The over 28 (years old) club. But everyone is welcome!

[PanaRama]

If I was in your situation.... believe me I almost was.... I would apply for the Masters in Biomedical Science program over there at NOVA... from what I understand... if you qualify for the program... go thru the first year of graduate level science course... during the second year you actually can take classes with the dental school... and if you maintain a B average you're automatically accepted into the Nova Dental program... in addition ...if you get an A in any of the Dental school classes... you're exempt from taking them again when you are allowed (officially) into the dental program... but they have their requirements to get in.... but since you already have a degree... taking classes here and there...on a part time basis might not cut it... ADCOMM wants to see you complete a program successfully, with a challenging course load... on another note... the program cost about 25K a year but you qualify for loans and financial aid because it is a matriculating program... versus a part-time basis in a non-matriculating basis...where you're not qualified for any type of financial assistance...

I checked the NOVA website for program req. They want the same requirements as the Dental program does minus the high GPA of course. I currently have not taken ANY of the classes req except Bio-w/o a lab In your opinion do u think i should take the requirements @ a comm college= cheaper? Or continue my route and apply to DMD program and if i am not accepted then apply to MBS program? According to Nova's website they also req MCAT/DAT or GRE scores. Its almost like i would be applying to Dent School.

Please help a despondant Non-Trad Student





********Thank you for previous reponse- it was extremely helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[boogaking]

I checked the NOVA website for program req. They want the same requirements as the Dental program does minus the high GPA of course. I currently have not taken ANY of the classes req except Bio-w/o a lab In your opinion do u think i should take the requirements @ a comm college= cheaper. or continue my route and apply to DMD program and if i am not accepted then apply to MBS program. According to Nova's website they also req MCAT/DAT or GRE scores. Its almost like i would be applying to Dent School.

Please help a despondant Non-Trad Student





********Thank you for previous reponse- it was extremely helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!

CC may seem like college but not viewed strong.... if you're down there in Florida... check out Barry University... they have a program for ppl like yourself too... I hear Barry is a farm school for alot of dental schools ....I know Boston take alot of ppl that take classes there..... you could take classes their as non-degree.... classes are just as expensive as NoVA... talk to them... Dr. Lauder is pretty helpful.

 

[Cudental007]

Age may be beneficial for you once you practice. Some patients correlate (dental) experience with how old/mature you appear. Some random guy I sat next to on a plane trip didn't believe that I was in dental school because he thought I looked either 18 or 19. (I'm not, by the way, far from it )

CUdental007

 

[luder98]

I have witnessed many many talented people leaving my company due to last several lay-offs. Many people thought that projects would be delayed because these guys had been the key players. But guess what, things kept moving along just fine. What am I trying to tell you? We are all replaceable. When someone leaves, there will be someone else take over. Do what is best for you. Just document where you stopped, what you have done. Trust me, you are not as important to the company as you may think. As I mentioned earlier to you, the longer you wait, the harder it will get and the more you will sacrifice/lose when you actually make the switch.

 

[PanaRama]

I am 29 and will be 30 when I apply. I am a certified public accountant and have a masters degree from UNCC>

I think I have a strong upper hand. I recently went back to take my pre-reqs and I have a 4.0 science GPA.

I say bring on the young competition !!!

Ive always heard that older students do better in the classes....

Makes sense. Were too damn old to have fun now!

eddiescott- if you done mind me asking. What was your BA/BS cumm GPA?

Did you do your pre-reqs in a Post Bacc program or did u reaturn to an undergrad programs just to complete your Dent pre- reqs? If u went the undergrad route how was it viewed by the Adcoms that you did not choose to get a MBS instead?

Thank u in advance for your reponse!

 

[robertopd01]

Wow, I just join this fantastic group.I was feeling like the oldest fish in the sea, but I realize now, that I have a lot comtemporaries here.
I'm 36 yo applying for dental school, actually for the advance program. I'm a dentist from Peru trying to be a dentist here. I have to go trough all the process. Its hard but its worth it. Not only fro the satisfaction of be a Dentist but also for the satisfaction of see ur dream made real. Believe me the age is just numbers in yuor mind. LETS GO FOR THAT, WE CAN DO IT!!!!!!
Regards.
Roberto.

 

[DMD_hopeful]

Wow, I just join this fantastic group.I was feeling like the oldest fish in the sea, but I realize now, that I have a lot comtemporaries here.
I'm 36 yo applying for dental school, actually for the advance program. I'm a dentist from Peru trying to be a dentist here. I have to go trough all the process. Its hard but its worth it. Not only fro the satisfaction of be a Dentist but also for the satisfaction of see ur dream made real. Believe me the age is just numbers in yuor mind. LETS GO FOR THAT, WE CAN DO IT!!!!!!
Regards.
Roberto.

