[CA] Undergrad schools?

[DearSky]

It's the summer before my senior year so I'm really digging into what colleges I want to apply to.

Originally, I was interested in UoP's pre-dental program 2+3, 3+3, etc. But now, I'm not sure anymore. I heard many students either drop out or become unable to pay for the education anymore. I even had someone say that dentists that come out of UoP's program are incompetent.

Some undergrad schools I'm considering applying to are:
UCSF
UCLA
UCSC

Which schools (either private or public) has the best pre-dental programs/courses/pre-reqs in California?

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[Oracle DMD]

san diego state

 

[areucool1234]

hey...im done with highschool this year, and Ive looked UP A LOT OF INFO on dentistry lol..ill address BOTH OF your concerns

with UOP here's the deal: I am not PROMOTING UOP, but I would still apply to the program as a backup. I would go with only the program (3+3, 3+4) that allows you to get a B.S degree becuase otherwise you will be putting all your eggs in one basket (dentistry) without a degree. My mom has talked to 2 dentists and they said that if you get UOP dental program go for it. Apparently UOP is really good for clincial stuff and is bent on producing GPs but not too many specialists (do you want to specialize?) You have to realize that you have the potential to be a dentist at 24 years old and and ortho at 26 if you go with UOP....without UOP you'll be a dentist at 26 and orth at 28..so UOP IS A MAJOR TIME SAVER...My dad and mom didnt let me apply to UOP and I am soooo pissed about that! As for money, apparently UOP gives a LOT scholarhips, so check on that!

CA Undergrad Schools:
UCSF is a grad school, so you cant apply to it
UCLA is handsdown the best premed/predental school in California. Largest # of premeds in country, lots of research, etc.
UCSC isnt that great but you can get a HELLA high gpa if you go there

I would also consider UCSD which is really good for premed. Make sure you have a good SAT score so you can get into UCLA. Dont go to USC, you need to save money for dental school. I would also shadow a dentist this summer to help out with UOP application and it makes a great extracurricular for the other schools as well. Good luck!

 

[UCLAzy]

i say ucla or ucsd.

ucla has the rep

ucsd is like ucla with less traffix

i guess i'm partially impartial though

 

[Vicviper]

I think this might be more of a thread for the high school forum, but any of the UC's would likely be a very good choice for a prospective pre-dental student.

From my experience in talking with dental school reps and adcoms, the school you go to doesn't necessarily have a large impact on their decision, as long as say, you don't have a 4.0 and a 16AA.

So other factors to take into account then would be teaching quality, class sizes, etc (factors that will effect not only your GPA but your DAT as well), as well as other opportunities that would give you better chances for admissions such as research.

One major issue with many of the UC's is that they focus on research, and having graduated from UC Irvine yesterday in the school of Biology, I can tell you first hand that researchers can all too often be so-so teachers. Because of this, you may have to put in more work for better understanding of material. Not to say that they're aren't any good teachers though, because there definetly are.

Another thing to consider is Research, which I bleieve is a factor that greatly aided my admissions, and it's one of those things that can really set you apart from others. One of the great things about UCI is that research oppurtinities are so avalable, and just about anyone can get a research student position if they want one. About half of the bio majors I've talked to have done research, and the other half either aren't interested in it, or haven't tried.

So, think about UCI as well, but any UC would probably be a great school. Also, in my entering class at Pitt, there's a student from just about every UC.

 

[nze82]

It's the summer before my senior year so I'm really digging into what colleges I want to apply to.

Originally, I was interested in UoP's pre-dental program 2+3, 3+3, etc. But now, I'm not sure anymore. I heard many students either drop out or become unable to pay for the education anymore. I even had someone say that dentists that come out of UoP's program are incompetent.
Whoever told you that probably didn't know anything about UoP. It's a private school, so the tuition is a bit higher than the UC schools. However, in terms of clinical work, it's one of the best CA schools. Besides, they offer a 3 year DDS program, which sounds very appealing to many pre-dental students. In fact, UoP seems to be the second famous dental school among applicants, after UCLA.
Some undergrad schools I'm considering applying to are:
UCSF
UCLA
UCSC

Which schools (either private or public) has the best pre-dental programs/courses/pre-reqs in California?

