Tufts VS. BU

try the search, there was a recent thread comparing these two schools

here it is:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=255025

they are very similar schools in many respects. what are important criteria for u?

I also started a thread on this topic a long time ago, but it seems like you can't find it on SDN anymore. I went back and searched my subscriptions and fortunately found it:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=235054

Hope this helps!

What kind of exam schedule to the students have?
it sounded like from the previous thread that they are different[/QUOTE]

from what i undersand, tufts has all of the exams crammed in during a short period (i think a week), and i believe people have said BU does not do it like that. tufts/bu students can correct me if i am wrong.

KxM99 said:

from what i undersand, tufts has all of the exams crammed in during a short period (i think a week), and i believe people have said BU does not do it like that. tufts/bu students can correct me if i am wrong.

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You are right...Tufts has block scheduling and BU has a weekly exam schedule. Pick your poison.

Rezdawg said:

You are right...Tufts has block scheduling and BU has a weekly exam schedule. Pick your poison.

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I don't know BU, but I do know Tufts. Tufts does have block examinations. They are very challenging as you have to study for 5-7 exams and take them all during a weeks time. Some blocks may have fewer (i.e. 3), but it's tough no matter what. The good news is that between blocks you have weeks upon weeks to study and get caught up. Also, if you want to take a weekend to yourself, you can and it won't really impact your performance as long as you make up for it when you return. However, if BU's schedule is weekly or every other week exams, the good news is that it's probably only one exam each time. The bad news is that the studying is constant and free weekends will be much harder to come by if you want to do well. I went to Tufts and liked it a lot. I am now in medical school where the exams are every other week. I really don't know which system is better. Both have good and bad points. This is a tough point on which to make your decision, I would use other reasoning. I would personally prefer Tufts and did for many reasons (mostly because I think it's a better school), however, others may feel different.

OMFSdoc said:

I don't know BU, but I do know Tufts. Tufts does have block examinations. They are very challenging as you have to study for 5-7 exams and take them all during a weeks time. Some blocks may have fewer (i.e. 3), but it's tough no matter what. The good news is that between blocks you have weeks upon weeks to study and get caught up. Also, if you want to take a weekend to yourself, you can and it won't really impact your performance as long as you make up for it when you return. However, if BU's schedule is weekly or every other week exams, the good news is that it's probably only one exam each time. The bad news is that the studying is constant and free weekends will be much harder to come by if you want to do well. I went to Tufts and liked it a lot. I am now in medical school where the exams are every other week. I really don't know which system is better. Both have good and bad points. This is a tough point on which to make your decision, I would use other reasoning. I would personally prefer Tufts and did for many reasons (mostly because I think it's a better school), however, others may feel different.

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are you talking about tufts' dental school? or their med school?

DUBS said:

are you talking about tufts' dental school? or their med school?

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Thats their dental school.

DUBS said:

are you talking about tufts' dental school? or their med school?

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He's right.....their dental school, I'm at a different med school now.

Just to go a little bit more in depth about BU's exam schedule, we average 1 exam per week. For the most part that holds true, but a couple weeks, we dont have an exam and some weeks, we will have 2. But, 90% of the time, you should expect an exam per week. As OMFSdoc mentioned, you are constantly studying for an exam with this kind of scheduling. When one exam finishes, you take that night off, go out, have some fun, wake up the next day, and start getting yourself ready for the next exam.

Here is our written exam schedule for the semester (also have a couple lab exams in dental anatomy and operative dentistry):

Jan 12 - Dental Anatomy
Jan 26 - Gross Anatomy
Jan 30 - Microbiology/Immunology
Feb 2 - Physiology
Feb 6 - Biomaterials
Feb 23 - Operative Dentistry
Mar 3 - Pathology
Mar 8 - Microbiology
Mar 13 - Gross Anatomy
Mar 17 - Dental Anatomy
Mar 29 - Operative Dentistry
Apr 3 - Gross Anatomy
Apr 6 - Intro to Dental Practice
Apr 18 - Microbiology
Apr 21 - Dental Anatomy
Apr 26 - Pathology

16 weeks, 16 exams.

Rezdawg said:

Just to go a little bit more in depth about BU's exam schedule, we average 1 exam per week. For the most part that holds true, but a couple weeks, we dont have an exam and some weeks, we will have 2. But, 90% of the time, you should expect an exam per week. As OMFSdoc mentioned, you are constantly studying for an exam with this kind of scheduling. When one exam finishes, you take that night off, go out, have some fun, wake up the next day, and start getting yourself ready for the next exam.

Here is our written exam schedule for the semester (also have a couple lab exams in dental anatomy and operative dentistry):

Jan 12 - Dental Anatomy
Jan 26 - Gross Anatomy
Jan 30 - Microbiology/Immunology
Feb 2 - Physiology
Feb 6 - Biomaterials
Feb 23 - Operative Dentistry
Mar 3 - Pathology
Mar 8 - Microbiology
Mar 13 - Gross Anatomy
Mar 17 - Dental Anatomy
Mar 29 - Operative Dentistry
Apr 3 - Gross Anatomy
Apr 6 - Intro to Dental Practice
Apr 18 - Microbiology
Apr 21 - Dental Anatomy
Apr 26 - Pathology

16 weeks, 16 exams.

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!!!

coolslugs said:

!!!

