Buffalo vs. NYU vs. Touro

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gakzok

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Hey y'all,

I've been accepted to these 3 schools and am having a lot of trouble deciding. I'm OOS for these schools so price would be pretty much the same for the first 2 years or so until I could apply for NY residency (I believe Buffalo allows this).

I'm really leaning toward NYU because I will be close to home and tbh living in NYC while I'm young has been a dream of mine all my life. I know Buffalo has a great program but I just can't see myself being happy there when I'm 6 hours from friends and family and I think I would choose NYU over Touro.

Just would like to hear some thoughts.

Yes, I know NYU is very expensive.
Yes, I know it will cost half a million dollars.

For those who are curious my stats are:
sGPA - 3.34
cGPA - 3.33
DAT - 22
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Depends how much you want to be in debt for 5+ years extra. NYC is a **** place to be, too crowded. But to each their own. NYU is a solid choice, albeit very expensive.
 
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Buffalo all the way. You can visit home if/when you have time off (and actually ENJOY the city), and you'll be less in debt at the end of the day.
 
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gakzok said:
Hey y'all,

I've been accepted to these 3 schools and am having a lot of trouble deciding. I'm OOS for these schools so price would be pretty much the same for the first 2 years or so until I could apply for NY residency (I believe Buffalo allows this).

I'm really leaning toward NYU because I will be close to home and tbh living in NYC while I'm young has been a dream of mine all my life. I know Buffalo has a great program but I just can't see myself being happy there when I'm 6 hours from friends and family and I think I would choose NYU over Touro.

Just would like to hear some thoughts.

Yes, I know NYU is very expensive.
Yes, I know it will cost half a million dollars.

For those who are curious my stats are:
sGPA - 3.34
cGPA - 3.33
DAT - 22
Click to expand...
Go to Buffalo and do not look back. Never underestimate that debt, or overestimate city life.
I don't know anything about Touro, but I know both Buffalo and NYU are solid schools. In Buffalo you will make friends, and you will see your family when you can. Do not take out another $150,000+ just so you can be closer to them, because they will not be paying your student loans.
Buffalo all the way.
 
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My vote's for Buffalo as well. You seem pretty sold on NYC...don't let that cloud your judgment. If NYU is the best school for you, then go there. If not, don't use NYC as the compromise. Pick the best choice for you that caters to how you want to be trained as a dentist
 
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I attend nyu; I think you'd be near insane to turn down buffalo. But hey, then again, aren't we all? You do you.
 
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Dude go to Buffalo, I also had the same thoughts as you and wanted to go to BU because it was closer to family/friends. Luckily people knocked some sense into me and I'm going to a school 800 miles away from home with a much better reputation.
 
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New York is an amazing city; for me, it's the best place in the United State.
I would choose NYU because it is the in kinda safe place of the city, and too many students, so I won't stuck with the same group of people, I have more options to have friends.
But yeah, NYU is very expensive, so you should consider that into the equation.

and being closer to family is always a plus.


Ask yourself is it worth it or not?
if it worth it, then go for it. If it's not, then yeah, choose your other options.

Congratulations on getting accepted to these 3 schools, you must have killed it in the interview and on your ps.
 
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I was in the same predicament as you a few months ago, I almost went with Buffalo due to financial reasons. But I realized that the difference in cost did not outweigh my happiness to see my family and friends on a more consistent basis. Buffalo is an amazing school and all the periodontists I shadowed went there said they loved it. Touro and NYU has more to offer in terms of a vibrant lifestyle.
 
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Just my two cents...but you really need to trust your gut. If you don't think you're going to happy doing something or going somewhere then don't do it.
I almost attended chiropractic college but I didn't think I would be happy doing it so I decided not to go and I don't regret the decision.

Going back to your situation, if you feel like being close to family and friends will make you happy then I would say go for it, it could even help alleviate some of the stress from dental school!

Touro is a bit more money than buffalo but you would still be closer to home to keep you happy
 
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periopocket said:
New York University College of Dentistry $632,460

Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College $481,584

University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine $365,379
Click to expand...

Periopocket, how did you calculate these totals? Are they adjusted for tuition inflation or something? Maybe my addition is a little rusty but the totals I got were significantly lower (at least for NYU and Touro). Not trying to discredit you at all, just genuinely curious. Thanks in advance.
 
