Nova or UF?

[Elaine Perez]

Hi guys I need to decide ASAP between Nova and UF. I am having trouble deciding because I live close to Nova, but at the same time I know UF is a good school. What are the pros and cons of each? What do you guys think I should consider the most: money or closeness to family and friends, and basically no change of life?

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[peerless218]

Hi guys I need to decide ASAP between Nova and UF. I am having trouble deciding because I live close to Nova, but at the same time I know UF is a good school. What are the pros and cons of each? What do you guys think I should consider the most: money or closeness to family and friends, and basically no change of life?

Wow......That's one question where you REALLY need to think about for yourself as far as the pros and cons you listed. They're SOOO different and everyone is going to have a different view on this matter. However, I would pick a CHANGE for sure.

 

[YayTeeth]

I've matured and learned that it's all about going to the cheaper school. They both give u a DMD so why waste thousands of dollars? Nova is about $13,000 more a yr in tuition/fees and the living expenses are much higher in Ft. Laud. But really UF is a much more established school, they've worked out almost all the kinks in their program and are very student friendly. When I visited Nova, they just weren't as organized and professional as UF was, and they still have chair problems, unlike UF who just changed the whole chair system so basically each student has his/her OWN chair and gets much more clinical experience. UF also has a better reputation in Florida and around the rest of the country. I say the only bad thing about UF cause it is so awesome otherwise...is Gainesville. It's a very boring "city." Ft. Laud is much cooler, close to Miami, great restaurants, BEACH. But the thing that's so great about UF is that the students they pick are really fun people so you'll be sure to have a blast! I picked UF over Nova.

 

[CountinCavities]

No brainer, it's UF. If someone in your immediate family was sick, I would say..consider going to Nova. If it's just because you want to stay near home to be comfy, that's not a good excuse. UF is pretty close to home, you don't even need a plane ride. You could come home at least 1-2 times a month. No biggie.

 

[whateveryoulike]

this is a no brainer question, choose UF. nova is only worth going to if you are an out of state student. for an in-stater the cost is rediculous. according to the new ADEA dental guide book (for the next app cycle) the price diff for all 4 years (including cost of living) is 88k. 88k will buy your family quite a bit of travel tickets. as a matter of fact, 88k will pay for an extra apartment in gainesville AND travel expenses so they can come up and stay for awhile whenever they want. Nova is a scam deal for anyone who can take advantage of in-state UF costs and actually got in to UF. the only in-staters (that I know of) that choose Nova are planning on living with family during their schooling or they didnt get into UF.

 

[CountinCavities]

If you have worked to get the grades to go to UF and they want you then you deserve the lowered tuition. Take this opportunity to make new friends and live on your own.

 

[Elaine Perez]

Thanks a lot guys! You are all right, and this has helped a lot. I think I'm gonna go to UF!!! By any chance do you know about the passing boards ratings of UF? I know Nova has very good passing boards ratings but have no idea about UF...

 

[CountinCavities]

Thanks a lot guys! You are all right, and this has helped a lot. I think I'm gonna go to UF!!! By any chance do you know about the passing boards ratings of UF? I know Nova has very good passing boards ratings but have no idea about UF...

Good choice. Any suggestions for 2010 cycle applicants trying to get in UF? I am a FL resident and of course, UF is my dream school Do you mind sharing your stats and ECs? Any suggestions for the interview? How was it? Any info would help a bunch. Oh yeah and how many shadowing hrs did you have? I am low on those.

 

[DrReo]

Thanks a lot guys! You are all right, and this has helped a lot. I think I'm gonna go to UF!!! By any chance do you know about the passing boards ratings of UF? I know Nova has very good passing boards ratings but have no idea about UF...

Passing boards is an individual effort. I'm sure they are in the high 90's (along with almost every other dental school).

 

[vlct0ria]

I hope to have the choice by this time next year! Congrats on your acceptances, and I would definitely choose UF if I were you! The $ factor is just too big to ignore, and plus I think you might be better off in a different environment as opposed to possibly being distracted by family and old friends in Ft. Laudy. At least the new friends you make in Gville will probably be your classmates, who will all going through the same everyday stresses that you will be!

 

[btizzels]

If I were you, I would try saving some coin and go to UF. But just some things about UF that you might want to consider. 1) its in Gainesville, nuff said. 2) I hear Nova is far less cutthroat then UF.... But UF for a FL resident would be way way cheaper so just some things to think about. Good luck deciding, ps either way you will get a good education.

 

[Elaine Perez]

Good choice. Any suggestions for 2010 cycle applicants trying to get in UF? I am a FL resident and of course, UF is my dream school Do you mind sharing your stats and ECs? Any suggestions for the interview? How was it? Any info would help a bunch. Oh yeah and how many shadowing hrs did you have? I am low on those.

