A major dilemma

[throwawaydental]

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[I want to go to there]

Option 2. Grow some balls, your stats are good enough to have a good shot at many schools around the country. Don't settle for a school you don't even like. Tell your parents that your stats are better than like 90+% of the applicants and that you will get in multiple schools. Also, you can make a vacation out of interviews with the money you saved from graduating early.

 

[Hannah Banana]

After the interview, which occurred this year (which was the first time I was allowed to tour the dental school) I came to the conclusion that I do NOT see myself going to this dental school. I've seen a few other schools that I really like, and I meet or exceed their stats.

There you go.

 

[rendal]

Why don't you schedule your fall classes as if you're going to graduate in fall, apply to dental schools, and register for graduation in the spring? Do you need to be taking classes in the spring in order to graduate at that time? If you get into another dental school you won't need to take any spring courses and if you don't (you will with your stats), then just register the minimum number of classes required so you can maintain your agreement with your current school.

 

[throwawaydental]

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[Hannah Banana]

How do I get my parents to go? 😛

1. Pack their stuff or
2. Get disowned.

 

[rendal]

Sorry for being unclear. My main question was this:

Can you graduate in spring (May 2016) without taking any classes in the spring 2016 semester?

Edit: Assuming you've satisfied all graduation requirements by the end of the fall 2015 semester.

 

[throwawaydental]

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[andreadds]

graduate early and go somewhere you want to go

 

[rendal]

Lol. 1. would break my heart, and 2. would kill me. I love them to death.



I could possibly do this by taking a leave of absence, but the dental school is requiring that I take a full course load in my 8th semester.
According to the adcom, students who graduate early do worse in the didactics in dental school...I'm thinking it's just a way for them to make more $$ for their undergrad.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful- I am so appreciative of the confidence shown in me by the dental school, and I am thankful to them for the guarantee...but it would have been so much simpler if I was rejected by this program, or if I had never applied.

Ok, so here's my suggestion.

Apply to other dental schools. Don't register to graduate in fall. Sign up your fall classes as if you WERE going to graduate in fall so that all of your requirements are satisfied by the end of your fall semester. Don't say anything to the dental school you have already been "accepted to".

Scenario 1: You get into another dental school. Great. Now that you have all of your requirements for graduation satisfied, take a leave of absence in the spring and register to graduate in the spring semester. Then you go to the school you choose.

Scenario 2: You don't get accepted to another dental school. Since you need to fulfill another semester of courses to maintain your dual program's requirements, sign up for the fewest number of classes you can (and the easiest classes) so you can finish the semester easily and graduate in the spring.

So either way, you'll graduate in spring and you can keep your dual program dental school as a backup. Make sense?

 

[throwawaydental]

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[rendal]

This is why you have Frank Underwood as your profile picture. I get it. Respect. Man you wily wily rendal.

I'm going to call Student Services tomorrow and ask if I can request a LoA in december for the spring and be allowed it (and not charged for it). If this works, I'm going to make you my logo. Love you. ok that's too much, but wow you're brilliant.

Lol, hope it works out for you. Keep us posted.

 

[Typical Average Student]

Simple. Spread out your next semester into two semesters.

 

[throwawaydental]

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[ajj70]

Are you paying cash for undergrad?

I'd do as rendal says and keep going as if you are going to finish 4 years at your current school, apply elsewhere, see what happens in December and go from there. Also, most colleges force you to graduate when you have met your requirements so I'm wondering why that doesn't apply here...and why the dental school is so stuck on having to have 4 years, especially when most students come in with a year of AP credits or so now.

 

[ajj70]

So I just checked the university handbook. Students can take a leave of absence for any reason they want, including travel!!!! Full tuition + housing fees are refunded if they do it before the start of the semester.

I can't get over how genius your plan is. I explained it to my parents, and they're coming around. You're awesome.



But the thing is I wanted to have my spring completely off so that I can actually put it to good use. I've already taken several upper level bio courses, expanded into many subjects, etc.

Does your school have a study abroad program? Can you do that spring semester?

 

[throwawaydental]

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[throwawaydental]

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[rendal]

I came in with a full semester's worth of AP credits/college credits, etc.
The dental school told me that they believe that students who take a semester off do bad in dental school didactics. I called ~10 of the other dental schools i'm looking into, and NONE of them thought graduating early is a problem. A few even said it is looked upon well. Most were puzzled: "Is this student trolling us?"

The reason they said that is because they are bound to the undergraduate institution, so they make money off of each other and want you to keep giving money to the school. I say you stick to the plan I suggested. They won't force you to graduate in fall because you have that deal with the dental school. I doubt that the dual program also says that you aren't allowed to finish all of your required courses early. Just do a quick check with your school that you're able to graduate in the spring even if you take a leave of abcense that semester.

 

[throwawaydental]

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[SXCoronado]

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[l4dygaga]

If you don't want to go to that dental school then you should just graduate a semester early and forget about them

If his LoA plan comes through, he won't need to forfeit his spot, which I think is pretty valuable whether he likes the school or not.

 

[throwawaydental]

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[rendal]

Just got the email from my dean.
He not only approved my LoA plan, but he even told me that he would make arrangements for me to graduate early if I got my decision to him by Dec. 7 (graduation is Dec. 18). He said that the board reviews the list of names on Dec. 15 and the June deadline is just to get the seniors on top of their game but that he understands that I would be waiting for Dec. 1 acceptances so he is willing to let me apply late but graduate early!

So, hold the combined BS-DDS program till Dec. 1, get in somewhere else, and go there, and graduate early! Thank you all for your help. Special shout out to @rendal , you smart underwood spawn you.

Great! Next thing to do is get your app and LORs in as quickly as possible so you're in that group that can hear back on December 1st. Good luck!

 

[throwawaydental]

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