Which School, please read

[Profchaos]

Guys I would really appreciate your help on this! I'm an undergraduate at UNLV, with a 23 science total and 22 academic average on DAT just a few days ago. My gpa is 3.7 both non science and science. I'm confused on which school to go if I got admited to multiple schools. Everyone knows UNLV is a fairly new school... I don't know if I should stay, at the same time, I think my father wants me to stay so that he gets to use my real estate license to sell/buy houses plus I get to help him. The dentist I shadowed, who graduated from Harvard started to tell me that "school don't matter" and I should stick around here since I know him(he's pretty famous in Vegas). What should I do, what if I got accepted to one of these better schools, UCSF, loma linda, pacifc, USC, nova, florida, chicago, illinois... please give some advice and pg me if you happened to be on a vacation in Vegas and we get to have some fun.

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[wimmcs]

Guys I would really appreciate your help on this! I'm an undergraduate at UNLV, with a 22 science total and 22 academic average on DAT just a few days ago. My gpa is 3.7 both non science and science. I'm confused on which school to go if I got admited to multiple schools. Everyone knows UNLV is a fairly new school... I don't know if I should stay, at the same time, I think my father wants me to stay so that he gets to use my real estate license to sell/buy houses plus I get to help him. The dentist I shadowed, who graduated from Harvard started to tell me that "school don't matter" and I should stick around here since I know him(he's pretty famous in Vegas). What should I do, what if I got accepted to one of these better schools, UCSF, loma linda, pacifc, USC, nova, florida, chicago, illinois... please give some advice and pg me if you happened to be on a vacation in Vegas and we get to have some fun.

Here is what I would do: I would attend all the interviews and see if there's a school that "strikes your fancy" more so than UNLV. Seriously, there's a lot you can tell when you go for an interview IMHO. I would also consider staying in Nevada as well. You already have your family there and a good mentor that can help you be successful. If what you're really looking for involves newness, then I would consider going somewhere else. It seems like you already know the answer deep down inside... follow your instinct. Good luck and you have some awesome scores and have the priviledge of "chosing" the dental school that best fits your needs.

 

[balance]

I talked to many dentists and they all said that the d-school does not really matter, it takes you about 2 years to get situated with the dentistry business after school, since the stuff that you learn in school is a lot different that the real world.

If you want to go to a better school for research, networking and going for especaillty then I would consider it.

But the most important things is what make you happy. Staying at home or going away. It is 4 years, so you got to feel good. I think wait until you get all the admission responses then make your decision. It's too early. you got good grades, so you got a very good chace to get accpeted to all of the schools you applied to .

Take care,

 

[msf41]

All of the people that I talk to say that $$$$$ is the most important issue in determining where you go. Anyone who is going to fork out $70,000 a year for USC must have much more money than I do. But as for me I'm looking for the bargain deal on a good school (not a crap hole) that I can live with for 4 years.

I've looked at a few different schools and the other thing that I think matters is the condition of their clinic, becuase you are going to be spending a lot of time in the schools clinic so it had better be a place that is enjoyable to be in (ie: nice equipment, good lighting, well organized). Since UNLV is brand new I imagine that the clinic will be state of the art, so the clinic shouldn't be a problem.

Vegas is a nice place to live, but it might be nice to live somewhere else new for 4 years and then return to practice there.

As for your fathers influence, I'm all for helping family, but you have to decide what is best for you. If you are concerned about UNLV being too new than I would look elsewhere. I thought that I heard rumors that UNLV's first class didn't have everything that they needed so they are going to take 5 years to graduate??? The other question I would have is if they are going to have a patient pool that is well enough established to allow you to see all of the cases that you need to??

Have you already submitted AADSAS? If not you may want to find out what schools are more favorable to late applicants.

 

[Profchaos]

Thanks for all your help and I really appreciate it! What you suggested is what I had in mind. Taking everything in to consideration, staying in state or out state both has its cons and pros. I will wait and see, hope for the best of it and then decide where to go from there. BTW, if any of you happen to be in Vegas, or be having an interview, let me know and I would like to be a guide for any of you!

 

[ziptree]

Go to all your interviews, try to hold off on deciding for as long as you can (at least until you finish interviewing for schools). Don't just AIM for local schools. =p
I was really interested in an east coast school, but ended up picking a local school, which, I must admit, wasn't the most intelligent decision I've made.

If a school is a little more expensive, don't fret. You'll have the financial stability to repay those loans in no time. The important part is being where you're the happiest. I learned that the hard way. =/