Please help! USC vs UNLV vs NSU

[fxshdntl]

Hello everybody, I currently have a week left to put down a deposit and I am still a little torn on which school I should choose. I am a California resident, about 45 minutes away from USC. ALSO, I know many people disregard USC because of its high price tag, but I am fortunate enough to have significant financial help throughout dental school, so the burden is much less than it is typically. Cost is one of the lower factors for me, so I am more interested in what people have to say about school culture/clinical experience/anything else.
I also have an interview at OHSU coming up in a week, so if anyone had any thoughts about their school as well I would really appreciate it!

USC
Pros:

• Closest to home, would be able to visit many weekends
• Most comfortable/familiar city for me
• Students talked about how it is much less stressful than other schools in their opinion
• Big patient pool
• Very big campus with many amenities
• I heard it is a great school to choose if you want to specialize
• Great weather

Cons:

• Staff seemed very stern/not as interested during the interview day
• Learning curve with PBL
• $$$
• Have not heard too much about how it is clinically
• Very mixed opinions online

UNLV
Pros:

• Staff seems very passionate and friendly during interview day
• Have relatives 40 minutes away from the school
• Would be able to visit home (~4 hr drive)
• Heard good things about it clinically, something like 5000 patient hours before graduating?
• Starts clinics early and automatically assigned patients

Cons:

• Older facilities, SIM lab looked the most outdated/depressing compared to the other schools
• Least familiar / comfortable with the area
• Very small campus, unattached to main campus
• Seems to not have as established of a reputation as other schools?
• Students seem the most stressed here. Many complained about the overwhelming workload during the interview

NSU
Pros:

• Most advanced technology; very high emphasis on digital dentistry
• Very modern and updated SIM lab
• Good impression from faculty during the tour
• Already have friends there/a life established due to attending NSU for undergrad
• Familiar with the area
• Average incoming class age tends to be on the younger side according to their statistics during interview, so I may be able to connect with the students more as opposed to other schools?
• Would have guaranteed housing and roommates
• Slightly familiar with the faculty already

Cons:

• Furthest from home
• Class size is doubling within the near future
• Heard bad rumors about the school online
• Have not heard too many things about the school

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[macsak]

Hello everybody, I currently have a week left to put down a deposit and I am still a little torn on which school I should choose. I am a California resident, about 45 minutes away from USC. ALSO, I know many people disregard USC because of its high price tag, but I am fortunate enough to have significant financial help throughout dental school, so the burden is much less than it is typically. Cost is one of the lower factors for me, so I am more interested in what people have to say about school culture/clinical experience/anything else.
I also have an interview at OHSU coming up in a week, so if anyone had any thoughts about their school as well I would really appreciate it!

USC
Pros:

• Closest to home, would be able to visit many weekends
• Most comfortable/familiar city for me
• Students talked about how it is much less stressful than other schools in their opinion
• Big patient pool
• Very big campus with many amenities
• I heard it is a great school to choose if you want to specialize
• Great weather

Cons:

• Staff seemed very stern/not as interested during the interview day
• Learning curve with PBL
• $$$
• Have not heard too much about how it is clinically
• Very mixed opinions online

UNLV
Pros:

• Staff seems very passionate and friendly during interview day
• Have relatives 40 minutes away from the school
• Would be able to visit home (~4 hr drive)
• Heard good things about it clinically, something like 5000 patient hours before graduating?
• Starts clinics early and automatically assigned patients

Cons:

• Older facilities, SIM lab looked the most outdated/depressing compared to the other schools
• Least familiar / comfortable with the area
• Very small campus, unattached to main campus
• Seems to not have as established of a reputation as other schools?
• Students seem the most stressed here. Many complained about the overwhelming workload during the interview

NSU
Pros:

• Most advanced technology; very high emphasis on digital dentistry
• Very modern and updated SIM lab
• Good impression from faculty during the tour
• Already have friends there/a life established due to attending NSU for undergrad
• Familiar with the area
• Average incoming class age tends to be on the younger side according to their statistics during interview, so I may be able to connect with the students more as opposed to other schools?
• Would have guaranteed housing and roommates
• Slightly familiar with the faculty already

Cons:

• Furthest from home
• Class size is doubling within the near future
• Heard bad rumors about the school online
• Have not heard too many things about the school

this one is easy
UNLV

 

[fxshdntl]

this one is easy
UNLV

I also thought so when I first got my acceptances but both the dentists I shadowed were thrilled that I got into USC and urged me to go there. Do you think UNLV > USC because of cost alone or is it better in many other ways? Thank you 🙂

 

[macsak]

I also thought so when I first got my acceptances but both the dentists I shadowed were thrilled that I got into USC and urged me to go there. Do you think UNLV > USC because of cost alone or is it better in many other ways? Thank you 🙂

let me guess, the 2 dentists that were excited about usc went to usc...

 

[fxshdntl]

let me guess, the 2 dentists that were excited about usc went to usc...

One went to Temple the other Kentucky. I was just curious if you had any other specific points

 

[macsak]

One went to Temple the other Kentucky

lol
ok

PBL and being in watts are two major downsides in my opinion, outside of $$$ (you get instate after one year at unkv too
unlv is not in the greatest area of vegas, but it's a better location than watts (plus it's vegas!)

ohsu is a good school and pass/fail

 

[T_Doctor]

Hello everybody, I currently have a week left to put down a deposit and I am still a little torn on which school I should choose. I am a California resident, about 45 minutes away from USC. ALSO, I know many people disregard USC because of its high price tag, but I am fortunate enough to have significant financial help throughout dental school, so the burden is much less than it is typically. Cost is one of the lower factors for me, so I am more interested in what people have to say about school culture/clinical experience/anything else.
I also have an interview at OHSU coming up in a week, so if anyone had any thoughts about their school as well I would really appreciate it!

