To those who goes to BU or NOVA

[lifeisshort]

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I really like BU and NOVA and i want to read some of your opinions about the two schools before I make my decision.

Here are some of reasons why I like BU and NOVA
BU:
Great facilities (Kavo chairs etc.)
Diverse student body.
Student oriented (exam on Monday; weekend to study)
Boston city
but, too much $$$

NOVA:
Again, great facilities/ nice building.
Sunny Ft. Lauderdale.
One big Health Complex.
less $$$

I heard that FL board exam is harder than some others. is it true?
Is Boston a part of NERB?

What are some of other good/ bad about the two schools.
I would appreciate your honest inputs.

 

[tinker bell]

My friends at BU are not happy there. I think that NOVA is better. Eventhough the FL board is hard, but NOVA will do the sufficient job prepares you for it.

My dentist graduated from BU passed her CA board on the eight time. Can you imagine taking the boards for four years?

 

[Stomatologist]

NOVA all the way

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

My friends at BU are not happy there

Hey Tink, did they say why they are not happy?

 

[lifeisshort]

yes I'd like to know why he/she is unhappy cuz when I went there every student seemed to enjoy their student life at BU.

Also, I'd like to hear from any BU students about their school lives.

 

[tinker bell]

They are like an elite club there at BU.
All of the secretaries, ppl who work in the admid are somehow former employees of the dean, or got the connection to get the job there.

Last year, they have a new dean of academic. And that guy kicked 15 students out (for class of 2006) for having more than 1D. And 10 ppl had to repeat the class.

No other school does business like that. Even if you fail one or two classes, you'll get help, repeat the class, or take the test again in the summer, whatever. But a good school doesn't kick their students out on street after how much debts they are in (at least 70K for first year at BU).

Their clinical training is not that great. When my friend (D2 there now), visited me 3 wks ago, and saw me doing all of the almagam prep, he was so amazed. He said that he didn't do any of that first quarter. (Hint: why did it take my dentist eight times to pass the board?)

The APEX program is all about indirect BS. They send you to some clinics (of their friends/ in their circle of elite), and you do free labor for those private office. The dentist will pay your school a few bucks for every hour that you work there. And it's almost impossible to get to go to the APEX of your choice. You can go fight an ugly battle to eventually get it.

My friend is so frustrated. Since he wants to eventually practice in California, so he wants to go to CA for the APEX. But it doesnt' seem like he will get it.

BU is very rich (imagine how much money they get from you guys over the years), and they have upscale facility. But it might not be your kind of school.

Think carefully b4 you make that deposit check.

 

[larryt]

good post... I think I made a right decision by turning down their interview request for BU. Go to Nova man, I was there last friday, it was a blast. I did have chance to go lunch with few D1 (not in an elite group) there, and they're all happy with their school.

 

[ShawnOne]

Where is PashaJ?

 

[PashaJ]

Right here. I was studying for my exams so I don't become one of those people who gets dismissed.

The school is a great one in my opinion. Unfortunately last year (Class of 06) was a really bad one in terms of the students they accepted and how they poorly reflected the program.

I could easily write a 10,000 response but I won't. I'll say that those people who got kicked probably didn't work that hard to stay in. 7 people are repeating the year with us, each got 2 D's. It's not that hard to get C's in all the classes, you just have to put a little effort in. Those with D's are probably cramming the night before, not studying a few days in advance. It only takes a few days, not a week or anything drastic to stay in the program.

BTW, it's not the new associate dean but rather the chair of the first year promotions committee that has "kicked out" the students.

Lastly, all our classes are not curved so everyone can get the A and many do. If they believe an exam was tough, they'll curve it so that the A students can still get it.

