NYU vs Rutgers, Which to Pick

[LGM]

I am an Army veteran trying to transit into dental school. Currently, I got an acceptance from both Rutgers and NYU. To break down my situation and integrate into each institution:

Rutgers
- Tuition+fee will be covered for 36 months (Post 9/11 GI Bill)
- Additional $2.5k/mo for housing allowances for the 36 months (thinking about buying a house that area too, if I'm going to RSDM)
- Will end up paying ~$70k out of pocket (remember the D-school's truly only 45ish months).
- or the Army HPSP which I'm done with submitting my packet; got a personalized LoR from the Medical BDE CDR, which means a lot for the Army
- Small class size
- Not as good neighborhood as NYU's but cheaper cost of living

NYU
- Cannot afford without the HPSP; GI Bill will cover only ~$70k*4yrs for the sum of tuition and housing allowance; which will result in appx $200k in debt by the end of 4th yr (this includes a studio rent in the region)
- Huge class size; I see both pros and cons from this; when you think about the economy of size, I've seen much more flexibility of cooperation with other departments and medical facilities, and the "Army of scientists" with NYU, maybe biased perspective tho (never seen the Rutgers' side)
- Better neighborhood; I'm a Queens boy, absolutely loved the neighborhood of the Midtown or possibly living in LIC; but the cost of living is speechless...


HPSP
- Very strong candidate: Army veteran, very personalized LoR from MED BDE CDR, great NCOER record (pretty much an HR record for the civilian side), good PT score (believe or not, Army cares a lot about this; still not too sure how does it affect on the civilian recruits tho)...
- Will pay the full tuition+fees+supplies+books for ANY institution
- Will get paid for $2200*9.5 mo + $3800*1.5 mo, minus tax (I know it's a lil more than most of you might have thought, look at the O-1E column from the DFAS paychart)
- Will owe the Army for another 4 years as a CPT

Curriculum and Life at Each School?
- These are the pieces of advice that I really need
- How's being a student at each school (both pros and cons)
- How does the class size affect your daily and professional lives in the future
- I'm planning to move to the Upstate NY later, is there any advantage for choosing 1 over the other?
- How does it look like to move onto the specialization from each institution
- I believe the "patient supply and management" would look similar for both?

Thanks for reading. Graduates and current students, please share your thoughts. Future students, please join this thread!

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[caffeine jitters]

Congratulations on the acceptances! Both are great schools and the likelihood of HPSP will go a long way in your case. That being said, I would still choose Rutgers because your stipend will go much much further during your time in dental school - who knows, maybe you will even have a bit left each month to put in the bank! Also, I like the fact that Rutgers is a smaller class size. As you mentioned, I can see benefits and drawbacks of a huge class size like NYU's, but I can't really think of any drawbacks to a class size of ~90. Both schools will prepare you very well clinically because the patient base in both Downtown Manhatten and Newark are huge. I think this one comes down to the vibe you got from the 2 schools on interview day, as well as where you think you will be happiest. Also, you are undoubtedly a strong HPSP candidate, but nothing is set in stone yet so I might factor that fact into this decision if I were the one making it.

 

[LGM]

Congratulations on the acceptances! Both are great schools and the likelihood of HPSP will go a long way in your case. That being said, I would still choose Rutgers because your stipend will go much much further during your time in dental school - who knows, maybe you will even have a bit left each month to put in the bank! Also, I like the fact that Rutgers is a smaller class size. As you mentioned, I can see benefits and drawbacks of a huge class size like NYU's, but I can't really think of any drawbacks to a class size of ~90. Both schools will prepare you very well clinically because the patient base in both Downtown Manhatten and Newark are huge. I think this one comes down to the vibe you got from the 2 schools on interview day, as well as where you think you will be happiest. Also, you are undoubtedly a strong HPSP candidate, but nothing is set in stone yet so I might factor that fact into this decision if I were the one making it.

Thanks for your input! I did the NYU interview unorthodoxical way (I bet NONE of you have done my way...) so I cannot compare 1 on 1 for each other and have a partially biased (good way) view for NYU. And for your last sentence, I should know better now. Until it really happens, you can't assume anything in the Army, haha. And the matter of fact, I can hip pocket descent amount of cash money if I choose to go to Rutgers, either choose GI Bill or HPSP. the $2500 housing allowance from GI Bill is tax-free money!

 

[schmoob]

I hope you get HPSP! I know you're loyal to the Army, but I encourage you to apply to all the services. The Navy's HSCP program is awesome for prior service folks.

If you do not get a service scholarship, look into Chapter 31 benefits. Way better than the GI Bill.

Good luck!!

