Any advice for a 29 year old, needing to retake prereqs and take DAT in 2 mo.?

[hyogen]

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At the age of almost 29, I'm ready to take my schooling seriously. I received my BS in Bio 7 years ago.

I'm planning on taking the DAT in 2 months. I am starting my studying now, as I have quit the acupuncture program that I was in.
I need to retake all my prereqs not only b/c I didn't do so hot the first time many years ago ~7-11 years ago, but because it's been more than 5 years.
I took the DAT about 6 years ago without studying the sciences. got a 16... 12 on the sciences. I think 22 in reading. maybe 18-19 on PAT and math. I took a Kaplan course which I didn't take seriously at the time.

I already know it'll take me a MINIMUM of 1.5 years to get in. More realistically by 2.5 years...and if not, I honestly NEED to get in within 3.5 years.

Any advice you have for me? I plan on retaking classes at a CC...at least during the summer... Try to take 2 classes in the summer like Physics and Bio if the scheduling allows. Anyone know if that's not possible? Also, will they allow me to take O-chem and Chem at the same time? Seeing as how I already took the classes and received my BS 7 years ago?

I plan on studying using the Kaplan book that I used 6 years ago. Maybe buy datpat or Topscore...Crack DATPAT seems really expensive, but if it's worth it I'll get it. DATPAT seems really inexpensive...

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[MechZZ]

Which schools are you interested in? There's a handful of schools that you'll be crossing off your list since you're taking the pre-reqs at a CC.

 

[slm266]

I bet you'll need more than 2 months.

Read the DAT forum and pay attention to what materials are used by those who do well. Plan to drop a couple hundred.

CDP, destroyer, KBB, topscore for sure. Chads videos would prob be helpful in your case.

EDIT: WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THE DAT NOW WHEN YOU STILL HAVE ~3 YRS OF CLASSES TO TAKE? I know you've already taken the DAT and the classes before but you obviously didn't do well in either. You'll do much better if you take the DAT after completing your retakes.

Honestly your 2 posts seem to me to be lame attempts to plug DATPAT.

 

[Philippines03j]

For Starters I would NOT take the DAT in 2 months if I were you becuase:

1. It has been a very long time since you have had those courses and will may take more than 2 months to get the material down.

2.The prerequisite courses you are going to be taking over the next year and a half include (assuming you are taking all of them) General Chemimstry, Organic Chemistry, and General Biologies... This is what the DAT covers. You will be much more prepared after you take the courses.


MY Advice is to take the prerequisit courses then study for that DAT and SMASH IT! 👍👍👍

***My blog has some tips for creating a study plan and my experience with the DAT. I will be posting detailed study guides for all the subjects on the DAT... The study guides will take sometime to make so that will be a month or so before that happens!


CRACKDATPAT is well worth the money! I rave about it all over my blog 😀

 

[jazane08]

If you are taking classes over, I would take physics last. You don't need physics on the DAT so save that for after the application. Also, studying out of older science books may be fine, but just make sure you're doing practice tests from updated books. I assume the test has evolved since. Finally, like the above recommended, I would take the DAT later after you have taken all your prereqs over. Best of luck to you.

 

[hyogen]

thanks for all your replies. fwiw, I am not trying to plug datpat, whatsoever.

I'm also not trying to take shortcuts, although it's in my nature to always take shortcuts. I know this will be a long process...realistic minimum of 2.5 years from now.

3 years? Isn't it POSSIBLE for me to retake all prereqs in 1 year + 2 summers? Please don't tell me the prereqs alone will take me 3 years.......

also, I don't remember when I took Physics there being a lab......physics had a lab???

I hopefully will ace all my prereqs and take them seriously this time around. I will be married in 2 months...so it's a make it or break it situation for me now.

Thanks for the advice on taking DATs before prereqs....I may very well have to consider that.

I don't have the luxury of being supported by my parents and having nothing to do but study....alas... I do have these 2 months though.

I'll be applying to many schools which have lower averages, but probably at the top of my list will be Loma Linda..have had friends and family graduate from there. OHSU since I live here, but I've already talked to them and they want me to take upper div science courses, which kills my chances at any other school. NYU? my cousin graduated from Temple Dental school recently.

ANY school would do...I'll go to any that accepts me at this point. If I go to temple, I'll probably not leave the campus after hearing from my cousin how violent the neighborhood is......

 

[hyogen]

Which schools are you interested in? There's a handful of schools that you'll be crossing off your list since you're taking the pre-reqs at a CC.

any schools that have a higher likelihood of acceptance otherwise?


At this age and after doing poorly in undergrad 7-11 years ago...don't I NEED a 20+ on DAT and pretty much straight A's in my retakes?

 

[hyogen]

another thing...............do dental schools do research on people on these forums?

might be a paranoid question...

 

[Philippines03j]

It depends what you are calling poorly. For some a 3.4 average is poor and for others a gpa of 2.2 is poor. But if you have a less than a 3.0 you definitely need to ace your prereqs👍

 

[hyogen]

It depends what you are calling poorly. For some a 3.4 average is poor and for others a gpa of 2.2 is poor. But if you have a less than a 3.0 you definitely need to ace your prereqs👍

can you define "ace". get ALL A's?

