Why the Ivy League hate?

[bassman65]

I love how i read all these threads about students that assume its the school that will get them where they want to go. What some other have said is very true...no school can guaruntee you anything. It is YOUR drive and YOUR work ethic that will get you where you want to be in your professional life, not what school you went too. It is true that an Ivy name behind you might get you some notice and open some doors for you, but it is YOU who will have to take advantage of it and walk through. I don't have an Ivy League education, but I am a Duke graduate and Duke is consistently ranked with the Ivy's in most school rankings. My Duke brand name has opened some doors and got me some interviews, but it was up to me to take advantage of them. The naiveness of the students out there that are going into these dental schools is almost scary.

Plus its an insult to say that Harvard, Penn, and Columbia get the best students. People, at this level, EVERYONE is the best. Everyone will be from the top of their respective undergraduate classes. I went to the University of Buffalo to finish up up my predent requirements (i graduated from Duke with an Economics degree and still needed to take orgo, phyics, cell bio and biochem) and i will tell you that the top kids there that are applying with me could easily succeed at any Ivy League or Duke or Stanford, MIT or Caltech. Some people just think its stupid to pay THAT much for a degree. The only reason I went to Duke was because i had an athletic scholarship. So congratulations to everyone that is going Ivy for Dental School. They are great schools with great educations, but just remember when you are paying off those 300,000 dollar loans, i'll only have one-third your debt, I will also be a dentist, i will also have the chance to specialize and I will be able to enjoy life alot sooner. When you pick your school, pick it because it is a good fit for you, not because you think it will lead you somewhere where somewhere else can't.

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[pacbum]

Plus its an insult to say that Harvard, Penn, and Columbia get the best students. People, at this level, EVERYONE is the best. Everyone will be from the top of their respective undergraduate classes.

couldn't agree more...undergrad is different, but in professional school, I'm sure the majority of students are bright, and have a strong work ethic.

The difference in schools is basically philosophy and atmosphere...so pick what is best for you. But let's not say that the Ivy Leagues are bad dental schools...they are just different. They focus more on academics, but not at the cost of clinical experience. Some schools may have more clinical exposure, but let's not forget that all of these schools are accredited dental schools. So they have different goals and philosophies, and that might not be for everyone. So pick wisely.

 

[PennPB]

And in my time on the pre-dental forums I've seen pre-dents say a lot of wild and totally inaccurate things. Things ranging from that seemingly arrogant comment, to comments like "harvard students only extract one or two teeth" and "clinical education is not the focus at Penn and Harvard ." A lot of things said on this site are heresy and strict opinion.

Strict opinion that is, from faculty members who are more open to answering questions when removed from an academic setting. Clinical education is not the focus at some schools, including Penn. If it were, they would allocate more time to that aspect of the education, like its other Philly compatriate, Temple. Among the things that do not lie, are the school's respective syllabi and timeline and intensiveness of clinical exposure. Compare them across the line to form your own opinion though.

 

[denniss1]

seems like this topic appears every year like a clockwork

 

[armorshell]

seems like this topic appears every year like a clockwork

You bumped a year and a half old thread to comment on how often it comes up?

 

[SHC1984]

I read this.. and I have to say that gundam is a real A-hole. I don't know whats wrong with him but sounds very funny .

Agreed, I read that thread as well and gundam is a BIG A**! Too many haters on here...