Age Old Question: UCSF vs Harvard School of Dental Medicine

[wilmosta]

Hi y'all,

Hope everyone is doing well. I am deciding between my acceptances at both HSDM and UCSF. My current goals are to practice (either as a GP or specialist) and teach (perhaps part-time) in the future. My apologies if these goals are not specific enough.

Listed below are the projected tuition for each school:

UCSF (class size = ~88)
228,732 without cost of living*
(My parents have welcomed me with open arms to stay at their home in SF indefinitely)


Harvard (class size = ~35)
394,658 including the cost of living for 4 years
​

If you were in my position, what would you choose and why? I'd love to hear all your opinions, especially the opinions of any current dental professionals.

Thanks in advance!

​

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[dante72]

If money isn't an issue for you i say go to Harvard.
I don't know much about each of them but any teacher can teach and observe you much better when you are in a class size of 35 instead of 88.

 

[LaughingGas]

UCSF. Obviously Harvard is "wow" but just for the name of school I personally don't think extra 150k is worth it. Good specialization rate from both . CA weather > MA weather.

 

[Incis0r]

CA weather > MA weather.

Wrong.

CA weather >>>>>>>>>>>>> MA weather.

 

[CMistry]

Is UCSF the cheapest school you got into? You're clearly smart -- you'll get to where you want regardless of the school. Now continue to be smart and save yourself as much money as you can. With student loans, a penny saved is two pennies earned.

 

[wilmosta]

Is UCSF the cheapest school you got into? You're clearly smart -- you'll get to where you want regardless of the school. Now continue to be smart and save yourself as much money as you can. With student loans, a penny saved is two pennies earned.

Also got into UCLA, USC, and Western. The only reason why UCSF is less expensive is because the parents are willing to pay for my cost of living in SF. UCSF seem like the best option to you?

 

[free99]

UCSF over and over

 

[w4nt2baDDS]

unbiased opinion: ucla

 

[Daurang]

In 20 years and 35,000 hours of practicing dentistry, NO ONE have ever asked nor care what school I went to. The topic came up a few times only because I asked where they or their kids went to the same school. Harvard Law or Harvard MBA is prestigious and will carry you far. Harvard DMD is great and 'good for you' but that's where it ends.

$170k saving is HUUUGE bonus. Way better weather, food, clubs in SF too. Congrats on your choice of UCSF! If you're good enough to get into both programs, then you're probably good enough to specialize coming from either school. Choose the cheapest route.

 

[nonociceptors]

The only reason why UCSF is less expensive is because the parents are willing to pay for my cost of living in SF.

What? If Harvard is 394k and SF is 228k, SF would still be cheaper even if you had to pay for housing. You'd have to spend about 160k over the course of 4 years for room/board just to match Harvard's CoA. I know living in SF is expensive but it is nowhere near 40k per year expensive as a student lol. In your situation I'd pick SF and LA over Harvard for the cost. It might feel weird turning down Harvard but it just makes sense financially. Most people grow out of seeking name-recognition after going through undergrad anyway and realize that, to a great extent, what you do is way more important than where you do it. The choice is what I'd call a no-brainer

 

[FLOSS UR TEETH]

Don't be stupid, go to Harvard. You can get into any specialty you want so it's worth it just for that. Don't listen to these guys, their just jealous they didn't get offered a Harvard spot. Plus, the way technology is going these days, more and more pts will be well aware of where you were trained (Not putting down UCSF but Harvard is much more impressive). On top of this, i don't know how far your commute is from your parents place to school but d school is gonna be a b**** if you have longer than a 15 minute walk.. If you do not live right by the school (especially for 1st two years) then you may end up having to pay for closer housing (happened to a bunch of students at my school)

 

[nanilla]

Go to ucsf, this is honestly not a question. Only predents who do not know better go hard for a name. You will specialize from either, and these two schools are so highly regarded it doesn't matter. Honesty nobody cares where you went, least of all your future patients, why go an extra 200k + into debt?

 

[Incis0r]

UCSF over and over

The Dental God Has Spoken.
@wilmosta , thou shall heed the instruction of Free99.

 

[aqz]

Go to ucsf, this is honestly not a question. Only predents who do not know better go hard for a name. You will specialize from either, and these two schools are so highly regarded it doesn't matter. Honesty nobody cares where you went, least of all your future patients, why go an extra 200k + into debt?

Yup.

 

[CMistry]

Also got into UCLA, USC, and Western. The only reason why UCSF is less expensive is because the parents are willing to pay for my cost of living in SF. UCSF seem like the best option to you?

I don't know the costs of those various schools but my message is the same: go to the cheapest school you get into. Location may be worth a few thousand dollars but not more. Ask any practicing dentist and they will tell you the same. Dental students who haven't paid back a dime yet just don't understand what loan repayment is.

 

[DoctaFauci]

I was accepted to Harvard. Ended up choosing my state school. I'm from the east coast, but did a two-week externship at UCSF back in the spring. San Fran is my favorite city and if you can live there for free, it's a no brainer. UCSF and don't think twice about it.

I applied to Harvard just to see if I could get in to the "big name." It was a tough decision, but in the end, the only major benefit Harvard had was the name brand and I went where I would be happiest for four years (cost wasn't a factor). Boston weather sucks.

 

[THS]

I agree with the majority here. Go to UCSF. After 1 year, the interest on that extra $165,926 will be ~$10,785.19.

If you pay off your loans in 10 years, it will cost an extra ~$226,000 to attend Harvard. And chances are your future income will be the same regardless of which school you attend.

 

[Weakfart]

I don't know the costs of those various schools but my message is the same: go to the cheapest school you get into. Location may be worth a few thousand dollars but not more. Ask any practicing dentist and they will tell you the same. Dental students who haven't paid back a dime yet just don't understand what loan repayment is.

We don't really have to pay back this debt right?

 

[nonociceptors]

Don't be stupid, go to Harvard. You can get into any specialty you want so it's worth it just for that. Don't listen to these guys, their just jealous they didn't get offered a Harvard spot. Plus, the way technology is going these days, more and more pts will be well aware of where you were trained (Not putting down UCSF but Harvard is much more impressive). On top of this, i don't know how far your commute is from your parents place to school but d school is gonna be a b**** if you have longer than a 15 minute walk.. If you do not live right by the school (especially for 1st two years) then you may end up having to pay for closer housing (happened to a bunch of students at my school)

That projection . It just makes sense. I know 2 students currently at SF and one from LA who picked those state schools over Harvard. Paying an extra 100k only makes sense as a predent or someone who has never been forced to manage their own money. Nobody said it would be an easy choice as if turning down Harvard is something you do on a whim, but unless you're rich, 100k+ isn't something you can ignore.

And "they're" and "their" aren't interchangeable.

 

[DrDentistaC]

I chose my state school over Harvard last year. It was like torture sending that "thanks but no thanks" email but in the end I felt like it was the best financial decision for me and I haven't regretted it one bit since. Future you will thank you

 

[Vortex_Ring_State]

I had the same choice and went with UCSF for the following reasons:

1) Closer to family
2) Save $180K (in my case it ended up being a $180K difference over 4 years)
3) Vastly superior weather & outdoors (You won't have Mt Tam hikes in Boston)

To put your $170K cost difference in perspective - by the time you graduate it would be closer to 195K with compounding ~6% interest on the loans. That equates to a decade of paying $2164 a month after taxes.