questions about UNLV

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

rezzdogg

Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2003
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Hi, I was wondering where UNLV stands as a dental program. A friend told me that it is not an accredited school since it is so new. So I want some feedback on what people know or have heard about this school and what are your chances of acceptance if you get an interview with them. gluck all

Members don't see this ad.
 
I just had my interview and they ARE accredited. Gavin can probably go into more detail about this since AZ is in the same boat. It is a great school. I would have no reservations if I went there. They have already sent out acceptances for all out of state spots, but they will more than likely still interview for out of state spots due to the fact that not all those people will accept. In state people have a 40% chance of getting a spot. Pretty good odds! (of course... it's VEGAS!)
 
how many out of state people do they interview tp put on their waitlist. Because I got an interview from them yesterday. This probably means its for a waitlist spot and chances arent that good.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi,

When I went to UNLV interview in Oct., I instantly fell in love with the school. I liked the people there a lot. Although the school hasn't finish building its dental building, I have no doubt that it will be a great place to learn dentistry. If I remember correctly, I think that there are 30 spots for out of staters. But, they do interview a lot more out of state candidates.
 
Originally posted by rezzdogg
Hi, I was wondering where UNLV stands as a dental program. A friend told me that it is not an accredited school since it is so new.

It is accredited as far as it can be. The school won't be FULLY accredited until it graduates its first class of dentists (same with Arizona), but both schools are as fully accredited as they can be at this point.

Meaning, students are eligible to receive federal loans (or else I wouldn't be in school! :D), scholarships, etc. Students are also eligible to sit for NBDE exams, etc.

Don't listen to friends who haven't examined the situation for themselves. Rumors (in these circumstances) are often incorrect and perpetuated simply to make a new school look bad.
 
UNLV accepts at least 40 in state and up to 35 out of state.
 
Hey Predentchick,
How do you know that UNLV has sent out acceptances to ALL out of state spots? Is it something they announced at the interview? I'm from WA & interviewing with them next week, and I received my interview invite back in September. I wish they would have told me they were going to do that. I just figured that they wouldn't accept for ALL their spots. :(
 
In the interview they presented a power point of a bunch of facts. They had one that included acceptances. They had 11 NV spots offered and 37 out of state spots offered. Granted, they offrered all of their out of state spots, but they won't get all filled. You should for sure go to the interview. It was really great. UNLV doesn't require a deposit so wailtist=good chance! Usually schools send out way more acceptances than what they are going to take b/c people deny them. So I wouldn't worry about the fact that they have offered "all the seats." It's a great program so check it out for sure!!!
 
Yeah, LOTS of those peeps won't pay their deposits. I'd venture to say that only 30-40% of those deposits will be paid, which will leave a good chunk (~20) of out-of-state seats still open.
 
Originally posted by predentchick
No deposit at UNLV.;)

That's right, I'm getting forgetful in my old age.

That throws a bit of a wrench into things then, because the school can never really be sure of how many students are going to actually accept the acceptance.

I'm assuming the acceptance is verified simply by the student confirming that they wish to attend UNLV (a spoken contract, I assume).
 
I guess so! I think that is kind of foolish on their part. It just drags out the process of getting your students who REALLY want to be there signed up.
 
Does anyone know when UNLV's new dental building will open?

Also, where's that building? (ex. near the builing where people do their interview?)

thanks
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Originally posted by lifeisshort
Does anyone know when UNLV's new dental building will open?

Also, where's that building? (ex. near the builing where people do their interview?)

thanks

It should open in April, I believe.

It is nowhere near the undergraduate campus (which is where the interviews are). As I recall, it is about 6 miles away.
 