Good for you Roberto! It'll all be worth it one day.

By the way, did you know there is also an 'International dentist' section to SDN? Maybe it could be helpful to you.

 

[eddiescott]

Would you be saying the same thing if I were in the middle of completing a masters or ph.d. degree? some opportunities only come once . . . i dont want to stay with this job forever, I dont want to stay for long at all, but I dont know if i should leave yet, and it's not because I question my committment to dentistry in any way, it's more a question of what I could do with this opportunity . . . I have no problem getting started with dentistry this year, I know it would probably be better for me, I would start making a lot more money as a dentist than in this job, I would probably end up paying a little less as tuition will surely rise next year . . . there are countless things that make it better for me to start dentistry right away . . . but at the same time I don't want to leave another job half finished.

By writing a letter requesting to defer another year do I lose my spot if I am denied? If it came down to the choice between going to dental school or the job, I would go to dental school, but if I am given the opportunity to defer another year then I would to finish what I started.

Hey like I have said before, keep your job and let one of the people here that REALLY WANT to go to dental school grap the position.

I dont think you deserve it from what you have been writing.

I am tired of hearing that DENTISTS MAKE ALOT OF MONEY,.... thats crap.

You have to pay off a 200,000 loan, and it may be years before you can afford to open up your own dental office. Unless you plan on living at home with your parents and not having a new car, etc...

face it, 4 years dental, 200,000,,,,,an acceptable home, 150,000 min., car,,35,000, undergrad loans???,,,equipment to start dental practice 300,000, line of credit to cover employees 15,000 minimum,,,,,

Thats alot of darn debt.......

I am doing dentistry because I want to be a dentist and have always so I dont care.

I really dont think you should be one.

Also, WHAT job do you have thats so awesome that you dont want to leave it to go to dental school?

I turned down a partnership with a CPA firm and would have been makin quite a bit of money and I sold a beutiful lakefront home so I could make this happen////

please tell me what kind of job you have that is making you doubt yourself because I need to know.

Better yet, if you are not a professional athlete then I just dont want to hear it.

Heres my advice.... KEEP YOUR DAY JOB !

 

[hafido]

Iamwolverine,

You remind me of myself a few years ago when faced with the decision to attend law school or scrap all that and take my prerequisites for D-school. I obviosuly chose to persue D-school and although I have not been accepted yet, I will be soon. What I really don't understand is what experience you think you will gain in a year's time. Is it something that will directly or indirectly help you in the future? Is it the compensation? Is it to beef up your resume or whatever? Lie to us, but don't lie to yourself. If you can see yourself being a dentist twenty years down the road, your decision is an easy one... follow dentistry. If you have any doubt or reservation, explore what it is you would really enjoy doing and persue that further, be it with your company or elsewhere. Honestly, you seem on the fence, but not so much for the opportunity you have on hand, but more because you feel unsure of what you really want to do, and that is fine, you're young; but like I said, don't lie to yourself. You compared your situation to someone in a masters program, but I am curious why 10 months, 1 year or two would make a difference in you feeling as if you accomplished something. They are just numbers... are 20 months going to fullfill you professionally more than 12, or 10?
At any rate, good luck with your choice.

 

[Sprgrover]

. . . but at the same time I don't want to leave another job half finished. By writing a letter requesting to defer another year do I lose my spot if I am denied? If it came down to the choice between going to dental school or the job, I would go to dental school, but if I am given the opportunity to defer another year then I would to finish what I started.

I thought we had this all wrapped up! As others have pointed out, there will always be more projects and they can always fill your shoes. It's someone else's company and as harsh as this may sound don't believe for an instant that in today's capitalistic economy that it has any shred of allegiance towards you. Think about it: they are buying your minutes and hours to get their work done. Personally, I cannot wait to start work on something that I own and can directly see and reap the fruits of my labor, time, and talent.

 

[Darksunshine]

I thought we had this all wrapped up! As others have pointed out, there will always be more projects and they can always fill your shoes. It's someone else's company and as harsh as this may sound don't believe for an instant that in today's capitalistic economy that it has any shred of allegiance towards you. Think about it: they are buying your minutes and hours to get their work done. Personally, I cannot wait to start work on something that I own and can directly see and reap the fruits of my labor, time, and talent.

Yeah, no such thing as allegiance anymore, sad really.

 

[proflex857]

Hey Kids,

Can I join the club? I'm 37 and am starting at the University of the Pacific SOD this July.

Mick

 

[Sprgrover]

Hey Kids,

Can I join the club? I'm 37 and am starting at the University of the Pacific SOD this July.

