Uwo Vs U Of T

[pepper22]

Is there anyone who accepted U of T in previous years that now wishes they chose UWO? 

 

It depends on what you are looking for in a school. I am WL for both U of T and western, and if I get in to both, I will choose western. I have friends both at U of T and UWO, those at U of T do more traditional type of work since there are all sorts of residencies at U of T and more up to date techniques are thought in residency (eg doing root canals with microscope). However, since western does not have that many residencies, DDS students learn more advanced techniques in their program. In general, putting few factors together and seeing my friends both at U of T and UWO makes me to lean more toward UWO. However, it is really my opinion and a decision that I made, Hopefully that waitlist move fast!

 

In general from what I've seen through the forums and from friends, the trend is usually that people chose U of T over UWO if they are accepted to both. By no means is that the decision everyone makes, and by no means do I think that is the right decision for every individual. But I think Dentistry2020 is looking for a response from someone currently in dental school who can give a first hand account of their experiences so they can more accurately make their decision.

[uoft2020]

Western is known for its student life (lots of parties ), so that might help you with your decision

[MolarBond]

Western is known for its student life (lots of parties ), so that might help you with your decision

This is an exaggeration, tbh. Been here 4 years, and you have to go out of your way to make it to parties.

Also, that "party school" aspect is applicable mostly to undergrads (and med students, surprisingly haha... they seem to have it quite easy in their first year). 

[uoftdentalstudent]

U of T, although it has a reputation for being academically rigorous, is also a very social school. There are parties hosted by the frat house, and your classmates will often hold events such as barbeques, nights out after a hard exam etc. By no means will you miss out on an awesome social experience by choosing U of T over Western. Plus, there is way more stuff to do in Toronto, so even if partying is not your scene, you could probably find something that better suits your interests and hobbies, like board game nights, going to the art gallery or museum. Also, you have to know yourself personally. If you are a social butterfly by nature, you will have no trouble finding stuff to do at either school. If you are more of a shut in, then it won't matter which school you go to. 

[lacoocoo]

I just finished at UofT. I've got a friend of a friend that goes to Western and they seem to have a similar experience. I also know people at McGill and UBC. Again, all seem similar to me. A few points to think about...

-I personally don't think one school is more advanced than the other. If people tell you certain facts about one school or another it's either not true or very insignificant. I'm not trying to be malicious by this but I'm going to use an example from above. Someone said that Western uses more advanced techniques. They used microscopic endo as an example. You actually can do microscopic endo at UofT. This example is also insignificant because you have such a limited experience doing endo at both schools - if you don't play piano you're going to sounds bad regardless if you're playing a $10 piano versus a $100 000 piano. Again sorry to use the above poster as an example hah, just trying to make a point.

 

-It doesn't matter if you like doing dissections versus prosects or vice versa, at the end of the day you'll remember a handful of landmarks in the oral cavity that is pertinent to your profession. The difference is only significant in terms of being a good subject to argue on premed101. I've never thought "man I'm glad I went to UofT because we did dissections" hah.

 

-Try to get feedback from people finishing up third year/ graduating/ recently graduated. 

 

-I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me...I'll be eating lunch and I'll hear a fellow student complain about how annoyed they are with school. Then I'll hear someone outside of school ask that student how they are liking school and they'll tell them it's great and they love it. My point is that people are rarely willing to admit that they are struggling/not enjoying certain aspects of their program. 

 

-I don't know what the social scene is like at UWO dental but at UofT it is AWESOME!!! The O-week has events all across the city of Toronto - you eat at a handful of restaurants, go to a few pubs/clubs, entertainment venues, field trips (can't give too much away!). There's a frat house that has parties/BBQs, ski trips, variety shows, Jays games, social events, fashion shows...it doesn't end. Toronto is so diverse and you'll no doubt find pubs/bars/clubs and activities that you'll like - even if you hate top 40!

 

-In my opinion Western and UofT will give a very similar academic/clinical experience. Both clinical experiences are so limited that any difference is negligible. Both schools are intense programs and the academic differences will not affect your overall experience. I think at some point students from both schools get frustrated, if you don't believe me youtube video sketches. Both schools seem to be frustrated with certain faculty members and lack of clinical experience (ex. number of crowns...). 

 

Here are factors that I would base my decision on

-Location: University town (UWO) or Metropolis (UofT). MOST IMPORTANT!

WAY LESS IMPORTANT...

-Class size: Smaller (UWO). Larger (UofT). Smaller is better because you'll probably have better one-on-one. Larger can be better because you'll have a better chance finding a group of people with similar interests.

-Do you want to specialized? This is BARELY important but if you apply to the states they will recognize UofT grads but probably won't recognize UWO grads. 

-Cost of Living: Expensive in Toronto. Cheaper in London.

 

Everyone is going to have a different opinion. I'm posting to try and help you make a HUGE decision. Talk to as many people as you can because everyone is different.

 

Hope this helps!
 

[Dentistry2020]

I just finished at UofT. I've got a friend of a friend that goes to Western and they seem to have a similar experience. I also know people at McGill and UBC. Again, all seem similar to me. A few points to think about...

