7-year programs

[ar.predent]

Hi everyone!

I am a rising senior in high school and I am really interested in dentistry! I am really scared about college this fall especially applying to 7-year programs. My dream school is UPenn and I want to get into their 7-year Bio-dental program. The only problem I have is that I do not know my chances of getting into this specific program or any 7-year program.

I have been looking at these 7-year programs: UPenn, NYU, Muhlenberg (UPenn), Temple, Adelphi (NYU), Lehigh (UPenn).
I am only looking at schools and 7-year programs that are in NJ, NY, and PA

I have been searching a lot but I can't seem to find people who recently got into any of these programs and compare their stats with mine.

In terms of my stats:
I have a decent SAT score, it's not the best but it's still something to work with. A lot of schools are going test-optional but I'm not sure if I should worry about my score or not. I am taking it again this August, just in case. I have in between 1350-1450.

I have a pretty solid GPA. I did really bad in my freshman year with a lot of B+'s but sophomore year got better. Junior year was my best year by far with all A's. I took AP Computer Science sophomore year. Junior year I took AP Chemistry, AP Language and Composition, and AP Macroeconomics. Senior year I will be taking AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Spanish V, and AP Microeconomics.

I think my dental-related extracurriculars are the best out of my entire resume. Here is a list of them:
- 50 hours of hospital volunteering (Penn Medicine Princeton Health). It is a part of the UPenn Health System which is a bonus.
- 20+ shadowing hours at a general dentist. It wasn't working out for me because the dentist was not very vocal when I asked questions.
- I just got an internship at an orthodontic office.
- I have a job at a pediatric dental office as a dental assistant. I do chairside assistance and I also help out around the office with sterilization of instruments and other things.
- I created a dental organization that holds virtual shadowing sessions and puts out informational posts due to the pandemic and students not being able to access in-person shadowing opportunities.

I have personal extracurriculars as well like general volunteering, dance, piano, art, and singing.

Honestly, I just want some sort of guidance as to what I am supposed to work on. I really don't know if I am doing something wrong and I want some advice. I am the first person in my family who wants to become a doctor and pursue it as their career so I really don't have much help or advice coming in from my family. I really just want to get into a 7-year program and I want some guidance as to what I should do to be a better applicant.

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[macsak]

Hi everyone!

I am a rising senior in high school and I am really interested in dentistry! I am really scared about college this fall especially applying to 7-year programs. My dream school is UPenn and I want to get into their 7-year Bio-dental program. The only problem I have is that I do not know my chances of getting into this specific program or any 7-year program.

I have been looking at these 7-year programs: UPenn, NYU, Muhlenberg (UPenn), Boston University, Temple, Adelphi (NYU), Lehigh (UPenn)
I am only looking at schools and 7-year programs that are in NJ, NY, and PA

I have been searching a lot but I can't seem to find people who recently got into any of these programs and compare their stats with mine.

In terms of my stats:
I have a decent SAT score, it's not the best but it's still something to work with. A lot of schools are going test-optional but I'm not sure if I should worry about my score or not. I am taking it again this August, just in case. I have in between 1350-1450.

I have a pretty solid GPA. I did really bad in my freshman year with a lot of B+'s but sophomore year got better. Junior year was my best year by far with all A's. I took AP Computer Science sophomore year. Junior year I took AP Chemistry, AP Language and Composition, and AP Macroeconomics. Senior year I will be taking AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Spanish V, and AP Microeconomics.

I think my dental-related extracurriculars are the best out of my entire resume. Here is a list of them:
- 50 hours of hospital volunteering (Penn Medicine Princeton Health). It is a part of the UPenn Health System which is a bonus.
- 20+ shadowing hours at a general dentist. It wasn't working out for me because the dentist was not very vocal when I asked questions.
- I just got an internship at an orthodontic office.
- I have a job at a pediatric dental office as a dental assistant. I do chairside assistance and I also help out around the office with sterilization of instruments and other things.
- I created a dental organization that holds virtual shadowing sessions and puts out informational posts due to the pandemic and students not being able to access in-person shadowing opportunities.

I have personal extracurriculars as well like general volunteering, dance, piano, art, and singing.

Honestly, I just want some sort of guidance as to what I am supposed to work on. I really don't know if I am doing something wrong and I want some advice. I am the first person in my family who wants to become a doctor and pursue it as their career so I really don't have much help or advice coming in from my family. I really just want to get into a 7-year program and I want some guidance as to what I should do to be a better applicant.

sounds like you have done all you could
just keep on getting As and staying involved and hope for the best!
i don't think many of us here have much experience with the 7 year programs...

 

[Redwing9]

7-year program students are rare I only have known 1 and he didn't end up making it in 7 years (it's looking closer to the 9-10 path atm). But that's ok keep doing what you are doing and apply. Don't get down on yourself if it doesn't work out if it takes 8-10 years+, or it isn't your dream school there is no shame in that it's certainly a marathon. Getting into dental school will require a mix of grades, DAT scores, volunteer work, and good communication skills.