Mick

Okay, fine. But only because you have been accepted somewhere. Congratulations, and welcome!!!

 

[J2AZ]

OK something just clicked...Sprgrover is Super Grover! For some reason up until now my brain would process it as Spy Grover.

 

[paolorossifan]

OK something just clicked...Sprgrover is Super Grover! For some reason up until now my brain would process it as Spy Grover.

Same here. Thought it was "spygrover"

 

[rmpagnt]

I thought we had this all wrapped up! As others have pointed out, there will always be more projects and they can always fill your shoes. It's someone else's company and as harsh as this may sound don't believe for an instant that in today's capitalistic economy that it has any shred of allegiance towards you. Think about it: they are buying your minutes and hours to get their work done. Personally, I cannot wait to start work on something that I own and can directly see and reap the fruits of my labor, time, and talent.

sprgrover,
you are wasting your breath. this guy is obviously too thick-headed to to see the forest for the trees. wolverine? you go smartguy- hell, take 5 years deferment and then a stint in the peace corp. oooh i got it! after that bicycle thru europe and train with the dali lama and get your spiritual center focused. after all this, take your head out of your a_ _...... there, i am done with this guy. next?

 

[airvent]

OK something just clicked...Sprgrover is Super Grover! For some reason up until now my brain would process it as Spy Grover.

I always read Springrover

 

[calbear14]

I always read Springrover

I did at first, too.

 

[Sprgrover]

OK something just clicked...Sprgrover is Super Grover! For some reason up until now my brain would process it as Spy Grover.

Very good! Super Grover was already registered on SDN so I had to use something else. Don't worry, you are not alone, I have had some pm's concerning my screen name.

 

[antidenti]

I just turned 28 and the day after my birthday I have a surgery to remove my cancerous thyroid. I love every minute of my life and I dont feel 28.

 

[Sprgrover]

I just turned 28 and the day after my birthday I have a surgery to remove my cancerous thyroid. I love every minute of my life and I dont feel 28.

Happy birthday and I wish you a complete recovery!

 

[tamathat]

Any non-trads going starting at Nova in 2005? I will be in the optometry program and am worried about being older than other students.

 

[Dr. Music]

Agree. Most seem to be impressed when I talked to them. IMO, it's not just dental schools, it's everything in life. "You learn from your 'failures.'"

This is so true. I am 23 right now, but have applied to medical school twice already, and have been accepted and attended St. George's Medical School in Grenada. For several months straight now, and every once in a while in the past, I would get hang ups about whether or not being a physician was the right career choice for me. Did I want to actually spend 4 years in school, only to spend another 4-8 years in residency making nearly nothing as, basically a "doctor-in-training" (no offense to anyone), and then finally, start my life and a family at 31+ years of age?

I went to Grenada and very quickly realized the fact that that was what I was committing myself to doing. It was basically the icing on my proverbial cake. I was grappling with choosing either optometry or dentistry over medicine due to the fact that, not only were bot programs still medically based, which still really interests me, but they are also much shorter programs, being only 4 years with no residency unless you want to specialize (which I can always just do later if I so choose, as it's not necessary to make a very comfortable living).

I learned from my mistake of following my parents' dream of me becoming a physician. I'm paying for it by not being able to apply for dental school until the 2006 round, but at least I didn't go through 4 years of medical school to realize this. My Dad has since done literally all but disown me for this decision, which I think is a bit ridiculous seeing as I will still be a doctor, but this is my life and I really want to do this, and I am getting accepted, come 2006.

 

[ILUVEZRA]

I am 41 and won't be able to apply until the 2006 cycle. I graduated hs in 1981 and have worked myself up to a very successfull career as an operations manager for a family practice residency program with 30 docs. When I was told I must complete a MBA to be promoted any further I immediately jumped at the chance...but then I thought why the H.. would I want an MBA when what I really want to do is go to Dental school....so I will be 47 if I time everything as planned. I am scared to death but thrilled to death at the same time...if that makes sense!

undefined
I myself actually started school the first time(after h.s.) and now 17 yrs after h.s. grad, i grad from college. now all i need is to get in, got the interview but here's the kicker- i'll be 40 when i get out assuming i matriculate for 2005. what is it they say about assuming? anyone got me beat? angry, spiteful children need not reply...

 

[Sprgrover]

I am 41 and won't be able to apply until the 2006 cycle. I graduated hs in 1981 and have worked myself up to a very successfull career as an operations manager for a family practice residency program with 30 docs. When I was told I must complete a MBA to be promoted any further I immediately jumped at the chance...but then I thought why the H.. would I want an MBA when what I really want to do is go to Dental school....so I will be 47 if I time everything as planned. I am scared to death but thrilled to death at the same time...if that makes sense!