 

[MechZZ]

any schools that have a higher likelihood of acceptance otherwise?


At this age and after doing poorly in undergrad 7-11 years ago...don't I NEED a 20+ on DAT and pretty much straight A's in my retakes?

I wouldn't say you're doing yourself a service by taking all the pre-reqs at a CC. I would say a single C and you have killed your chances. Some schools do have a limit at how many credits you take at a CC and other schools will straight up say no CC credits at all. Buy the ADEAS guide to dental school to see which schools.

If you do get all A's and a 20+, I would say you have a good shot. I wouldn't recommend taking DATs now though. Why are you taking it now? What's the point? You're not going to apply for another year or two, so just take it when you are ready and have some of the material refreshed in your head.

 

[Philippines03j]

Yes, I would say aim for all A's! Study as if your life depends on it😉 An occasional A- can slide but make sure you are not getting anything below a B+.

**Your GPA needs to get up to at least a 3.0... It is already hard enough to get in but it will be much, much harder with a gpa below 3.0. 👍

IT IS WORTH THe eFfORT!

By the way DAT scores do expire but I can't remember how often (3-5 years but I can't remember). So be careful. You don't want to have to take it 3 times. Do a quick forum search and you should be able to find the expiration.

 

[hyogen]

I wouldn't say you're doing yourself a service by taking all the pre-reqs at a CC. I would say a single C and you have killed your chances. Some schools do have a limit at how many credits you take at a CC and other schools will straight up say no CC credits at all. Buy the ADEAS guide to dental school to see which schools.

If you do get all A's and a 20+, I would say you have a good shot. I wouldn't recommend taking DATs now though. Why are you taking it now? What's the point? You're not going to apply for another year or two, so just take it when you are ready and have some of the material refreshed in your head.

The reason why I am tryign to take the test in 2 months is because I feel like this is the only span of time I'll have to study non-stop. Come summer, fall, winter, spring, and then summer again...I'll be taking classes...whether it's a full series 201,202,203 in the summer or a few sciences during the regular year...

I would imagine it'd be that much more difficult to study for the DATs while i'm trying to ace all the other classes.

Would getting a B in a CC kill my chances? I can understand getting a single C in a CC would kill my chances.... Not trying to lower my goals, either.......

What if I get A's and B's in a university? so my new GPA would be around 3.5/ Science GPA around 3.5....and my GPA from 7-11 years ago is just under 3.0 🙁

Thanks again

 

[hyogen]

Yes, I would say aim for all A's! Study as if your life depends on it😉 An occasional A- can slide but make sure you are not getting anything below a B+.

**Your GPA needs to get up to at least a 3.0... It is already hard enough to get in but it will be much, much harder with a gpa below 3.0. 👍

IT IS WORTH THe eFfORT!

I feel my life DOES depend on this...and more importantly, my family's life.

Thank you

 

[dentalWorks]

At the age of almost 29, I'm ready to take my schooling seriously. I received my BS in Bio 7 years ago.

I'm planning on taking the DAT in 2 months. I am starting my studying now, as I have quit the acupuncture program that I was in.
I need to retake all my prereqs not only b/c I didn't do so hot the first time many years ago ~7-11 years ago, but because it's been more than 5 years.
I took the DAT about 6 years ago without studying the sciences. got a 16... 12 on the sciences. I think 22 in reading. maybe 18-19 on PAT and math. I took a Kaplan course which I didn't take seriously at the time.

I already know it'll take me a MINIMUM of 1.5 years to get in. More realistically by 2.5 years...and if not, I honestly NEED to get in within 3.5 years.

Any advice you have for me? I plan on retaking classes at a CC...at least during the summer... Try to take 2 classes in the summer like Physics and Bio if the scheduling allows. Anyone know if that's not possible? Also, will they allow me to take O-chem and Chem at the same time? Seeing as how I already took the classes and received my BS 7 years ago?

I plan on studying using the Kaplan book that I used 6 years ago. Maybe buy datpat or Topscore...Crack DATPAT seems really expensive, but if it's worth it I'll get it. DATPAT seems really inexpensive...

Any advice is appreciated.

I think its a mistake (waste of time and money) to retake all your old pre-dent classes. This 5-year old thing isn't an issue for most dental schools, but whats more important is, for you to take upper level biology courses right now and ace them (Biochemistry, Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology, Histology, Genetics, Anatomy, etc etc)... You do however, HAVE to retake all your pre-dent classes that you've earned less than a C in them (even C- = retake)

I don't think you should take the DAT now, You aren't going to apply for the first time for the next 1-2 years.... the DAT has an expiration date (most schools want it to be 2-3 years old and no longer). If you take the DAT today, It will expire in 2 years at many schools.