 

[dudelove]

I wouldn't go there if it were my choice. With that being said, I don't necessarily see a correlation between passing the CA boards and going to BU as was stated. Everyone knows that the board exams are extremely subjective(i.e. in terms of grading) and the CA boards in particular are skewed towards those who went to school in CA. There are also hacks in dentistry and not everyone who graduates from dental school should be a dentist. I haven't met the dentist who failed 8 times, but I would be curious to know what sections they failed and for what reasons. I remember when I took the NERB, I took it with someone who...oh wait she graduated from BU, but she failed the CA boards 3 times and then the NERBS 4 times(the last time being when I took them with her). She was just a terrible dentist and had no skills and common sense. There was also a BU dentist that I worked with once who had no clue how to tx plan and was doing cantelever bridges off of 8 and 9 in order to close off congeinitally missing 7 and 10. Hmm HELLO?!!?!?!? How about implants, a maryland bridge(bad option) or even 3 unit bridges or canting off of 6 and 11 if you were really desperate. What!?!?!? When asked about her tx plan, she said she had never discussed with the patient anything else. That is just a terrible clinician who shouldn't have received a license, but she did.

 

[PashaJ]

Sorry, after looking back I thought I should respond and defend my school a little.

Originally posted by tinker bell
They are like an elite club there at BU.
All of the secretaries, ppl who work in the admid are somehow former employees of the dean, or got the connection to get the job there.

Not sure what you mean, it offends you that the secretary knows the dean from other places. Dentistry is about networking and who you know. People suck up to professors to get into specialties and some get in. All schools are victims of this behavior, not just BU.

Originally posted by tinker bell
No other school does business like that. Even if you fail one or two classes, you'll get help, repeat the class, or take the test again in the summer, whatever. But a good school doesn't kick their students out on street after how much debts they are in (at least 70K for first year at BU).

I've said in earlier posts that the school will provide tutors to everyone with below a B average and it is mandatory for those below a C. So say you didn't do well on the first exam in Gross Anatomy, the school will give you a tutor, for free, for the remainder of the semester. If you do well and you feel you don't need the tutor anymore, you don't have to continue with them. Now let's say you get a D in the class, the school will allow you to take an exam in the summer. If you pass, you get a C- no matter how well you do on the exam. If you don't pass you'll probably have to repeat the class again.

Originally posted by tinker bell
Their clinical training is not that great. When my friend (D2 there now), visited me 3 wks ago, and saw me doing all of the almagam prep, he was so amazed. He said that he didn't do any of that first quarter. (Hint: why did it take my dentist eight times to pass the board?)

Don't buy it. We have a GREAT clinical program. I'll say that you're a D1, as am I, and you have started doing it before me. I'll start doing preps in three weeks. But we have a great professor who not only teaches us but also instructs dentists in CE courses.

Originally posted by tinker bell
The APEX program is all about indirect BS. They send you to some clinics (of their friends/ in their circle of elite), and you do free labor for those private office. The dentist will pay your school a few bucks for every hour that you work there. And it's almost impossible to get to go to the APEX of your choice. You can go fight an ugly battle to eventually get it.

Don't know much about APEX since I'll do it over the summer but I'll say of the 30 or so friends that I have, not ONE didn't get the office of their choice. Seems like your friend is having a tough time.

Originally posted by tinker bell
My friend is so frustrated. Since he wants to eventually practice in California, so he wants to go to CA for the APEX. But it doesnt' seem like he will get it.

Again, I don't buy it. I've said that maybe 60 people in my class are from Cali and most of them are going back for APEX.

Originally posted by tinker bell
BU is very rich (imagine how much money they get from you guys over the years), and they have upscale facility. But it might not be your kind of school.

BU is very rich but they also get A LOT of grants so the money doesn't only come from students. Tinkerbell says it might not be your kind of school, I think it could be. PM me if you have any questions since I actually go there. (Nothing against you Tinkerbell)

 

[tinker bell]

PashaJ,

Apologize if I hurt your feelings, or your alma mater. However, all of my statements are based on my friends who actually go there. And my interactions with dentists who are BU grads.

Do not ever think that dentistry should be all about network. I hate the idea of kissing a$$ to get good grades, letter of rec, etc..... That's not even meet lots of morale standard. It might be truth at private schools, but not public schools. How about they do not want you in the club? How about you're the one who is excluded in their circle of friends and alum?