Congratulations on your decision, and best of luck in the upcoming cycle!

 

[Barbie DDS]

Well check this out all you wipper snappers I'm 33 and plan on applying in about two years and if I'm blessed enough to be accepted I'll be 35 when I enter. How about that? Also I'm single no kids and worked as an assistant for tooooooo long before I decided I could be a doctor.

 

[benbenxu]

I am 41 and won't be able to apply until the 2006 cycle. I graduated hs in 1981 and have worked myself up to a very successfull career as an operations manager for a family practice residency program with 30 docs. When I was told I must complete a MBA to be promoted any further I immediately jumped at the chance...but then I thought why the H.. would I want an MBA when what I really want to do is go to Dental school....so I will be 47 if I time everything as planned. I am scared to death but thrilled to death at the same time...if that makes sense!

I am 30yrs old now, quit Ph.D and left graduate school with 2 MS degree 2years ago, now trying DD program, I have to say, I do not have too many chances ahead, just hope it will not be too late-- not only my age, but for this year's app.

 

[wimmcs]

Well check this out all you wipper snappers I'm 33 and plan on applying in about two years and if I'm blessed enough to be accepted I'll be 35 when I enter. How about that? Also I'm single no kids and worked as an assistant for tooooooo long before I decided I could be a doctor.

Good luck... I'm 33 right now and will be attending d-school this year. Early on when I was looking into switching careers, I was a little concerned with my age. No worries now since I got accepted into 4 awesome schools, so I basically worried for nothing.

 

[FUTDR]

Just curious for those who are working full time, when do you guys plan on quitting? Do you think 1-2 months will be enough time to adjust to move and adjust to another city? It kind of feels weird to have so much time off having worked so many years...the longest time off was 1 week. Hmmm...

 

[TX Hopeful]

Just curious for those who are working full time, when do you guys plan on quitting? Do you think 1-2 months will be enough time to adjust to move and adjust to another city? It kind of feels weird to have so much time off having worked so many years...the longest time off was 1 week. Hmmm...

That sounds about right. I'm thinking somewhere between 1-2 months to give me time to hunt for a place to live, get acquainted with the area, and to just relax before the next four years kick my a$*

 

[helix]

Hey, just wanted to say that this is a great thread. I am 22 and do not belong to this thread, but we all get disheartened sometimes and reading this helps a lot - at least me. I see a lot of determination here and thats whats really important, determination and hard work - so lets continue!!

 

[TX Hopeful]

This thread has lost a bit of life over the past month. Are there any recent success stories out there amongst the old timers? By the way...my big 3-0 is on Sunday . I'll apply in May which will make me 31 when I matriculate. Still young though...no worries

 

[gummylips]

This thread has lost a bit of life over the past month. Are there any recent success stories out there amongst the old timers? By the way...my big 3-0 is on Sunday . I'll apply in May which will make me 31 when I matriculate. Still young though...no worries

Ok... Second wind for this thread starts right now!

Just turned 30 at the end of Feb. Success story? Not really sure you can call it that, but here it goes...

After undergrad, I worked a couple of years as a paralegal (ugh, I get nauseated just thinking about it) and almost attended law school, then decided against it. My wife (then girlfriend) was about to start law school. So, we decided I would continue working as a paralegal until she graduated. Fast forward 4 years. My wife (with a JD and an LLM) was now working as an attorney and I had just started to think about dentistry.

Fast forward another 2.5 years. My wife quit working as an attorney to start her own business (selling handbags and accessories). After taking all the science pre-requisites and DAT, I am finally seeing my dream come true... I just last week got my acceptance letter to UPENN! I remember three years ago thinking, "I am I going to be too old to do this?" Then I thought, "who cares... As long as I love what I am doing".

I can't wait to start school, and most importantly, begin my professional career as a dental practitioner.

 

[Okazaki]

This thread has lost a bit of life over the past month. Are there any recent success stories out there amongst the old timers? By the way...my big 3-0 is on Sunday . I'll apply in May which will make me 31 when I matriculate. Still young though...no worries

Hey guys,

I'm going on to 29 this summer. I graduated from college in 1999, and worked for a year as a molecular research bio technician, then made the big switch into the entertainment industry and worked for feature films and television shows for MTV... Real World, Making the Band Hip-hop, etc.... as a production coordinator. I got to hang out with P-ditty, and producer Jack Benson-III at his "Bad-Boy Records" recording studio on 45th street called "Daddy's House" while working on that Making the Band show. I got the opporunity to work/visit different countries and their musical artists, such as Hikaru Utada's Unplugged performance in Japan.

