I think these lists are totally arbitrary, but what the hey, I'll play
MY top 5 (in no order)
- UoP - THREE F**KING YEARS BABY!
- UW - Its home for me...
- UConn - I'm attending so it immediately becomes the best D-school in the world. Who knows... after my four years it might be the worst in the world lol
- UPR - I've always wanted to live in Puerto Rico...
- Haaaveeerd - Nothing says I'm awesome quite like telling everyone I went here haha
Bereno, im confused why you didnt apply to UoP with your stats if you like it so much?!
Here is my list:
1)UoP:
Im a little older, so id really like to get out there ASAP- check 3 yr program. Clinically great, great location, specialization, respect from staff, etc. etc etc etc. Never heard a bad thing about it. (coincidentally im interviewing for an alternate spot in beg of Feb. REALLLLY hope I get in)
2) UF
In the end money IS a factor. Im a Florida resident, so it's by far the cheapest school for me. I interviewed there previously and when I did, I was told that 100% of their class passed the boards the first time. Thats impressive- they are doing something right. They clearly have good clinical program. Plus, UF is a pretty great school in general (go gators), and its a very well respected school and program in the south.
3) Tufts
Everyone says such great things, and I love Boston.
4) Harvard/Penn/Columbia
To be honest I'm not extremely familiar with each school individually, but its hard to deny what everyone here says. They are the Ivy league brand name schools, great for specializing, great if you want to go into research (i dont), etc. As a side note, I have been to the Harvard campus, and it is beautiful. I wish I could have applied to these schools, I just don't have the stats.
5) LECOM
This is a wild card! I'm somewhat biased, because I'm already accepted there, and Im sure I'm the only one that would list it in a top 5, but I have solid reasons.
First of all, they are a brand new school, which means brand new facilities, and a faculty that will do everything they can do to see you succeed (their ass is on the line, having no reputation!).
Second, you spend minimal amt of time in the class room with their PBL style learning. Its not for everyone, but for some it will be perfect for their learning style.
Last but not least, I have a REALLY good feeling that they will produce some of the best (if not the top) clinicians in the country. There are a couple reasons I feel this way. 1) you start doing clinical things in your first year. Its not ground breaking, but I've always felt this was important. 2) again, they will have brand new facilities, which means brand new, state of art, equipment. 3) Most importantly, at Lecom, you are a student year round, unlike most schools. By the end of your third year, supposedly, you will be almost entirely done learning how to be a dentist. You spend the entire fourth year ONLY practicing dentistry. This means you should get the most exposure to the most diff kinds of cases by the time you graduate. I think this is a really huge!