Should I go to my CWRU interview in January?

Well, you could have an anticipation of where you want to attend based on how well you know the school, reputation, hearings from SDN, but your mind may change after interview. You might find that Case is really the school you want to attend after interview, or it may not. If BU is your top choice and Case doesn't appeal to you AT ALL, then I guess you can go to BU. But if both appeals to you, I would go to the interview because you are choosing school where you will spend the next four years of your life.

It's personal choice but I had more fun at my at my Bu interview but Case is supposed to be the better school.

Even if you put down a $4000 deposit at BU, go to your Case one. I'm not sure if you've heard about BU's reputation or not ...lol. Might help to do some SDN research about it. That'll make your decision 10x easier.

i would def go to the case interview. don't be quick to settle if you potentially have other options

I see two key words in this discussion, "Bad reputation" and "short on chairs", which is only a part of why Boston is corrupt. Do you even know what they spend your tuition on?

Please take the chance to see another school, Case Western in this case.

I'm just going to leave this here....

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=821983

AwesomeTeeth said:

I'm just going to leave this here....

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=821983

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Likewise...
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=700476
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=824509

Bitter, biased opinions? Perhaps. Legitimate concerns that can possibly be applicable to all his/her classmates? Absolutely.

LOL re-reading those threads...

I have never been at BU, but I had an interview at cwru. I thought it has a solid program and the professors seems really nice. Only drawback for me was the location. I suggest you check the school out.

Wow! I must say I am VERY surprised

AwesomeTeeth said:

I'm just going to leave this here....

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=821983

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All this BU BS doesnt really mean anything to me. I'll make my education what I want it to be.
No complaints of incompetent BU grads, therefore requirement does not change. If i'm not ready after I graduate, it would be my call for a residency. As for student/faculty relations - don't want? then don't have.

wzhu said:

All this BU BS doesnt really mean anything to me. I'll make my education what I want it to be.
No complaints of incompetent BU grads, therefore requirement does not change. If i'm not ready after I graduate, it would be my call for a residency. As for student/faculty relations - don't want? then don't have.

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I go to BU and these threads have been resurfaced over and over again and SDN has convinced themselves that BU is an incompetent school or that you won't get a good education there (based on a poster who graduated years ago and created an account on the sole agenda to bash a school for his own personal reasons). I've had a few classmates read those threads and almost everyone of them laughed. The truth is that BU has it's fair share of problems like every school, but no way is it close to what's being spouted in those threads. If that stuff was true about racism, cheating, cronyism, fraud, etc,... you'd see numerous current students on here bashing the school. I've been on SDN for years now, as a pre-dent and as a dental student. My advice is to go to the school and check it out for yourself. As far as I know, my classmates and have enjoyed our experience at this school. It's very laid back and the faculty are extremely nice. If you get into a cheaper school, don't go to BU. If money isn't a problem or if it's your only acceptance, then you will be no less competent than students from other schools. I have close friends that go to Michigan, Tufts, Harvard, San Antonio, Baylor, Houston, Western, USC, and a few more.... and for the most part... we're all being taught the exact same stuff.

As for the OP, go to the Case interview. It would be foolish not to. Then base your decision on where you can see yourself for the next four years.

Take everything you read on SDN with a grain of salt. For someone to hate their school that much (not just BUDentite, but also that other very active member), there must be some truth behind their argument. If I was unhappy with my school, I would put on a fake grin and still talk about the school as if it were the best. At the end of the day, bashing my own school would kind of discredit my own degree. There is no way I am letting a shameful cloud hover above my degree. It's not like BUDentite is sharing bitter, butt-hurt emotional rants with no substance; a lot of it seems to be legitimate concerns that could very well affect the welfare of someone's education.

OP: Don't just talk to the D1s and D2s, because they have very limited knowledge of what really happens in clinic. Make an effort to speak with the D3s and D4s, who are the ones experiencing the flaws of their clinic.

Every school will have its pros and cons; some, a lot more of a deal breaker than others. But that's all specific to the person.

longhornpride said:

If you get into a cheaper school, don't go to BU. If money isn't a problem or if it's your only acceptance, then you will be no less competent than students from other schools. I have close friends that go to Michigan, Tufts, Harvard, San Antonio, Baylor, Houston, Western, USC, and a few more.... and for the most part... we're all being taught the exact same stuff.

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I don't think anyone's arguing about the stuff you learn about the first two years. That's the same biochem, anatomy, physio, dental anatomy everywhere. But clinic during D3-D4 is what separate the men from the boys and you haven't gotten there yet. So how can you really say your school is comparable when you haven't even come close to finishing?

And c'mon, you just lumped HARVARD with USC. Let's be honest here....

AwesomeTeeth said:

I don't think anyone's arguing about the stuff you learn about the first two years. That's the same biochem, anatomy, physio, dental anatomy everywhere. But clinic during D3-D4 is what separate the men from the boys and you haven't gotten there yet. So how can you really say your school is comparable when you haven't even come close to finishing?

