whos going to USC

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Though I am not going to USC, I am wondering why no one has responded who is going? Is USC considered so poorly or is it considered a safety school?
 
Though I am not going to USC, I am wondering why no one has responded who is going? Is USC considered so poorly or is it considered a safety school?

to me it is considered poorly. My interview experience there showed me that it was a big disappointment.👎 The students there are nice, though.
 
Though I am not going to USC, I am wondering why no one has responded who is going? Is USC considered so poorly or is it considered a safety school?

I wouldn't say "safety" although some might....i think it turns a lot of people off w/ its PBL curriculum
 
USC also has a high tuition rate, not too good of a board passing rate, located in a bad/depressing neighborhood and yes, it's PBL based.

I also heard that the instructors at USC are not friendly and play favoritism towards certain students.
 
I was accepted but am not going to USC.
I didnt like the full PBL program, and a lot of the professors are leaving since they are not needed. I recently went to my dentist and she went to USC, she was the last class to not do PBL. And she is glad she didn't have to go through with it.
The cost also turned me away, but I did like the campus with all the young people😀 attending the school
 
I might.. I just sent my deposit to USC few days ago. It was a tough decision
I gotta admit USC isn't my first choice because 100% PBL sucks and tuition is super expensive. But I really want to stay in CA for the rest of my life (people say they can always move out once they graduate from dental school, but some of dentists and pharmacists I've talked to disagreed with this idea), and heard that it has a great patient pool.
 
I love California, I cant wait to move back. I hope to move back home to the Bay Area or back to my old undergrad stomping grounds of Santa Barbara.
Philly to Cali I will make that transition as soon as d-school is over.
 
Oh the patient pool is great, it's the teaching pool (for the sake of rhyming) that sucks!

My uncle is a USC graduate and a former clinic instructor (he also has donated much money to them which he regrets). He says that he does not recommend USC to anyone.

All of this is proven by the recent high failure rate of the licensure exam. Give me some time and I'll find the webpage to back this up.
 
Oh the patient pool is great, it's the teaching pool (for the sake of rhyming) that sucks!

My uncle is a USC graduate and a former clinic instructor (he also has donated much money to them which he regrets). He says that he does not recommend USC to anyone.

All of this is proven by the recent high failure rate of the licensure exam. Give me some time and I'll find the webpage to back this up.

^^ would that high failure rate also be part I of the board exam? I heard USC's dental students don't perform well on part I.

I also chatted with my friend today who's older sister is a current dental student at USC. She said that 43% of the USC dental students cannot graduate on time because of the clinical requirements. Think about it, more $$$ you have to pay for tuition if you stay for more than four years. I think the dental program at USC is treating their students like crap.
 
i heard that usc's considering changing its pbl curriculum since they have a low board pass rate. fact or ficton?
 
I have visited the school on more than a few occasions. Here is my take at the school:

1. Great great facilities (brand new everything)
2. Rich boy attitude from everyone, students and teachers alike which is stupid because NYU is also expensive but they didn't treat me as if they don't need me. But the tour guide who is also the gatekeeper of admissions acted as if the school didn't need us. Whatever!

It would be sad if I had to choose between USC and NYU being my hometown and a foreign city respectively. And I think due to proximity to home I would choose USC unfortunately though I would be better trained at NYU.
 
Yeah, we have a problem with NBDE Part I passing rates. However, the class of 2008 did very well on part I and we are improvig. However, 100% PBL totaly sucks and aims for a hybrid program are in the works. Clinic experience is perhaps what's worth at USC. UCLA has 1/4 of our patient pool; so clinically speaking we are much better prepared than most of the other cali schools. Academically speaking well....its PBL and hence the reason for low board scores.
 
USC also has a high tuition rate, not too good of a board passing rate, located in a bad/depressing neighborhood and yes, it's PBL based.

I also heard that the instructors at USC are not friendly and play favoritism towards certain students.

I go to USC and

1. we do not have low board passing rate... infact our average was 87 last year!!! I think thats what it was right teethvader?? personally I have never heard that we have had low scores...where are you getting your info from Teethvader??
2. yes the neighborhood is not good. But it's not as bad as everyone says... I live a block from the dental school. Just don't be a ******, holding your ipod...with your laptop in your hand walking down an alley at 11:30 at night!!!
the neighborhood is not depressing at all, there are lots of students and full of action
3. you cannot judge PBL until you go here...so don't put down PBL...It has it's weaknesses and its stregths...peoeple who say PBL sucks, are people who are lazy and don't wana do work...personally I like it...but i guess its a matter of preference...and if you don't like PBL, don't come to this school!!! All this said, I do believe that a hybrid of PBL and lecture will be stronger than both systems...
4. professors play favorite anywhere you go, even in undergrad, who is the best kiss as!!!!.....atleast here...you only get to have a facilitator/professor for two weeks, and you get a new one for the next two weeks etc, unlike having one for an entire semester.

