Will Dental school really care about which undergrad you go to?

[lifeohlife]

Okay, so I am asking this because I am genuinely concerned. I am currently a senior in high school and I will be making decisions on where I will go very soon.
I have BU, Brandeis, Northeastern, or MCPHS in mind. Only MCPHS offers me a generous amount of money, but it is NOT a well known school AT ALL (note that all these schools are private). I got accepted to their Bachelor of Science Pre-medical and Health Studies program, so I would be fulfilling my pre-dental requirements if I do go there. None of the other schools are giving me much money. I'd be paying 55+ thous. a year... I just can't really afford that, and plus 4 years of dental school. I guess I can get loans...but is it worth it? I want to be able to do well and maintain a high science GPA as well. So...yea.

(Plus...MCPHS claims on their website that 74% of the students in their premed program got accepted into med/dental school. So why are they still so unknown/underrated?)

So my question is, if I maintain a 3.6+ GPA at MCPHS, a DAT score of 20+, and some nice internship/E.C's, will I have a good shot for dental admissions? I'm only looking at BU dental school or Tufts dental school. And of course....I will be studying like crazy in college. No doubt.

Please help me out. This means a lot to me. Thanks!

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[gentlerwave]

As long as you complete your pre-regs at a 4-year university, it doesn't matter much where you go for undergrad. If you can accomplish the GPA/DAT/ECs that you set, you definitely have a good shot.

It's awesome that you thought about finances already. Pick the school that will give you the cheapest COA. Good luck!

 

[ModifiedBass]

Short answer (the only answer you need): No, they will not care. Good luck.

 

[Gaucho4Life]

55k a year then BU or Tufts? Google "HPSP"

 

[HaverfoodsDDS]

Short answer (the only answer you need): No, they will not care. Good luck.

^^^^^ This X1000

 

[Slumber]

No, go to a cheap school and get As.

 

[Troyvdg]

If it makes you feel better, I went to a small private school because they gave me the best scholarship, and I faired just fine this past cycle. Like others have said, name doesn't matter.

 

[RedPill1785]

Go wherever you'll have the highest level of emotional, intellectual and social development. That's what college is about, not a degree. Go wherever is cheapest

 

[lifeohlife]

I've read on some threads that dental schools care about the prestige of your undergrad? Is this true? Because my undergrad isn't prestigious at all...

 

[Troyvdg]

I've read on some threads that dental schools care about the prestige of your undergrad? Is this true? Because my undergrad isn't prestigious at all...

Why ask the question If you are not going to don't trust the answers you're being given. You have this thread posted in two different forum sections...use the search button. There are tons of new threads, asking this same question, receiving the same answers.

 

[Illuminati33]

I second Troyvdog, I went to a small private school came out with a 3.89 GPA and a 22 on the DAT and was accepted to 5 schools on Dec 2. I think its almost advantagous to go to a school where you know you can succeed rather than a top notch school that will be more competitive. I am not suggesting I wouldn't have been able to handle the ciriculum at a school like UVA but I am not sure I would have a 3.89.

 

[lifeohlife]

Alright, thanks guys! I'm sorry if I came out to be a bit annoying. hahaa

I'm just at a stage right now where I'm really worried and indecisive, so I just want to make sure that going to a no name school won't affect me as long as I do well.
Most of my friends are going to Ivy leagues or brand name schools (they're not planning to go med/dent. school) and they are all judging and stepping all on me because I plan to go to the "easier" school. I just wanted to see if my decision for going to MCPHS is the right way to go.

Anyways, thank you so much. Since most of you have gone through this path and have succeeded thus far, I will take your word and try my very best!
Again, thanks!!!

 

[thirstyscholar]

'Brand name schools' open networks that 'no name schools' dream of.

Weigh the pound of flesh before you commit.

 

[gentlerwave]

Most of my friends are going to Ivy leagues or brand name schools (they're not planning to go med/dent. school) and they are all judging and stepping all on me because I plan to go to the "easier" school.

