Apply to masters and dental at the same time?

[fayevalentine]

If I am uncertain whether I will be accepted to dental school the first time around, would it be foolish of me to apply to a master's program at the same time? Is this looked upon as a big negative? I just wouldn't want to have to wait a whole extra year to get into a master's program if I don't get in to dental the first year.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

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[Troyvdg]

If I am uncertain whether I will be accepted to dental school the first time around, would it be foolish of me to apply to a master's program at the same time? Is this looked upon as a big negative? I just wouldn't want to have to wait a whole extra year to get into a master's program if I don't get in to dental the first year.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

What's your gpa? Do you need to do a masters? If not, why spend the money?

 

[fayevalentine]

What's your gpa? Do you need to do a masters? If not, why spend the money?

My GPA is a 3.5 with bcp GPA 3.4. It's not bad but it took me way more time than anyone else I know to complete my undergrad. I am more looking to prove that I can handle a full course load. Especially since I will only be applying to in-state schools.

 

[youraverageasia]

Hey so I think your GPA is good enough that you don't need to do a masters. Maybe improve your DAT score and do some ec's?.

 

[beanie5]

I agree, your GPA is ok. If you're looking for other ways to strengthen your app, getting a research job might be just as good/maybe even better than a masters. And you'll be making/saving up money instead of shelling out.

For what it's worth, I had low stats, was not a science major (i.e. never took a full courseload of science classes) - I think my research experience really helped.

 

[fayevalentine]

Good advice, thank you everyone.

@beanie5 How were you able to get a research position?

 

[beanie5]

Good advice, thank you everyone.

@beanie5 How were you able to get a research position?

There are several ways:
1. If you're in undergrad, tap into school resources. For example:
- E-mail professors who's research interests you and ask to work/volunteer with them
- Look into any research programs/internships that your school or other schools might offer (check with the science departments, pre-health advisors, career center, etc. at your school)
- See if your career center has some sort of alumni shadowing program set up. Shadow someone in research and see if you can work with them or if they know anyone looking willing to take you on. This might lead to a full-time job after graduation if you end up taking time between graduating and applying to d school.

2. If you're graduating, look on job posting forums and boards on the websites of your undergrad, and research hospitals and schools. Do this as soon as possible, so you can commit as close to 2 years of work as possible (Most labs want ~2 years, otherwise it's not worth it for them to train you. If you're a strong candidate and they are the type of lab that supports personal/career development and your dental school dreams, they will probably be ok with a little less). This method is kind of random, so it would be best to apply to as many as possible (don't stop until you get an actual offer). The reason it's more random is that some of those postings on research school/hospital websites are legit and they're really looking for someone, and sometimes it's a legal formality (they already have someone in mind to hire, but legally they have to make the position available to the public).

3. Finally, personal connections. From my experience being on the other side, labs are more likely to hire someone they have connections with even if it's a distant one just because having someone trustworthy vouch for a candidate gives the lab some degree of certainty that they're not hiring a crazy or completely incompetent person. If you don't personally know anyone in research, ask around/interact with as many different people as possible and you may get a lead. Even applying somewhere that has/had someone from your alma mater working there helps (assuming they left a good impression).

I've had two substantial research jobs, and I got them through methods 2 and 3 respectively. People in my previous lab have landed positions through all three methods.

 

[fayevalentine]

There are several ways:
1. If you're in undergrad, tap into school resources. For example:
- E-mail professors who's research interests you and ask to work/volunteer with them
- Look into any research programs/internships that your school or other schools might offer (check with the science departments, pre-health advisors, career center, etc. at your school)
- See if your career center has some sort of alumni shadowing program set up. Shadow someone in research and see if you can work with them or if they know anyone looking willing to take you on. This might lead to a full-time job after graduation if you end up taking time between graduating and applying to d school.

2. If you're graduating, look on job posting forums and boards on the websites of your undergrad, and research hospitals and schools. Do this as soon as possible, so you can commit as close to 2 years of work as possible (Most labs want ~2 years, otherwise it's not worth it for them to train you. If you're a strong candidate and they are the type of lab that supports personal/career development and your dental school dreams, they will probably be ok with a little less). This method is kind of random, so it would be best to apply to as many as possible (don't stop until you get an actual offer). The reason it's more random is that some of those postings on research school/hospital websites are legit and they're really looking for someone, and sometimes it's a legal formality (they already have someone in mind to hire, but legally they have to make the position available to the public).

