Columbia or NYU?

[dentist1234]

Any input would be appreciated.

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[DizzleISA]

Go where you felt you belonged!

 

[DentalGrad]

How important is location to you?

Even though they are both in NYC, Columbia is so far away from anywhere fun in Manhattan, that for all practical purposes, don't think of going to Columbia as a great chance to experience NYC.

 

[thethethe]

How important is location to you?

Even though they are both in NYC, Columbia is so far away from anywhere fun in Manhattan, that for all practical purposes, don't think of going to Columbia as a great chance to experience NYC.

is a 15 minute train ride too far to experience NYC?

 

[ballsin2win]

Great question.

Columbia
Pros: Ivy, The Name, The Rep, Better Placement for Specialty programs, the prestige, higher caliber students.
Cons: Washington Heights.

NYU
Pros: Location (Murray Hill)
Cons: Large class size, not as reputable as Columbia, the caliber of students.

 

[mityaz]

^ you obviously will go to columbia, ball...?

 

[ashlander]

Great question.

Columbia
Pros: Ivy, The Name, The Rep, Better Placement for Specialty programs, the prestige, higher caliber students.
Cons: Washington Heights.

NYU
Pros: Location (Murray Hill)
Cons: Large class size, not as reputable as Columbia, the caliber of students.

Wow u must be a student at columbia!
Columbia
Pros: Better Placement for Specialty programs, IVY ( u were saying same thing in diff ways)
Cons: location

NYU
Pros: Location, better facility
Cons: Large class size, Not IVY (again..)

i think.

 

[mityaz]

NYU:

Pros: large class size, location, clinicals, facilities
Cons:class size, slightly lower academics

Columbia

Pros: slightly higher DAT requirement, academics, specialization
Cons: low clinicals, location,

I got into NYU and love it there (based on waht i know from 8mo volunteering)

 

[iwannabadentist]

i don't understand why everyone is so ignorant on these forums and keeps saying Columbia has low clinicals. you must clearly be someone who didn't interview here and are just bitter about it. Starting this year, Columbia has changed its curriculum so that students get to enter the Clinic starting the 2nd semester of their 2nd year. They have also integrated a lot more pre-clinical stuff in the first year and a half.

 

[ballsin2win]

^ you obviously will go to columbia, ball...?

great question. THe only thing holding me back from columbia is the idea of having to live in washington heights or the dreadful commute to washington heights. I really do not want to party in soho and have to take the train to washington heights and midnight. I also don't want to take the train from washington heights, after class, home to wherever I decide to live downtown. If only columbia moved from the ghetto to an upscale neighborhood, there would be zero doubt.

 

[enamelo]

Ahhh the typical Columbia responses.

"Columbia = bad clinical"
"Columbia is for research"

I wish there was a box I could check by a person's name when I see them post these things so that I could disregard any future posts by them.

I honestly can't think of any reason that someone would attend NYU over Columbia. Location and facilities might be slightly better at NYU but if you're really putting those 2 things at the top of your selection criteria with so many other dramatic differences between the schools well...yeah...

 

[mueladeljuicio]

i feel like i've seen about 30 threads called, "Columbia vs. some other school"

 

[DentalGrad]

is a 15 minute train ride too far to experience NYC?

Since you don't know, don't give incorrect information. No way is it 15 minutes from 178th street down to soho, murray hill, or anywhere else. More like 45 minutes - 1 hour, not to mention taking the subway at all hours of the night is not pretty.

So, like I said before, if location is important to you, at Columbia you can say you live in NYC, but without the benefits of NYC.

 

[thethethe]

is a 15 minute train ride too far to experience NYC?

Since you don't know, don't give incorrect information. No way is it 15 minutes from 178th street down to soho, murray hill, or anywhere else. More like 45 minutes - 1 hour, not to mention taking the subway at all hours of the night is not pretty.

So, like I said before, if location is important to you, at Columbia you can say you live in NYC, but without the benefits of NYC.

i do know, i lived in nyc all my life and i go to columbia dental school.
but i meant 15 minutes on the express train to columbus circle-time square.

i must admit though, NYU is in an awesome neighborhood.

 

[iwannabadentist]

i do know, i lived in nyc all my life and i go to columbia dental school.
but i meant 15 minutes on the express train to columbus circle-time square.

i must admit though, NYU is in an awesome neighborhood.

but isn't CUMC a lot more uptown than the undergrad campus? so that would def. add to the commute...

 

[DentalGrad]

thethethe: We're not debating whether one school is better than the other, so let's be real here. No way is Columbia dental school 15 minutes away from any of those places, probably not even the undergraduate campus on 120th street. Plain & simple.

That's great that you love Columbia. I'm not giving you my opinion on the program and I don't think it's cool that you're (purposely??) giving wrong info on how long it takes to get to midtown. It does take at least 45 minutes and isn't a trip you'd make every day.

 

[MTD52]

Ahhh the typical Columbia responses.

"Columbia = bad clinical"
"Columbia is for research"

I wish there was a box I could check by a person's name when I see them post these things so that I could disregard any future posts by them.