My warning and recommendation to you would be, after high school, it will get harder each step of the way. As my friend learned just getting into a 7-year program does not mean you have a spot in that dental school. If you have too much on your plate take some off. Prioritize grades, shadowing, and just growing as a person over the next few years.

 

[New_Vegas]

If I were your in your shoes, I'd really consider why you want to do dentistry. And if I can may offer a piece of advice, perhaps you could look into a career in medicine. Signing up for dental school nowadays is looking a lot like a financial suicide if you don't live in a state that has a cheap dental school. Medicine can offer just about everything that dentistry can, except medical doctors don't usually have to live in poverty for much of their careers like dentists do.

Just a suggestion. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and tell the 17 year-old version of myself that.

 

[ar.predent]

If I were your in your shoes, I'd really consider why you want to do dentistry. And if I can may offer a piece of advice, perhaps you could look into a career in medicine. Signing up for dental school nowadays is looking a lot like a financial suicide if you don't live in a state that has a cheap dental school. Medicine can offer just about everything that dentistry can, except medical doctors don't usually have to live in poverty for much of their careers like dentists do.

Just a suggestion. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and tell the 17 year-old version of myself that.

I have a personal connection to dentistry and smiles, which is the reason I want to do dentistry. The question of why I want to do dentistry is solid and I certainly want to do it. Thank you for the advice!

 

[PerioDont]

How are you planning to pay for your education? If it is with loans, I would not be doing the 7 year program, esp at NYU.

Their undergrad tuition is 56k/year while dental school is around 100k/yr not including living costs. You will probably be looking at paying 7-800k+ once you get out of this program, which is basically financial suicide imo.

Unless you parents can afford to pay for it, I would reconsider doing a BS DDS.

Firstly it limits you into only becoming a dentist first of all, I don't think most undergrads lets alone HS students really know they want to do dentistry, so you need to explore a little bit in college.

but let's say you do know for sure you want to be a dentist. What I would suggest you do is stay in your home state and go to your state university, live at home if possible, you can likely get a full ride scholarship. Graduate early (not in 4 years) with no debt, and apply to a cheaper dental school, hopefully you have an in-state school.

That is exactly what I did, got into dental school when I was 19 with no undergrad debt and finished up in 3 years. If you really push yourself I think you can do 2 years in some schools though I don't think there is much of a point. This method will literally save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I am now 24 years old and a specialty resident. Paid way less for my education than the 700k+ the BS/DDS program will charge you.

 

[ar.predent]

How are you planning to pay for your education? If it is with loans, I would not be doing the 7 year program, esp at NYU.

Their undergrad tuition is 56k/year while dental school is around 100k/yr not including living costs. You will probably be looking at paying 7-800k+ once you get out of this program, which is basically financial suicide imo.

Unless you parents can afford to pay for it, I would reconsider doing a BS DDS.

Firstly it limits you into only becoming a dentist first of all, I don't think most undergrads lets alone HS students really know they want to do dentistry, so you need to explore a little bit in college.

but let's say you do know for sure you want to be a dentist. What I would suggest you do is stay in your home state and go to your state university, live at home if possible, you can likely get a full ride scholarship. Graduate early (not in 4 years) with no debt, and apply to a cheaper dental school, hopefully you have an in-state school.

That is exactly what I did, got into dental school when I was 19 with no undergrad debt and finished up in 3 years. If you really push yourself I think you can do 2 years in some schools though I don't think there is much of a point. This method will literally save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I am now 24 years old and a specialty resident. Paid way less for my education than the 700k+ the BS/DDS program will charge you.

Thanks for the advice! I really did not know much about college tuition and college costs, so I will really think deeply about the 7-year programs before I do it. I will still apply to 7-year programs and once I get the details about tuition and compare them with that of a 4-year route, I will make my decision. I know for sure I want to pursue a career in dentistry, no doubt about it, so there are no problems there. I am also fortunate to have parents that are also able to pay for a majority of my college tuition. I will definitely apply to schools in terms of both routes and choose what I will end up doing when the time comes.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Hi everyone!

I am a rising senior in high school and I am really interested in dentistry! I am really scared about college this fall especially applying to 7-year programs. My dream school is UPenn and I want to get into their 7-year Bio-dental program. The only problem I have is that I do not know my chances of getting into this specific program or any 7-year program.

I have been looking at these 7-year programs: UPenn, NYU, Muhlenberg (UPenn), Temple, Adelphi (NYU), Lehigh (UPenn).
I am only looking at schools and 7-year programs that are in NJ, NY, and PA

I have been searching a lot but I can't seem to find people who recently got into any of these programs and compare their stats with mine.

In terms of my stats:
I have a decent SAT score, it's not the best but it's still something to work with. A lot of schools are going test-optional but I'm not sure if I should worry about my score or not. I am taking it again this August, just in case. I have in between 1350-1450.

I have a pretty solid GPA. I did really bad in my freshman year with a lot of B+'s but sophomore year got better. Junior year was my best year by far with all A's. I took AP Computer Science sophomore year. Junior year I took AP Chemistry, AP Language and Composition, and AP Macroeconomics. Senior year I will be taking AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Spanish V, and AP Microeconomics.

