Minnesota vs NYU

[countach101]

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I have been accepted to NYU and Minnesota, and I am having a difficult time deciding. I have a few questions about both schools that would appreciate if someone can answer.

Minnesota students:

1. Are lectures recorded and/or transcribed?
2. In order for a student to get kicked out, how many classes must they fail? (does the school make you repeat the year or immediately kick you out)
3. How much time off do you get before the boards?
4. Do you get the same freedom as in undergrad when it comes to attendance? I like to skip classes sometimes to gain more study time, is this possible to do?
5.what are some good places to live that are in close proximity to the dental school?
6. Overall pros and cons?


NYU students:

1. due to the number of students, Do you find it more difficult to achieve honors and to specialize (OMFS or ortho)?

2. Do you prefer the comprehensive exam style for the sciences? pros and cons about the exam?

3. on average how many students flunk out of the program? Is it usually due to laziness or is the program that overwhelming?

4. How do you manage approximately 13 classes a semester? (I noticed that there are 3-4 sciences, but are the rest of the classes much easier were you basically have to focus mostly on the sciences)

5. overall pros and cons?

 

[goffdent]

I liked Minnesota, but chose not to go there mainly because I was accepted to a cheaper school. The program looked nice, i heard mixed thoughts from current graduates who said they might go elsewhere, but still enjoyed it there. They are very up to date which is positive.
But you probably already know this..

I just think it's odd that you ask how many classes you can skip and flunk to stay in, then ask about whether or not it's easy to be at the top of the class so you can specialize in ortho of OMFS.... You can really only be one or the other type of student. If you're considering ortho and OMFS you shouldn't even be asking these other questions and should have more confidence! good luck

 

[omaralt]

go to the cheaper school.

 

[countach101]

go to the cheaper school.

Thanks a lot for the response.

I am actually considered international because i'm canadian, so the tuition for both minnesota and NYU are very similar. But living expenses are higher at NYU.

I am trying to figure out which of the two I will be able to perform better in.

 

[countach101]

I liked Minnesota, but chose not to go there mainly because I was accepted to a cheaper school. The program looked nice, i heard mixed thoughts from current graduates who said they might go elsewhere, but still enjoyed it there. They are very up to date which is positive.
But you probably already know this..

I just think it's odd that you ask how many classes you can skip and flunk to stay in, then ask about whether or not it's easy to be at the top of the class so you can specialize in ortho of OMFS.... You can really only be one or the other type of student. If you're considering ortho and OMFS you shouldn't even be asking these other questions and should have more confidence! good luck

Thanks for the response.

I can understand where you are coming from because my questions are testing the extremes of both situations. I am trying to see how supportive is the school of their students by my question about the number of classes it takes one to flunk in order to get kicked out. I ranked in top of my classes in undergrad and was wondering how difficult it is to still maintain this level at UMN.

 

[countach101]

any NYU students in the house 😕

 

[phungy]

NYU students:
1. due to the number of students, Do you find it more difficult to achieve honors and to specialize (OMFS or ortho)?

not difficult to achieve honors and specialize. We have ortho and OMFS club where the upperclassmen help you with the application process and give insight

2. Do you prefer the comprehensive exam style for the sciences? pros and cons about the exam?

I do prefer comprehensive exam because this prepares us for the boards better. Our part I board failure rate for 2010 was 0.8%. Pros: NYU prepares you well. Cons: exams are in two three hour blocks with about 180 questions per block

3. on average how many students flunk out of the program? Is it usually due to laziness or is the program that overwhelming?

not sure about this statistic but its due to laziness/stubbornness/cockiness whatever you want to say. It's not the school, its the student. The school does all it can to help the students. The program is demanding but not overwhelming. NYU has been fine tuning the curriculum for the past 3 years to achieve the 0.8% failure rate on the boards and an average increase of 4 points on the boards which is a huge amount considering the amount of students in each class.

4. How do you manage approximately 13 classes a semester? (I noticed that there are 3-4 sciences, but are the rest of the classes much easier were you basically have to focus mostly on the sciences)

if you have great time management skills, you won't be stressed

5. overall pros and cons?

Pros: we have course evaluations and the faculty listen to the students. They are willing to help you out and very approachable.

Cons: None. I'm very fluid and adapt well to changes so I have no complaints with NYU right now. They're changed 180 and I love it here.

 

[pawkinlot]

Pros: we have course evaluations and the faculty listen to the students. They are willing to help you out and very approachable.

Cons: None. I'm very fluid and adapt well to changes so I have no complaints with NYU right now. They're changed 180 and I love it here.

as a future d1, its nice to read that 😎 hopefully Ill be able to manage my time as well as I will need to.

 

[reapply2007]

Go to Manitoba Southern University. Ice hockey everywhere plus culturally more like home than NYC.

 

[Mackchops]

There are days I wish I went to a smaller school only because NYU has so much red tape and beaurocratic BS (especially once you hit clinic). Overall it's a good program and the patient encounters are amazing. I rotated through Bellevue Hospital and did some extractions on a few sedated DOC patients in hand and ankle cuffs with three armed officers watching where I placed the scalpel!. You see the medically complex, the psychologically complex, the socially complex, and definitely the dentally complex. And with a school our size you have a ton of excellent faculty to present multiple opinions on each case.

