For those headed to UConn

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
M

MsPurtell

Hi future classmates,

Can I ask how many of you have filled out UConn's financial aid forms and submitted them along with other things they are asking for, like this years tax return. I know the FAFSA has to be in by April 1, but I don't know when the deadline is for the other stuff. The UConn forms ask for estimates for living and educational expenses, but when I refer to the UConn site, the figures are for the previous academic year. I'm sure the estimates are higher for 2002-2003. What have you guys done so far?

Thanks, Margaret..........can't wait to get to school and meet you all!
Members don't see this ad.
 
hey,

I did the Fafsfa and I plan on finishing up all the other forms when i get home and have all of my parents info. But I know the estimated expense of living is a bit sketchy...and the financial aid people did not seem too friendly when I e-mailed them, they refered me to the website. Perhaps calling would be better. So bottom line I want all those forms in before April.
Keep me posted on what you can dig up and I will do the same! see ya in the fall :)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
makebuleeve and pwm,

ummm. just wondering what you meant by your posts??
 
Hey all-
Death star, eh? I hope I can prove myself worthy to the Jedi council and not be turned to the dark side by lack of sleep.

As far as the FAFSA things...I just estimated a bit higher for this next year as far as tuition goes when I estimated my costs. For living, I budgeted out just about everything as well as I can. Living expenses came out a bit higher per month than those the school gave; my numbers were the ones I reported. If we estimate high, I figure the worst they can do is give us the maximum allowed; if low, then we just end up paying less in the long run. Ive been told it is best to get financial info in early to be eligible for everything.

Speaking of the Death Star itself, I flew my X-Wing up there this last week and finally found a condo in Farmington. So, good news there.
 
ok,
am I the only who felt my heart in my stomach when i saw the phrase "repeating first year"
One question for the veterans...
HOW MANY people actually have to repeat first year and is this common in other schools!!!!???
 
Hey, I've been trying to estimate my living expenses for next year, but coming from small-town USA, I was hoping you 'east-coasters' could let me know what you pay for utilities on average. Thanks for the help.
 
So, pwm, considering your experience, what do you see as the best way to make sure one is at or above the average? Is it study time? Attendance? Having taken the classes once before as an undergrad (ie biochem, embryology, anatomy)? I am intrigued (and slightly disturbed) by a 12.5% failure rate! Any advice you could provide would be useful.
 
pwm...even if it isn't as bad as it sounds, thanks for the heads up about the issue; Id rather you give me worst case scenario than to not know anything about it. The way I figure it, none of us would be going there next year if we couldnt succeed completely. It sounds more like remediation is a result of simply not putting in enough work.
 
Now that mspurtell, neeky, and jonr have calmed down, let's plant some more dark side thoughts in their minds. When they were in the dental school hall, I wonder if they happened to notice the photograph of the graduating dental school class that only had the faces of about 10 graduates in it. Like me, did they wonder what happened to the other 30 or so folks one would have expected to be in that photo?
 
LOL........I'm always calm!

And, yes, I saw that picture. No, They didn't fail 75% of the class. I have a friend who is a UConn grad. Apparently the class was protesting something they didn't like about school policy. My friend's opinion was, basically, that the students were being silly over nonsense.

Margaret
 
Thanx guys!! You totally made my night. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I was a bit nervous, but i feel better and CALMER now. I guess we all have a lot of studying and lack of a social life to look forward to, but at least we can take some comfort in knowing there are some fun and silly peeps to study with!
Oh and thanks y'all for answering my questions...
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Wow, mspurtell is a quick study. Won't get much past her. To tell you the truth, I thought UCONN was top drawer when I did the east coast dental school tour with my daughter last year. She preferred UPENN out in that area, but finally could not pass up UW back home out west and the liquid sunshine that goes with it.

Those UCONN girl huskies sure light up the basketball court. Our UW girl huskies are making a run in the NIT this year and hopefully will be back in contention for the big prize next year. I would sure like to see UCONN vs UW in the final. Husky Squared. Go DAWGS.
 
The stuff hasn't changed since my days there, we started with 45 and graduated 39, granted one time he had 50 in my class(had a few folks added who needed to remediate a year, a few folks who took a year off to have a child, and a couple of international students). In general they'll keep things around 35-40 per class since thats the realistic number that they can handle in the clinics and on the rotation.