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NewRider44 said:
Periopocket, how did you calculate these totals? Are they adjusted for tuition inflation or something? Maybe my addition is a little rusty but the totals I got were significantly lower (at least for NYU and Touro). Not trying to discredit you at all, just genuinely curious. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

No offense taken amigo...I simply grabbed the numbers that student loan planner created - he included loan initiation fees and interest into those numbers, they could be high.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
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Some people have different motivating factors for choosing one school over the other. While most people on SDN would choose Buffalo for tuition alone, I think that you should go based on where you can see yourself happiest. You interviewed at all three schools, so where did you feel the most comfortable? Where can you see yourself? If you're miserable for all four years because you're very far from your family, you're not going to do as well in school whereas if you went to a school in which you envisioned yourself there since your interview. I personally chose Buffalo over NYU for the overall "feel" I got at my interviews, current students' advice, and class size. The choice is difficult, but tuition isn't everything (though it's a very important factor to consider). Feel free to reach out to me if you need help making your decision!
 
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Thank you all for the replies and opinions/suggestions. At first I wasn't really considering Buffalo but now I'm a bit more conflicted... but I'll post again when I make a decision (if anyone cares at that point).
 
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gakzok said:
Thank you all for the replies and opinions/suggestions. At first I wasn't really considering Buffalo but now I'm a bit more conflicted... but I'll post again when I make a decision (if anyone cares at that point).
Click to expand...
Keep us updated! And remember, NYC isn't going anywhere anytime soon...
 
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I am a little late but I will through in my 2 cents..
I would pick Buffalo in a heart beat if I was in your situation..Take the $200,000 you save and take a trip to NYC every year. I have personally heard great things about Buffalo's clinical experience as well. One of the offices I shadowed at had two associates from Buffalo and they both loved the school. More importantly, the owning dentist loved the first Buffalo associate so much, he hired another one! I know Buffalo isn't on the top of places to live but it is an excellent, cheap (comparatively) education.
 
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Just to add another don't go to NYU. ;)

There's a lot of great things about NYC, but you don't have much free time when you're in dental school. You basically experience the bad about NYC by going to dental school there and not the good. You will rarely have time to be going to plays, visiting museums, or whatever you want to be in NYC for. You're going to be studying or in class basically all the time. However, you will be paying high prices for rent and just things in general, you will have trouble finding space to study because everything is crowded, etc.

If you really want easy access to NYC, Touro is very close and you will save a significant amount of money. Just buying a burrito at Chipotle by NYU is around $2 more than buying it at Chipotle by Touro. However, you can easily get to NYC if you have a short break or some event you really want to go to. I've lived in Manhattan and Westchester and while yes I miss things about Manhattan, realistically I spend all of my time at school.

Personally, I would go to Buffalo. Mostly due to the lower cost of living. However, I understand if you have reservations about being so far away, the weather, etc. But NYU would be my last choice.
 
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Bootes said:
Just to add another don't go to NYU. ;)

There's a lot of great things about NYC, but you don't have much free time when you're in dental school. You basically experience the bad about NYC by going to dental school there and not the good. You will rarely have time to be going to plays, visiting museums, or whatever you want to be in NYC for. You're going to be studying or in class basically all the time. However, you will be paying high prices for rent and just things in general, you will have trouble finding space to study because everything is crowded, etc.

If you really want easy access to NYC, Touro is very close and you will save a significant amount of money. Just buying a burrito at Chipotle by NYU is around $2 more than buying it at Chipotle by Touro. However, you can easily get to NYC if you have a short break or some event you really want to go to. I've lived in Manhattan and Westchester and while yes I miss things about Manhattan, realistically I spend all of my time at school.

Personally, I would go to Buffalo. Mostly due to the lower cost of living. However, I understand if you have reservations about being so far away, the weather, etc. But NYU would be my last choice.
Click to expand...

I am looking for an apartment in Westchester and the prices are crazy, I can not even imagine what the prices in NYC are like
 
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Frank Kennedy said:
I am looking for an apartment in Westchester and the prices are crazy, I can not even imagine what the prices in NYC are like
Click to expand...

In some ways it's easier to get housing in NYC because there is more availability of large apartments that are split by many roommates just paying for a room. Basically the type of housing that could be reasonable for a student. However, you'll definitely be paying more if you compare the quality/space that you get for the price.
 
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KG99 said:
Just my two cents...but you really need to trust your gut. If you don't think you're going to happy doing something or going somewhere then don't do it.
I almost attended chiropractic college but I didn't think I would be happy doing it so I decided not to go and I don't regret the decision.