 

-I personally don't think one school is more advanced than the other. If people tell you certain facts about one school or another it's either not true or very insignificant. I'm not trying to be malicious by this but I'm going to use an example from above. Someone said that Western uses more advanced techniques. They used microscopic endo as an example. You actually can do microscopic endo at UofT. This example is also insignificant because you have such a limited experience doing endo at both schools - if you don't play piano you're going to sounds bad regardless if you're playing a $10 piano versus a $100 000 piano. Again sorry to use the above poster as an example hah, just trying to make a point.

 

-It doesn't matter if you like doing dissections versus prosects or vice versa, at the end of the day you'll remember a handful of landmarks in the oral cavity that is pertinent to your profession. The difference is only significant in terms of being a good subject to argue on premed101. I've never thought "man I'm glad I went to UofT because we did dissections" hah.

 

-Try to get feedback from people finishing up third year/ graduating/ recently graduated. 

 

-I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me...I'll be eating lunch and I'll hear a fellow student complain about how annoyed they are with school. Then I'll hear someone outside of school ask that student how they are liking school and they'll tell them it's great and they love it. My point is that people are rarely willing to admit that they are struggling/not enjoying certain aspects of their program. 

 

-I don't know what the social scene is like at UWO dental but at UofT it is AWESOME!!! The O-week has events all across the city of Toronto - you eat at a handful of restaurants, go to a few pubs/clubs, entertainment venues, field trips (can't give too much away!). There's a frat house that has parties/BBQs, ski trips, variety shows, Jays games, social events, fashion shows...it doesn't end. Toronto is so diverse and you'll no doubt find pubs/bars/clubs and activities that you'll like - even if you hate top 40!

 

-In my opinion Western and UofT will give a very similar academic/clinical experience. Both clinical experiences are so limited that any difference is negligible. Both schools are intense programs and the academic differences will not affect your overall experience. I think at some point students from both schools get frustrated, if you don't believe me youtube video sketches. Both schools seem to be frustrated with certain faculty members and lack of clinical experience (ex. number of crowns...). 

 

Here are factors that I would base my decision on

-Location: University town (UWO) or Metropolis (UofT). MOST IMPORTANT!

 

WAY LESS IMPORTANT...

-Class size: Smaller (UWO). Larger (UofT). Smaller is better because you'll probably have better one-on-one. Larger can be better because you'll have a better chance finding a group of people with similar interests.

-Do you want to specialized? This is BARELY important but if you apply to the states they will recognize UofT grads but probably won't recognize UWO grads. 

-Cost of Living: Expensive in Toronto. Cheaper in London.

 

Everyone is going to have a different opinion. I'm posting to try and help you make a HUGE decision. Talk to as many people as you can because everyone is different.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

this was very helpful, thank you so much for taking the time to post this.

[shm]

Thank you to all users for their contributions in this thread! Now I would like to share my thoughts to hopefully help current/future students make this tough decision. Here are some aspects (in no particular order) that I considered:

1. Location. For me, it's important I can visit my family and friends or they come visit me. In which case, Toronto is more convenient for everyone. Also, there is so much more things to do at Toronto than London, but....it's pricey in Toronto and being a poor student I know I will not want to spend money. I considered finding deals but that takes time, which I won't have during the school year. Still, my family and friends are more important to me so...Toronto wins here.

2. Living arrangements/Costs. Living costs in Toronto is expensive! Although UofT's "estimated" tuition is cheaper than UWO, you can still end up paying less by going to UWO since rent there is much cheaper. Also, for the same or lower rent in London, you can find better living arrangements. Personally, this is important because better living arrangement = more happy = more sane (since school will turn us into zombies at times...). UWO wins in this aspect.
 

3. Transportation. Toronto's transportation is MUCH better than UWO. My friends at UWO told me bus services are unreliable and runs less frequently on the weekend (which would be when I need it the most!). Also, commuting home from London will be a pain! Toronto definitely wins here.

4. Atmosphere/Class size. During my interviews UWO definitely had a better atmosphere everyone was so happy! I can see how close the class was, but that's not to say UofT is not. The layout of UofT's interview didn't allow a lot of UofT students to interact together. From what my friends at UofT say, they are tight-knit as well! And I believe them . What I know from experience though, is that the smaller the class size the easier I was able to develop close relationships with my classmates, TAs, students, and professors. To me, this is key to a supportive, learning environment. UWO wins here.

 

5. Students' experience. I spoke with first years and/or recently graduated students from both schools. Majority only spoke positively about their experience; however, I felt more UWO students were open and real about their experience (ie they shared negative experiences/concerns). That makes me trust their opinions more than UofT students. There were some UofT graduates who shared their concerns and negative experience though! Thank you to all those I spoke with on this forum/interview day!! 