My point? Every student who is trying to make a decision about dental school puts all their effort into asking about tests, grades, exams, blah blah blah. You SHOULD be asking about preclinical and clinical training and experience. Who cares about the part one boards? You can read through the dental decks and pass that exam without stepping into a biochem or anatomy class! The practical portions of the NERB or WREB exams, however -- now you need to have a pretty solid clinical education to do well on those. Of all the schools that conduct the NERB, NYU had the least number of failures this year.

 

[phungy]

Of all the schools that conduct the NERB, NYU had the least number of failures this year.

Many faculty have told me this and I'm glad I chose NYU. I'm excited for clinic!

 

[ddsm]

Hi!
I'm predental and in a 3 yr undergrad-4 yr NYUCD program at my school. Recently I've heard some bad things about NYU, such as that the class size is too big, that they only break into review sessions once a month, that I will have to fight for patients, etc. I've also heard that the quality of the work from NYU grads isn't up to par with others. Can you comment on these opinions? I received them all from dentists.

Do you like NYU?? Would you choose it again if you could do it over? I would love to specialize in OMFS. Do you think NYU could increase my chances?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated from NYUCD students or grads!

 

[Yellow Snow]

Hi!
I'm predental and in a 3 yr undergrad-4 yr NYUCD program at my school. Recently I've heard some bad things about NYU, such as that the class size is too big, that they only break into review sessions once a month, that I will have to fight for patients, etc. I've also heard that the quality of the work from NYU grads isn't up to par with others. Can you comment on these opinions? I received them all from dentists.

Do you like NYU?? Would you choose it again if you could do it over? I would love to specialize in OMFS. Do you think NYU could increase my chances?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated from NYUCD students or grads!

I'm totally exhausted so I'll respond briefly. We don't have to fight for patients, we have to fight off patients as their numbers are too great. I have all the patients I want and a few extra. Is the class too big? Yes. But it has pros and cons...really not sure which I would prefer. I think I prefer to be mostly anonymous. Quality of work vs other schools? The only info I have on this is from GPR directors which give presentations at our school and they say good things about NYU grads. I can't think of anyone else really in a great position to compare. Its really more of an individual thing I think. You set your standard of care where you think is ethical and appropriate. The school has its official policy but at the end of the day you are the one doing the work and dismissing the patient.

Dentists you speak with are probably going off of hearsay, its tough to imagine how they would be in a position to really judge these things directly. There is no doubt NYU had a bad reputation in the past. This is most likely where they got their "information" from.

 

[Mackchops]

Hi!
I'm predental and in a 3 yr undergrad-4 yr NYUCD program at my school. Recently I've heard some bad things about NYU, such as that the class size is too big, that they only break into review sessions once a month, that I will have to fight for patients, etc. I've also heard that the quality of the work from NYU grads isn't up to par with others. Can you comment on these opinions? I received them all from dentists.

Do you like NYU?? Would you choose it again if you could do it over? I would love to specialize in OMFS. Do you think NYU could increase my chances?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated from NYUCD students or grads!

Class size is big but it works. I couldn't imagine going somewhere like Stony Brook with the same student:faculty ratio as us but 1/10 the students (means 1/10 the faculty and their varied opinions).

"Review Sessions"?? I don't know what you're talking about...

I have more patients than I can handle. Seriously. I turned down an invisalign case today because I'm booked through June. And I'm doing cool things -- restoring implants, 6-unit bridge, all the removable I want. Molar endo out my ears (we learn rotary). I did a stage II uncovering and sutured an apically positioned flap. Whatever you want.

The people I've talked to (recent grads) say NYU grads are well regarded because unlike many (most?) other schools that schedule 3-4 hour clinic sessions per patient, we schedule 2-hr sessions. I've been in clinic one year and I'm doing pseudo-quadrant dentistry (if easier stuff). From what I've heard this puts us at an advantage over grads from other schools when looking for a job because we're actually somewhat more productive. Quality? We did fine on the NERBs -- see my post above. I assume that means we're doing something right?

I (mostly) like it here. Like any school it has its problems. The schedule is overbooked and it's very hard to get out and do externships. We don't produce many specialists (for our size) but those who are interested have no problem matching. Our OMFS department is pretty sick -- brand new clinic, great faculty (including Brian Schmitt this summer), and all the "zebra" cases you want. It is New York City after all.

 

[MathGRL]

I have been accepted to NYU and Minnesota, and I am having a difficult time deciding. I have a few questions about both schools that would appreciate if someone can answer.

Minnesota students:

1. Are lectures recorded and/or transcribed?
2. In order for a student to get kicked out, how many classes must they fail? (does the school make you repeat the year or immediately kick you out)
3. How much time off do you get before the boards?
4. Do you get the same freedom as in undergrad when it comes to attendance? I like to skip classes sometimes to gain more study time, is this possible to do?
5.what are some good places to live that are in close proximity to the dental school?
6. Overall pros and cons?


NYU students:

1. due to the number of students, Do you find it more difficult to achieve honors and to specialize (OMFS or ortho)?

2. Do you prefer the comprehensive exam style for the sciences? pros and cons about the exam?

3. on average how many students flunk out of the program? Is it usually due to laziness or is the program that overwhelming?

4. How do you manage approximately 13 classes a semester? (I noticed that there are 3-4 sciences, but are the rest of the classes much easier were you basically have to focus mostly on the sciences)

5. overall pros and cons?

Hello! I am in this same situation and I was wondering which program you chose?