Nyu

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

Bubbles81

Junior Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2003
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Hey everyone! Thanks for all the help with my UW questions. I was also wondering what everyone thinks about NYU. I liked the school when I went to visit and most of the students seemed really happy (despite it being finals week). I was also impressed with how nice the admissions staff was. However, it is pretty expensive compared to other schools. And the class size is what I'm worried about the most. Any thoughts?? Has anyone decided to attend NYU and why did you all decide on this school?
Thanks!!

Members don't see this ad.
 
Bubbles,

I would go to NYU over UW in an instant. Yes, you read right.

NYU is a very decent school. The only two concerns that one might have is the tuition and the class size. However, you will get a very balanced education there. However, tuition is high but it is private university and you don't have to deal with all the government politics screwing your education. Class size...hey you make more friends. More diverse crowd. you are living in NY, can't beat that.

What is important is that you got an awesome vibe from the school. Just wait until your UW interview and I will assure you that you will want to go to NYU more.

My cousin is at NYU right now. Yes it is hard. Yes there are many other pressures. But at least she isn't in an hostile environment like UW.

DesiDentist
 
Even if it wasn't one of the most expensive schools to attend, I won't go there. They accept anybody who can afford it. It shouldn't cost that much to become a dentist. But, if it's your only option by all means. Otherwise, stick to UW. No debate.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Why does the fact that they accept anyone according to you make any difference? is this your criterion? If your an elitist about your school maybe you should pick another profession. NO ONE CARES WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WHEN YOU GET OUT.
 
john
Actually, some people do care where you went to school; they are called the admissions committees of residency programs.

First, they know the strengths and weaknesses of each school and will definitely include that info when making decisions about residency admissions.

The more important thing, however, is that some schools do on average better on NBDE Part I than others. If you want to go into a specialty, the results of this exam will be very important to you because they are a major part of the decision-making process in these selection committees.

If you want to specialize, you should first go to the school that you LIKE the most, but if you have a choice between schools that you like...one consistently finishes in the top five on NBDE Part I and the other is consistently in the lower 10, why would you choose school #2? It is hard to say what it is about a school that makes it consistently do well; it is obivously the combination of students' work ethic and the type of program offered.

Regardless, though, some schools just have better average track records...and so the school you choose WILL in some way make a difference in how well you do on the boards. You may have to work much harder at another school to make up for what you don't get through their program. This has been hashed out in other threads too; you may find more info by doing a search.

The bottom line is, the average student at one school may be far below the average student at another. Maybe the curriculum is better. Maybe they recruit better students. Maybe the students are pushed by the faculty much harder. Whatever it is, though, there are differences.

This fact isn't elitist, it is realistic. My state school, University of TN, is a fine school. I liked it when I interviewed. I have lots of friends that go there. I didn't go there because they consistently do poorly on NBDE I. I know guys who are smart, hard-working students who have ended up with scores that are still well below what students at schools that are in the top 5 receive. It is very hard for them to be competitive. I didn't go there because I didn't want to kid myself in saying that I would have an equal chance to get into whatever specialty I wanted...because going to a school like TN, it is not by any means impossible to get in to a good specialty program, but it is much, much more difficult.
 
Unless you are absolutely certain you want to specialize, I would choose a cheaper option. The debt you have coming out of school is really going to affect your practice options. (i.e. where you work, how many days per week, associateship vs. starting your own practice) You are gonna be shelling out GOBS of money on equipment and stuff - why add $100k in student loans to that? And think of what that $100k could do for you if it's not spent before you even start working - a much bigger and nicer house, a fantastic cabin in the Rockies, multiple vacations, retiring a few years sooner, etc...

Also, if you do specialize, how you will you manage making even minimum payments on your massive predoctoral loans while you're getting a $10,000 stipend as an orthodontic resident. You may need several years in private practice to pay down loans before you can feasibly start a residency.

Just my thoughts on the matter.
 
That may be true. But I should also point out that the top
spots in TN's specialty programs are probably reserved
for their own students and not some guy with a higher
part one board score from an out of state institution.

As a matter of fact some schools have very crappy part one
scores. I read that at one time Harvard had some of the lowest
part one scores in the nation yet on part two they were the top in the nation ( part two being clinical correlations and from most arguments the most important sans my joke about Harvard dentists it sounds like a fine school).

Another fact your failing to mention ( and I know this because dentistry is in my family and I know how the game works at my local school that I will be atttending ) is that NOT everyone who has high class rank specializes. I know for a fact that in some specialities they wont even consider people right out of undergrad ( ENDO: and they dont pay a whole hell of a lot of attention to your nbde part ones either ). The only specialty that makes a big big deal out of part one basic science scores is ORTHO ( and you better have high rank too ).

A friend of mine recently graduated from Dental school FOURTH in his class ( out of 125 ) and was courted heavily by the ORTHO department but he didnt even apply. Practicing General Dentistry. Another from his class graduated right about in the middle and went directly to an oral surgery residency in a southern state at another school. Many students find they dont want to specialize and frankly your clinical HAND skills are real important as well. They pay attention to your performance in the clinic. If you express an interest in Perio when you begin your clinical stuff you will have a better chance than some guy/gal with higher nbde 1 scores before he starts. These are the facts around here at least. POLITICS plays a huge role in determining who gets into certain specialities. Good looking women have a better chance in some departments. Nicely stacked can help I kid you not if you are female when some male sexist speciality prof is making the decision. Yes, nbde part one is important but it isnt the end all.

