Incoming D1. Should I live at home?

[muffin daisy]

I am so torn with deciding if I should try living at home with family. I live 20-25 min from the school & at home my parents are super supportive and there would be no cost for rent or food. I am going to my state's public school. I know the smartest financial decision would be to stay @ home. But it seems so much more convenient to live within walking distance & with other students. Also, being able to go home for breaks during the day seems nice because I know if I lived at home I would not be able to do that and have very long days because I would not be going back and forth during the day. Also, would be nice to have my own space. Rent around the school with roommates is about 650-800 per month. Can any current dental student give input with being near the school & ahhh idk what to do. any advice?

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[Anonamoose]

I bike <10 min to school and love it, but I also did not have the option of staying with a family member. I have friends who are a similar distance you describe and some a little farther out. It definitely changes your schedule, for example you are less likely to go to school on weekends for some quick lab work, and more likely to try to batch your work, when you are at school because of the commute time. But do not overlook the advantage of having a support system right there. Having someone who could make you dinner when you're super busy, or just chat with to decompress is a wonderful thing. We are starting our second year and neither of my classmates who commute are moving into a place closer to school. But you can always change it up if you find that you don't like living with, or away from family. No decision is forever!

 

[Lemillion]

I definitely had more fun living by the school and being around classmates. Easy to go over and hang out/study especially on weeknights.
Some days when patients cancelled and we had nothing to do, I could head back for lunch and get some things done around the apartment. No headaches with traffic or commuting.

The classmates that lived at home still had fun but they would end up going home and try to beat traffic.

BUT you do save a lot of money living at home. You could also try living at home your first year, see how it goes and then decide if you want to rent an apartment by the dental school.

 

[OncePreDent]

So my brother was in the same exact situation as you. State school and could live at home (15-minute drive). He started in a frat paying $250 a month & ultimately decided to pay extra to live in the apartment building directly across from the dental school where a ton of dental students live. I think if you are able to live close to school with some roommates, it will be worth it for $700 a month.

You will appreciate not having to commute 50 minutes every day. It will probably cost you around $10k per year ($40k total), but I think it would be worth it for you.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Most of my classmates in your situation lived next to the dental school for the first two years, then moved to family for the last two years when a 20 minute commute was less of an issue.

 

[OncePreDent]

Most of my classmates in your situation lived next to the dental school for the first two years, then moved to family for the last two years when a 20 minute commute was less of an issue.

That's a great idea, save some money the 3rd & 4th year.

 

[charlestweed]

Live with at home, especially when you have very supportive parents. You’ll save a lot of time for not having to do grocery shopping, cook, wash dishes, clean the bathroom/kitchen, do laundry etc. The time it takes to commute every day is way less what you have to spend doing all these house chores. When you live with your parents, you come home with a hot healthy meal waiting for you every day. You have your own room with AC…. and don’t have to deal with a roommate, who might be too cheap to let you use the AC. You can freely get up in the middle of the night to eat a delicious couple of noodle right at your own kitchen. With the money you save for not living away from home, you can eat out with your friends as often as you like....or pay for your patients' treatments so you can graduate ontime.

I lived at home with my parents during my undergrad years and I lived 50 miles away from home during my dental school years. I would have lived with my parents if my dental school was within 20 miles. I am lazy. I hate cooking.

 

[Blueshirts]

I lived at home and am now in an ok enough financial situation to pursue post graduate training almost regardless of cost. It would have been nicer to not have to drive 30 min each way, but i had done that prior to D-school and was used to it. I made really good friends with a group of dudes who happened to rent a house nearby and I chill out with them during lunch.

 

[NITRAS]

I lived with my parents for the first year and change of medical school.

Way better money, more comfortable.

 

[Thehighwind87]

I am so torn with deciding if I should try living at home with family. I live 20-25 min from the school & at home my parents are super supportive and there would be no cost for rent or food. I am going to my state's public school. I know the smartest financial decision would be to stay @ home. But it seems so much more convenient to live within walking distance & with other students. Also, being able to go home for breaks during the day seems nice because I know if I lived at home I would not be able to do that and have very long days because I would not be going back and forth during the day. Also, would be nice to have my own space. Rent around the school with roommates is about 650-800 per month. Can any current dental student give input with being near the school & ahhh idk what to do. any advice?

