Advice on Choosing Undergrad

[IndecisiveHighSchooler]

I'm about to graduate high school and have 2 colleges and 2 career paths I'm interested in. Both are relatively equal in price. I think I want to major in business with my dental prereqs completed so I have a backup plan if I change my mind or don't get accepted to Dental School.

Business/Entrepreneurship- seems like a shoe-in that I would attend the University of Texas. (and McCombs) Top rated school and Austin is an entrepreneurial hotspot. Only problem is, I do not want to work 70 hours a week like the bankers I met on career shadowing day. Entrepreneurship has been a lifelong interest of mine.

Focused more on Dental- The University of Arkansas would seems like a good choice because it would be less academically competitive (my place on the bell curve) and I've only 4 hours/ semester of my freshman year not out of the way so I would have more flexibility and an easier class load during my prerequisite courses. UofA also has additional perks like priority class selection (with will help my GPA, right?) and massive amounts of scholarship for study abroad. I feel like I would get a better GPA (for the same amount of effort as UT) with less stress here.

I'm trying to keep as many doors open as possible because I am too young to feel like I'm essentially choosing my career.
That being said, do you have any advice for me? Should I pick the pristigious business school (and essentially close the door to dental) or go the Arkansas and keep my doors open longer with the expense of a lesser business school? How important is it to have a one-track mind for getting into dental school? Will UT and UArk be viewed differently on Dental School applications? Any other advice or insight would be appreciated as well.

Thank you for your time!

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[Weakfart]

Although most would suggest to go to your cheapest overall option, if you do end up going through the business route, prestige matters a little more than other programs such as dentistry. But both of these schools are known well enough that I don't think it will matter which you go to for either pre-dental or business. Keep in mind that even though Arkansas may be closer to your bell curve, you are going to find tough classes and top notch students at either of these schools.

 

[TheEpicFruitCake]

Get the best education AND choose the choice that gives you the most options in the future. University of Texas Austin. They have a business pre-health program where you are in McCombs and also allowed to take pretty much any class in natural science. I have many friends who are doing this. Some decided to go business, some went to med school/dental school.

Take some classes, then decide.

http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/BHP/Academics/Four-Year Plans/BHP and Pre-med Sample Course Sequence

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Imagine this. Let's say you went to Texas and got that prestigious business degree and put dentistry on hold. I believe you can also get a masters along with that with an extra year...so that would mean a masters in business within 5 years. I'm pretty darn sure you will land a fine job post graduation which you will work for a few years. At this point in life you may either be 100% business or your interest in dentistry will arise. You can then take your pre-reqs anywhere, take the DAT, get shadowing, and volunteering hrs and get ready to apply for dental school. You get in? Great. You didn't get in? No problem. You still have a great business degree if you decide to drop everything OR you can reapply to dental school.

I actually know people who got their MBAs , worked, and then did medicine/dentistry years down the road. You said you wanted to keep your options open since you are young. That's outstanding and I wish I had your mentality when I was in your shoes. This is something you can consider. Hook 'em.