The Deathstar reference is quite appropriate. If you've ever been on I-84 East heading towards Hartford, the Healthcenter just looms in front of you as a giant concrete structure, not unlike the Deathstar in Starwars! :D
 
I suppose it may be critical to our sanity in the next few years to be surrounded by people who possess an acute sense of humor. Good to know they are out there. So, how is it that you really don't know who is in remediation? Is the program done in a summer session between 1st and 2nd year? Do these students still attend 2nd year classes or must they repeat the entire first year? This idea of remediation is so interesting to me; I suppose it is because I havent ever heard of anything like it at other schools.

I told a friend that will enter NYU next year about the remediation deal...she said "Repeat first year? Wait, I thought once you got in to dental school, you didnt really have to work as hard anymore." Yes, she did.
 
Looking forward to it.
 
Hi, Just wondering if anyone headed to UConn is considering the DMD/PhD program. I am looking into it, and am interested to know if there are any opinions about it in this group.
 
rowjimmi
I'm not considering it, but that is only because I am shooting for private practice, not research or teaching. From everything I have read concerning DDS/PhD progs., they all seem to be tailored for those who want to teach and/or do research. If that's your desire, it sounds like a great way to go. Aren't a good deal of your expenses taken care of if you go that route? I guess the two downfalls I see are

1)You have to decide from the beginning that this is the way you are going, you cant (easily) decide later that you would rather just go back to the DDS program.

2)If dental school wasn't already difficult, add a few more classes to the list....arrgh.
 
Rowjimmi,

I'm not considering the DMD/PhD program for the same reasons as Jon. I'm too eager to either specialize or get out right away and start building a practice.

May I ask how old you are (and JonT also if you guys don't mind my asking)? I just turned 34 and I'm wondering if I'll be the oldest person in my class.

Margaret
 
So if they end up repeating a year do they still have a good chance of specializing, providing they do better the second time around? Or does that mean they say goodbye to getting into a specialty program?
 
good question Hope7!!! :confused: It would be awful to have another obstacle to overcome in order to get a specialty!!
Let me just say its good to see more peeps going to UConn, we should start posting the complete list (as far as SDN goes). :wink:
 
Margaret,
Ill barely be 21 when I enter next August, so Im probably not the best one to give you an idea of the older ones in the class...
 
Margaret,

I will be 30 this fall, and I imagine there are other older students attending UConn also. As for the combined degree; the grading scheme is a concern. I will be meeting the program director soon to get more info. Then I will be 36 when I graduate, that is also a concern.

John
 
Margaret,

I 'll be turning 22 in the fall,just a wee bit of a baby. But I must say that I was a little surprised by how young JonR is! Going into dental school right after your third year, that is really intense. I would not have been ready..i am still having a hard time letting go of my undergrad ways. :)

PS Does anyone have an answer to Hope's question???
 
Yeah, it will be intense going in early. It was intense getting to the point at which I COULD get in early. I feel though that the required rigors of my undergrad career to get in a year early perhaps prepares me for a bit of what next year will be like. Taking 18-20 hours each and every semester to meet the requirements to apply and take the DAT early isn't dental school, but I would like to think it is at least something!! Either that or Ill be the one crying in the corner for my mommy... :)

As far as Hope's question...Im really not sure. I would venture a guess that since the margin for failure is slight at UConn, it wouldnt necessarily reflect as badly as one might think in one's attempt to get into a program. Everything I have read and heard indicates that getting into a specialty is something that the programs themselves look at on a decidedly individual case by case basis. This tells me that much more important than grades will be exactly what the faculty think of your performance (especially the faculty in your selected area). Anyone heard anything else?
 
Does anyone know exactly when school starts for UConn. I haven't received much correspondence from them, and I would like to have a good idea when to get my $H!+ together. Thanks.
 
JonR,
I have to give you mad props for all that work, I am sure it will have prepared you for the "extremely demanding" load at uconn. As for the great question as to when we start..well I have no idea, but i am only going to assume mid-late august? I wish they would send us something. :rolleyes:
 
I agree...I am starting to feel like Im not "really" going; I understand they dont want to flood us, but one or two letters simply keeping us updated and allowing us to plan ahead would be greatly appreciated! I hear they are sending out housing info in April, so perhaps that will be our ticket.
 