The work was exciting, although you had to put in countless hours.... After a few years of gaining a lot great and fun experiences in the real world (no pun intended), I decided to take a vacation from MTV and take a short abroad study in Japan for a few months. Since at MTV, we work from project to project, there can be alot of time between projects. Stayed in Japan, learned the language quickly,... gained a girlfriend in Okazaki Japan, thought about my present career, and my long time intended career in the health field... and ultimately chose Dentistry. Came back to America with a mission to tear the DAT's apart. Took the DAT's this past September, scored a 22/23/18 (AA/TS/PAT) and handed my application into AADSAS at the end of Nov. and it got sent out to the schools in Jan. Applied to 8 schools and got interviews for them.. went to 3 interviews and withdrew from the other 5 after gaining acceptance from UMDNJ. Still waiting on Columbia and Temple.

 

[princessfiona]

Well check this out all you wipper snappers I'm 33 and plan on applying in about two years and if I'm blessed enough to be accepted I'll be 35 when I enter. How about that? Also I'm single no kids and worked as an assistant for tooooooo long before I decided I could be a doctor.

Hey- I too was a dental assistant until i returned to university to take hygiene and realized if the dental students I saw at university could take dentistry-so could I. So at 32 I hope to be in dental school this sept 2005, just interviewed today!!!

I am such a better person over 30 than I was in my early 20's. No offense but if someone told me I had to relive those rotten early 20 years again- I'd rather jump off a bride.

PS. I have a husband and 2 children as well, or in other words I have 3 children at home!!!hahah

 

[DMD-2-B]

Hey fellow pre-dents! I'm 26 and am strongly considering a career change from engineering to pediatrics dentistry.

BUT there is this one issue that keeps prodding around in my head. Maybe you guys can help???

So in college there was always mommy and daddy to pay for things (well for me anyway). And in college I had no dependants, it was just little ol' me.

But NOW... mommy and daddy are out of the picture, and while I currently have no kids or husband, I know I one day will. And there are so many expenses - rent, food, car, clothes, etc that are now my reponsibility.

I have noone to fall back on anymore, and I'm barely getting by as is having a job. How will I get by when I no longer have an income, AND am paying collosal amounts towards my dental education?

$ in = 0
$ out = 100k?

It doesnt add up!!!!!!!!!!!

For example - I need a new car big time, but don'y know how I'll afford payments while in school, so I keep putting it off.

With all these expense, how on earth do you guys afford life while in dental school??????

PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Sprgrover]

...It doesnt add up!!!!!!!!!!!

With all these expense, how on earth do you guys afford life while in dental school??????

PLEASE HELP!!!

....It's called loans and it's how a lot of dental students (heck, even undergraduate students) pay for everything. Yes, you'll have to pay them back, but only after you are done with school and by then you'll have settled in somewhere and can afford the payments. If/when you return to school, either to finish up prerequisites or enter dental school, you'll have to change your lifestyle and really learn how to budget yourself and eliminate those aspects of your life that consume money, such as eating out, regular shopping trips, the expensive car (payments, insurance, etc.) and so on because the stipend given to most students is around $1400 a month. It's not quite as bad as Little House on the Prairie, but it's close. I had to pay my way through my undergraduate career and learn to provide for myself, and although I am sick of having no money, I am willing to stick it out for another four more years to realize my goal. If you are determined and focused you'll find a way and get through too. Best of luck!

 

[toothpixie]

ooh, me too! meee toooo!!! i used to bemoan my age before dental school started.

i'm a first year and i'm turning the big 3-0 this Friday, but now after a few months into it, i'm actually really glad to be going to dental school at this age.. i might be a bit older than many in my class, and man, i SO admire them for their focus while being that young-- cuz during my early twenties, i sure was pretty lost... but every once in a while i do notice while speaking with some of my younger classmates that certain experiences in d-school become a bit more meaningful and poignant to those of us who have seen a lil more of life... i guess the extra years allow for a little extra perspective.

and being more settled in life (as opposed to the roller coaster of love many of us ride in our younger years) is like a safe harbor, and a real blessing in the midst of the stress.

I'm so glad this thread was started-- best, best wishes to all of you in all of your pursuits!

Take Care,
Sincerely, Sujain

 

[GENERAL TSO]

Hey fellow pre-dents! I'm 26 and am strongly considering a career change from engineering to pediatrics dentistry.

BUT there is this one issue that keeps prodding around in my head. Maybe you guys can help???

So in college there was always mommy and daddy to pay for things (well for me anyway). And in college I had no dependants, it was just little ol' me.

But NOW... mommy and daddy are out of the picture, and while I currently have no kids or husband, I know I one day will. And there are so many expenses - rent, food, car, clothes, etc that are now my reponsibility.