Here is something interesting that at all those interested in UNLV might like to know: Dr. Marshall Brownstein, who has served as the Dean of Admissions for the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Dentistry for many years and is a practicing Pediatric dentist, will become UNLV's Dean of Admissions for their dental school starting on February 1st, 2004. Dr. Brownstein is a great guy! When I applied to dental school last year, he was by far the most caring and concerned admissions director that I came across. He is one of those guys who actually cares about the little things in an application and doesn't go strictly by the numbers. The students who currently attend UNLV and those that will and are applying to UNLV should consider themselves lucky indeed!:)
 
I am a second year student at UNLV. Gavin is right, the clinic should open in April of 2004. It is located in the "medical district" in Las Vegas, next to two major hospitals, an extension of the UNR medical school, a few blocks from the hygiene school and easy access by car and bus.

Starting on Monday, both first and second years students will start seeing patients at one of many locations. These include 3 Faculty Practice clinics that have been operating for several months, the hygiene school, two mobile dental clinics on busses, two residencies or at a hospital based practice.

We have great professors that are excited for the opportunity to shape a new curriculum and and school.

I am new to the forum, but would be willing to answer any questions that people have about UNLV.
 
thanks for the replies

jrd29, do you know UNLV's tuition fee for the non-residents?

Also, how big is the new building? (so if the building opens, will students be spending most of their time in the building like most other dental schools?)

I'm interested to know about UNLV cuz I haven't yet decided whether I should go to the interview or not.

Thanks and welcome to SDN
:clap:
 
I don't know the tuition (you can get it from the website--I'm too lazy), but I recall that you can gain in-state tuition simply by working for the university, or living in the state for a reasonable amount of time prior to school beginning. Check into this. I know that when I interviewed last year, there were a couple of students who worked on the UNLV ground crew for a week or two prior to school, and that gave them in-state tuition because they were university employees.
 
Originally posted by cochino
Here is something interesting that at all those interested in UNLV might like to know: Dr. Marshall Brownstein, who has served as the Dean of Admissions for the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Dentistry for many years and is a practicing Pediatric dentist, will become UNLV's Dean of Admissions for their dental school starting on February 1st, 2004. Dr. Brownstein is a great guy! When I applied to dental school last year, he was by far the most caring and concerned admissions director that I came across. He is one of those guys who actually cares about the little things in an application and doesn't go strictly by the numbers. The students who currently attend UNLV and those that will and are applying to UNLV should consider themselves lucky indeed!:)

Wow, that is great news! For what it's worth, I agree whole heatedly with cochino's comments regarding Dr. Brownstein.

What's more, is the fact that Dr. Brownstein wanted to go to ASDOH (Arizona). He has a son who practices in that area, and hence his desire to be in that area...

WHAT'S MORE, is the fact that Arizona turned him down! Word is they could use some help with their admimssions policies which surely must start with their Dean of Admissions, right?
 
hey jrd29


I will be attending UNLV this year, and was wondering if you can get me the COMPLETE adress of the new shadow lane campus.including zipcode. also, will regular DS1-2 year classes (anatomy, histology, dent informatics etc. )be at the new campus, or at UNLV proper? are they going to relocate EVERYTHING to the new campus, or will some stuff remain at the main campus?

and are there any good neighborhoods nearby.. I'm buying a house in Vegas and want to get into a good neighborhood thats close to the school, and vegas is weird for having the ghetto one block, then the ecclectic joints the next.


thanks in advance
Tom
 
Tom,

I am not sure of the exact address for the shadow lane campus. This is the address of UMC Medical Center, which is right next door:
1800 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89102

So, I imagine that the shadow lane campus would be something like 1700 W. Charleston Blvd.

If you are buying a house, I would suggest Henderson or Summerlin. Both have tons of nice areas and cheap housing. I live in Henderson, about 12 minutes from the new school, but still a nice part of the valley. I would definitely suggest buying. We bought a 1600 sq. ft. home in a gated community and pay ~ $750/month and it has appreciated $40k in just over 1 year.