After you graduate from undergrad, nobody will ask you where you get your degree from.

Also, it will be a nightmare getting LORs at the "brand name" schools because everyone will be high caliber, so professors will likely not know you as someone who was "head and shoulder above the rest." Thus your LORs might be one of those generic "he performed well in the class, completed all assignments, etc."

 

[thirstyscholar]

Also, it will be a nightmare getting LORs at the "brand name" schools because everyone will be high caliber, so professors will likely not know you as someone who was "head and shoulder above the rest." Thus your LORs might be one of those generic "he performed well in the class, completed all assignments, etc."

Sounds like d-school

 

[beanie5]

.

 

[Gum Shoe]

Your grades and DAT score matter far more than your undergraduate institution. Choose a school where you feel like you can be happy and form positive support networks. I went to a very large and prestigious university that ended up being a terrible fit for me. It ultimately affected my morale and this showed up in my grades. Try to make an informed decision based on factors, like the culture of the school and the cost of attendance.

I think that undergraduate prestige matters more for getting your foot in the door for entry positions in other fields, like finance. As a future dentist, most of your patients will care more about where you go to dental school rather than where you went to college. And even then, things like interpersonal skills, technical ability, and business savvy will probably factor more into a successful practice than where you went to dental school. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Dentalguy8621]

Listen to people who are in the application process. Doesn't matter one bit. Go to the cheapest school. No community college. Done.

 

[indecisiveanon]

Hi, so I'm pretty much in the same boat. I heard back from my colleges and am now down to two choices. On one hand, I was accepted into CALS at Cornell, which I've heard is a highly competitive school for pre-health. On the other hand, I received a full-tuition scholarship to Hofstra, which is relatively unknown, especially for science. Considering what I've heard, I believe it'll be less back-breaking to get a great GPA from Hofstra and I will study hard for the DAT either way. However, will choosing this unknown school work against me in my application? I'm sorry if I'm basically repeating your question but I'm really nervous about making the wrong choice and regretting it. Thanks!

 

[Dentalguy8621]

Hi, so I'm pretty much in the same boat. I heard back from my colleges and am now down to two choices. On one hand, I was accepted into CALS at Cornell, which I've heard is a highly competitive school for pre-health. On the other hand, I received a full-tuition scholarship to Hofstra, which is relatively unknown, especially for science. Considering what I've heard, I believe it'll be less back-breaking to get a great GPA from Hofstra and I will study hard for the DAT either way. However, will choosing this unknown school work against me in my application? I'm sorry if I'm basically repeating your question but I'm really nervous about making the wrong choice and regretting it. Thanks!

I was in a similar boat. Got a scholarship for a school in state but got accepted to the other in state top 10 college. I chose the latter and I don't regret it.

 

[manifesto]

My school was brought up several times during the interviews, but I don't know how important that was for me to get my acceptances.

Can I ask which school you went to or PM me your answer?

 

[lifeohlife]

Okay...So I actually decided to go somewhere else. I was offered an extremely generous scholarship at a well-known school (surprise!) and the amount was even more than what MCPHS gave me. I am literally so shocked that I even got accepted to that school in the first place, and even more flabbergasted that they gave me so much money.

So since I am switching to this school, I will obviously have to major in something else (I was in their premed program, which was a major and not a path…).

My ultimate question is….Is it REALLY okay to major in something other than a science related major? I am really interested in English….but I am afraid dental schools may question my major. And of course, I will be fulfilling all my prerequisites for dental school at the same time. It’s just that most of my premed/predental classmates are majoring in bio/chem/biochem…etc…So I am concerned. Any inputs?

 

[dbd]

No dental schools don't really care which major you choose. Does majoring in Biology or Chemistry help you later on in this career path? Probably, since it introduces you to concepts and topics that you'll likely cover later on in Dental School. Is it absolutely necessary? No.