I honestly can't think of any reason that someone would attend NYU over Columbia. Location and facilities might be slightly better at NYU but if you're really putting those 2 things at the top of your selection criteria with so many other dramatic differences between the schools well...yeah...

What would you say about it? I have no opinion one way or the other, and I may have to make a decision regarding Columbia (if I get in), so I'd love to hear other takes on it....

 

[gegogi]

How much class size is matter?
I heard NYU has a big class size and has more connections. Many dentists I shadowed said connection is the factor I have to consier the most because we will be offered and offer mostly by their alumni...when we open our practices. But, I am also curious how much bothering if their are too many students in class. anyone knows?

 

[thethethe]

people here on sdn bash nyu for their large class size and call them a dentist mill. i have no problem with a large class size as long as there are enough patients and the faculty to student ratio stays low. im not sure what the ratio is, but nyu has the largest patient pool in the country. a lot of my friends are at nyu, they never said a large class size was a problem.

 

[ballsin2win]

All I remember is that there were a lot of freshman at NYU that looked like they'd be better off taking some time off to mature. But the cafeteria was definitely awesome.

The freshman at Columbia looked like they were a bit more serious about their academics. But looks can definitely be deceiving.

I definitely noticed a difference in attitudes though. The Columbia students were a bit more "professional"

I'm not saying that the NYU students were not professional, they just came across as more aloof.

 

[MTD52]

I definitely noticed a difference in attitudes though. The Columbia students were a bit more "professional"

I'm not saying that the NYU students were not professional, they just came across as more aloof.

I actually prefer the latter, though that is clearly a matter of opinion. To some degree, of course you have to be professional. But I would much rather a laid back atmosphere.

 

[ballsin2win]

I actually prefer the latter, though that is clearly a matter of opinion. To some degree, of course you have to be professional. But I would much rather a laid back atmosphere.

Exactly, it all depends on the kind of environment you prefer. If you think having a more academically disciplined environment is going to help you succeed, then Columbia would probably be a better fit. On the other hand, if you think a more casual environment suits you better, perhaps NYU is more preferable.

Personally, I can't resist a good temptation, so maybe Columbia is better for me?

 

[adizzle87]

Word of mouth is that NYU is much better if you want to be a general dentist. Columbia is well known for being focused on placing students into specialty programs. Your decision should be a balance of that and how you feel about the atmosphere at each school (faculty-student relationships, class size, location, etc). Patients shouldn't feel too differently about degrees from either school, if at all, so IMO that shouldn't play too much a factor.

 

[MTD52]

Word of mouth is that NYU is much better if you want to be a general dentist. Columbia is well known for being focused on placing students into specialty programs. Your decision should be a balance of that and how you feel about the atmosphere at each school (faculty-student relationships, class size, location, etc). Patients shouldn't feel too differently about degrees from either school, if at all, so IMO that shouldn't play too much a factor.

I have heard the same. But what I don't get is why people think that other schools would be better for general dentistry than Columbia would, just because it places emphasis on specializing. If it's a great specialty school, what would make anyone think it's not a great general dentistry school?

 

[adizzle87]

My understanding is that these specialty/research-focused schools have students spend more time on didactic courses and less so on lab works and clinic. As a result of that their preparation results in them scoring higher on the boards, thats speculation. The opposite can be said of schools that are known to be "clinically focused." Needless to say both schools are accredited by the ADA so neither school will make you deficient to the extent you can't practice dentistry. It's just a matter or which schools provide more of what you like.

 

[drtoothy]

Just wanted to add to this thread that yes, Columbia's neighborhood is not as good as NYU's. But dental school is a LOT more work than undergrad, so i wouldn't weigh the neighborhood as much in your decision.

I attended NYU for undergrad and am a first-year at Columbia, so feel free to PM me with questions if you need more help. Good luck with your decision!

 

[mityaz]

people here on sdn bash nyu for their large class size and call them a dentist mill. i have no problem with a large class size as long as there are enough patients and the faculty to student ratio stays low. im not sure what the ratio is, but nyu has the largest patient pool in the country. a lot of my friends are at nyu, they never said a large class size was a problem.

very well said!!!

BTW, the ratio is about 1:8 faculty:student

 

[mityaz]

Ahhh the typical Columbia responses.

"Columbia = bad clinical"
"Columbia is for research"

I wish there was a box I could check by a person's name when I see them post these things so that I could disregard any future posts by them.

I honestly can't think of any reason that someone would attend NYU over Columbia. Location and facilities might be slightly better at NYU but if you're really putting those 2 things at the top of your selection criteria with so many other dramatic differences between the schools well...yeah...

re-read your post and tell me how you didn't come off as ignorant?

Do you smell that?

 

[adizzle87]

re-read your post and tell me how you didn't come off as ignorant?

Do you smell that?

 

[ballsin2win]

you are all missing the big picture. what you should be asking is:

Which school has the hotter ladiez? I have a feeling that Columbia has the hotter ladiez because they looked like they groom themselves better. Just an observation . . .