Classically you'll start somewhere around the 20th of August give or take a few days. Don't worry, before you know it you'll be at orientation getting your ID badges, learning about the green and blue rooms and the joys of "Helen's Chicken" every few weeks. Then the real event to show up for will happen ..... disorientation! :clap: :D
 
Hi guys,
Welcome to the death star again!! =) Actually, the school is not that bad if you at least try to keep up. The stats for your class, class of 2006, are the same as the UCONN medical school stats which is 3.5 science and 3.4 overall (or the other way around), DAT average was 20.3. Therefore, I am sure you guys will do well here.
Regarding to age in class, we have our youngest 20 year old to the oldest I believe is close to 40 or somewhere around there. The average of the class is usually about 25 or so. Don't worry if you think you're too old or young, we all gonna come out to be a great dentist ultimately.
I see some of you are already trying to get a research job this summer. You know what, I would really just enjoy the time you have left before coming to this hardcore curriculum, you will always have a chance to do research later on. Lookig forward to see all of ya!!!

N.W
 
That goes for me too, thank you so much for the scoop Tiramisu!
I must say I love how this thread is dominating the message board. :)
 
Tiramisu, this news does make me happy. Are those the published stats you got from the school? Id love to see them.

Just got back from the Hinman dental conference in Atlanta....20,000 dentists and 5,000 salespeople. Saw some great lectures. The head forensic dentist from the Oklahoma City bombing team was there...I took the course he offered-that was some intense stuff, but very interesting. I was also amazed at the amount of money the dental supply companies throw at the dentists there. They were giving away an Audi TT, and of course a whole lot of candy.

I was saddened by the NCAA results yesterday...such is life
 
Hey Jon,

I'm reading so much on this board about people going to dental conferences. I'd love to hit one in the NY area. Where do you find a listing of such events? Was it free? Thanks, Margaret
 
Margaret
I found out about the Hinman conference a few years back, actually, through some dentists I worked with. I would say perhaps your best bet is the internet...just searching around using engines...or maybe check the ada.org site. Also good are dental magazines, or dentists themselves. I know there is a NE regional conference, though I dont know the time or place. I would bet that many dentists up there would know, since the state requires they go to things like that to obtain continuing education credit. Hope that helps!
 
There is Florida Dental Conferrence in May in Orlando. I don't have the detailed info, but it is suppised to be a big one. I will let you know more details later.
Viraj
 
Thanks Jon and Viraj. I just found a whole listing of conferences on <a href="http://www.ada.org." target="_blank">www.ada.org.</a> Now to pick one.

I have another question for you guys. DH and I may have found a good deal on a condo in Southington. That's a 15-20 min commute to UConn each way. What do you guys think? With the expected workload, should I plan to live closer so I don't exhaust myself? I expect we'll be getting home rather late many evenings as things get more intense. Anyone know where they'll be living yet or which areas they'll consider?

I'm also feeling guilty because DH got a job in Norwalk that's 1 1/2 hrs. by car from Farmington and 1 1/4 hrs. from Southington. I feel bad that he'll have such a long commute, but I'm worried about my commute to school being too draining.

Thanks, Margaret
 
Margaret
I may have looked at the same place...up on a hill in a wooded complex? Maybe not, but I did look at one in Southington. When we drove with the realtor from that place to UConn, it took us about 25 minutes; the realtor also told us it can be worse if traffic is bad. That was what ruled it out for me. I dont know, though...if its 20-25 minutes, its really a close call. I ended up getting a place in Farmington on Route 4 about 5-10 mins. from the Health Center, which I liked simply for the quick commute since I knew I might be spending a few longer than normal days there and didnt want to have to then spend 30 minutes getting home. Southington is very very nice though, and it is cheaper to live there. Price may be as large a factor for you as it was for me.
 
How did you get a place so fast???? You bought right?

Thanks for the advice!

Margaret
 
Jon,

I see what look like a few good deals in Farmington (so far just looking on line). Did you get a good deal where you bought? Can you share which complex?

Thanks, Margaret
 
The one I bought was in Farmington Village, which is up Route 4 near Apricot's restaurant (not sure if you know where that is) right next to the river. The condos are nice; we found a great one there with about 900 sq ft., remodeled, 2 BR, basement, new hardwood, patio, etc. It was hard to pass up. I went up there during spring break with the intent to really narrow things down because I knew if I wanted to get all of the loan stuff done in time and not have so much stress I would have to get in a place early. The place I bought happened to have an owner that wanted the same closing time I did (end of June), so it worked out beautifully. I did all of the negotiating from the comfort of my own apartment here at school in NC.