Going back to your situation, if you feel like being close to family and friends will make you happy then I would say go for it, it could even help alleviate some of the stress from dental school!

Touro is a bit more money than buffalo but you would still be closer to home to keep you happy
Click to expand...

I don't think thats necessarily true, about going with your gut. I mean we're talking about wether or not an extra 200k is worth seeing friends and family for while in dental school.

You're going to be extremely busy. Your friends in your class are going to be more of a family than your own. I'm already finishing my second year and it feels like yesterday that I moved into my apartment. Time is different here. And honestly, I appreciated the space from my family and friends back at home. I'm here to work. I still go back once a month or so to see everyone and thats enough for now.


You can go to NYU if you want, turn down UB, a cheaper school, a brand new preclinical environment and residency after one year. But you won't be able to afford to live in NYC when you're done. and by the time you're in your 3rd/4th year at NYU, your loans will be generating +$600 a month in just interest alone.

Go to UB. Save the money, visit NYC occasionally(like half my class does) and enjoy a budget friendly future.
 
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An important point I forgot to add is that my family owns an apartment in Brooklyn which I would move to after D1.

schmoob said:
$200K investment when you're 21 is enough to pay for your entire retirement.
Click to expand...

While this would be true it's not like I have the 200k to invest now, otherwise things would be very different.
 
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gakzok said:
An important point I forgot to add is that my family owns an apartment in Brooklyn which I would move to after D1.



While this would be true it's not like I have the 200k to invest now, otherwise things would be very different.
Click to expand...
200K is a LOT of money. You could buy half of a practice with that or maybe even a place to live. You want to save that $ so you can pay off your debt faster. If you take out a bigger loan, you will have less money to put towards savings and you will lose a LOT of money towards building your wealth.
 
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gakzok said:
An important point I forgot to add is that my family owns an apartment in Brooklyn which I would move to after D1.



While this would be true it's not like I have the 200k to invest now, otherwise things would be very different.
Click to expand...
I understand. But what you do have is the option to not take on that additional burden. That really is ALOT of money. It's actually significantly higher than that when factoring in the interest that accumulates over the life of the loan. I know that Family is very important, I understand different dynamics. I want the best for my kids, and my opinion is if they were in your shoes I wouldn't LET them take on that additional debt. I'd ship them off to Buffalo so fast their heads would spin. I love my kids, so it would be tough. But it is what is best for them, not me. Once they finish though, I know they would be thanking me. Ultimately you will be responsible for that debt, not your folks.
There will be plenty to do in Buffalo to keep you occupied.
 
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Buffalo pls...4 years will fly by and you will have extra money in the long run to enjoy more than "NYC experience"
 
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gakzok said:
Hey y'all,

I've been accepted to these 3 schools and am having a lot of trouble deciding. I'm OOS for these schools so price would be pretty much the same for the first 2 years or so until I could apply for NY residency (I believe Buffalo allows this).

I'm really leaning toward NYU because I will be close to home and tbh living in NYC while I'm young has been a dream of mine all my life. I know Buffalo has a great program but I just can't see myself being happy there when I'm 6 hours from friends and family and I think I would choose NYU over Touro.

Just would like to hear some thoughts.

Yes, I know NYU is very expensive.
Yes, I know it will cost half a million dollars.

For those who are curious my stats are:
sGPA - 3.34
cGPA - 3.33
DAT - 22
Click to expand...

Go to the cheaper school, unless you have some rich uncle or parents willing to help you out. You'll be a competent dentist out of Buffalo/NYU. I don't know much about Touro though. I only got accepted into NYU and I would much, much rather be in your position. Good luck.
 
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gakzok said:
Hey y'all,

I've been accepted to these 3 schools and am having a lot of trouble deciding. I'm OOS for these schools so price would be pretty much the same for the first 2 years or so until I could apply for NY residency (I believe Buffalo allows this).

I'm really leaning toward NYU because I will be close to home and tbh living in NYC while I'm young has been a dream of mine all my life. I know Buffalo has a great program but I just can't see myself being happy there when I'm 6 hours from friends and family and I think I would choose NYU over Touro.

Just would like to hear some thoughts.

Yes, I know NYU is very expensive.
Yes, I know it will cost half a million dollars.

For those who are curious my stats are:
sGPA - 3.34
cGPA - 3.33
DAT - 22
Click to expand...

Dude buffalo is getting alot of new toys to play with and its cheaper. I would prob go buffalo.
 
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