Once the new shadow lane campus opens in April, all classes should be at the new campus (at least as far as I know).
 
lifeisshort,

I am not sure of the exact cost of out-of-state tuition. I am from out-of-state, but paid in-state because my wife taught school my first year. I think that it is pretty easy to get in-state tuition the first year if you look at the options. Every single second year student has in-state tuition, if you don't get it your first year.

For in-state I pay ~$28,000 for tuition and FEES. This includes a laptop computer, all books on DVD, and all instrumentation. So when they give you a figure, it is the true cost of the education. No other out of pocket expenses will be assessed. ( I think that tuition itself is about $23,000)

As for the new campus, I am not sure of the exact size, but it is big. I believe that there are ~180 ops (one for each DS3 and DS$). There are two other buildings the complex. One will house faculty offices and the other will be a cancer research center, with a focus on oral cancer. (All of this is from my understanding, and is not an official statement of the school, of course)

There are talks for ortho and endo residencies to start as early as 2005. A donor has come forward with a huge grant. The plan is to start other residencies ASAP. With this grant from the donor, a new building will be built to house the residencies.
 
thanks jrd29, I appreciate your answer

so how do you like Vegas?

For me, one of big factors in deciding the future dental school is the location. I've been to Vegas and know how hot and cool it can be but I don't really know about real life in Vegas.

When I went there for a trip, It seemed like there aren't much things to do except work (school, job, etc) and home. I know ther e are lots of entertainment over there, but i want to know everyday life as a dental student and resident in vegas.

Thanks
 
I have been living in Vegas for about 2 years now and I love it! It is the best place to live. The strip is there when you need it to shop or entertainment, but it is completely not even there for the most part. Real estate is awesome here. My home has gone up TONS of money. I am hoping it will pay off my loans when I graduate!:) Tom, I know a lot of realtors here. I can give you their number to have them start looking for a home for you. Realtors don't cost a buyer any extra money, and the way the market is here houses are gone within a couple days of listing. Having a realtor is a huge plus because they get the updates every day. PM me if you want more info.


Bottom line: Vegas is the BEST place to live. I wouldn't trade it for anything!
 
Predentchick and jrd29:

What's good about Vegas besides the Strip and the neighborhood in daily life? Are there abundant parks and natural recreation areas? Movies/restaurants/bars? Have you been able to take a car trip/train/airplane to many nearby attractions? -- I would imagine it's close to Cali and Colorado and Arizona.

I interview at UNLV pretty late- Apr. 2. Are matriculants ever from a pool this late? I feel an alternate appt is way better than a rejection

So I'll be able to see Las Vegas for myself in April, and UNLV gave me tourist information packets in the mail, but would love to learn more from you current residents. Thanks
 
Trying not to get off topic, but does anyone know the average stats for incoming out of state UNLV students?
 
The average stats for out-of-state students is not listed but the overall average is as follows:

Science GPA: 3.14
Overall GPA: 3.28
AA: 17.83
PAT: 18.82
TS: 17.57

I was accepted out-of-state with:

Science GPA: 3.5
Overall GPA: 3.3
AA: 20
PAT: 18
TS: 21
 
<<Real estate is awesome here. My home has gone up TONS of money. >>

In response to predentchick:

Yes real estate in Vegas is great if you currently own a home. If you are moving here, its not so good. Vegas right now is the definition of "a sellers market." Houses sell in 2 to 3 days yes, which means sellers can basically name their price and house values are skyrocketing. Getting into a house right now is diffucult. New homes have waiting lists 500 people long - not an exxageration. Homes that sold for 140k a few year ago can be easily approaching 300k today - I'm talking about resells. Getting into a new home for under 300k in nice areas is becoming a thing of the past here. I know, I've been real estate hunting here for awhile now.

That being said, Vegas is still more affordable than many areas of the country. It just happens that this is a horrible time to be a buyer in Vegas. One might think that the bubble might burst sometime soon, but they've been saying the same thing in Cali for 15 years.
 