UCLA...Seems to be #1 in CA right now. They're big on research and unlike the past, when their students seemed to suffer from a limited patient pool, they have addressed that issue to some extent. Therefore, they seem to have picked up on the clinical aspect as well. However, in order to get into this school you need to have killer stats (We're talking 22+ DAT and 3.6+ GPA, and some impressive extra curricular work).
UCSF...Research seems to be their strong point. So, it's really the matter of whether or not you would like to earn a DDS/PhD degree. In addition, they have a DDS/MBA program (which UCLA doesn't have). So, if you're interested in that UCSF would be an ideal school.
USC...As you may know USC School of Dentistry has a different approach to dental education. In other words, they have a problem-based DDS program, which will give you a great clinical advantage compared to those students, who graduate from UC schools. However, I'm not sure how this approach will affect the performance of students on national board exams. Another factor to consider, before applying to USC, is their rediculously high tuition (I believe it's about ~350,000$ for 4 years). On the other hand, being part of the "Trojan Family" has its benefits after you graduate and you try to find a job!
Loma Linda...I personally don't like that school due to their criteria for admission. If you're not a christian, your chances of getting admission into that school is next to nothing.
Western University of Health Science...They've just started a dental program, so there isn't much information available out there. However, since they are a brand new school, I'm guessing they have some high-tech equipment and killer facilities. You might wanna research that for yourself.

In summary, I think all CA schools provide decent dental education. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so competitive. So, at the end, in order to choose the right school you need to see what you want to pursuite, how much money you're willing to pay, and whether or not you want to stay close to home!

Good Luck

 

[12345a]

^^ isn't it a shame that if you had read the word undergrad in the original posting you could have saved yourself twenty minutes of typing?

@ the op: all are good; go to where you feel comfortable and UCSF isn't undergrad...best of luck

 

[nze82]

^^ isn't it a shame that if you had read the word undergrad in the original posting you could have saved yourself twenty minutes of typing?

@ the op: all are good; go to where you feel comfortable and UCSF isn't undergrad...best of luck

Nah! It took me like 10 mins. Why? It'll actually take you that long to type all this? Are you suffering from any disabilities by any chance?
Besides! Isn't this a predental forum?!

 

[Hysteria24]

There's some good pre-dental support and opportunities at UCSD. They've come a long way since my days there when San Diego State ruled in that department.

http://fdc-pds.ucsd.edu/

 

[playa2652]

It's the summer before my senior year so I'm really digging into what colleges I want to apply to.

Originally, I was interested in UoP's pre-dental program 2+3, 3+3, etc. But now, I'm not sure anymore. I heard many students either drop out or become unable to pay for the education anymore. I even had someone say that dentists that come out of UoP's program are incompetent.

Some undergrad schools I'm considering applying to are:
UCSF
UCLA
UCSC

Which schools (either private or public) has the best pre-dental programs/courses/pre-reqs in California?

I went to UoP for undergrad, and even though I wasn't in the predental program, I did attend classes with a lot of pre-dental students. I think that if you want to be a dentist, UoP is hands down the best pre-dental program in California. The professors know you by a first name basis, it's easier to ask for letters of recommendation, and the professors truly prepare you well for dental school. Your chances of getting the classes you want are higher at UoP and you can get a B.S. degree in a minimum of 3 years. One of my classmates going to UCSF with me in the fall finished her undergrad degree in two years. The reason why some students drop out of the program is because they don't really like science, they are only doing the pre-dental program because their mom or dad wanted them to, or they just can't handle tough courses. The reality is that getting into dental school is hard and the only way most of us get in is by putting in the work. Even if you do poorly your first year, you still can boost your GPA and demonstrate to adcoms that you are improving in your upper division courses. My GPA isn't that high when I applied, but I had nothing lower than a 3.7 after sophomore year. UoP also offers scholarships to students and a lot of people come to UoP for that reason.
UoP's dental is also a really good program. I don't know who your dentist thinks is incompetent who graduated from UoP, but the students who graduate from the program have great clinical skills and are great dentist. If you are incompetent, UoP puts you first thru their remedial program to aid you in didactic work/preclinical work, and then kick you out after your first year if they believe you can't make it, or make you repeat your first year.

