SUNY BUFFALO...What do you think?

[Tim Theisen]

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What are your opinions on SUNY Buffalo? Who is going or not going? Why or why not?

 

[asd]

What are your opinions on SUNY Buffalo? Who is going or not going? Why or why not?

pros.
AWESOME SCHOOL. Great clinic (we get our own chair for 3rd and 4th years), great research going on, great reputation, great education. New facilities, Very clean. very student oriented. I felt that there was more comradery among the students here then anywhere else that i interviewed.

cons.
****ty weather, ****ty location.

--for me, the pros out weigh the cons. Buts thats just my opinion.
I will be attending UB in the fall!!!

 

[lundon22]

i agree. i think Buffalo is a great school. personally, i don't think the website does it any justice until you interview there and see what they really have to offer. Clinicaly, it is one of the best in the nation. Tuition, is extremely reasonable, 12,000 as a New York resident and you can claim residency after your first year!

 

[beredsox2]

Buffalo is a great school. If they put that school nearby any nice metropolitan city and kept that low tuition, it would probably be tops in the nation.

 

[Ten32]

Buffalo is a great school. If they put that school nearby any nice metropolitan city and kept that low tuition, it would probably be tops in the nation.

i agree its a nice school. But i've also heard some negative things from a friend that attended. WORST possible location. terrible cold snowy weather most of the year round. isolating, but good for studying with little distraction. It was described to me as basically a midwest school, in the middle of nowhere, with no real young professional crowd. Nice curriculum, but i still hear that students end up working hard and having little free time anyways.

 

[iviikoivi]

I heard it's the worst school ever!!


[ ]

 

[Toothinator]

Still debatin' between Buffalo and Pitt huh Tim? Talk to lephisto or Superchris147 on here, they are current first years there and will give you some excellent insight.

 

[julkin]

i agree. i think Buffalo is a great school. personally, i don't think the website does it any justice until you interview there and see what they really have to offer. Clinicaly, it is one of the best in the nation. Tuition, is extremely reasonable, 12,000 as a New York resident and you can claim residency after your first year!

You are right, when I clicked on the school's link in UB website for the first time, I thought it is a false link, but who cares?
I hope they will change the school's web page so it can truly represent the school itself.

 

[julkin]

double post...

 

[rambo2006]

Hello,

I will be attending UB next fall. I interviewed at 7 other school and this school shines. Its in a very nice neighborhood and the facility is pretty new. I'm coming from minnesota so the weather isnt any surprise to me. Niagra falls, however u spell that, is like 30 min. away from the school. Buffalo isnt like NYC when it comes to parking and terrible rush hour traffic. Its not at all crammed up. Like every city, buffalo has its ok areas, nice areas, stay away from there areas and everything else.

good luck

 

[DMD-2-B]

Hello,

I will be attending UB next fall. I interviewed at 7 other school and this school shines. Its in a very nice neighborhood and the facility is pretty new. I'm coming from minnesota so the weather isnt any surprise to me. Niagra falls, however u spell that, is like 30 min. away from the school. Buffalo isnt like NYC when it comes to parking and terrible rush hour traffic. Its not at all crammed up. Like every city, buffalo has its ok areas, nice areas, stay away from there areas and everything else.

good luck

I've never been there, but my own dentist went there. He LOVES LOVES LOVES it, and I've found him to be the only dentist I trust to work on my teeth. I'm not sure how much the later helps you make up your mind though.

Good luck!

 

[gryffindor]

Hello,

I will be attending UB next fall. I interviewed at 7 other school and this school shines. Its in a very nice neighborhood and the facility is pretty new. I'm coming from minnesota so the weather isnt any surprise to me. Niagra falls, however u spell that, is like 30 min. away from the school. Buffalo isnt like NYC when it comes to parking and terrible rush hour traffic. Its not at all crammed up. Like every city, buffalo has its ok areas, nice areas, stay away from there areas and everything else.

good luck

Hehe, don't go behind the school (Bailey Avenue toward Buffalo). You'll find out very quickly it's not such a nice neiborhood. Stay on Main St. and you'll be in Amherst, and that is definitely very nice. Go the other way on Main St., however, and the scenery will quickly change.

 

[I'mFillingFine]

What are your opinions on SUNY Buffalo? Who is going or not going? Why or why not?

Weren't you interested in Buffalo during the last cycle as well? I recall a few raps....? 😀


Anyway, of course I'm going to say that Buffalo is the best dental school in the world. Since I bitch at people for blaring forth comments without any sensible back-up information, here are my top reasons for thinking such thoughts.

Of couse, the main reason is an excellent program, facilities, professors, reputation, and curriculum. Here are some more personal reasons:

1. Having your own chair/operatory space for your two years in clinic. For me, this seems like a great way to have your own "mini-practice" and allows for a lot of autonomy. Don't touch my chair! 😀

2. The fact that it's on a campus with ALL the other grad programs at UB. It's not alone or in a hospital (UConn) or on a campus with ALL the undergrads and grads (UPenn), but instead there will be a lot of varied people without an enormous number of drunken college students.