I have noone to fall back on anymore, and I'm barely getting by as is having a job. How will I get by when I no longer have an income, AND am paying collosal amounts towards my dental education?

$ in = 0
$ out = 100k?

It doesnt add up!!!!!!!!!!!

For example - I need a new car big time, but don'y know how I'll afford payments while in school, so I keep putting it off.

With all these expense, how on earth do you guys afford life while in dental school??????

PLEASE HELP!!!

Hey, some of us dont have mommy and daddy helping us now so stop crying and get loans like the other 96% of us wanting to go to dental school.

MAn I hate to hear people crying on here!

 

[wimmcs]

I completely understand the debt issue, but besides that, this person does not seem to know what this career offers. I will also be in debt like 97% of most dental students when I graduate, but knowing what this career offers, I feel no qwalms (sp?) about the debt issue.

About the car... as I mentioned in a thread this person started earlier, a good reliable car can be purchased without spending much money. In other words, you don't have to go buy the latest model and be stuck with outrageous car payments. IN d-school we need to learn to live like students so that we can graduate and live like doctors after some time of paying off student loans. It's a lifetime commitment and this person probably needs to do some more research like shadowing... very important.

 

[DMD-2-B]

OK - maybe you people are misunderstanding me. I am NOT whining, nor do I expect ANYONE to pay my way through dental school.

I just want to understand what I should expect/do. I know nothing about these loans you speak of. For example - do they depend on your credit (college loans did not), is there a limit to the $-amount per student (college loans had a limit), will I be able to get loans for post-bacc, what rules apply to those, AND where can I learn more about financial aid for dental school?

These are the QUESTIONS I have. I feel no need to whine becuase like you guys with the help of my parents the first year of college, I was on my own after that, and lived with the bare minumums (i.e owning only one pair of jeans for 2 years).

But its different when you're thinking of starting a family. That's something I'm concerned about financially, and since this is the 28 & over thread, I thought maybe some of you have been down this road already and could shed some light...

 

[wimmcs]

OK - maybe you people are misunderstanding me. I am NOT whining, nor do I expect ANYONE to pay my way through dental school.

I just want to understand what I should expect/do. I know nothing about these loans you speak of. For example - do they depend on your credit (college loans did not), is there a limit to the $-amount per student (college loans had a limit), will I be able to get loans for post-bacc, what rules apply to those, AND where can I learn more about financial aid for dental school?

These are the QUESTIONS I have. I feel no need to whine becuase like you guys with the help of my parents the first year of college, I was on my own after that, and lived with the bare minumums (i.e owning only one pair of jeans for 2 years).

But its different when you're thinking of starting a family. That's something I'm concerned about financially, and since this is the 28 & over thread, I thought maybe some of you have been down this road already and could shed some light...

Yes, you are right and you have legitimate concerns...
In terms of borrowing, here is how it works: Each school has a "budget" of the amount you need to borrow in order to survive. Since each school's tuition is different, then the budget varies from school to school. For example, the school figures what you need in tuition and fees, then they add a reasonable amount of cost of living (including rent, and living expenses) and then you have a max. amount you can borrow. In AZ, for a particular example, the max. you can borrow as a freshman is up to $62K. Obviously tuition and fees are less than this amount, but they are figuring cost of living on top. Hope this helps and good luck in researching this career.

 

[DMD-2-B]

Yes, you are right and you have legitimate concerns...
In terms of borrowing, here is how it works: Each school has a "budget" of the amount you need to borrow in order to survive. Since each school's tuition is different, then the budget varies from school to school. For example, the school figures what you need in tuition and fees, then they add a reasonable amount of cost of living (including rent, and living expenses) and then you have a max. amount you can borrow. In AZ, for a particular example, the max. you can borrow as a freshman is up to $62K. Obviously tuition and fees are less than this amount, but they are figuring cost of living on top. Hope this helps and good luck in researching this career.

That did help - alot! Thank you!

That system seems to be very sessible and accomodating, which is really comforting.

So the financial aid package is something I set up with the school I'm attending, correct?

Does the amount I qualify for vary according to my credit history. My credit has definately been improving, but before this year it was pretty bad...

 

[wimmcs]

That did help - alot! Thank you!

That system seems to be very sessible and accomodating, which is really comforting.

So the financial aid package is something I set up with the school I'm attending, correct?

Does the amount I qualify for vary according to my credit history. My credit has definately been improving, but before this year it was pretty bad...