 

[LGM]

I hope you get HPSP! I know you're loyal to the Army, but I encourage you to apply to all the services. The Navy's HSCP program is awesome for prior service folks.

If you do not get a service scholarship, look into Chapter 31 benefits. Way better than the GI Bill.

Good luck!!

Thank you for your wishes and inputs! I already talked to AF cuz I LEARNED that they have the best QOL throughout all the service branches, yet, they wouldn't even talk to me until I get out of the Army completely. Yes, I'm on my terminal leave, which means I'm still getting paid by the Army, even though I have only a couple more paychecks to receive. If I don't get the HPSP I might drill into HSCP cuz, like you mentioned, I have service time earned in the past, which will result in A LOT more pay compared to my peers plus the potential GI Bill benefit. Anyhow, the Chapter 31, VR&E benefit would be irrelevant to my situation. I don't think I have any disability to claim; even if I do, it will highly likely disqualify me from HPSP or HCSP programs.

 

[schmoob]

I say start the process for now for both Navy and AF. You may be on terminal, but it still takes a while (as you are familiar with). Plus, the longer you wait the more difficult it becomes because of quotas.

 

[LGM]

I say start the process for now for both Navy and AF. You may be on terminal, but it still takes a while (as you are familiar with). Plus, the longer you wait the more difficult it becomes because of quotas.

My service period is overlapping with the board dates... If I don't get the 4 yrs Army HPSP, I'll still be happy with 3 yrs' (actually even prefer the 3 yrs') or just stay as a civilian.

 

[Likkriue]

Going to dental school for 70k?, that's a steal.

I would do hpsp if you plan on being in the army as a dentist in the future. In that case either school is fine.
If private pratice I would just go to school for 4 years and come out relatively debt free compared to NYU.

Both are great programs so congrats!!!

 

[shima29]

Thanks for your input! I did the NYU interview unorthodoxical way (I bet NONE of you have done my way...) so I cannot compare 1 on 1 for each other and have a partially biased (good way) view for NYU. And for your last sentence, I should know better now. Until it really happens, you can't assume anything in the Army, haha. And the matter of fact, I can hip pocket descent amount of cash money if I choose to go to Rutgers, either choose GI Bill or HPSP. the $2500 housing allowance from GI Bill is tax-free money!

Care to tell us about the unorthodox interview? Curious now haha

 

[LFA20]

RU for sure

 

[PTSD]

Obviously Rutgers. Cheaper and I honestly can't think of a dental school with a worse reputation than nyu.

 

[WolfsBane]

Obviously Rutgers. Cheaper and I honestly can't think of a dental school with a worse reputation than nyu.

That is false. NYU is a great school and although in the past they had questionable classes they have righted the wrongs. Dont throw a school to the wayside without having proof to back it up. I have friends there who love it. It is wrong to bash a school when you don't have anything to back it up.

 

[PTSD]

How can my personal inability to think of a school with a worse reputation than nyu be false? How many rounds of offers does nyu go thru before they fill their class? No one wants to go there, the desperate roll the dice that their loans will be paid off prior to retirement. Due to class size, many students graduate having done an insufficient number of crowns, RCTs, ect and struggle in cases where they go straight into a mill job. I have directly witnessed the firing of multiple nyu grads at the chain where I worked. Also, their opinions may have changed since, but several of the pros faculty at the ds I attended openly commented that nyu should be shut down due to lack of clinical experience by graduation.

 

[coralteeth]

How can my personal inability to think of a school with a worse reputation than nyu be false? How many rounds of offers does nyu go thru before they fill their class? No one wants to go there, the desperate roll the dice that their loans will be paid off prior to retirement. Due to class size, many students graduate having done an insufficient number of crowns, RCTs, ect and struggle in cases where they go straight into a mill job. I have directly witnessed the firing of multiple nyu grads at the chain where I worked. Also, their opinions may have changed since, but several of the pros faculty at the ds I attended openly commented that nyu should be shut down due to lack of clinical experience by graduation.

Totally agreed! Of the four offices I have worked at in my five years since graduating, the NYU grads were the absolute worst. They don't know how to drill or fill a class 2, short endos, and **** looking crown preps. Worst diagnosing skills. I would never let an NYU grad work on my teeth. Only prophies. When you get out, just look through the radiographs of an NYU grad's patients. You'll see it for yourself one day.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

an option you may want to consider----HPSP at nyu and go career with the army. you'll come in making six figures

 

[LGM]

Dropped the deposit @ Rutgers. Decision made after I talked to several NYU students, reading you guys advices, budgeting concerns, and 10 yrs future planning.

Thank you all!