3. The aesthetics of the buildings, clinics, campus, library (did you see the reading room??? It was the original library, and the modern one was built around it. Looks like a museum!).

4. The balance of professionalism and friendliness I saw in all the staff and students...they all had lives outside of school but took their studies very seriously and didn't make it sound like a chore.

5. $$$$$$$$$$$$$ (or more like $$$)

6. The fact that they try to break up the years so that year 1 is mostly academic, year 2 mostly preclin, then lots of clinic for 3 and 4. This will help it not feel like 4 years of dragging insanity.

7. I like the city; it's not too big, but it has a lot of good cultural stuff (and excellent food) and is super cheap!!! I'm from the country, so I'd be overwhelmed in a huge place, but it doesn't seem like I could get bored. For when life isn't insane, there's always the zoo.... 👍

 

[rambo2006]

I think that among all the factors, the cost of tuition has been underlooked. Sure we will all make a lot of money someday and we will look back and say it was worth it, but lets be sensible, at the end of the day we are all going to be dentists no matter which d-school we go to and the difference between the schools isnt close to $25,000. I choose UB over U of maryland baltimore even though UMD's new 140 million dollar building is awesome with state of the art smart chairs. Money should make a difference. Let us not live in la la land where everything will be fine after we graduate. I didnt mean to say that in an offensive way by the way. I think we are all bieng constructive. 🙂

good luck

 

[I'mFillingFine]

I think that among all the factors, the cost of tuition has been underlooked. Sure we will all make a lot of money someday and we will look back and say it was worth it, but lets be sensible, at the end of the day we are all going to be dentists no matter which d-school we go to and the difference between the schools isnt close to $25,000. I choose UB over U of maryland baltimore even though UMD's new 140 million dollar building is awesome with state of the art smart chairs. Money should make a difference. Let us not live in la la land where everything will be fine after we graduate. I didnt mean to say that in an offensive way by the way. I think we are all bieng constructive. 🙂

good luck

Absolutely! A lot of the people speaking casualy about their 300+K loans for private schools are either predents or students who don't have to pay them back yet. I know that all of us are smart, goal-oriented people and that everyone plans for how he/she will pay it back. But I've spoken with tons of dentists who got out of private schools and have to pay back over $2000/month for 30 years!! gah. I myself was VERY close to going to a private school, so I could have easily been in the same boat. I just happened to fall in love with Buffalo, too, and money indeed played a large factor.

 

[pmoney]

Like others have said, it's a very good school. The facilities aren't new per se, but they have been taken care of very well.

And that comment about it being in a great neighborhood

Its not bad, though it can get pretty shady if you go a few blocks away. But, going north up main st takes you to amherst/east amherst/williamsville which is very nice (well i have to say so considering I grew up there 😉 )

 

[oldboy]

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/Buffalo/buffalo.html

booyah

 

[I'mFillingFine]

http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/Buffalo/buffalo.html

booyah

NICE! 😀 great factoids in that. Totally going to buy one of the mansions, once I'm a specialist and discover the Lost Fountain of Loan Repayment.


I didn't know McKinley was assassinated there....?? 😱

 

[bigsilvo]

NICE! 😀 great factoids in that. Totally going to buy one of the mansions, once I'm a specialist and discover the Lost Fountain of Loan Repayment.


I didn't know McKinley was assassinated there....?? 😱

I live in Nevada right now, but I was born and raised in Buffalo. The truth is I LOVE Buffalo. It will always be home to me and I would consider going back. Yeah the winters are ****ty but that's kind of a characteristic of it. All those great lake cities have the same crappy winters (Detroit, Cleveland etc.) The city has so much personality though. It has a great music scene, unbelievable food, and still such a diverse culture. America has become so cookie cutter nowadays with Starbucks on every corner and Olive Gardens etc etc, but Buffalo has still held on to a lot of its individuality. Go to La Bella Sicilia on Genessee St. and tell me if you'll ever go to an Olive Garden again. As far as being a student, there's a great college atmosphere and overall I think it'll be an awesome experience for those of you who are going. Anyways I guess that's my own opinion.

Yes pres. Mckinley was assasinated there. September 6, 1901. It took him a while to die though, like September 14 or something like that. He took a cap to the stomach. Actually my great grandfather was playing with Scinta's Italian American Marching band in downtown Buffalo when he was shot.

 

[I'mFillingFine]

SO glad to hear it! It seems like just the kind of city I'd fall in love with. Small-town charm in a decent sized city with lots of culture. Thanks for all the info, Buffalo supporters!! 👍 And I grew up in the Berkshire hills - I couldn't care less about snow. Fun white stuff.

 

[ArmoredTooth]

A head prosthodontist at a local dental clinic I observe at is a SUNY Buffalo alum.

Back then in the good ol' days, he said SUNY Buffalo's dental program was great. But these days, he said the same instructors are there, and there haven't been much changes. He also has a niece who attended SUNY Buffalo's program, probably graduated last year, and said that her classmates were cutt-throat and cold.

That's just hearsay.

 

[JohnDoeDDS]

wait guy let me get this straight. The school is $12,000/yea for in-state student??

