in search of guidance

[samejame]

hi everyone, i'm just starting my senior year in college; i'm majoring in health and exercise science and originally wanted to do something in the area of health care policy for a few years before applying to dental school, but i think i want to go ahead and start working on dental school admission now.

by the time i graduate next spring, i will have taken these science courses:
the 1st semester of inorganic/general chem, 1 semester of general bio, anatomy, human phys, phys of exercise.

so, i haven't had a second semester of inorganic/general chem, any organic chem, biochem, or any physics.

do you think i've had too much bio to qualify for a formal-post bacc and would need to do an informal one? if i had to do an informal one, would the next step be a SMP or apply to dental school?

thank you SO MUCH for helping.

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[briansle]

hi everyone, i'm just starting my senior year in college; i'm majoring in health and exercise science and originally wanted to do something in the area of health care policy for a few years before applying to dental school, but i think i want to go ahead and start working on dental school admission now.

by the time i graduate next spring, i will have taken these science courses:
the 1st semester of inorganic/general chem, 1 semester of general bio, anatomy, human phys, phys of exercise.

so, i haven't had a second semester of inorganic/general chem, any organic chem, biochem, or any physics.

do you think i've had too much bio to qualify for a formal-post bacc and would need to do an informal one? if i had to do an informal one, would the next step be a SMP or apply to dental school?

thank you SO MUCH for helping.

Sorry I don't know too much about the post bacc process or what an SMP is?

I would just finish the rest of your prereq's at your local community college.

You already have the degree so that's good. No sense competing with the rest of those pre-meds, when you can just boost your GPA at the local CC.
Plus you'll save money.

I would take all those basic sci courses at a community college, ace them, and apply immediately. Make sure you get A's at the CC. B's at a CC do not look good.

 

[small]

I would NOT do my prereqs at a community college: these are the most important classes for your application. Many people feel that CC=easier classes, including the people in charge of admissions at dental schools, I imagine. Many schools also have policies about the percentage of classes you can take from CC's, and probably have policies about the prereqs at CC's, too. Contact the schools you are interested in, they will be your best source of advice. I have a feeling, though, they will recommend against taking these courses at a community college.

 

[Meatwad]

Depends on your GPA after the informal or formal post-bacc. If it's very weak, do the SMP. If it's strong, just apply and spend that year volunteering, taking one or two courses that you think might prepare you for school, and most importantly, relax a bit before you get thrown into school again!

Just remember that SMP's are the last resort. It's a make or break thing. Doing well on one will significantly help your chances, but doing average or poorly (<3.3) can significantly hurt you.

 

[samejame]

thanks for the replies, guys.

i am definitely NOT taking the rest of my pre-reqs at a community college. for some reason i don't think it would look too good going from a top 30 school to a community college. i may be wrong, but i'm not gonna take my chances.

i think i'll just go ahead and apply to some formal post-bacs and see what they say. if they say i've taken too many pre-reqs already i'll just rock an informal one at duke or unc.