 

[playa2652]

UCLA...Seems to be #1 in CA right now. They're big on research and unlike the past, when their students seemed to suffer from a limited patient pool, they have addressed that issue to some extent. Therefore, they seem to have picked up on the clinical aspect as well. However, in order to get into this school you need to have killer stats (We're talking 22+ DAT and 3.6+ GPA, and some impressive extra curricular work).
UCSF...Research seems to be their strong point. So, it's really the matter of whether or not you would like to earn a DDS/PhD degree. In addition, they have a DDS/MBA program (which UCLA doesn't have). So, if you're interested in that UCSF would be an ideal school.
USC...As you may know USC School of Dentistry has a different approach to dental education. In other words, they have a problem-based DDS program, which will give you a great clinical advantage compared to those students, who graduate from UC schools. However, I'm not sure how this approach will affect the performance of students on national board exams. Another factor to consider, before applying to USC, is their rediculously high tuition (I believe it's about ~350,000$ for 4 years). On the other hand, being part of the "Trojan Family" has its benefits after you graduate and you try to find a job!
Loma Linda...I personally don't like that school due to their criteria for admission. If you're not a christian, your chances of getting admission into that school is next to nothing.
Western University of Health Science...They've just started a dental program, so there isn't much information available out there. However, since they are a brand new school, I'm guessing they have some high-tech equipment and killer facilities. You might wanna research that for yourself.

In summary, I think all CA schools provide decent dental education. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so competitive. So, at the end, in order to choose the right school you need to see what you want to pursuite, how much money you're willing to pay, and whether or not you want to stay close to home!

Good Luck

I think both UCSF and UCLA are both the most competitive schools in CA. UoP is also competitive to some degree because they tend to accept students with higher DAT scores. Research is one of the many strong points about UCSF. They also have a strong clinical focus as well and equal opportunity for specialization as UCLA. As for the patient pool, I think every dental school in the country is going to have some problems because of the changes being made for dental coverage on Medi-Cal.

 

[preOMFS]

UC Davis. You can't beat the town, the people, the life. They have great research, great profs, and they are on the up n up as far as gaining respect goes. Not too pricey either. Berkeley might be an option if you're looking for prestige. UCLA is obviously a safe bet, if you can get in. Avoid UCSC, UCSB; decent schools, but not ideal. Not sure about UCI, UCR.

But then again, I'm biased.

 

[areucool1234]

um...i would NOT GET an undergrad degree from UOP...WHO CARES WHETHER YOU FINISH IN 3 YEARS FROM THERE....UOP IS A CRAP UNDERGRAD SCHOOL....and u cannot put all ur eggs in one basket (dentistry)...what happens if something goes wrong (like you cant afford dental school or dont want to be a dentist)..you will be stuck with a degree FROM A CRAPPY SCHOOL...also wut happen to enjoying the college experience? only go to uop if you get accepted into combined dental program!!

I went to UoP for undergrad, and even though I wasn't in the predental program, I did attend classes with a lot of pre-dental students. I think that if you want to be a dentist, UoP is hands down the best pre-dental program in California. The professors know you by a first name basis, it's easier to ask for letters of recommendation, and the professors truly prepare you well for dental school. Your chances of getting the classes you want are higher at UoP and you can get a B.S. degree in a minimum of 3 years. One of my classmates going to UCSF with me in the fall finished her undergrad degree in two years. The reason why some students drop out of the program is because they don't really like science, they are only doing the pre-dental program because their mom or dad wanted them to, or they just can't handle tough courses. The reality is that getting into dental school is hard and the only way most of us get in is by putting in the work. Even if you do poorly your first year, you still can boost your GPA and demonstrate to adcoms that you are improving in your upper division courses. My GPA isn't that high when I applied, but I had nothing lower than a 3.7 after sophomore year. UoP also offers scholarships to students and a lot of people come to UoP for that reason.
UoP's dental is also a really good program. I don't know who your dentist thinks is incompetent who graduated from UoP, but the students who graduate from the program have great clinical skills and are great dentist. If you are incompetent, UoP puts you first thru their remedial program to aid you in didactic work/preclinical work, and then kick you out after your first year if they believe you can't make it, or make you repeat your first year.