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Yeah, thats basically what Im saying right now...Physio exam in about 6 hours. Thats going to make it 3 all nighters in the last week. And a final exam in biomaterials on Monday...awesome.

Rezdawg said:

Yeah, thats basically what Im saying right now...Physio exam in about 6 hours. Thats going to make it 3 all nighters in the last week. And a final exam in biomaterials on Monday...awesome.

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man, i have to make sure and have as much fun as possible b4 the start of dental school otherwise i'll be burned out in a week with that much work...geez

Rezdawg said:

Just to go a little bit more in depth about BU's exam schedule, we average 1 exam per week. For the most part that holds true, but a couple weeks, we dont have an exam and some weeks, we will have 2. But, 90% of the time, you should expect an exam per week. As OMFSdoc mentioned, you are constantly studying for an exam with this kind of scheduling. When one exam finishes, you take that night off, go out, have some fun, wake up the next day, and start getting yourself ready for the next exam.

Here is our written exam schedule for the semester (also have a couple lab exams in dental anatomy and operative dentistry):

Jan 12 - Dental Anatomy
Jan 26 - Gross Anatomy
Jan 30 - Microbiology/Immunology
Feb 2 - Physiology
Feb 6 - Biomaterials
Feb 23 - Operative Dentistry
Mar 3 - Pathology
Mar 8 - Microbiology
Mar 13 - Gross Anatomy
Mar 17 - Dental Anatomy
Mar 29 - Operative Dentistry
Apr 3 - Gross Anatomy
Apr 6 - Intro to Dental Practice
Apr 18 - Microbiology
Apr 21 - Dental Anatomy
Apr 26 - Pathology

16 weeks, 16 exams.

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4 down....12 more to go .... nice

tinman831 said:

To me, that schedule seems a lot better than having all of the exams squeezed into only a handful of days a semester.

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Weekly exams??? I like how at tufts we have our exams bunched together in a couple days, instead of having one every week. I get to enjoy life for a couple weeks and then start cramming for another set. Its a vicious cycle, but the exam block really helps keep your sanity.

i interviewed and was accepted to both schools. if i had to choose between the two, I LOVED tufts. but you gotta pick what you like the best. both are accredited schools and you'll become a dentist from whichever school you want to attend. both are reputable univerisities, just pick the one that you like the best. for me there was no question which of the two was better. there's no secret answer to your question, no one fact or figure that makes one or the other superior.

i didn't end up going to tufts, but I know i would have been happy if i did. i don't think i would have been as happy if i went to boston.

Especially if you are a procrastinator, the block scheduling is bad news. Joyride you are not going to have a couple of weeks to keep your sanity, because it is impossible to cram for all those exams in a short time and do well. The only way you do well at the block scheduling is if you are constantly studying and keeping yourself in check. The weekly exams keep students away from procrastinating and away from massive cramming. I think if you are a procrastinator, the weekly exams are definitely better.

yes_sir said:

Especially if you are a procrastinator, the block scheduling is bad news. Joyride you are not going to have a couple of weeks to keep your sanity, because it is impossible to cram for all those exams in a short time and do well. The only way you do well at the block scheduling is if you are constantly studying and keeping yourself in check. The weekly exams keep students away from procrastinating and away from massive cramming. I think if you are a procrastinator, the weekly exams are definitely better.

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obviously procrastinating isnt the way to go, but daily studying and free time on the weekend is what i enjoy better than rather having to worry about weekly exams. I enjoy relaxing for a couple weeks and getting back to serious work (not cramming) than being in a weekly high stress environment. I'll admit that one may not learn the material as well with blocks, but I think having weekly exams adds to the stress, especially in 2nd year.

_____________________
Tufts 08

yes_sir said:

I think if you are a procrastinator, the weekly exams are definitely better.

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I agree. I'd fail out of Tufts if I was there...after the exam block, I'd sleep and play for 2 weeks. Then, I'd cram for exams, learn nothing, and hope to get by with C's...I cant handle 5-7 exams in a week.

Not that I like weekly exams any better...Im always studying for something and I never feel like I have a break.

They both suck. A pass/fail system would make things much nicer.

Rezdawg said:

I agree. I'd fail out of Tufts if I was there...after the exam block, I'd sleep and play for 2 weeks. Then, I'd cram for exams, learn nothing, and hope to get by with C's...I cant handle 5-7 exams in a week.

Not that I like weekly exams any better...Im always studying for something and I never feel like I have a break.

They both suck. A pass/fail system would make things much nicer.

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i second that. i wish more dental schools would adopt this system as increasing amounts of med schools have been doing recently

Rezdawg said:

I agree. I'd fail out of Tufts if I was there...after the exam block, I'd sleep and play for 2 weeks. Then, I'd cram for exams, learn nothing, and hope to get by with C's...I cant handle 5-7 exams in a week.

Not that I like weekly exams any better...Im always studying for something and I never feel like I have a break.

They both suck. A pass/fail system would make things much nicer.

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A pass/fail system would be much nicer but at the same time, you would only be trying to get by with Cs. Getting A's in the 6 or 7 exam block is doable...its not like the exams are impossible. After 1st year where there are 4 exam blocks, having a block of 5 or 7 is just the next step. I think tufts just does it to condition us for studying for the boards. Tufts Medical has a pass/fail system and a lot of the students barely do any work until the week before the exam. I would rather have the block than pass/fail classes.

___________________
Tufts 08