find out that NYU was one of the schools they were both refering to! Don't have the slightest clue why...for your sake let's hope that it's just their personal preference! Good luck! 👍

 

[Denticized]

Ok I know everybody is tired of "my cousin at school x said this etc..." but that is the only way we can get info about schools other than actually attending them. So my friend at Maryland says horror stories about lack of patients. At NYU you are bombarded with patients the likes of which you won't get elsewhere. However the full scholarship is also very tempting. Hard decision! but I would say maryland is out of question.

 

[drpduck]

Ok I know everybody is tired of "my cousin at school x said this etc..." but that is the only way we can get info about schools other than actually attending them. So my friend at Maryland says horror stories about lack of patients. At NYU you are bombarded with patients the likes of which you won't get elsewhere. However the full scholarship is also very tempting. Hard decision! but I would say maryland is out of question.

I have several friends that are UMD students of various years, including one that just graduated and none have said anything like this.

Honestly IMO, you'd get a fantastic education at UMD. Ok I'm a bit biased, but I know several people joining me this year as 1st years that are turning down their own (cheaper) state school just to go to UMD as an out of stater. Please don't spread "rumors", regardless of the school, because often the information is untrue or the result of an experience of one or two people that complain about school. Baltimore has several economically depressed areas full of people that need dental care, and the school is the only means for that to occur.

But that aside, I would go with UMDNJ if I was the OP. I can't even imagine graduating school debt free, that is a huge blessing.