 

[playa2652]

um...i would NOT GET an undergrad degree from UOP...WHO CARES WHETHER YOU FINISH IN 3 YEARS FROM THERE....UOP IS A CRAP UNDERGRAD SCHOOL....and u cannot put all ur eggs in one basket (dentistry)...what happens if something goes wrong (like you cant afford dental school or dont want to be a dentist)..you will be stuck with a degree FROM A CRAPPY SCHOOL...also wut happen to enjoying the college experience? only go to uop if you get accepted into combined dental program!!

First of all, areucool1234, are you basing these facts from the rankings on USNews? It's lower ranked because of location, and is not a heavily researched based school. Granted tuition is expensive, but the biology program is REALLY GOOD! Obviously, you don't go there, and I'm only responding to the OP concerning on which universities have good pre-dental studies. I actually enjoyed UoP undergrad and I think you shouldn't be giving input on a university if you never went there. Hearing testmonies from students who attend that school are better suited in helping decide which school to attend. UCLA, UCSD, and Cal are good schools, but if the OP wants smaller class sizes and more opportunities to get involved on campus, UoP would be a much better choice. Not only can you graduate in 3 years with a Biology degree, but you can also apply to their dental school without being a bio sci major and still get in. Pacific is one of the top feeder schools (accepts more students from here) for the UoP dental school, so your chances of getting into dental school are a lot higher than attending a UC.

 

[playa2652]

Also, I wanted to mention that if the OP isn't an independent, well-organized student, that person shouldn't be going to a UC. Although UC campuses are a lot bigger than UoP, one can easily slack off, and not get into dental school. At UoP, one of my favorite professors would always check up on me and make sure if I was okay. I even had a student who transferred from Berkeley to UoP and he said that the professors at UoP are more willing and able to assist him in any way possible. Also, he mentioned to me that the course material he covered at Berkeley was about the same intensity. You will never find a professor at Berkeley or at any UC show concern for you like the profs at UoP.

 

[fightfightfight]

UC Davis. You can't beat the town, the people, the life. They have great research, great profs, and they are on the up n up as far as gaining respect goes. Not too pricey either. Berkeley might be an option if you're looking for prestige. UCLA is obviously a safe bet, if you can get in. Avoid UCSC, UCSB; decent schools, but not ideal. Not sure about UCI, UCR.

But then again, I'm biased.

Go to Davis. They put a ton of people into dentistry programs. Across the country

 

[thethethe]

i'm just curious why nobody mentioned berkeley. isnt that the best public school in the nation?

 

[areucool1234]

LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF THINGS CLEAR HERE:

UOP's bio program SUCKS compared to UCLA,UC BERK, and UCSD..so as a backup plan it's much better to go to those UC schools rather than UOP.
And playa, you shouldnt be giving input because you got a 3.4 at UOP for BioEngin...if you had gone to UCLA/UCBerk/UCSD...you would have gotten a 1.0 GPA in BioE..and lol UOP is small and HAS MUCH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES THAN UCLA (TONS OF RESEARCH @UCLA)..and about applying to UOP Dental school without a science degree - THAT IS TRUE FOR EVERY DENTAL SCHOOL (SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU KNOW PLAYA!!)..and lol UCLA has THE MOST PREMEDS IN THE NATION AND ITS ADMIT RATE INTO DENTAL SCHOOL IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER THAN UOP

OH BY THE WAY UOP IS IN STOCKTON (5TH MOST DANGEROUS CITY)...UCLA IS IN WESTWOOD NEAR BEVERLY HILLS...YEA!!!

OH AND UOP COSTS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF UCLA DENTAL SCHOOL...IS FINISHING DENTAL SCHOOL ONE YEAR EALIER WORTH A 100K DIFFERENCE...I WOULD SAY HELL NO!

First of all, areucool1234, are you basing these facts from the rankings on USNews? It's lower ranked because of location, and is not a heavily researched based school. Granted tuition is expensive, but the biology program is REALLY GOOD! Obviously, you don't go there, and I'm only responding to the OP concerning on which universities have good pre-dental studies. I actually enjoyed UoP undergrad and I think you shouldn't be giving input on a university if you never went there. Hearing testmonies from students who attend that school are better suited in helping decide which school to attend. UCLA, UCSD, and Cal are good schools, but if the OP wants smaller class sizes and more opportunities to get involved on campus, UoP would be a much better choice. Not only can you graduate in 3 years with a Biology degree, but you can also apply to their dental school without being a bio sci major and still get in. Pacific is one of the top feeder schools (accepts more students from here) for the UoP dental school, so your chances of getting into dental school are a lot higher than attending a UC.

