Just got the email!!!!
me too! Just got an email first one!
me too! Just got an email first one!
No offense taken! Haha I think for Tufts students there is an advantage; however, in my situation - I built a relationship with the admissions committee and they knew my lack there of in my grade department in undergrad. I explained a lot of the maturing process, kept visiting, and also I re-took the DAT 1 (19/19/19) --> DAT 2 (AA22 (97%)/TS21/PAT24) for Tufts b/c my grades weren't where they should be. They also did say that they know the caliber of Tufts classes in undergrad are valued as harder than most scores, but still my grades weren't good enough. Got the 20+ they asked me to push for so I think that helped. I also took the last year (2010-2011) took extra classes at Northeastern P/T while working and pulled off a 4.0 in all courses and a 100% in both semesters of biochem. (also working in a dental office full time) so yes, being an undergrad student definitely helped...but I agree I don't have the best gpa, so I spent the year trying to turn it around hardcore and did a ton of stuff to make myself a better applicant.
No offense taken! Haha I think for Tufts students there is an advantage; however, in my situation - I built a relationship with the admissions committee and they knew my lack there of in my grade department in undergrad. I explained a lot of the maturing process, kept visiting, and also I re-took the DAT 1 (19/19/19) --> DAT 2 (AA22 (97%)/TS21/PAT24) for Tufts b/c my grades weren't where they should be. They also did say that they know the caliber of Tufts classes in undergrad are valued as harder than most scores, but still my grades weren't good enough. Got the 20+ they asked me to push for so I think that helped. I also took the last year (2010-2011) took extra classes at Northeastern P/T while working and pulled off a 4.0 in all courses and a 100% in both semesters of biochem. (also working in a dental office full time) so yes, being an undergrad student definitely helped...but I agree I don't have the best gpa, so I spent the year trying to turn it around hardcore and did a ton of stuff to make myself a better applicant.
Tufts is a lot about showing interest and making a connection
Our stats are crazy identical. I have this unrealistic and hopeful fantasy that a Tufts interview will show up in my email any minute now... I should stop refreshing gmail >.< AHHH!!!!!
how low was your gpa?, no offense but with a 22AA i would be aiming at much higher prospects. isnt the avg stat of a tufts d school student like 3.4 and a 19 (i.e a bit below my level, but def way lower than your level.)
I hope so for you too! whats your predent?
Ugh, well this is depressing. Anyone want to trade their Tufts interview for Louisville + Indiana + NYU? C'mon, guys, 3 for 1 combo!
how low was your gpa?, no offense but with a 22AA i would be aiming at much higher prospects. isnt the avg stat of a tufts d school student like 3.4 and a 19 (i.e a bit below my level, but def way lower than your level.)
I'll give you a hug and a six pack 😀
Haha..for that, i'll throw in Pitt as well.
Who cares about the average stats! Tufts is highly regarded as a top school and has the best facilities. I would put it up there with Penn, Columbia, and UCLA, in terms of my top choices.
lol its a fine institution and I would go if accepted, but to compare it to UCLA and Columbia? Hellz no! Im not even gonna try to argue the logic of that lol. you're on your own with that logic.
I think Tufts trains better clinicians than Columbia. I suppose if you want to specialize, Columbia is better. Tufts is a great school and to go there would be amazing.
Ugh, well this is depressing. Anyone want to trade their Tufts interview for Louisville + Indiana + NYU? C'mon, guys, 3 for 1 combo!
I dunno about the statement above, can anyone else please verify that? this is the first time I hear that an Ivy League school is worse or slightly worse than Tufts?
I dunno about the statement above, can anyone else please verify that? this is the first time I hear that an Ivy League school is worse or slightly worse than Tufts?
It's kind of like Harvard. Harvard is without a doubt an amazing school, but they don't train good clinicians. Almost all of their students go into research or specialize. While Ivy League certainly is prestigious, I wouldn't equate that with quality clinical training. Tufts has amazing facilities and a reputation for training great clinicians. That said, I still think Columbia is amazing, don't get me wrong.
Columbia is an amazing school - I don't think he meant Tufts is better than Columbia. Tufts has a good reputation for its clinical training of general dentistry, the students are very well prepared and comfortable - I heard when they do an externship with other students from dental schools in the area Tufts students always feel the most comfortable in jumping into the clinical hands on work.
Another reason why I say this aside from talking to tufts students/admissions, is my dad is an oral surgeon at cook county hospital and has said that his residents from Tufts typically have good hands and have said good things about their clinical training.
I agree with you on this. Most Ivies do not put strong emphasis on clinical aspect of dentistry and usually don't start this part till at or after their second year. Why? Most of them originally grew roots from their medical schools and kept this till now. Ivies made sure their dental students are more fluent in the arts of medicine, such as diagnosing patients, creating medical history, etc. Hence, these students do not have much time in their dental curriculum involved in clinical aspects of dentistry, such as practicing or learning RCT, tooth extraction, implants, etc. Despite the flaws of their clinical program, they are very strong in preparing their students in didactic portion of dentistry, giving them a very well-rounded education involving both medicine and dentistry. Thus, these students traditionally are able to score extremely high scores on their part I of their NBDE, which explains the high numbers of students enrolling in post-doctoral programs in dentistry.
I agree with you on this. Most Ivies do not put strong emphasis on clinical aspect of dentistry and usually don't start this part till at or after their second year. Why? Most of them originally grew roots from their medical schools and kept this till now. Ivies made sure their dental students are more fluent in the arts of medicine, such as diagnosing patients, creating medical history, etc. Hence, these students do not have much time in their dental curriculum involved in clinical aspects of dentistry, such as practicing or learning RCT, tooth extraction, implants, etc. Despite the flaws of their clinical program, they are very strong in preparing their students in didactic portion of dentistry, giving them a very well-rounded education involving both medicine and dentistry. Thus, these students traditionally are able to score extremely high scores on their part I of their NBDE, which explains the high numbers of students enrolling in post-doctoral programs in dentistry.
What's so great about this flawed Ivy League approach?? You're going dental to school so you can provide the best possible treatment to your patients. Patients don't give a rat's ass if you understand the didactics of dentistry. They want to be sure that you can do a perfect job on their root canal or implant or composite filling. What a bunch of asinine schools caught up on their rich medicine tradition.
hey guys, how do i find out what schools emphasize more on didactic v. clinical? is there a uniform place for this sort of information?
What's so great about this flawed Ivy League approach?? You're going dental to school so you can provide the best possible treatment to your patients. Patients don't give a rat's ass if you understand the didactics of dentistry. They want to be sure that you can do a perfect job on their root canal or implant or composite filling. What a bunch of asinine schools caught up on their rich medicine tradition.
the hardest time of your dental career is your first year out as a clinician. That is when you really start learning dentistry. You can try to prep and prep as much as you want but you will never reach the intensity/level of your first year out. 2 patients a day, each scheduled for around 3 hours per appointment vs the typical 8 hour day with approximately 1 hour appointments each.
Actually... Patients don't know a rat's ass if you've done the filling badly, well, or extremely well (only your colleagues can tell). If you have good chair side manners, they'll think that you're a great dentist anyway.
The hardest time of your dental career is your first year out as a clinician. That is when you really start learning dentistry. You can try to prep and prep as much as you want but you will never reach the intensity/level of your first year out. 2 patients a day, each scheduled for around 3 hours per appointment vs the typical 8 hour day with approximately 1 hour appointments each.
Actually... patients don't know a rat's ass if you've done the filling badly, well, or extremely well (Only your colleagues can tell). If you have good chair side manners, they'll think that you're a great dentist anyway.