I believe that if you need to borrow MORE money than what's being budgeted, then you have to worry about your credit worthiness (not sure though) through private loans. Yes, you set up financial aid with the school you are attending. How it works is that you fill out fasfa (gov. fin. aid) and include which institution(s) you may attend and then the school that you will be attending sends you the package and sets up the loans. Again, good luck!

 

[Sprgrover]

That did help - alot! Thank you!

Does the amount I qualify for vary according to my credit history. My credit has definately been improving, but before this year it was pretty bad...

Most private loans, e.g. CitiAssist, will allow you to borrow up to the cost of attendance less the amount awarded in government aid - which is enough to cover everything yet not enough to hang yourself with. When looking into private loans it is important to maintain a good credit history. While being rejected is certainly a possibility (I believe your credit would have to be rock bottom and your report filled with lots of unsavory, high risk information such as repeat bankruptcies), most private lenders use your score to determine the rate of your loans. If all else fails you can certainly get a co-signer, such as your father/mother. Many such loans often have clauses that state that after graduation, and a year or two of on time payments, the co-signer is taken off of the loan thereby releasing him/her from any legal obligation to repay it back. All dental schools have financial aid available and are more than willing to help you navigate the necessary steps to funding your education. Best of luck!

 

[Profchaos]

Hey guys,

I'm going on to 29 this summer. I graduated from college in 1999, and worked for a year as a molecular research bio technician, then made the big switch into the entertainment industry and worked for feature films and television shows for MTV... Real World, Making the Band Hip-hop, etc.... as a production coordinator. I got to hang out with P-ditty, and producer Jack Benson-III at his "Bad-Boy Records" recording studio on 45th street called "Daddy's House" while working on that Making the Band show. I got the opporunity to work/visit different countries and their musical artists, such as Hikaru Utada's Unplugged performance in Japan.

The work was exciting, although you had to put in countless hours.... After a few years of gaining a lot great and fun experiences in the real world (no pun intended), I decided to take a vacation from MTV and take a short abroad study in Japan for a few months. Since at MTV, we work from project to project, there can be alot of time between projects. Stayed in Japan, learned the language quickly,... gained a girlfriend in Okazaki Japan, thought about my present career, and my long time intended career in the health field... and ultimately chose Dentistry. Came back to America with a mission to tear the DAT's apart. Took the DAT's this past September, scored a 22/23/18 (AA/TS/PAT) and handed my application into AADSAS at the end of Nov. and it got sent out to the schools in Jan. Applied to 8 schools and got interviews for them.. went to 3 interviews and withdrew from the other 5 after gaining acceptance from UMDNJ. Still waiting on Columbia and Temple.

Oh man, what a great experience!
Utada Hikaru rocks! I'm starting to envy you now.
I was always wondering how's the pay at MTV. Excellent, good or just ok?
BTW, I respect your decision after through your passion in the entertainment industry. You must be pretty smart to get that DAT score after the long gap out of school.

 

[Okazaki]

Oh man, what a great experience!
Utada Hikaru rocks! I'm starting to envy you now.
I was always wondering how's the pay at MTV. Excellent, good or just ok?
BTW, I respect your decision after through your passion in the entertainment industry. You must be pretty smart to get that DAT score after the long gap out of school.

Hey Chaos,

Yeah, MTV was a completely different life from the life I knew as a college science guy. As far as the pay, much like any industry, it depends on where you fall on the hierarchal ladder. I started out as a PA (Production Assistant), pee-ons who do all the menial labor (coffee, sweeping, food runs, putting up and breaking down a set). Most people quit before they get bumped up because the job just sucks hard donkey ballz. But they don't realize that the higher-ups watch closely to see who takes the time to do their ****ty jobs well, and then they pick them out of the litter and groom them to become... video engineers, boom-mic operators, production coordinators, and producers... all make a darn good living to say the very very least. I've known people who started out buying coffee and making photo-copies for staff who went on to become executive producers of network shows in less than 12 months.... and there are also those who stay PA's for years and years too. For me, I advanced in to do both video work and production coordinating, and was on my way to becoming a producer. I realized that if I stayed, then I'd be making my position in the industry more permanent, with less opportunity to trail back to my intended path. And my biggest complaint about the industry.... you don't exactly run into the most intelligent of people in a profession where all you need is the ability to buy coffee to to get a foot in the door. (and an IN too i suppose)

Fan of Hikaru Utada? Funny story. I was working on a show and there was one Big-Wig african-american producer who always came in and out of the control room. I never met him before, but for some reason he looked really familiar. I shortly realized that the reason he looked familiar was because he had a short interview spot on a Hikaru Utada concert DVD that I watched a jillion times. At that moment I knew I HAD to talk to him at sometime during out project. He was one of the biggest of the big-wigs at MTV, didn't talk very much and usually kept to himself. A whole 3 months went by with many opportunities to talk to the guy, but never did. Finally the last friggen day of the show, I mustered up the testicles to talk to the guy, and before I knew it, I was going to Japan to help production on Hikki's unplugged concert in Japan. Having studied Japanese a year prior really opened that door. Did you know that Hikaru also attended Columbia too for a short time before making singing her full time job? She's virutally unknown in America, but had bodyguards around her during school. She's really cool, very intelligent, and speaks perfect english, although the way she speaks english makes her sound like a total Valley girl.