3. Finally, personal connections. From my experience being on the other side, labs are more likely to hire someone they have connections with even if it's a distant one just because having someone trustworthy vouch for a candidate gives the lab some degree of certainty that they're not hiring a crazy or completely incompetent person. If you don't personally know anyone in research, ask around/interact with as many different people as possible and you may get a lead. Even applying somewhere that has/had someone from your alma mater working there helps (assuming they left a good impression).

I've had two substantial research jobs, and I got them through methods 2 and 3 respectively. People in my previous lab have landed positions through all three methods.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this! I will definitely be looking into research. I appreciate that you provided all of these different ways to go about finding research positions. You rock!

 

[shivshiv92]

I applied to a masters program along with dental school. So far I haven't had any acceptances into the dental programs but I got accepted into the masters program. My GPA is 3.7 but my DAT was a 19 so I think I will also retake the DAT and apply again. The masters is never a bad thing to have regardless if its your second option.

 

[fayevalentine]

I am confused, I typed "I" and when I go to edit the post, it says "I" but me is showing up. Crazy. Anyway your message was pretty funny shivshiv. Let's see if all my "I's" are replaced with "me's" again.

 

[fayevalentine]

Okay whoa what is happening???!!! Not joking this is weird!

 

[fayevalentine]

Now I'm beginning to think shivshiv's post was not teasing me.

 

[beanie5]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this! I will definitely be looking into research. I appreciate that you provided all of these different ways to go about finding research positions. You rock!

So glad you find it helpful. Best of luck!

 

[Impulse155]

If I am uncertain whether I will be accepted to dental school the first time around, would it be foolish of me to apply to a master's program at the same time? Is this looked upon as a big negative? I just wouldn't want to have to wait a whole extra year to get into a master's program if I don't get in to dental the first year.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

I will be graduating from Midwestern's biomedical science masters program.
It wasn't even in my thought to do a masters until they rejected me and offered an alternative option.
I am quite glad that I took the option

 

[shivshiv92]

fayevalentine I was not teasing you not sure why you thought I was. Regardless I say do the masters if you get accepted and reapply to dental later on.

 

[fayevalentine]

fayevalentine I was not teasing you not sure why you thought I was. Regardless I say do the masters if you get accepted and reapply to dental later on.

Hey @shivshiv92, I apologize, I read your message on April Fool's Day when SDN changed all of the "I's" to "me" in everyone's post. I didn't realize at the time it was an SDN prank, and I thought I had made a typo, and it looked like your message was teasing me saying "me applied to master's program etc.". Thank you for your good advice! Your GPA is great. Best of luck with your DAT retake. I bet if you get it up to a 20 or more you will have plenty of acceptances in your next application!

 

[steiner2]

If I am uncertain whether I will be accepted to dental school the first time around, would it be foolish of me to apply to a master's program at the same time? Is this looked upon as a big negative? I just wouldn't want to have to wait a whole extra year to get into a master's program if I don't get in to dental the first year.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

Just take some science classes, retake the DAT and apply. Don't waste 2-3 years on a master's. Unless you want to go into admin or something later on.

 

[shivshiv92]

Hey @shivshiv92, I apologize, I read your message on April Fool's Day when SDN changed all of the "I's" to "me" in everyone's post. I didn't realize at the time it was an SDN prank, and I thought I had made a typo, and it looked like your message was teasing me saying "me applied to master's program etc.". Thank you for your good advice! Your GPA is great. Best of luck with your DAT retake. I bet if you get it up to a 20 or more you will have plenty of acceptances in your next application!

Lol wow thats funny I didn't that happened. Today I talked to a dentist about doing my masters and he actually advised me to retake the DAT and apply again instead of attending a masters in Biology. I dont intend on pursuing a career in biology so unless you see yourself doing something with the masters maybe its not best for you.