I said that it is better to buy than rent here due to the fact that homes are continually going up. If you can afford to buy, then buy! If will just be worth more after school is done even if it is expensive. Actually, it's not "hard" to buy a home here. You just need a realtor that is on top of things. Yes, homes do go within a few days, but that is the reason a sharp realtor can save you in this town! Trust me, my family has been in the real estate biz here for 50 years...........
 
It goes without saying that in almost every city in america its better to own then rent.

All I'm saying is that the real estate market in vegas is way out of control now, with homes appreciating at unprecedented levels. It can't go one forever, but as long as it lasts, it happens to stink for new home buyers.
The situation for someone coming in with loans to consider is far different today than it was a year ago and night and day compared to when you purchased your home 2 years ago. I bought my home 2 years ago myself and have seen a 100k appreciation from its original 200k purchase price. Fantastic for me, but do you really think my house is worth 300k just 2 years later? For builders, agents, and homeowners (like yourself), its a dream come true. For a starving student, its the worst time in history to try to get a home in vegas. If someone can manage to do it, they should be in good shape but the rate of appreciation can't be maintained forever. Buying now, while its not too late, is not like the ideal market into which we made our home purchases. Let's see what happens the next time the fed raises interest rates.

Anyway, there is no need to get defensive. My point is only that the real estate market here is indeed a sellers market now, thus your exuberance at the thought of selling in a few years (you perhaps have already made 100k, while new buyers willing be paying you that 100k). When you purchased your home, it was a buyers market. Incoming students will feel a much larger financial squeeze when trying to buy a home this year.
 
True, true. I completely agree with you. However, I did buy my home during the sellers market. It was listed for only 3 hours. I had a kick butt realtor and she snagged it for me. I agree with you though. 300K for a home IS a lot, but there are some untapped areas out here, but you may have to drive a bit to school.:(
 
hey, how is the traffic situation in LV?

Is there morning traffic? How long would it take reach Shadow Lane from the 'untapped areas'?

thanks
 
The Shadow Lane campus is just of of I-15, and no matter how you slice traffic along there is horrible. That being said drive time should not be more than 40 minutes from anyone direction, unless you choose to live in Summerlin (DON'T!!).
 
Hey Now, Summerlin from the farthest point will be only 20-25 minutes to get to school and is one of the nicer places to live in town. The north-northwest seems to be the least expensive right now, but it will only take 25 min from the farthest point also. The great thing about shadow lane is its right in the center of town. It will only take 25 minutes to get there from any place in town. UNLV's main campus is on a certain side of town (southeast) and therefore from the northwest can take up to 45 minutes for those who live up there. However, this wont be a problem in may.
 
Col Sanders,

Approx how much are the houses in Summerlin (2bed, 2bath)?

Are there any affordable decent areas close to Shadow Lane you can recommend?

thanks
 
A HOUSE runs about 250K. A small condo can run about 175K. These are just estimates. Hope this helps. Any ? PM me.
 
My wife and I just bought a 2bed 2bath 1200 sq ft condo with 2 car garage in summerlin 8 months ago. And its a nice place worth about 150k now. I have a brother who just bought a 3 bed 2 bath 1600 sq ft house in the northwest for 150K in the summer worth about 160K now. A guy in my class said his 3 bed 2 bath house in summerlin is worth about 220k now. It all depends, where, when, how, and through whom you buy. If you dont mind putting a little work into something you can save some money. You can also use government programs like HUD and Freddie Mac. I wouldn't necessarily trust a real estate agent blindly without doing a little research on your own. There are a million different ways to buy and a million different philosophies to decide on. Furthermore, whats nice for you may be horrible to someone else. As far as anything really close to shadow lane and really nice. In my opinion the areas right around the campus are older and a little more run down. The "nicer" areas tend to be about 15-25 minutes away in all directions except east (generally considered the less desirable side of town)
 
that's a bargain.
i wish i could buy a house too
 
Without a doubt, UNLV is top dental school in the nation.
 
Top