Thanks for the complements,
Some may think that it was a waste of a number of years since I'm going back into health, but to me the experience was really worth those years. I got to exerience and see many people and places that others probably don't get the opportunity to, and got to live a very different life than the straight line path of the average health professional.

 

[Sprgrover]

...Some may think that it was a waste of a number of years since I'm going back into health, but to me the experience was really worth those years. I got to exerience and see many people and places that others probably don't get the opportunity to, and got to live a very different life than the straight line path of the average health professional.

If at the very least those years validate your decision to persue dentistry and help clear up any future "what if's" then I don't think they were a waste at all - especially if they can help you spin some great conversations at martini parties. Congratulations on your decision and I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Profchaos]

Hey Chaos,

Yeah, MTV was a completely different life from the life I knew as a college science guy. As far as the pay, much like any industry, it depends on where you fall on the hierarchal ladder. I started out as a PA (Production Assistant), pee-ons who do all the menial labor (coffee, sweeping, food runs, putting up and breaking down a set). Most people quit before they get bumped up because the job just sucks hard donkey ballz. But they don't realize that the higher-ups watch closely to see who takes the time to do their ****ty jobs well, and then they pick them out of the litter and groom them to become... video engineers, boom-mic operators, production coordinators, and producers... all make a darn good living to say the very very least. I've known people who started out buying coffee and making photo-copies for staff who went on to become executive producers of network shows in less than 12 months.... and there are also those who stay PA's for years and years too. For me, I advanced in to do both video work and production coordinating, and was on my way to becoming a producer. I realized that if I stayed, then I'd be making my position in the industry more permanent, with less opportunity to trail back to my intended path. And my biggest complaint about the industry.... you don't exactly run into the most intelligent of people in a profession where all you need is the ability to buy coffee to to get a foot in the door. (and an IN too i suppose)

Fan of Hikaru Utada? Funny story. I was working on a show and there was one Big-Wig african-american producer who always came in and out of the control room. I never met him before, but for some reason he looked really familiar. I shortly realized that the reason he looked familiar was because he had a short interview spot on a Hikaru Utada concert DVD that I watched a jillion times. At that moment I knew I HAD to talk to him at sometime during out project. He was one of the biggest of the big-wigs at MTV, didn't talk very much and usually kept to himself. A whole 3 months went by with many opportunities to talk to the guy, but never did. Finally the last friggen day of the show, I mustered up the testicles to talk to the guy, and before I knew it, I was going to Japan to help production on Hikki's unplugged concert in Japan. Having studied Japanese a year prior really opened that door. Did you know that Hikaru also attended Columbia too for a short time before making singing her full time job? She's virutally unknown in America, but had bodyguards around her during school. She's really cool, very intelligent, and speaks perfect english, although the way she speaks english makes her sound like a total Valley girl.

Thanks for the complements,
Some may think that it was a waste of a number of years since I'm going back into health, but to me the experience was really worth those years. I got to exerience and see many people and places that others probably don't get the opportunity to, and got to live a very different life than the straight line path of the average health professional.

I've heard about the sadness of being a PA. They even had a show called Fake the Video on MTV, which shows how they screw all those innocent PAs. And they also had another one called the ASSistant, where Andy Dick tries to play all the people's mind...
Anyways, I believe there's a chance that somebody gets to jump from a PA to be an executive producer, while there's also a chance that one has to stay to be a PA forever, which in my mind, is horrible. Just like in any industry, there's always a chance that something miracle happens but it hugely depends on luck and your personality.
I'm glad for you that you came back to dentistry after all this wonderful experience. What dentistry has to offer is that it offers you a stable chance to have your own business and you can be sure to drive a benz(if you don't cut off your finger accidentally), you also get wonderful wonderful hours for yourself and family.
I am a fan of J-rock and pop music. I love Utada Hikaru a lot not just because she sings well, she's also a very honest and intelligent person. Utada used to be in Columbia before she got sick and finally got married. I wish she were still there, because it's so much easier if I ever need an autograph, I don't have to go to Japan.
Thanks Okazaki.

 

[Yah-E]

So many turning 30!! I, too, turned 30 recently!