We saw a few more we did like. One was in Avon at Avonwood, but it needed more work than Ill have time for. Another nice one was the one in Southington, in fact, if it hadnt been so far away, it would have been very nice. I think they were only asking 83K for it too!! We also saw some high rise style condos in West Hartford on Kane St. and didnt really like the view we were afforded of the package store across the street and the huge fence around the parking lot. Talcott Forest, Talcott Wood, and Talcott Glen are all nice and right across the st. from the Health Center, but are expensive (around 125K).

One thing I would say is dont go up there to look until you are ready or at least about ready to buy; most condos are on the market for less than a month and you will end up losing what you want if you dont make a quick offer. I barely got the one I wanted; after its first open house, there were 4 more bids on it other than mine. Pay attention to HOA fees when you look at your monthly payment, most fees are 150-200/month; also lok at property taxes (which are highest in Avon). Also, try to get preapproved for a loan prior to making an offer; it gives you a real advantage. ALSO, I just have to plug Prudential CT realty, they did a great job working with me.

Sorry bout the long post. I feel like a realtor now myself. Maybe I missed my calling...
 
HI,

looks like you are all making some progress in the housing search! :) I have a question about the financial aid process, how long did it take for them to write you an award letter after you submitted all your forms, w2s etc? And is the office good at helping you choose which loans would be best?
Thanks
 
Jon and Pat.......

Thanks so much for the tips. I'm realizing that DH working in Norwalk is probably going to be out of the question. We just couldn't live south enough to make the commute convenient for him without making my commute enormously inconvenient. I have to look at it from the standpoint that I'll be based at UConn for four years, whereas his job can be changed to make his commute more convenient. We might as well live in Farmington!

Margaret :)
 
Hi,
Margaret why didn't you attend school in your home state of New York?
 
Beyonder,

It came down to a number of reasons, not the least of which was my ability to get the health insurance I wanted (I have a serious pre-existing condition). There were other factors that helped as well. UConn, IMO, is #1, education-wise. They offered me their Dean's Merit Scholarship, the cost of living in the area is cheap, tuition and fees come out the same as my state school and DH got a job offer in CT. I've talked to students and grads of UConn, and I believe I will be happy there and will get an excellent education there.

So, lots of reasons.

Margaret
 
Hi,
Margaret is misinformed.
The cost of living in the Farmington area is not low. If anything Farmington is an expensive part of Connecticut to live, as is it's neighboring town West Hartford. For lower priced areas, there are East Hartford, New Britian, and Bristol.
Not too many people consider the cost of living in Connecticut to be low. As far as cost of living is concerned Connecticut I believe is 43 out of 50.
 
No, Margaret is not misinformed. You expressly asked me why I didn't choose my state school. The other school I had often made reference to, and that I was considering, was Stony Brook. I decided to share my reasons for choosing UConn for the benefit of others. Compare the cost of buying or renting a condo at Stony Brook vs. UConn. The areas surrounding UConn are dirt cheap, especially compared to the other school, Stony Brook, that I was looking closely at. Even in Farmington, if you buy, you get off paying very little in monthly fees and mortgage.

Is that why you asked me why I didn't choose my state school, so you could tell me I chose UConn for the wrong reasons? LOL!

Margaret
 
Just curious, beyonder...........you registered here in July 2000. Did you start school yet?

I'm asking for the same reason that I'm sure you asked me about my state school for..........the benefit of others, right? :D
 
Margaret,
I believe that thebeyonder's line of inquiry is centered around the fact that he is on the wait list of UCONN (as am I) and since the class has 44 student enrolled - he may be hoping that his "negative" comments about finances will cause you to drop your UCONN spot which may possibly open up a spot for him, since he is a resident of the state. Just my thoughts. Personally, I think UCONN is a better school than your state school and you made the right choice. However, I do wish spots will open so that I can come off that darned list, especially since I got such great feed back from Dean T.

Thebeyonder - If I am wrong, sorry!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

K
UConn (OOS) vs Columbia
Replies
5
Views
524
dynamo72
dynamo72
T
  • Poll
Penn vs. UConn vs. BU
Replies
7
Views
971
KashKy
K
K
Uconn (OOS) Vs UF (OOS) Vs Temple Vs Tufts Vs Pitt (IS)
Replies
29
Views
1K
KashKy
K
artist2022
Interviewing UConn School of Dental Medicine C/O 2028 Interview/Acceptance Thread
Replies
27
Views
7K
acite
A
T
  • Poll
Marquette (OOS) VS UConn dental
Replies
2
Views
842
OncePreDent
OncePreDent
Top