LECOM or NOVA dental school

[drgurl]

Hi everyone, can you all please give me any opinions, thoughts, or concerns regarding both LECOM and Nova dental school?? I cannot decide, so far I like both schools.

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[DentalDoge]

Didn't apply to LECOM but when I interviewed at Nova this past Sept I loved it.

But you really aren't giving us much to work with. What are you looking for? Price? Community? High board pass rates?

 

[Nixon106]

I agree with the person above me... If you're ok with being a general dentist then LECOM is good (as well as NOVA), but if you think you want to specialize then definitely NOVA. LECOM is having difficulty filling chairs for 3rd year students sometimes in the office, I doubt NOVA has that problem because they are established. LECOM is $10,000 cheaper/year. LECOM is PBL...NOVA is not....It really depends on what you're looking for. Did you interview at both?

 

[drgurl]

Thanks guys! I think i will not know for sure if I want to specialize until I start dental school, but I do want to be open to those options, I am wondering how difficult will it be to attend lecom and then apply elsewhere to specialize? I am not there yet so I don;t know the details of what needs to be done to specialize etc..

 

[DentalDoge]

I think your best option is to go with Nova. They produce great GP and has a possibility to specialize if you choose to.

But you really should look at specializing and see if you want to do it. Worse case is that you ended up wantting to specialize but your school isnt equipped to prepare you.

 

[drgurl]

I agree with the person above me... If you're ok with being a general dentist then LECOM is good (as well as NOVA), but if you think you want to specialize then definitely NOVA. LECOM is having difficulty filling chairs for 3rd year students sometimes in the office, I doubt NOVA has that problem because they are established. LECOM is $10,000 cheaper/year. LECOM is PBL...NOVA is not....It really depends on what you're looking for. Did you interview at both?

Yes i interviewed at both i liked lecom because of it's location and size and how new the equipment was. Nova was big and too crowded and the equipment was old but i know those arent big factors to base such a decision on that is why i was posting here for help. thanks guys!

 

[Nixon106]

Thanks guys! I think i will not know for sure if I want to specialize until I start dental school, but I do want to be open to those options, I am wondering how difficult will it be to attend lecom and then apply elsewhere to specialize? I am not there yet so I don;t know the details of what needs to be done to specialize etc..

I don't know how many people have the answer about difficulty of specializing at LECOM. When asked at my interview, students basically said "if you want to specialize, then LECOM isn't for you". Even my interviewers said LECOM is basically designed for producing general dentists. They grade on pass/fail so there isn't a ranking system, which would make it hard to specialize because I guess there is no actual GPA, if that makes sense. If you THINK you have a good feeling that you might want to specialize, Nova is going to be the better choice (most likely).

 

[junglecurry]

why don't u wait for an acceptance before you fancy the idea of choice? Lecom inteveiws 600 and takes only 100. For the majority of the people. Unless u graduate number one or number 2. U won't specialize.

 

[BabyShades]

why don't u wait for an acceptance before you fancy the idea of choice? Lecom inteveiws 600 and takes only 100. For the majority of the people. Unless u graduate number one or number 2. U won't specialize.

No need to be a jerk. She is going to San Antonio now.

 

[UOP123321]

nova is accelerate
lecom is not fully accelerate

 

[junglecurry]

Didn't mean to be a jerk. That's how cut throat getting in and specializing in. Good for her.

 

[bc1002]

why don't u wait for an acceptance before you fancy the idea of choice? Lecom inteveiws 600 and takes only 100. For the majority of the people. Unless u graduate number one or number 2. U won't specialize.

OP is accepted to LECOM on Dec 1st...

 

[drgurl]

Not worried about which one is better anymore. Texas schools are the best

 

[DentalDoge]

Also, it's not true that you have to be ranked 1st or 2nd in your class to specialize. Sure helps, but not absolutely necessary.

 

[junglecurry]

ok how about 3rd or 4th lol

 

[eunji86]

I was wondering this too. Actually LECOM does have gpa but its not available to you unless you request it for sending in your app for specialized programs. I still voted for Nova cause of the fact they do have those programs on-site so you can brown-nose around and get buddy buddy with some faculty and peeps there lol. Although it is like 15k more for that privilege

 

[gucci]

Actually Nova is PBL, also why is LECOM bad for specializing? P/F is actually beneficial

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

Actually Nova is PBL, also why is LECOM bad for specializing? P/F is actually beneficial

why the hell are you bringing all these old thread back up?

 

[gucci]

Ah good a LECOM student, maybe you can answer my question, why does everyone say LECOM is bad for specializing?

 

[felipe912839128]

why the hell are you bringing all these old thread back up?

lol someone sounds a bit agitated that he goes to a trash school that can't even get specialized applicants

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

Ah good a LECOM student, maybe you can answer my question, why does everyone say LECOM is bad for specializing?

they are geared towards producing GP's to serve underserved population, however, they don't prevent students from specializing. Last I heard, 3 students matched to oral surgery, couple more to endo, ped, etc.

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

lol someone sounds a bit agitated that he goes to a trash school that can't even get specialized applicants

very mature. ignorance is a bliss, I heard.

 

[gucci]

What do you mean more geared? Don't they just provide the curriculum and specializiation is solely up to the student?

 

[Hi Im Dent]

lol someone sounds a bit agitated that he goes to a trash school that can't even get specialized applicants

Unnecessary and unwarranted sir.

 

[1passbbsSHAVE]

What do you mean more geared? Don't they just provide the curriculum and specializiation is solely up to the student?

their mission is to serve underserved population, so their primary goal is to produce competent GP's.
But, that doesn't mean 100% of students will not specialize.