1. How would you describe the overall student body vibe? At my interview, they mentioned their class isn't close at all whereas the others are.
2. Do you have/need a car to get around? Seems like everything is spaced out
3. What ultimately made you choose Colorado over your others choices if you had any?
1. I disagree, I think my class (DS3) is pretty tight. Totally depends on your class and your own efforts to get to know one another. I don't know your background but dental school will be the best opportunity of your life to engage with people whose backgrounds differ from yours - I went to dental school straight outta undergrad and found it fantastic to engage and get to know my colleagues who had children, were looking to dentistry as a second (or third career), etc. There are definitely opportunities to get to know upperclassmen and as with every place, community is what you make of it. We have dental fraternities and organizations like ASDA and ADEA to get involved with as well - I went to Disneyland with ASDA last year and we had a great time.
2. I used to live in the apartment complex behind the school, 21 Fitz (it's $$$ but location can't be beat) during my first year. I'd say you need a car. Colorado (I'm assuming your OOS) is pretty spread out and the neighborhood surrounding the school isn't the most hopping with breweries and such for young people. Anything worth going to (Stanley Marketplace, LoDo, RiNo, etc.) you need to drive or take the light rail to. I take the light rail to school from downtown Denver most days and it's an easy commute.
3. I had a few other choices of schools on December 1, but Colorado was my first interview. I loved the faculty and the way they interacted with dental students - they were warm, kind, and joked around. I really hit it off with my interview group and luckily enough, all of them (I think 9 of us?) ended up being in the same class together. Also love Colorado because it's relatively cheap to live in still (compared to NYC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc., you can argue with me on that) and it's has a growing scene of young millennials.
What really sold me on Colorado is the ACTs program, an opportunity during fourth year where you spend 3 weeks at the dental school, then 3 weeks at a community health clinic anywhere in Colorado (they provide housing). It's a rotation so you're constantly on the move and learning dentistry from different preceptors and absorbing real-life techniques that don't allow for three hour appointment slots like at the dental school (and most other dental schools). ACTs will provide you with a chance to experience real dentistry while still being under the comfort and protection of the dental school. I'm sure fourth years might be able to chime in on the benefit of ACTs, but Colorado graduates really competent general dentists that are ready to take on a lot should they elect to practice right away.