I also hope that you will get the apex of your choice. And I wish you all the best of luck at BU. Don't let what happened to many other dentists happen to you.

Also, I do not go to BU, or never seen a test from your school, and I can't say for sure. But how could 25 people not being able to finish first year successfully? 25 people is not a small number. It's a quarter of the class. Think about it, one out of four has a chance of getting kicked out or repeat the class? I do not believe that it's a bad class. There is no such thing like a bad class. If that many people are not success, it's more like a program to me.

Now imagine yourself as being one of those 25 people and see how it feels.

 

[PashaJ]

Tinkerbell,
I understand what you mean but honestly the class of 2006 doesn't have a good name around here. The third and fourth years are fine, very few dropped from there (<5). We already have someone who dropped and another might drop soon, both due to deaths in their families.
To take a positive from what has happened to the second years, a lot of us study well but if next year a lot of kids get dropped or left back I could understand. We have a class of 122 people (7 repeaters and 115 first years) and maybe 30-40 kids consistently show up to class. Even some of those repeaters still cut class (which I believe originally put them in this position). We're in professional school yet people are treating it like it's still undergrad. You have to remember that this school didn't select the cream of the crop of their respective classes. These are the people who got 3.3's and 19's and low 20's on the DAT. They pulled the all nighters in undergrad and they have carried that philosophy over. Some are just realizing that, some realized it earlier and some still think they could pull it off.
That's why I say don't blame the program but rather the students. I respect the fellow who is holding these people back; when they graduate they are carrying the BU name with them and he wants to make sure that they are competent.
Don't worry, you didn't hurt my feelings though the sarcasm was much appreciated 😉

 

[lifeisshort]

Thank you for replying to all
I'm sure BU is a great school and I too think it's students' responsibilities to keep up w/ their school works.
Anyway, enough about being "kicked out." How's student life at BU or Nova?
Nova students do you have a car?
do you think it's needed?

thanks

 

[larryt]

Originally posted by lifeisshort

Nova students do you have a car?
do you think it's needed?

thanks

I can answer this question. You do need car to move around Fort Lauderdale. They have big parking lot and PLENTY of parking spaces. Many apartments around school, some just 100-200 fts from school but you have to reserve early like Jan or Feb. Those apartments are awesome with lake view, 800 sq feet/1 bed, palm trees, tanning room, fitness center and .... more and more. I saw some buses there, but it will take lots of time to move around with it. Did you check the school and city out during your interview ?

 

[lifeisshort]

thanks for the reply
yes, i've already been to nova and walked around the school but I did not check out the apartments near the school.
anyway, i didn't know those apartments have the lake view and etc. awesome!!!!
but does anyone know how much those rent cost?

 

[larryt]

Originally posted by lifeisshort
thanks for the reply
yes, i've already been to nova and walked around the school but I did not check out the apartments near the school.
anyway, i didn't know those apartments have the lake view and etc. awesome!!!!
but does anyone know how much those rent cost?

I can tell you also. Couple apts within walking distance from school. around 850/month/1 bed. 1000/month/2 bed. Both are every spacious. I checked them out both, was very happy with their floor plan. Just 5 min drive away from school, lots of other apts for 1 bed around 700-900. All apts around school have lake view and beautiful landscape. I fall inlove with this school mainly because of this. By the way, if your spouse or roommate is a nurse, paramedic,school teacher, police or fireman, All those apts will give 10% discount, no security deposit.lots of other benifits and priority on the reserve list. Cool isn't it ? My wife is a teacher.

 

[makebuleeve]

one word for bu students....rejects

 

[lifeisshort]

thanks larryt for answering, i hope you get into your first choice school.

anyway, does nova has a large patient pool? cuz when i visited there I saw only a few patients whereas BU's patients waiting area was packed.

BTW I don't want a jackass to waste its time posting some piece of ****s!

 

[lifeisshort]

thanks, SDN9876
do you go to Nova?
if so, how's a summer there? I heard it's pretty scorching...