USC
Pros:

• Closest to home, would be able to visit many weekends
• Most comfortable/familiar city for me
• Students talked about how it is much less stressful than other schools in their opinion
• Big patient pool
• Very big campus with many amenities
• I heard it is a great school to choose if you want to specialize
• Great weather

Cons:

• Staff seemed very stern/not as interested during the interview day
• Learning curve with PBL
• $$$
• Have not heard too much about how it is clinically
• Very mixed opinions online

UNLV
Pros:

• Staff seems very passionate and friendly during interview day
• Have relatives 40 minutes away from the school
• Would be able to visit home (~4 hr drive)
• Heard good things about it clinically, something like 5000 patient hours before graduating?
• Starts clinics early and automatically assigned patients

Cons:

• Older facilities, SIM lab looked the most outdated/depressing compared to the other schools
• Least familiar / comfortable with the area
• Very small campus, unattached to main campus
• Seems to not have as established of a reputation as other schools?
• Students seem the most stressed here. Many complained about the overwhelming workload during the interview

NSU
Pros:

• Most advanced technology; very high emphasis on digital dentistry
• Very modern and updated SIM lab
• Good impression from faculty during the tour
• Already have friends there/a life established due to attending NSU for undergrad
• Familiar with the area
• Average incoming class age tends to be on the younger side according to their statistics during interview, so I may be able to connect with the students more as opposed to other schools?
• Would have guaranteed housing and roommates
• Slightly familiar with the faculty already

Cons:

• Furthest from home
• Class size is doubling within the near future
• Heard bad rumors about the school online
• Have not heard too many things about the school

I am a current D1 at UNLV. I cannot say much about the other schools but UNLV is only hard if you want to specialize. In my opinion, it is quite easy to just pass (70%). I guarantee the students you talked to at the interview are gunning for specializing. My experience here at UNLV has been quite pleasant and I would recommend it. All the upper classmen say that UNLV has such a good clinical experience. You get lots of experience doing surgical extractions, endo/root canals, and more. A big advantage in my opinion is not having a ton of specialty residents here. We only have pediatric, ortho and GPR residents here.

 

[fxshdntl]

lol
ok

PBL and being in watts are two major downsides in my opinion, outside of $$$ (you get instate after one year at unkv too
unlv is not in the greatest area of vegas, but it's a better location than watts (plus it's vegas!)

ohsu is a good school and pass/fail

Thanks!

 

[fxshdntl]

I am a current D1 at UNLV. I cannot say much about the other schools but UNLV is only hard if you want to specialize. In my opinion, it is quite easy to just pass (70%). I guarantee the students you talked to at the interview are gunning for specializing. My experience here at UNLV has been quite pleasant and I would recommend it. All the upper classmen say that UNLV has such a good clinical experience. You get lots of experience doing surgical extractions, endo/root canals, and more. A big advantage in my opinion is not having a ton of specialty residents here. We only have pediatric, ortho and GPR residents here.

Thank you very much! I am glad to hear it has been smooth sailing 🙂

 

[shawnie]

I am a current D1 at UNLV. I cannot say much about the other schools but UNLV is only hard if you want to specialize. In my opinion, it is quite easy to just pass (70%). I guarantee the students you talked to at the interview are gunning for specializing. My experience here at UNLV has been quite pleasant and I would recommend it. All the upper classmen say that UNLV has such a good clinical experience. You get lots of experience doing surgical extractions, endo/root canals, and more. A big advantage in my opinion is not having a ton of specialty residents here. We only have pediatric, ortho and GPR residents here.

What is the schools culture like? I heard its a commuter school so I was worried it'd be hard to connect with other students to study or find common areas of interest.

 

[SDDSDDM]

I have heard the UNLV class trends older, married, and many from Utah. The area is also sketchy/depressing/near highway. USC SDM is at least on campus.

 

[sumin5924]

unlv grad here. unlv clinical experience/exposure is excellent. I came out prepared for the real world.

reputation wise, pts don't care where you went to school when you start working.

it is a commuter school, but everyone ends up living in the same "nicer" areas so hanging out, getting together was easy. you spend ALL day together so making friends is not a problem.

for some context, I'm from socal and didn't even attend my usc interview once I was accepted at a cheaper school.

 

[T_Doctor]

I have heard the UNLV class trends older, married, and many from Utah. The area is also sketchy/depressing/near highway. USC SDM is at least on campus.

You are right. There are students who are married, and older with kids. BUT most students are not like that. My class has a mix of everybody! Culture is good. We are all out to help each other out.

 

[T_Doctor]

I have heard the UNLV class trends older, married, and many from Utah. The area is also sketchy/depressing/near highway. USC SDM is at least on campus.

I would also say yes the area is a little sketch.. but compared to some other schools, its not. Plus, the school is centrally located in Las Vegas so you can live anywhere and have a commute of tops 35 minutes. Las Vegas I would say is a "little big" city (bigger than most, but not nearly as big as NYC, LA, Dallas, etc.)