 

[preOMFS]

i'm just curious why nobody mentioned berkeley. isnt that the best public school in the nation?

I mentioned Berkeley, briefly. They are UC Davis' sister school but I would choose Davis over Berkeley just because of the town (I tend to like smaller towns) and Berkeley can be a bit hoity toity if you know what I mean.

 

[armorshell]

Let me make a couple of things clear:

UOP's bio program SUCKS compared to UCLA,UC BERK, and UCSD..so as a backup plan it's much better to go to those UC schools rather than UOP.
And playa, you shouldnt be giving input because you got a 3.4 at UOP for BioEngin...if you had gone to UCLA/UCBerk/UCSD...you would have gotten a 1.0 GPA in BioE..and lol UOP is small and HAS MUCH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES THAN UCLA (TONS OF RESEARCH @UCLA).

If your "backup plan" is a bachelors degree in the sciences from ANY university, you need to get a clue. There are basic sciences PhD's who can't find paying jobs.

You really have no idea what opportunities are like at Pacific, you're just making broad based assumptions on no actual data.

.and lol UCLA has THE MOST PREMEDS IN THE NATION AND ITS ADMIT RATE INTO DENTAL SCHOOL IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER THAN UOP

I doubt that. UOP undergrad probably has a near 100% acceptance rate into dental school.

OH BY THE WAY UOP IS IN STOCKTON (5TH MOST DANGEROUS CITY)...UCLA IS IN WESTWOOD NEAR BEVERLY HILLS...YEA!!!

Can't argue with that, besides that it was very recently voted #1 most dangerous city in the US. The Pacific campus is amazingly beautiful though.

OH AND UOP COSTS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF UCLA DENTAL SCHOOL...IS FINISHING DENTAL SCHOOL ONE YEAR EALIER WORTH A 100K DIFFERENCE...I WOULD SAY HELL NO!

Visit your other thread to find out why you're wrong!

 

[Doctor McLovin]

I doubt that. UOP undergrad probably has a near 100% acceptance rate into dental school.

Just like your alma mater Washington State University right? Both WSU and UOP are what, like 4th tier schools but yeah they both have near 100% acceptance rates to medical/dental schools.

I'm not surprised Berkeley hasn't really been mentioned. Just another day on SDN Pre-Dental where second rate standards and mediocrity are perpetuated by its members as well as is moderators.

 

[playa2652]

Thanks Armorshell. I needed your input...areucool1234 just really isn't cool at all. The guy is saying a bunch of B.S. and he probably hasn't applied to dental school yet. Btw, areucool1234, have you ever taken engineering and biology classes at the same time, it's freaking hard man! Unless you go to one of the UCs who offer my major, I would like to see you get into dental school with around my GPA and with my major. I have several classmates who attended Berkeley and John Hopkins for the same major and since all engineering schools require the same kind of courses, it's still ends up being difficult. You also don't seem to know how to read what I stated in the previous post.

"UCLA, UCSD, and Cal are good schools, but if the OP wants smaller class sizes and more opportunities to get involved on campus, UoP would be a much better choice. Not only can you graduate in 3 years with a Biology degree, but you can also apply to their dental school without being a bio sci major and still get in." I was stating this fact not for your narrow mind, but for the OP because this person is applying to college soon and he deserves to know what options are out there. I also think that by criticizing other peoples' comments and suggestions unconstructively, you are only embarassing yourself and deviating from the OP's initial question. Just be aware that the whole point of SDN is to help others applying to dental school and clarify stuff that might be unclear. Sorry DearSky...I am trying my best to help you out. You can take my advice if you want to. If you really want to know more about the program, I would suggest visiting all the undergraduate institutions, and talk to pre-dental students there. Good luck.

 

[armorshell]

Just like your alma mater Washington State University right? Both WSU and UOP are what, like 4th tier schools but yeah they both have near 100% acceptance rates to medical/dental schools.

I'm not surprised Berkeley hasn't really been mentioned. Just another day on SDN Pre-Dental where second rate standards and mediocrity are perpetuated by its members as well as is moderators.

I think the year I applied around 2/10 got in actually. Please excuse me though, don't let me interrupt your attempt to get some of the attention you desperately crave.

