Postbaccalaureate students need to take way more than pre-reqs?

[kayo]

Hi there-

My situation is a bit complicated.
I have a non-science degree in a foreign country(I just became a permanent resident) and now Im working on the most basic pre-reqs in states,

1 year of physics and English,
2 years of bio and chem,
1 semester of math,
& all the labs.

Also, I will be taking biochem and cal 1 in fall 2006 after submitting the application this upcoming May.

The thing is, I do not have a strong science background since my degree was not related to science at all!
Is my chance too small if I only take those courses listed above?
Do I have to take physiology & anatomy or something else?

My gpa overall- 3.5 science 3.76
Pls give me some advice!
thanks.

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[howui3]

I think the best advice you can get would be from the dental school admissions. Try calling a few schools that you will be applying to and find out if taking just pre-rec courses will be enough.

A side note on getting info from dental schools. Make sure to call several schools and talk to several admissions people at the school. Sometimes they give you the wrong info. I, for example never took psychology as an undergrad but it's one of the required courses for UCLA and UCSF. So I called both schools to see if I can take it winter or spring semester of this year. UCLA said it's fine as long as I complete it before school starts. UCSF told me that I must have the course completed before applying. This sounded weird but since it came straight from the admissions, I believed it and crossed UCSF from my list. A few weeks later I got the secondary from UCSF and on there in bold it said that all the required courses must be completed before matriculation. I called them again, talked to a different person and UCSF is back on my list of schools! MORAL: make sure to get several opinions from several people (even if it's from the same school)

Obviously, the more science classes you take the better prepared you will be for the DAT and dental school (though DAT is basic bio). So if you can and have the desire to take the advanced courses then go ahead and take them, but make sure to do well in them.

Since people major in subjects other then biology and get into dental school you should be ok. The key is doing well in science courses, getting good scores on the DAT, having strong letters of rec, shadowing a dentist (or two) and APPLY EARLY!

 

[wimmcs]

I had your same question at one point or another since I also do not have a science background. I ended up taking about 5 upper div. biology courses to strengthen my application and I think it was helpful. In hindsight I'm not sure that I needed to have them in order to gain entrance, but I assure you they have been helpful in the material I am now learning or have learned this past semester. Good luck!

 

[kayo]

Howui3 & wimmcs,
thank u for your reply.

Yeah, I guess I gotta call up individual schools to make sure if its ok to finish all the courses before school starts.

About additional upper bio courses, I think I have to take 2-3 additional classes to strengthen my application.. I would be better if I do that. that won't hurt anyway, I think.