All this talk about specialty is kidna of ridiculous till you get in but I see your point if you really know you have to specialize. But like my No 4 friend he didnt want to but I geuss he could go about anywhere now with his class rank if he ever wanted to.

One last thing since I read all the time on this board about people going to exorbitantly expensive schools. Thats great and I would if I had the cash but there is no way in hell that I would BORROW everything to attend one of these schools. If you are interested in specializing you are easily looking at 350 to 400 grand by the time you are finished. You better be making the cash when you get out. I geuss there are many on this board who are wealthy and can go to TUFTS and then study perio at PENN and then not be crushed by the amount of debt they incur.
If it was me I would go to TN and take an NBDE prep course one summer and study my basic sciences hard. If you did this I would be willing to bet you could just as well on boards as someone from a school that is out of state that has higher NBDE 1 scores.
Its your motivation to study the material that matters the most and your academic background. If you are a science geek or whatever and have a strong background in BIOLOGY when you enter school you can smoke boards just like anyone else from another school if you care to.

I think I wont be posting for awhile.
 
No, don't stop posting Johndental. We respect and value your opinions on this board. :) No, really, you seem to have an interesting and realistic take on things. Many of us have relatively little experience in the area, and it's nice to hear from someone whose family is in the field.
 
johndental,

Sounds like you're making a smart decision. Best of luck!

I agree that one shouldn't pay a ridiculous amount of money for a private school (unless you can afford it or it's you're only choice) when you can get into a state school (which is what this thread is all about).

I know desi disagrees, but to each there own.
 
Ranman,

I don't disagree. However, I value happiness over debt. That's just the type of guy I am. If I know I will be miserable at one program that is cheaper and happier at another program which is a little bit more expensive then I will choose the one that I will be happier at, final.

I have a lot to lose if I go to the University of Washington and it isn't about money. What I have in philly is priceless and no amount of money can make up for not going there.

Also, I believe that God is looking after me and I know that my fate is put in the hands of a higher power. So I don't doubt like so many people that I will not be able to payback my loans. I have Faith that all will be well. Rather than thinking negative I believe that everything will be fine.

Faith is what got me into Dental School, Faith will get me through Dental School, Faith will get me out of Dental School, and I know Faith will get me out of Debt too.

So why should I worry? :D

DesiDentist
 
johndental
You are right about some of the specialties not being so concerned with NBDE I, but that doesn't mean you don't have to do well on it!! Sure, endo programs are also concerned with other things since it is a very technique-sensitive specialty requiring good handskills right off the bat, but you still do have to have a great score to even be looked at in the first place. Ortho, you are right, looks very hard at NBDE, as does OMS (4 or 6 yr programs)...in fact, I have been told by the admissions director for the program here at UConn that it is the most important thing for OMS.

As far as some schools not having good NBDE I scores...you are right, some don't, but our example is incorrect. Harvard has been #1 on Part I for the last 2 years...I know because UConn has been #2 hence the rivalry!! The #1 school on Part II is UConn, not Harvard. Harvard is an academic school, not a clinically-oriented school.

You don't even take NBDE Part II until after you apply and go through the matching program, so it doesnt matter unless you don't get matched on the first go around and you have to wait for secondary matching...then it may factor in.

On the issue of state schools "reserving" spots for their own students...that may happen some places, but here at UConn, which is a state school, they many times don't take any CT students at all into a given program. Here it is all about how competitive you are. I'm not sure about other states, though.

And oh man are you right about the "beautiful people" aspect. We here at CT think that the whole ortho residency had to disrobe and model in order to get in because they are all the movie-star type. That does play a HUGE part in some residencies. Politics is big. That is why I like NBDE Part I because it is really one of the only things you bring to the table (besides clinical skills) that is determined by you alone.

I totally agree, though, that not all the high ranking people will specialize. Heck, I probably won't even though I thought about it a great deal when I first got in.

You are perhaps correct that going to TN and studying reaally hard for Part I would get me just as good of a score as at any other school, but where I am now...it just comes right along with the program and doesnt give me the opportunity to be a slacker.

And Amen about the expensive schools!!

Desi...I am glad that you trust God; there is no other way to go, but be careful saying that "faith will get me out of debt". What if God wants you to be poor in order to use you? Hard to say what will happen. Fact is, it WILL be hard to get through the years of debt. God helps us, but that doesn't give us license. I always hold to being a good steward of my resources rather than just trusting that God will somehow get me through a mess that I CHOSE to make. God is both merciful and just, and there are so many biblical examples of people who are wholly devoted to God STILL having to deal with consequences of the problems they created by not managing things well. Just a thought. At least you are assured that trusting God is what matters, no matter what.

Finally- head and neck anatomy is over. It was quite the tough test. All you kids should try to take as much anatomy as you can in undergrad...I thought I had taken enough...:laugh:
 
JonR - Even though I am at Buffalo, a senior (going to ortho next year) told me the same thing about the beautiful-people-only Ortho Residency at UConn. The student was joking that UConn wouldn't even interview him because he wan't drop-dead-gorgeous. And now you said the same thing. That's hilarious!
 
Top