Don't talk about things you don't know anything about please...I'm not being mean...I just want to let you know about the truth!
 
I go to USC and

1. we do not have low board passing rate... infact our average was 87 last year!!! I think thats what it was right teethvader?? personally I have never heard that we have had low scores...where are you getting your info from Teethvader??
2. yes the neighborhood is not good. But it's not as bad as everyone says... I live a block from the dental school. Just don't be a ******, holding your ipod...with your laptop in your hand walking down an alley at 11:30 at night!!!
the neighborhood is not depressing at all, there are lots of students and full of action
3. you cannot judge PBL until you go here...so don't put down PBL...It has it's weaknesses and its stregths...peoeple who say PBL sucks, are people who are lazy and don't wana do work...personally I like it...but i guess its a matter of preference...and if you don't like PBL, don't come to this school!!! All this said, I do believe that a hybrid of PBL and lecture will be stronger than both systems...
4. professors play favorite anywhere you go, even in undergrad, who is the best kiss as!!!!.....atleast here...you only get to have a facilitator/professor for two weeks, and you get a new one for the next two weeks etc, unlike having one for an entire semester.

Don't talk about things you don't know anything about please...I'm not being mean...I just want to let you know about the truth!

does that mean you'll never the get the chance to know your professors/facilitator at all...what with only 2 weeks under their supervision??
 
Good point bionerd.

My dad told me that a couple years ago, 2/3 of the class didn't pass Boards Part II. The admissions person who at USC who gave us a presentation couldn't deny it. He just smiled and said they were still working out kinks in their PBL system.

I heard USC does well on Boards Part I... this was from the same USC Admissions person. What "well" means... I don't really know.

I think what scares me about PBL is that so much of your education is dependent on your classmates. You can do all the research you want (when you're looking at the case studies) but if your classmates don't pull their weight, you're alll missing out. And I guess there aren't many lectures... so you don't get a good authority of info telling you what's right and what's wrong.
 
Good point bionerd.

My dad told me that a couple years ago, 2/3 of the class didn't pass Boards Part II. The admissions person who at USC who gave us a presentation couldn't deny it. He just smiled and said they were still working out kinks in their PBL system.

I heard USC does well on Boards Part I... this was from the same USC Admissions person. What "well" means... I don't really know.

I think what scares me about PBL is that so much of your education is dependent on your classmates. You can do all the research you want (when you're looking at the case studies) but if your classmates don't pull their weight, you're alll missing out. And I guess there aren't many lectures... so you don't get a good authority of info telling you what's right and what's wrong.

When I went to the interview, they said the Board I exam's average is 83. Then, they said the reason for low Board II scores is because (supposedly) those folks who want to specialize don't have to take the exam so they don't try hard to pass it...thus lowering the average. Not sure if this is true or part of their blame-game.
 
When I went to the interview, they said the Board I exam's average is 83. Then, they said the reason for low Board II scores is because (supposedly) those folks to want to specialize don't have to take the exam so they don't try hard to pass it...thus lowering the average. Not sure if this is true or part of their blame-game.

Just to clarify.

USC said to you that because the people WISH to specialize do NOT need to take part II of the boards, and thus do not try very hard?

I though everyone needed to take part II of the boards to specialize. Did I misread your post, and instead did you mean that the people who do NOT want to specialize do not try very hard on part II of the boards?

Please clarify. I am not sure if I understand the point USC tried to make 😕😕
 
Just to clarify.

USC said to you that because the people WISH to specialize do NOT need to take part II of the boards, and thus do not try very hard?

I though everyone needed to take part II of the boards to specialize. Did I misread your post, and instead did you mean that the people who do NOT want to specialize do not try very hard on part II of the boards?

Please clarify. I am not sure if I understand the point USC tried to make 😕😕
I was told the same thing a few weeks ago. They said that those who wish to specialize don't have the pressure of passing part II of the boards. They take them for practice since they aren't necessary (?) and thus bring down the average. I believe the average for part 1 was around 87 or 88, from what they told us.
 
I was told the same thing a few weeks ago. They said that those who wish to specialize don't have the pressure of passing part II of the boards. They take them for practice since they aren't necessary (?) and thus bring down the average. I believe the average for part 1 was around 87 or 88, from what they told us.

But don't people need part II of their board scores to submit to schools that they wish to specialize with? Or are students going directly into specialization somehow exempt from needing a part II board score?

I thought specilization schools needed part II board scores with their applications (and high II board scores to get in). Can a few dental students or dentists please confirm this?? 😕😕😕
 
But don't people need part II of their board scores to submit to schools that they wish to specialize with? Or are students going directly into specialization somehow exempt from needing a part II board score?

I thought specilization schools needed part II board scores with their applications (and high II board scores to get in). Can a few dental students or dentists please confirm this?? 😕😕😕


yah...i thought it sound weird when they told us that too. I was like Huh?? That doesn't make sense but lava seems to confirm what I said. Oh wellz...if that's really the case, then what can we do about it?
 