I'm just going to leave this here: http://www.counseling.ucla.edu/

 

[eternalxdemon]

It's the summer before my senior year so I'm really digging into what colleges I want to apply to.

Originally, I was interested in UoP's pre-dental program 2+3, 3+3, etc. But now, I'm not sure anymore. I heard many students either drop out or become unable to pay for the education anymore. I even had someone say that dentists that come out of UoP's program are incompetent.

Some undergrad schools I'm considering applying to are:
UCSF
UCLA
UCSC

Which schools (either private or public) has the best pre-dental programs/courses/pre-reqs in California?

I'm biased... i LOVEDDDDDDDD my time at UCI... ratemyprofessors.com was pretty accurate for picking out which professors to enroll under... but really just go to a uc that u get in to and work really hard... do well on ur DAT's and you'll get in to dental school.

hey...im done with highschool this year, and Ive looked UP A LOT OF INFO on dentistry lol..ill address BOTH OF your concerns

with UOP here's the deal: I am not PROMOTING UOP, but I would still apply to the program as a backup. I would go with only the program (3+3, 3+4) that allows you to get a B.S degree becuase otherwise you will be putting all your eggs in one basket (dentistry) without a degree. My mom has talked to 2 dentists and they said that if you get UOP dental program go for it. Apparently UOP is really good for clincial stuff and is bent on producing GPs but not too many specialists (do you want to specialize?) You have to realize that you have the potential to be a dentist at 24 years old and and ortho at 26 if you go with UOP....without UOP you'll be a dentist at 26 and orth at 28..so UOP IS A MAJOR TIME SAVER...My dad and mom didnt let me apply to UOP and I am soooo pissed about that! As for money, apparently UOP gives a LOT scholarhips, so check on that!

CA Undergrad Schools:
UCSF is a grad school, so you cant apply to it
UCLA is handsdown the best premed/predental school in California. Largest # of premeds in country, lots of research, etc.
UCSC isnt that great but you can get a HELLA high gpa if you go there

I would also consider UCSD which is really good for premed. Make sure you have a good SAT score so you can get into UCLA. Dont go to USC, you need to save money for dental school. I would also shadow a dentist this summer to help out with UOP application and it makes a great extracurricular for the other schools as well. Good luck!

LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF THINGS CLEAR HERE:

UOP's bio program SUCKS compared to UCLA,UC BERK, and UCSD..so as a backup plan it's much better to go to those UC schools rather than UOP.
And playa, you shouldnt be giving input because you got a 3.4 at UOP for BioEngin...if you had gone to UCLA/UCBerk/UCSD...you would have gotten a 1.0 GPA in BioE..and lol UOP is small and HAS MUCH FEWER OPPORTUNITIES THAN UCLA (TONS OF RESEARCH @UCLA)..and about applying to UOP Dental school without a science degree - THAT IS TRUE FOR EVERY DENTAL SCHOOL (SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU KNOW PLAYA!!)..and lol UCLA has THE MOST PREMEDS IN THE NATION AND ITS ADMIT RATE INTO DENTAL SCHOOL IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER THAN UOP

OH BY THE WAY UOP IS IN STOCKTON (5TH MOST DANGEROUS CITY)...UCLA IS IN WESTWOOD NEAR BEVERLY HILLS...YEA!!!

OH AND UOP COSTS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF UCLA DENTAL SCHOOL...IS FINISHING DENTAL SCHOOL ONE YEAR EALIER WORTH A 100K DIFFERENCE...I WOULD SAY HELL NO!

you JUST finished high school... come back and talk to us once you've gone thru undergrad and are actually applying to dental school... maybe u'll grow up by then and you'll have some sense in your head and will show more respect for ppl and undergrad schools' programs after you've actually gone thru them... and you really do need to do better research... research thru MULTIPLE sources and then quote them so that you don't look so ignorant about your facts... your facts are biased and one sided and to see a person base their opinions off one source is truly a shame... shows how ignorant ppl really are... UOP may cost double the amount of UCLA but you kno wat? maybe ppl would really want to sacrifice that extra money to graduate one year early and to be done with school sooner... maybe to some it's worth it... and you kno wat's funny u bash UoP's undergrad program... but why be pissed taht ur parents wouldn't let you apply to it? why bash a program and be pissed you weren't allowed to apply to it? isn't that a bit hypocritical?

