UPenn vs. UTSD (IS)

[Orthohopefully]

Hey guys, I really need help picking a school. Everytime I think I made a decision I change my mind and the deadline is coming up. I'm super stressed about this life changing decision so please leave any opinion on the matter. I also am very dead set on specializing in ortho (or maybe peds).

UPenn
Pros

• Not ranked (could be a con)
• 4 day class week next year
• Extra time to do extracurriculars
• Great research
• Amazing campus
• Ivy league
• Feel more confident in landing an ortho residency
• Can finally leave Texas

Cons

• Still grinding bc need high GPA
• 300k more expensive
• Big class size
• Grade inflation
• No scholarship

UTSD
Pros

• Close to home
• Significantly cheaper
• Prayed for this for 4 years
• Easier to get leadership positions
• Family culture

Cons

• Houston and area is boring
• Ranked
• Numeric grading system (every point counts)

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[Ivy.ch]

You should absolutely go to UTSD. Don’t even think twice about it. It’s an incredible school.

Imagine if you went to Penn and didn’t make the cut to specialize - you’d be absolutely screwed, riddled with debt you couldn’t pay off.

 

[future_nostalgia]

You should absolutely go to UTSD. Don’t even think twice about it. It’s an incredible school.

Imagine if you went to Penn and didn’t make the cut to specialize - you’d be absolutely screwed, riddled with debt you couldn’t pay off.

Absolutely agree here -- I graduated from Penn and while I think I had a great education and great experience (and also ended up getting into Ortho), I do not think it is worth 300k more than any school. You have to work hard in any school to end up specializing so don't think that just by going to Penn you have your ticket into residency, study hard at UTSD and save that money. At the end of the day, a lot of ortho programs also charge tuition so if you end up specializing in ortho, you'll be much more grateful if you had less debt from dental school.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I know you want to get away from Texas. But if there isn't a full tuition scholarship(*), the decision is easy. I would rather work hard for a high class rank than be worried about this debt every day for 10 years. Unless you were born with millions in the bank, your family will thank you.

(*) Penn isn't blinded to the cost difference. They expect you to stay in Texas. If they wanted you, you would have gotten a significant scholarship to make up the difference.

Name a famous orthodontist from Penn. No Google help.

 

[Orthohopefully]

Absolutely agree here -- I graduated from Penn and while I think I had a great education and great experience (and also ended up getting into Ortho), I do not think it is worth 300k more than any school. You have to work hard in any school to end up specializing so don't think that just by going to Penn you have your ticket into residency, study hard at UTSD and save that money. At the end of the day, a lot of ortho programs also charge tuition so if you end up specializing in ortho, you'll be much more grateful if you had less debt from dental school.

May I PM you please?

 

[future_nostalgia]

May I PM you please?

Yup feel free

 

[Ryxndek]

Easy decision here, I don't even think I have to tell you which school to pick. Please make a smart financial decision. The cost is a massive difference

 

[Allsmiles!]

Please! Please! Please! Go to UTSD! Do yourself a big favor and listen to your brain.