100% live at home.

The amount of money you save on rent, food, utilities will be enormous. Plus home cooked meals is great.

 

[TheMonkeyKing]

1000% live at home

I lived w/ my parents ~30 minutes away from my undergrad, and I wish I could do the same now that I’m in dental school. Your cost of living will essentially be nonexistent and you have mommas cooking. I consider that an absolute win. If you are concerned about family being too loud you can stay late and study at school.

 

[AONLINE]

I lived close to campus for the first 2.5 years of dental school. I always had 3 roommates and I paid around $700/month. In 2020 I was a D3 when COVID hit and I moved home to live with my parents. I drove 30 minutes (20 miles) each way every day to school for my entire D4 year. It was ok because I just had clinic so I got out of school by 4:30pm every day. Nothing beats home-cooked food by mom.

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

Live at home.

I commuted 1.5 hours each way to and from dental school every day for four years. It is doable, especially if you have a supportive family who will cook for you, do your laundry, food shopping, etc.

You’ll be tempted by your classmates and friends to move closer to school. You’ll consider it many times during school, but remember, NOBODY has your financial best interest in mind other than yourself. You are the only one looking out for what is best for you financially.

Because I lived at home during dental school I was able to limit my debt. I’ll have my loans paid off by the end of my first full year working after graduation. I’m not far off from being able to have my entire income at my disposal. No debt or obligations. I can spend it/invest it how I want. That sets me up VERY well for the rest of my life. I Don’t regret it one bit.

I stole this and altered it a little bit from Dave Ramsey. Live like nobody is WILLING to today so that you can live like nobody is ABLE to tomorrow.

Don’t be stupid. Live at home.

 

[charlestweed]

Live at home.

I commuted 1.5 hours each way to and from dental school every day for four years. It is doable, especially if you have a supportive family who will cook for you, do your laundry, food shopping, etc.

You’ll be tempted by your classmates and friends to move closer to school. You’ll consider it many times during school, but remember, NOBODY has your financial best interest in mind other than yourself. You are the only one looking out for what is best for you financially.

Because I lived at home during dental school I was able to limit my debt. I’ll have my loans paid off by the end of my first full year working after graduation. I’m not far off from being able to have my entire income at my disposal. No debt or obligations. I can spend it/invest it how I want. That sets me up VERY well for the rest of my life. I Don’t regret it one bit.

I stole this and altered it a little bit from Dave Ramsey. Live like nobody is WILLING to today so that you can live like nobody is ABLE to tomorrow.

Don’t be stupid. Live at home.

Great post! I am pretty sure that living at home the entire 4 years of dental school was not the only thing that enabled you to pay off debt 1 year after graduation. I believe it’s the “saving” mindset…..the “living on less than you make” mentality, that has been instilled in you, that helped you conquer debt in a very short amount of time.

There are many recent grads who decide to stretch out the loan repayments to 20 years (and pray that the government will forgive their loans)….who choose to work less (because there’s no incentive to work hard when the required monthly loan repayment amount is so little….way below the interest amount)…..and accept the fact that they will have to deal with more debt (aka the tax bomb) when they are in their mid 40s- early 50s. At this older age, one should think about working less and start enjoying the semi-retire lifestyle, instead of having to work harder in order to deal with more debt. Sadly, that’s how our government is dealing with the national debt….kicking the can….and let the future politicians worry about the debt ceiling.

 

[Thehighwind87]

Live at home.

I commuted 1.5 hours each way to and from dental school every day for four years. It is doable, especially if you have a supportive family who will cook for you, do your laundry, food shopping, etc.

You’ll be tempted by your classmates and friends to move closer to school. You’ll consider it many times during school, but remember, NOBODY has your financial best interest in mind other than yourself. You are the only one looking out for what is best for you financially.