 

[shyfox9p]

No dental schools don't really care which major you choose. Does majoring in Biology or Chemistry help you later on in this career path? Probably, since it introduces you to concepts and topics that you'll likely cover later on in Dental School. Is it absolutely necessary? No.

I asked this to a dean of a dental school and they said that it could play a factor. Some schools are more demanding than others. It's not like a free pass, but it is something they may consider. The major also plays a factor. Getting a 4.0 as a Spanish major is not as impressive as someone who did Molecular bio and also got a 4.0

 

[Troyvdg]

I asked this to a dean of a dental school and they said that it could play a factor. Some schools are more demanding than others. It's not like a free pass, but it is something they may consider. The major also plays a factor. Getting a 4.0 as a Spanish major is not as impressive as someone who did Molecular bio and also got a 4.0

This is such a minuscule difference. If you have a good DAT score, no one cares.

 

[shyfox9p]

This is such a minuscule difference. If you have a good DAT score, no one cares.

Yah, but it's a question they ask themselves when they have to compare similar students.

 

[Troyvdg]

Yah, but it's a question they ask themselves when they have to compare similar students.

Really? 25 AA vs 25 AA. Similar volunteer/extracurric/shadowing.
3.8 in Bio vs 3.8 in Spanish.
Spanish major seems more impressive to me. But hey, what do I know, I'm not an adcom.
Bottom line, major in what you want, you're the one paying for the degree.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Eh... I'd major in bio. By the time you take all of the pre-reqs and "highly recommended" courses, you truly might as well be a bio major. If English is a passion of yours, then double major or minor in it.

 

[shyfox9p]

Really? 25 AA vs 25 AA. Similar volunteer/extracurric/shadowing.
3.8 in Bio vs 3.8 in Spanish.
Spanish major seems more impressive to me. But hey, what do I know, I'm not an adcom.
Bottom line, major in what you want, you're the one paying for the degree.

You have to be joking. Thankfully you're not making the decisions

 

[Troyvdg]

You have to be joking. Thankfully you're not making the decisions

Maybe one day I will be. But to me, being unique is awesome. Everyone's a bio major. If someone can score just as high on the DAT being a different major, taking less bio classes...that's impressive. I say all this having been a bio major myself. Don't throw shade on the situation.

 

[MedDevil]

Unless you go to a school well-known for grade inflation/deflation or study engineering, it's almost impossible to compare the difficulty of majors across different institutions. Given the push for diversity in professional school admissions, majoring in something outside of biology and chemistry (extra points if it's something immediately employable) might make you a more interesting candidate.

 

[Mascota]

You don't need to be a science major, but you will need to prove yourself. If you're a non-science major be sure to take 12+ credits of sciences courses in addition to your major's requirements for 3-4 semester (the more the better), and certainly take more than the minimum prerequisites. The benefit - you can prepare yourself well for dental school while avoiding the time-consuming/worthless courses that that are required for biology/chemistry majors. Do all this while getting a great science GPA and a 20+ DAT score and I don't see why you'd have any problem getting into a school of your choice. I can only imagine adcoms would look favorably upon someone who has studied cultures and people while taking a rigorous course load versus someone who has just focused on the sciences.

I'm a Spanish major, I've taken all the prerequisite courses plus microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, calculus, and an advanced human physiology class (4600 level), etc. etc. All in a 3 year period while doing my major's courses. I have a 4.0 chemistry, 4.0 physics, and a 3.9 biology GPA, and a 22 AA 23 TS 24 PAT score.

In addition, I was an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for our Biology I course and a Supplemental Instructor for organic chemistry. I currently work in the chemistry department of a anodizing plating company.

Has being a Spanish major held me back? No. I would highly recommend doing a non-science major, you'll get exposure to so many great things you wouldn't have otherwise! Just make sure you prove yourself.

Long answer short - no, your major doesn't matter.