6. Gut feeling. I know this may sound foolish to some, but let me explain myself. Four years ago, I attended all the open houses for the universities that interested me and I attended many tours to absorb as much as possible. I found myself leaning to one in particular and I just graduated from that school. I can honestly say I really, really, really loved my time there. I developed life-long friendships and formed amazing memories. I want to experience that again (or perhaps even better? I hope that's not too  greedy...). Therefore, during my tours at UofT and UWO I tried to absorb as much as possible again. I tried to picture myself walking through the hallways, working in the labs, working in the clinic, eating in the caf...etc. The tour that I was able to picture myself in the best and felt I would be most happy was the UWO tour. UWO wins here.
 

7. Prestige. I won't lie, being able to say I graduated from UofT's dental school would make me feel awesome . All my aunts/uncle know UofT, but asked what is UWO.... Also, my parents really want me to go to UofT (I'm sure they would love to say their child graduated from there). Personally, this is a minor aspect. Nonetheless, UofT wins here.

 

8. Research (this wasn't something I cared about but I thought it might pertain to others). From speaking with students attending both schools, it appears to me that UofT offers more research opportunities. If that is something you're interested in, then UofT might be for you! As for me, I have no interest in research. So it's a draw here.

 

In the end I chose UWO. After a long debate, I realized the most important aspect in my decision was my gut feeling because that is the closest thing I can use to predict my happiness. I highly recommend for those that will attend UWO's interview to do your tour after your interview so that you are not anxious anymore, completely forget about you interview, and just focus on the tour.

 

Good luck with your decision! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me . Also, thanks again to everyone on this forum (especially if I PMed you!!).

[uoft2020]

Thank you to all users for their contributions in this thread! Now I would like to share my thoughts to hopefully help current/future students make this tough decision. Here are some aspects (in no particular order) that I considered:

 

1. Location. For me, it's important I can visit my family and friends or they come visit me. In which case, Toronto is more convenient for everyone. Also, there is so much more things to do and eat (this is really important haha xD) at Toronto than London, but....it's pricey in Toronto and being a poor student I know I will not want to spend money. I considered finding deals but that takes time, which I won't have during the school year. Still, my family and friends are more important to me so...Toronto wins here.

 

2. Living arrangements/Costs. Living costs in Toronto is expensive! Although UofT's "estimated" tuition is cheaper than UWO, you can still end up paying less by going to UWO since rent there is much cheaper. Also, for the same or lower rent in London, you can find better living arrangements. Personally, this is important because better living arrangement = more happy = more sane (since school will turn us into zombies at times...). UWO wins in this aspect.

 

3. Transportation. Toronto's transportation is MUCH better than UWO. My friends at UWO told me bus services are unreliable and runs less frequently on the weekend (which would be when I need it the most!). Also, commuting home from London will be a pain! Toronto definitely wins here.

4. Atmosphere/Class size. During my interviews UWO definitely had a better atmosphere everyone was so happy! I can see how close the class was, but that's not to say UofT is not. The layout of UofT's interview didn't allow a lot of UofT students to interact together. From what my friends at UofT say, they are tight-knit as well! And I believe them . What I know from experience though, is that the smaller the class size the easier I was able to develop close relationships with my classmates, TAs, students, and professors. To me, this is key to a supportive, learning environment. UWO wins here.

 

5. Students' experience. I spoke with first years and/or recently graduated students from both schools. Majority only spoke positively about their experience; however, I felt more UWO students were open and real about their experience (ie they shared negative experiences/concerns). That makes me trust their opinions more than UofT students. There were some UofT graduates who shared their concerns and negative experience though! Thank you to all those I spoke with on this forum/interview day!!

 

6. Gut feeling. I know this may sound foolish to some, but let me explain myself. Four years ago, I attended all the open houses for the universities that interested me and I attended many tours to absorb as much as possible. I found myself leaning to one in particular and I just graduated from that school. I can honestly say I really, really, really loved my time there. I developed life-long friendships and formed amazing memories. I want to experience that again (or perhaps even better? I hope that's not too greedy...). Therefore, during my tours at UofT and UWO I tried to absorb as much as possible again. I tried to picture myself walking through the hallways, working in the labs, working in the clinic, eating in the caf...etc. The tour that I was able to picture myself in the best and felt I would be most happy was the UWO tour. UWO wins here.

 

7. Prestige. I won't lie, being able to say I graduated from UofT's dental school would make me feel awesome . All my aunts/uncle know UofT, but asked what is UWO.... Also, my parents really want me to go to UofT (I'm sure they would love to say their child graduated from there). Personally, this is a minor aspect. Nonetheless, UofT wins here.

 

8. Research (this wasn't something I cared about but I thought it might pertain to others). From speaking with students attending both schools, it appears to me that UofT offers more research opportunities. If that is something you're interested in, then UofT might be for you! As for me, I have no interest in research. So it's a draw here.

 

In the end I chose UWO. After a long debate, I realized the most important aspect in my decision was my gut feeling because that is the closest thing I can use to predict my happiness. I highly recommend for those that will attend UWO's interview to do your tour after your interview so that you are not anxious anymore, completely forget about you interview, and just focus on the tour.

 

Good luck with your decision! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me . Also, thanks again to everyone on this forum (especially if I PMed you!!).

Blesssss! Good luck

[shm]

Blesssss! Good luck

Thank you! You too!