 

[rambo2006]

I withdrew from suny ub after I was accepted in my state school which is actually a bit more expensive then UB !!!! I visited UB when I had intentions of moiving there and I did so serious research on the area. Realestate has reached a point where houses are not appreciating much. Some areas in buffalo are really nice like Amherst. Other areas like Tanawanda will remind you of the bad areas you may be familiar of in your home towns. They do have decent malls. The city's financial status isnt bright though. Construction wise, there street lights are like 20 years old (I'm comparing it to minneapolis mn). Buffalo doesnt have much going for it except that niagra falls is pretty close and so is toronto. The highway system is fairly easy to use. As for the weather, you do have the lake effect and so it does get really chilly...ok ok freeeezing cold. But the snow is overated. Buffalo was hit with a blizzard a few years back and that seems to have stuck in ppls minds. The school does have the electronic curriculum which means that you read all your text books on your laptop that you are required to purchase. Some like it, some dont, apparently all get used to it either way. Buffalo airport is very small with...if I recall correctly...only 3 gates. Dental schools are better than eachother in certain ways. UB is innexpensive and students do pretty darn well on the board exams. Funding this funding that...I dont know about that. Unlike schools like Temple, Ub is not in the middle of the hood or ghetto. Unlike temple, at UB you wont come to your care and find one of the windows smashed because a street rat needed the quarter that lied on your dashboard. thats my...2 cents. any questions, pm me, I'll tell u what I know about UB.

good luck

 

[pmoney]

I withdrew from suny ub after I was accepted in my state school which is actually a bit more expensive then UB !!!! I visited UB when I had intentions of moiving there and I did so serious research on the area. Realestate has reached a point where houses are not appreciating much. Some areas in buffalo are really nice like Amherst. Other areas like Tanawanda will remind you of the bad areas you may be familiar of in your home towns. They do have decent malls. The city's financial status isnt bright though. Construction wise, there street lights are like 20 years old (I'm comparing it to minneapolis mn). Buffalo doesnt have much going for it except that niagra falls is pretty close and so is toronto. The highway system is fairly easy to use. As for the weather, you do have the lake effect and so it does get really chilly...ok ok freeeezing cold. But the snow is overated. Buffalo was hit with a blizzard a few years back and that seems to have stuck in ppls minds. The school does have the electronic curriculum which means that you read all your text books on your laptop that you are required to purchase. Some like it, some dont, apparently all get used to it either way. Buffalo airport is very small with...if I recall correctly...only 3 gates. Dental schools are better than eachother in certain ways. UB is innexpensive and students do pretty darn well on the board exams. Funding this funding that...I dont know about that. Unlike schools like Temple, Ub is not in the middle of the hood or ghetto. Unlike temple, at UB you wont come to your care and find one of the windows smashed because a street rat needed the quarter that lied on your dashboard. thats my...2 cents. any questions, pm me, I'll tell u what I know about UB.

good luck

Pretty much everything you said was spot on. The whole electronic curriculum has its benefits and disadvantages. The airport is not that small, its a little bigger than Rochester and has all the flights you need.

And of course the housing prices don't appreciate when you can buy a new home for almost what you would pay for an older home. Anybody who has lived in the midwest/upstate ny area knows that housing is not an investment. hell, the property taxes make it more sense to rent. if you rent anapartment with 3 bedrooms and everything new, top of the line in Amherst area, most you are ever paying is $1200, maybe even $1000. Now, if you buy your typical new construction $250-300k house in that area, you will pay 10k in taxes that year alone. $14,400 for an apartment where all other needs are taken care of vs house for $10k in TAXES alone + accessory crap. You better be staying in the area if you plan on buying a house.

 

[hockeydentist]

I withdrew from suny ub after I was accepted in my state school which is actually a bit more expensive then UB !!!! I visited UB when I had intentions of moiving there and I did so serious research on the area. Realestate has reached a point where houses are not appreciating much. Some areas in buffalo are really nice like Amherst. Other areas like Tanawanda will remind you of the bad areas you may be familiar of in your home towns. They do have decent malls. The city's financial status isnt bright though. Construction wise, there street lights are like 20 years old (I'm comparing it to minneapolis mn). Buffalo doesnt have much going for it except that niagra falls is pretty close and so is toronto. The highway system is fairly easy to use. As for the weather, you do have the lake effect and so it does get really chilly...ok ok freeeezing cold. But the snow is overated. Buffalo was hit with a blizzard a few years back and that seems to have stuck in ppls minds. The school does have the electronic curriculum which means that you read all your text books on your laptop that you are required to purchase. Some like it, some dont, apparently all get used to it either way. Buffalo airport is very small with...if I recall correctly...only 3 gates. Dental schools are better than eachother in certain ways. UB is innexpensive and students do pretty darn well on the board exams. Funding this funding that...I dont know about that. Unlike schools like Temple, Ub is not in the middle of the hood or ghetto. Unlike temple, at UB you wont come to your care and find one of the windows smashed because a street rat needed the quarter that lied on your dashboard. thats my...2 cents. any questions, pm me, I'll tell u what I know about UB.

good luck

thats temples charm.... the ghetto...