Because I lived at home during dental school I was able to limit my debt. I’ll have my loans paid off by the end of my first full year working after graduation. I’m not far off from being able to have my entire income at my disposal. No debt or obligations. I can spend it/invest it how I want. That sets me up VERY well for the rest of my life. I Don’t regret it one bit.

I stole this and altered it a little bit from Dave Ramsey. Live like nobody is WILLING to today so that you can live like nobody is ABLE to tomorrow.

Don’t be stupid. Live at home.

1 year paying off all the loans? With 300-500k debt- you are making an incredibly high salary like 500k+-1million dollars or you have 100k debt with 200-300k income.

Regardless it sounds like you made the best choices with finances.

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

More like 1.5 years. I started working in July of 2022 and should have it paid off by the end of 2023.

Between $200-250k of total debt.

 

[OncePreDent]

More like 1.5 years. I started working in July of 2022 and should have it paid off by the end of 2023.

Between $200-250k of total debt.

That's extremely impressive, are you working as a GD or did you specialize? Did you start your own clinic or working for someone?

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

That's extremely impressive, are you working as a GD or did you specialize? Did you start your own clinic or working for someone?

GD. I presently work as an associate in the suburbs within a 30 minute radius of a major metro.

 

[OncePreDent]

GD. I presently work as an associate in the suburbs within a 30 minute radius of a major metro.

What do you typically produce a day? Also, what is a typical GD production per day? Asking for anyone

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

What do you typically produce a day? Also, what is a typical GD production per day? Asking for anyone

For most associateships production doesn’t matter. It’s adjusted production or collections that usually matters. I have two jobs, one pays on adjusted production and one on collections.

There can be great variation in what a GD collects. I’m not going to go into specifics because some of my friends know me on here and I don’t need them knowing what I am making. But all I’ll say is if you’re hard working and in a practice with a healthy supply of patients, the published numbers for what a general dentist makes that you see on the internet are very low.

 

[OncePreDent]

For most associateships production doesn’t matter. It’s adjusted production or collections that usually matters. I have two jobs, one pays on adjusted production and one on collections.

There can be great variation in what a GD collects. I’m not going to go into specifics because some of my friends know me on here and I don’t need them knowing what I am making. But all I’ll say is if you’re hard working and in a practice with a healthy supply of patients, the published numbers for what a general dentist makes that you see on the internet are very low.

That's great to hear; I'm sure you are busy working 2 jobs. Congrats on getting your loans almost paid off! I appreciate the info

 

[Teeth and Titanite]

Lot of people here who stayed at home and recommend it, I have done the same for the past 2 years of dental school (D1 and 2) and mostly agree. So I just want to provide a different perspective in terms of the drawbacks of staying at home.

I would've had to pay 1300-1500 a month to live near the school and my school is private, that's why the savings seemed to make sense to me. If it was 600-800 a month like you I probably would have gotten an apartment tbh, but that is a decision based on personal budget/willingness for debt. I think if you are at a state school, the savings don't make as much sense.

My commute is supposed to be 25-30 min, but there is traffic due to construction about 6-7 months of the year that makes it usually 35-50 minutes at peak times unfortunately. One of the those peak times is 7:30 am, which is usually when I leave for school in the mornings. The other peak is a 4pm, which is usually when afternoon sim lab ends...

20-25 minutes might not seem like much, but when you are sleep deprived from exams and coming back from a full day at school, that second drive can be brutal. It can be dangerous some days (sleepiness and driving don't mix). I am so jealous of classmates who nap in the afternoon and then come back to practice in sim lab in the evening. If I have morning sim lab or a morning exam and want to practice in the evening, I'm on campus from 8 to 8.

Lastly, family can be distracting. I don't mean in the sense that they suggest fun things to do with you and distract you from work, altho that's possible depending on your family. Just that family easily forgets the kind of environment you need the house to be at times. I've had my dad walk into my room during an online exam for example LOL. Try to gauge if your family will make things legitimately easier on you or not. Ultimately not having to do chores has been a nice advantage so I've stuck with it.

Grass is always greener, from my perspective living close to school seems incredible and having my own place would be great. However, I've heard some classmates say that close proximity to the school is nice, but living on your own in dental school can be lonely and isolating.