I think my dental-related extracurriculars are the best out of my entire resume. Here is a list of them:
- 50 hours of hospital volunteering (Penn Medicine Princeton Health). It is a part of the UPenn Health System which is a bonus.
- 20+ shadowing hours at a general dentist. It wasn't working out for me because the dentist was not very vocal when I asked questions.
- I just got an internship at an orthodontic office.
- I have a job at a pediatric dental office as a dental assistant. I do chairside assistance and I also help out around the office with sterilization of instruments and other things.
- I created a dental organization that holds virtual shadowing sessions and puts out informational posts due to the pandemic and students not being able to access in-person shadowing opportunities.

I have personal extracurriculars as well like general volunteering, dance, piano, art, and singing.

Honestly, I just want some sort of guidance as to what I am supposed to work on. I really don't know if I am doing something wrong and I want some advice. I am the first person in my family who wants to become a doctor and pursue it as their career so I really don't have much help or advice coming in from my family. I really just want to get into a 7-year program and I want some guidance as to what I should do to be a better applicant.

Absolutely avoid the UPenn and NYU routes - they are insanely expensive! Someone mentioned $700-800k total above, and that sounds about right.

You mentioned NJ. Why not Rutgers dental? They have 7-year BS/DMD options with multiple colleges. Off the top of my head, I know Ramapo, Rutgers Newark, NJIT, Rutgers New Brunswick (I think), and (maybe) Seton Hall.

I did what someone mentioned above - went to a regular 4-year program, but used my AP credits to finish in 3 years. I also avoided doing multiple majors and minors.

If I knew I was doing dentistry, I would have went to the college offering my the cheapest tuition and used my AP credits to finish early. the Rutgers 7-year program is a pretty good setup too.

 

[setdoc7]

I did a 7 year program many years ago. Not worth it. Unless you have a full ride to undergrad, I would go to a school which is in a great location and have some fun. You will never have the amount of time for socializing and just being a young adult as you will in college. Packing in 4 years of pre reqs into three means a lot of time in the library and little tail gating or frat parties... a part of college life that I missed.
Also, if you can get some decent scholarship money with your grades, I would jump at it.

 

[charlestweed]

Hi everyone!

I am a rising senior in high school and I am really interested in dentistry! I am really scared about college this fall especially applying to 7-year programs. My dream school is UPenn and I want to get into their 7-year Bio-dental program. The only problem I have is that I do not know my chances of getting into this specific program or any 7-year program.

I have been looking at these 7-year programs: UPenn, NYU, Muhlenberg (UPenn), Temple, Adelphi (NYU), Lehigh (UPenn).
I am only looking at schools and 7-year programs that are in NJ, NY, and PA

I have been searching a lot but I can't seem to find people who recently got into any of these programs and compare their stats with mine.

In terms of my stats:
I have a decent SAT score, it's not the best but it's still something to work with. A lot of schools are going test-optional but I'm not sure if I should worry about my score or not. I am taking it again this August, just in case. I have in between 1350-1450.

I have a pretty solid GPA. I did really bad in my freshman year with a lot of B+'s but sophomore year got better. Junior year was my best year by far with all A's. I took AP Computer Science sophomore year. Junior year I took AP Chemistry, AP Language and Composition, and AP Macroeconomics. Senior year I will be taking AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Spanish V, and AP Microeconomics.

I think my dental-related extracurriculars are the best out of my entire resume. Here is a list of them:
- 50 hours of hospital volunteering (Penn Medicine Princeton Health). It is a part of the UPenn Health System which is a bonus.
- 20+ shadowing hours at a general dentist. It wasn't working out for me because the dentist was not very vocal when I asked questions.
- I just got an internship at an orthodontic office.
- I have a job at a pediatric dental office as a dental assistant. I do chairside assistance and I also help out around the office with sterilization of instruments and other things.
- I created a dental organization that holds virtual shadowing sessions and puts out informational posts due to the pandemic and students not being able to access in-person shadowing opportunities.

I have personal extracurriculars as well like general volunteering, dance, piano, art, and singing.

Honestly, I just want some sort of guidance as to what I am supposed to work on. I really don't know if I am doing something wrong and I want some advice. I am the first person in my family who wants to become a doctor and pursue it as their career so I really don't have much help or advice coming in from my family. I really just want to get into a 7-year program and I want some guidance as to what I should do to be a better applicant.

Try to do well on the SAT. My friends' son got straight As, 1480 on the SAT, and a bunch of 4s and 5s on the AP exams. He applied to several BS/DDS programs but only got accepted to 2 7-yr BS/DDS programs: UOP's 4+3 program and NOVA's 3+4 program. He wanted to get into the UOP's 2+3 program but his stats are not good enough. He chose to attend UOP's 4+3 program this year because there is a chance they will move him to a shorter 3+3 or 2+3 program if he performs well. Both of his parents are dentists and they will help pay for his tuitions.

I believe UPenn's BS/DMD program makes you re-take all the classes again even if you passed the AP exams in HS.

Since you have no financial help from parents, I think it's better to attend a public university and live with your parents to save money. Then apply for dental schools after your 2nd or 3rd year.