And c'mon, you just lumped HARVARD with USC. Let's be honest here....

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I said I have friends at those schools and that we're all taught the same stuff for the most part. What exactly was false about my statement? Are you suggesting they teach you how to a do a filling and crown at Harvard but they don't at USC? I never compared the rigor of the academics at each school, if that's what you're implying. I've shared the knowledge of my experience. Instead of criticizing or claiming that I'm lying/misinformed, why don't you provide us with some information on the contrary.

And I'm not going to get in a pissing argument. That wasn't my intent. I browse these forums from time to time during my study breaks and wanted to share my experience with the OP. I'm 6 months away from entering the clinic and treating patients so I do have my fair share of knowledge with how the clinic works. I spend hours in lab refining my skills and I feel pretty confident in my abilities at my stage. Whether the school provides me with enough patients to help better my speed is another argument which I won't participate it in until I get a feel for the clinic. However, I'm pretty sure I'm going to leave here knowing how to do crowns, endo, perio, ortho, prostho, restorative, and extractions... the basic foundations of general dentistry. If you'd like to share your experiences and knowledge as to what separates the men from the boys, I'd like to hear about it. So PM me if you feel like it.

Btw... shouldn't you be studying for your cariology, gross, and biochem tests coming up??

ABdentist said:

What made your interview "more fun" at BU? Was it the faculty/students/general atmostphere?

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I enjoyed the city of Boston more than Cleveland, more fun student interactions at BU and the atmosphere was more engaging and relaxed at BU. But, if I had ONLY gotten into BU and Case, I'd have attended Case because it's supposedly has a stronger clinical program. I will be attending neither because I got admitted into my 1st choice school

BU isn't as bad as people like to make it out on here. I've met a whole lot of excellent dentists and ortho who graduated from there.

There are always a few clowns in any group of people-- it seems like they're the ones who are having trouble at BU... although perhaps a different school would have been more accommodating to them. I don't know.

BU certainly wouldn't be my top choice...but it wouldn't be my last choice either.

I created this account so I can explain this from my end. I am a D4 at Boston, I am above average in comparison to my class. Overall my opinion:
BU is a little above average in the preclinical sciences, and kind of a bit below average in the clinical portion. For the cost of tuition would I choose another school? hell yeah. For the kind education I received in all 4 years would I choose another school if I could? yes sir. But lookin back I learned some valuable stuff, gained some great experience, made some great friends, reminds me of undergrad. I am having a hard time figuring out if this was worth the cost. I will be in a serious crap load of debt. Oh and there are a few problems I would like addressed with clinical, but I cant compare it with any other school cause I dont anything about the other schools, but based on recent experience I wish my patients would answer my calls, and I wish the pool was more diverse. The requirements are not tough, but this can be seen as good or bad depending on what kind of student you are. Me I want to be ready for the real world, I dont think I will be ready but who knows, I am probably gonna do GPR like 99 percent of the class. In the end (which is yet to come) I feel like I gave it my all, but the circumstances I was in make BU the limiting factor.

If I can give any advice to a predent involving school selection the two things I would tell them to factor in would be COST, and CLINICAL EXPERIENCE. I dont care if the school is in a ghetto, or in the middle of a warzone, you need that confidence from a diverse experience when your done, and this is something you cant fake. A school lacking in didactics is okay but if its deficient in the clinic than there is a serious problem.You dont want to go in to a practice not having confidence in your abilities. Cost is cost choose the cheaper school, trust me in the end you will be thanking me.

If BU is your only option go for it, if not check out other schools for sure. Remember cost/experience. I wish everyone here the best, its a long road but its well worth it in the end.

DentalGunner said:

OP: Don't just talk to the D1s and D2s, because they have very limited knowledge of what really happens in clinic. Make an effort to speak with the D3s and D4s, who are the ones experiencing the flaws of their clinic.

Click to expand...

AwesomeTeeth said:

I don't think anyone's arguing about the stuff you learn about the first two years. That's the same biochem, anatomy, physio, dental anatomy everywhere. But clinic during D3-D4 is what separate the men from the boys and you haven't gotten there yet. So how can you really say your school is comparable when you haven't even come close to finishing?

And c'mon, you just lumped HARVARD with USC. Let's be honest here....

Click to expand...

Is that Longhorn guy really just a few months into his D2? Probably shouldn't be talking about the clinical experience or the school as a whole since he's still 9 months from being clinically eligible. C'mon man.

I got accepted at both schools...you should go to the interview.

def go to case interview.

better school clinically, and costs just about as much as BU

wzhu said:

As for student/faculty relations - don't want? then don't have.

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It's not that simple.
Faculty boning their students is infinitely toxic to the academic environment of a dental school. There is zero benefit to the rest of the community.

In short, the favortism and unfair advantage given to that student compels other students to do anything to try to equalize their disadvantage.