First of all I suggest that you study hard for the DAT, buy the destroyer, do a lot of practice exams, concentrate, make sure you have more than 15 in every section, and do your best to get at least a 19 AA!!! My grades were 20 AA, 21 AS, 18 Math, 19 PAT, 18 RC, 24 Orgo, 20 Bio, 21 Gen Chem. I've heard that UF likes students who do good in Math. Your GPA is also important and they are REALLY interested in your manual dexterity abilities and shadowing experiences!!! Finish all their requirements as soon as you can. As far as shadowing, I had more than 50 hours of dentist shadowing AND 50 hours of community service (separate), great letters of recommendation from a dentist and professors, a good personal statement (they did read mine)!!! If you have all that, you should get an interview, and that is the hardest step!!! If you do get the interview, make sure you impress them with your appearance, be yourself and let them know what you do with your hands and how you can be an asset to their school!!! They asked me to evaluate my DAT scores. They also asked me what I thought was the hardest thing once I was in dental school. They asked me about what did I do while I was shadowing the dentist. Good luckkkkkkkkk!!!!

 

[Simiam]

All I have to say is:

GO GATORS!

 

[La Dentista]

Gainesville numbed my brain when I stayed there last year. If I had to go through dental school living in gainesville... I don't want to think about it

I'm teasing (somewhat), good luck where ever you go.

 

[vlct0ria]

Gainesville numbed my brain when I stayed there last year. If I had to go through dental school living in gainesville... I don't want to think about it

I'm teasing (somewhat), good luck where ever you go.

No, Gainesville really is lame. Location is the biggest pro for Nova over UF.

 

[Elaine Perez]

Gainesville numbed my brain when I stayed there last year. If I had to go through dental school living in gainesville... I don't want to think about it

I'm teasing (somewhat), good luck where ever you go.

I'm just curious...what happened to you in Gainesville? Is it that bad?

 

[t2009]

I did both my undergrad and dental school at UF. It's a college town with the typical college atmosphere. When I got into dental school I felt like I got the undergrad life while still being in grad school. Some people like that atmosphere and some don't.

Yes it's gainesville, it's small with not a lot to do. But there's the beach in most any direction. If you have a family it's a nice town to raise them in. Yes you are a UF student so you get to go to football games in the fall and baseball and basketball in the spring. I was fortunate that we had a lot of good things happen in UF sports during these last couple of years. If you are an intramural sports fan UF has one of the largest intramural sports programs in the country. In fact the dental school participates in Grad Cup and competes againts Med, Law and Pharmacy each year. The dental school has been champions since it started and tied for 1st this year, so we're champs 3 years running.

I'm going to be doing my residency in NYC which is a complete 360 from Gainesville. But for me it is a great change at the right time as I plan on coming back to Florida to practice.

The UF dental school has made some tremendous changes in the past year. I did not have one problem getting a chair to treat patients since the switch. It's my feeling that any kinks remaining in the system should start to work themselves out over time. I challenge anyone to point out a dental school that is 100% perfect.

I feel that the education I got was great and I wouldn't have gone anywhere else. I do have classmates that still say they only came to UF because it's cheap and they don't like Gainesville. And to them I say you chose to come here no one forced your hand, so stop your bitching. You could have just as easily gone to another school.

Even during my interviews for residency it just seemed like a lot of other people weren't even aware that NOVA even exisited. NOVA in the grand scheme of things is still relatively new i think less than 15 years open. This will probably change as time goes on.

As far as board pass rates the previous poster was right it's something up in the high 90% if it's not 100%. In my class I don't think anyone failed, but then again if someone did I don't think they would advertise it. The boards are what you make of it, in the end it is you sitting in front of the computer making the answer choices. At that point it doesn't matter where you went to school it's all about you.

Oh and as far as it being cut throat. Every school always has those people, we call them "gunners". For the most part everyone gets things done especially in the clinics since the change. People are so much more willing to work together and if you need a certain procedure most of your classmates are willing to transfer them to you.

In the end you are getting a DMD from either school. Your experience is what you make of it, and you will get a different experience at both.

Part of your requirement as a dental student at UF is to do rotations at offsite clinics around the state of Florida. We get a lot of pre-dental students shadowing and assisting in their clinics. Never once did I hear any of them say that Nova was their first choice. Each one of them said Florida. I don't know their reasons and I did not try and sway their opinion. I did tell them that realistically only 82 students get into UF each year not everyone gets in and that it's worth the time to educate yourself about multiple dental schools. That said if you are a Florida resident and you have the option of going to NOVA or an out of state school, I'd pick the out of state school depending on which one it was. You probably spend the same tuition and you will get to experience living somewhere else. Espcially if you plan on coming back to Florida to practice. Once you open up practice you probably won't move and probably won't have that extended period of time to live in another place and really experience it.