NOVA vs. Louisville?

[anabanana33]

Hey everyone! I decided to post here instead of the pre-dental category because I'm looking for the least biased opinions/information about these two schools. I'll be starting this summer and I was wondering if any of you current dental students could give me any insight in order to pick between these two schools.

I've been hearing so many mixed opinions, and I keep going back and forth! Louisville was recently renovated and I was very impressed with their facilities and the friendliness of the staff, but I think living in Ft-Lauderdale would be awesome. I'm from Michigan so warm weather sounds really nice.

The things I disliked about both schools:
Nova - seemed more like a commuter school. I'm used to the "campus" environment and everything being in walking distance, so that will definitely be different.
Louisville - Their board passing rate was only 91% which seemed a little low...no other school I interviewed at had such a low rate, any idea why this is?

Thanks so much!

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[nomad12]

Well the 2 are almost equal in cost (less than 20k) so cost shouldn't be an issue, with FL being slightly more expensive in terms of living costs. You'll get a longer summer if you go to NOVA, as Louisville starts relatively soon. I heard the NOVA clinic problems have been resolved fully. KY might be less hospitable of a place, but then again I wouldn't factor that in so much. After all it's not Detroit and it's not dangerous. Louisville might offer more clinical experience and has better facilities and more of a campus feel. However, I wouldn't pick a school based on "campus feel". You aren't going to have too much time in school, as you may have had in undergrad. Maybe look and see which offers more break time.

 

[punchdrunk7]

I can only speak for Louisville but 91% seems a bit low. I only know of 3 in my class who didn't pass Part 1 the first time around so a 97.5% pass rate for our year, and they all passed the second time the took it. If you study hard you will pass, those were some rare exceptions.
As for you decision, weigh out cost of living which I am assuming is higher in FL (just a guess), but the nice weather would be amazing!!
Think about direct flights home for breaks and the cost difference between Louisville and Ft. Lauderdale
Then whichever school you will take out least amount of loans is very important. If they are similar amounts go with where you think you will be happy. Louisville has been great to me, and I am sure NOVA is a great school as well.

Good Luck

 

[Screwtape]

I vote Louisville.

 

[anabanana33]

I can only speak for Louisville but 91% seems a bit low. I only know of 3 in my class who didn't pass Part 1 the first time around so a 97.5% pass rate for our year, and they all passed the second time the took it. If you study hard you will pass, those were some rare exceptions.
As for you decision, weigh out cost of living which I am assuming is higher in FL (just a guess), but the nice weather would be amazing!!
Think about direct flights home for breaks and the cost difference between Louisville and Ft. Lauderdale
Then whichever school you will take out least amount of loans is very important. If they are similar amounts go with where you think you will be happy. Louisville has been great to me, and I am sure NOVA is a great school as well.

Good Luck

hey! thank you for your response Yes I think you're right about the 97% for Part I, the 91% pass rate was what they told us it was for Part II (sorry for not specifying!). I'm definitely not concerned about personally passing the boards, I'm just wondering if maybe there is a difference in the level of preparation given by each school?

How do you like living in Louisville? Is there anything specific you really like or dislike about the program?

If anyone else has any other information about the reputations of these schools in the "dental world", or which school would facilitate specializing more? I am interested in doing research and possibly specializing, so the MS in Oral Biology program at Louisville sounded appealing, but Nova also has research opportunities...

thanks again for the advice and different perspectives!

 

[anabanana33]

bump?!

Any more students that are currently attending either one of these schools have any information that they may not have shared with us on interview day? I'd love to hear more about the behind the scenes at each school ...social life, living in the respective city, etc?

 

[periopocket]

IM KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT GOING WITH THE WARM WEATHER! If the cost difference isnt much, I would go with the warmer weather!

 

[anabanana33]

Hey all. So up until this point I was actually wait listed at Louisville...and now today I received an offer!
I have a few days to accept or decline the offer and I'm just as torn as before.

Does anyone know anything about the number of students that specialize from each school/which one provides better opportunities?

Or if anyone has had a really bad or really great experience at either school?

 

[IdahoDoc]

I've enjoyed my time at Louisville, from what one of our professors who taught at NOVA said, he made it sounds like the clinic was super crazy and clinic space was hard to come by for this reason he left. As far as the board pass rate even for part 2 that sounds low. I'm just finishing up my fourth year and I only know of 2 in my class of 120 that hard trouble with part 2 the first go around. As far a specializing we had a very good year, all of our ortho applicants matched (4/4) and all but 2 of our surgery applicants matched (6/8). We also had 2 or 3 get into perio and 1 into prosth with several into GPR or AEGD if you really count that as specializing. Can't speak to NOVA really, but if I was asked to do it all again I wouldn't go through school but if I had to choose a school it would be Louisville.

 

[sgv]

Louisville - Their board passing rate was only 91% which seemed a little low...no other school I interviewed at had such a low rate, any idea why this is?

Thanks so much!

I can assure you for the vast majority of the time, someone failing the boards has nothing to do with the school and a 100% to do with the student.

I have a few days to accept or decline the offer and I'm just as torn as before.

Does anyone know anything about the number of students that specialize from each school/which one provides better opportunities?

If it's not an Ivy, P/F, or California school, it's probably a clinical school with the goal of making GPs, not specialists.

I'd go to Louisville. Cheaper. State school. Older and more established than NOVA. I wouldn't go about this like if you were choosing a college based on atmosphere, campus cuisine, and other BS. Look at money, clinical experience, and for the school bending you over the least.

 

[thirstyscholar]

Louisville and not a close comparison.