I think this might be more of a thread for the high school forum, but any of the UC's would likely be a very good choice for a prospective pre-dental student.

From my experience in talking with dental school reps and adcoms, the school you go to doesn't necessarily have a large impact on their decision, as long as say, you don't have a 4.0 and a 16AA.

So other factors to take into account then would be teaching quality, class sizes, etc (factors that will effect not only your GPA but your DAT as well), as well as other opportunities that would give you better chances for admissions such as research.

One major issue with many of the UC's is that they focus on research, and having graduated from UC Irvine yesterday in the school of Biology, I can tell you first hand that researchers can all too often be so-so teachers. Because of this, you may have to put in more work for better understanding of material. Not to say that they're aren't any good teachers though, because there definetly are.

Another thing to consider is Research, which I bleieve is a factor that greatly aided my admissions, and it's one of those things that can really set you apart from others. One of the great things about UCI is that research oppurtinities are so avalable, and just about anyone can get a research student position if they want one. About half of the bio majors I've talked to have done research, and the other half either aren't interested in it, or haven't tried.

So, think about UCI as well, but any UC would probably be a great school. Also, in my entering class at Pitt, there's a student from just about every UC.

Hi fellow anteater. haha. just wanted to say that. n yea... well for UCI it was really easy for me to sign up for research... the bio sci office has a list online of professors conducting research at uci n uci med center and you just basically email them to ask to join thier research group. or if ur lucky... u kno someone doing research already n u can get a hook up.

 

[CoolWhipp]

You will never find a professor at Berkeley or at any UC show concern for you like the profs at UoP.

Really now?

 

[americanpierg]

the "don't put your eggs in one basket" arguement doesn't hold very well. I'd say a biology or physiology degree is as useful as not having a degree at all. The only difference is that it costs ~$80,000ish more to get a biology degree than to just not get a college degree.

 

[americanpierg]

Really now?

Listen to him, he knows what he's talking about. He's been to all the california schools and met every single one of the professors, so he has the credentials to make such arguements.

 

[12345a]

Listen to him, he knows what he's talking about. He's been to all the california schools and met every single one of the professors, so he has the credentials to make such arguements.

really??

that's sooo cool!!!

 

[Snake Doctor]

At UCLA, you have to compete for the prof's attention with the annoying pre-meds, esp. with over enrollment. Plus it gets pretty competitive. Avg. south campus/science gpa is 2.9 (and there's quite a number of smart people... check the admittiance stats if you don't believe me).
If I had to do it over, I would go to a smaller school. If you have the funds and the stats, go to a liberal arts college like Claremont McKenna or Pomona. Their track record is impressive. Don't worry about research. You can apply for legit summer research programs, esp. since you'll be getting great LORs from your profs there. For pre-health, you want to go where you have the best chance of getting a high gpa and access to the best resources. The great thing about UCLA and Cal is that you have world class research going on all the time (tenure & promotion is based on research productivity after all, not evals). What you would need is to find the right lab and right PI so that you get *meanningful* research experience. The Honors program at SDSU seems pretty good.
There's no easy answer to this question. The best advice I can give is to go to where you feel is the best fit for you.

 

[mms0039]

I don't like to say that which school is good or bad but I think if you are choosing for a good undergrad, cal state is the best buddy (to save money). Long Beach provides a very nice bio program for me and I like it a lot. It is not easy to get into Long Beach...I think it is harder to get into LB than UCR and some other UCs. I graduated from Long Beach. Most of the profs are really nice except for some exception. Most of them are really good at explaining what you need to know and they understand you too. I am assuming UC will not be able to provide that cuz it is bigger campus. Again, it is just my personal advice. For dental school... I think you need to try to get into one of the schools in US before we can talk about which school is good and bad. There is no such thing as back up school or bad dental school. I fell in love with what Western has to offer after I talked to some students and their staffs. I can assure you that any dental school will give you very decent education. It is the matter of how you want to use it.

 

[12345a]

It is not easy to get into Long Beach...I think it is harder to get into LB than UCR and some other UCs. I graduated from Long Beach.

It's great that you enjoyed your time there and I agree that the big school feel makes the UC's more challenging but CSULB is not harder to get into than UCR.