AnonymousAdcom and I will go there if we get in. And then, we're going to be the best friends ever. And study really hard so we can specialize. :-D If only!!!
 
Good point bionerd.

My dad told me that a couple years ago, 2/3 of the class didn't pass Boards Part II. The admissions person who at USC who gave us a presentation couldn't deny it. He just smiled and said they were still working out kinks in their PBL system.

I heard USC does well on Boards Part I... this was from the same USC Admissions person. What "well" means... I don't really know.

I think what scares me about PBL is that so much of your education is dependent on your classmates. You can do all the research you want (when you're looking at the case studies) but if your classmates don't pull their weight, you're alll missing out. And I guess there aren't many lectures... so you don't get a good authority of info telling you what's right and what's wrong.

your education does not depend on other people, I go to usc. and thats completely false, your education depends on you wherever you go...that's such a lazy way of looking at things. If you don't understand something its not up to your groupmate to go look it up, or in terms of lecture based, its not up to your classmate...its up to you!!!

if you don't understand the program please don't speak about it.
Most people that go to dental school have a level of maturity and know what the hell their doing. most people are not lazy, they couldn't have been, to get into dental school in the first place.

group learning is actually very engaged, even if a person does slack off, you have 7 other people in the group to get them back on track and tell them about it. It's actually a great motivator and a very fun way of learning. you don't feel like your learning, but you amaze yourself in how much you learn in PBL. You will def learn a lot in PBL, you will hit the major topics every single time...the minor topics are even the same with many groups, and the entire class learns the same for the most part. some minor topics might differ from group to group.

you will know whats wrong and whats right for the most part. in dentistry and medicine no one will ever tell you if you're right or wrong, that's what they're trying plant into you. in your office you will not have the option of knowing if your doing something wrong or right, or if you see a pathology in the mouth you've never seen, no one but you can go and find out what it is!! you will learn to know what's right and whats wrong!! isn't that a better way?!!! teach a man how to fish!
 
your education does not depend on other people, I go to usc. and thats completely false, your education depends on you wherever you go...that's such a lazy way of looking at things. If you don't understand something its not up to your groupmate to go look it up, or in terms of lecture based, its not up to your classmate...its up to you!!!

if you don't understand the program please don't speak about it.
Most people that go to dental school have a level of maturity and know what the hell their doing. most people are not lazy, they couldn't have been, to get into dental school in the first place.

group learning is actually very engaged, even if a person does slack off, you have 7 other people in the group to get them back on track and tell them about it. It's actually a great motivator and a very fun way of learning. you don't feel like your learning, but you amaze yourself in how much you learn in PBL. You will def learn a lot in PBL, you will hit the major topics every single time...the minor topics are even the same with many groups, and the entire class learns the same for the most part. some minor topics might differ from group to group.

you will know whats wrong and whats right for the most part. in dentistry and medicine no one will ever tell you if you're right or wrong, that's what they're trying plant into you. in your office you will not have the option of knowing if your doing something wrong or right, or if you see a pathology in the mouth you've never seen, no one but you can go and find out what it is!! you will learn to know what's right and whats wrong!! isn't that a better way?!!! teach a man how to fish!

can you also address the low passing rate? I read from a current usc student that a good % of students have to stay for a 5th year because they didn't meet the minimum procedures. This, to me, is unheard of. I thought the patient pool was really great? thanks.
 
can you also address the low passing rate? I read from a current usc student that a good % of students have to stay for a 5th year because they didn't meet the minimum procedures. This, to me, is unheard of. I thought the patient pool was really great? thanks.

although I'm not a 4th year, I can try to comment on that...maybe the school has a problem with scheduling, or maybe its just the students who are not on top of their game...I mean as a dentist you need to be on top of you game, and do things quickly and efficiently...I bet you no one tells you that we had a few students finish an entire trimester early....you don't hear that because...people always like to talk about the negatives and flaws of everything...

personally I believe that much of the people staying the extra half a trimester or whatever it is, is because they lack motivation and organization. I am also a patient here, and it has been twice that my student doctor here, hasn't called me back regarding my appointment for a simple filling...this tells me that people here are not on top of their game, they need to stop slacking off and get on top of it...maybe somethings are out of your hand, but most of the time you have control of weather you accomplish what you came here to do.

plans are set to start scheduling patients automatically here, so students won't even worry about scheduling their own patients...they are also redoing the entire clinic this summer which will hopefully open up more chairs...this school is really trying to fix anything that might be a flaw here...by the time you guys get in and graduate, i bet things will be running very smoothly...its already changing for us.

also if you think about it USC goes to school for 3 years and 2 trimesters and not the full 4 years. dental school is made to be 4 years...and maybe thats where people get confused...so that extra trimester u might stay here will complete the full 4 years.

good luck guys!!!
In the end dentistry is all about experience!