 

[hyogen]

I think its a mistake (waste of time and money) to retake all your old pre-dent classes. This 5-year old thing isn't an issue for most dental schools, but whats more important is, for you to take upper level biology courses right now and ace them (Biochemistry, Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology, Histology, Genetics, Anatomy, etc etc)... You do however, HAVE to retake all your pre-dent classes that you've earned less than a C in them (even C- = retake)

I don't think you should take the DAT now, You aren't going to apply for the first time for the next 1-2 years.... the DAT has an expiration date (most schools want it to be 2-3 years old and no longer). If you take the DAT today, It will expire in 2 years at many schools.

That is what OHSU told me. I do believe there are classes that I got C- in...

Let me ask you this then... if i study my ass off, can I ace the upper level classes? It's all memorization, right? Even if I'm not an expert on the basic bio/ochem/classes?

FYI, I got all A's in Physics...during a summer back in 2001? It'd kill me to have to retake that class again.

I have a phone appt. with Loma Linda (the school I feel like I have the best chance at) in a week and half. I'll ask them what their advice is on retaking classes.

I have a friend who was in a similar position as me...sub 3.0 gpa, and a 24 on DAT. He retook all prereqs at CC and got A's...and because his DAT score expired after 3 years he retook it and got either a 22 or 23.
He got into Loma Linda. Again, he retook his prereqs at a CC.

Thanks again

 

[dentalWorks]

That is what OHSU told me. I do believe there are classes that I got C- in...

Let me ask you this then... if i study my ass off, can I ace the upper level classes? It's all memorization, right? Even if I'm not an expert on the basic bio/ochem/classes?

FYI, I got all A's in Physics...during a summer back in 2001? It'd kill me to have to retake that class again.

I have a phone appt. with Loma Linda (the school I feel like I have the best chance at) in a week and half. I'll ask them what their advice is on retaking classes.

I have a friend who was in a similar position as me...sub 3.0 gpa, and a 24 on DAT. He retook all prereqs at CC and got A's...and because his DAT score expired after 3 years he retook it and got either a 22 or 23.
He got into Loma Linda. Again, he retook his prereqs at a CC.

Thanks again

First off all, alot of things you hear on these forms are STRICLY based on personal opinions... and this is ESPECIALLY true when it comes to the beaten-to-death topic of CC vs 4-year university.

MY OPINION about this: 4-year university is "better" because there is a rumor floating around that 4-year university credits look better than CC.... THIS DOES NOT MEAN CC IS BAD....Its just, you are trying to build a strong application from a weak 7-11 year old undergrad foundation, and I think it will look better to take 4-year university classes while acing them (acing = getting mostly A and some A-s)

And to answer the "if i study my ass off, can I ace the upper level classes?"...... answer = ofc.... but you really, REALLY have to work hard.

 

[hyogen]

First off all, alot of things you hear on these forms are STRICLY based on personal opinions... and this is ESPECIALLY true when it comes to the beaten-to-death topic of CC vs 4-year university.

MY OPINION about this: 4-year university is "better" because there is a rumor floating around that 4-year university credits look better than CC.... THIS DOES NOT MEAN CC IS BAD....Its just, you are trying to build a strong application from a weak 7-11 year old undergrad foundation, and I think it will look better to take 4-year university classes while acing them (acing = getting mostly A and some A-s)

And to answer the "if i study my ass off, can I ace the upper level classes?"...... answer = ofc.... but you really, REALLY have to work hard.

thank you. and I just posted on your 8 week plan thread. I feel inspired after seeing that.

 

[dentalWorks]

thank you. and I just posted on your 8 week plan thread. I feel inspired after seeing that.

I know... I replied 🙂

 

[quillow]

I think its a mistake (waste of time and money) to retake all your old pre-dent classes. This 5-year old thing isn't an issue for most dental schools, but whats more important is, for you to take upper level biology courses right now and ace them (Biochemistry, Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology, Histology, Genetics, Anatomy, etc etc)... You do however, HAVE to retake all your pre-dent classes that you've earned less than a C in them (even C- = retake)

I don't think you should take the DAT now, You aren't going to apply for the first time for the next 1-2 years.... the DAT has an expiration date (most schools want it to be 2-3 years old and no longer). If you take the DAT today, It will expire in 2 years at many schools.

Totally agree with dentalWorks. The 5-year old thing isn't an issue for a lot of dental schools. You need to maximize your chances of getting into any dental school because OHSU and Loma Linda aren't guaranteed even if you fulfill all their requirements.

 

[Mackchops]

Question: "What's better? An "A" from an easy school or a "B" from a hard school?"

Answer: "An "A" from a hard school..."

Maximize your chances. Do everything you can do. East coast schools are very turned off by CC credit -- why would you handicap yourself before you even get started?

You may need to retake the courses you did poorly in, but I would try to focus on taking some upper level courses. Anyone can get an "A" in Intro Bio, but doing well in biochem, cell, A&P, etc makes you that much more competitive.

However, if you plan on taking the prerequisite courses again I would hold off on taking the DAT until right after Orgo 2. That way everything is fresh in your mind. But if you choose to take the upper level courses you can take the DAT in 2 months -- studying for it will be strong preparation for those upper level courses.

Lastly, don't underestimate the power of shadowing. I screwed myself by doing very little to demonstrate to my interviewers that I knew what I was getting myself into. Make sure to make time to pad your application with things other than grades.

Good grades, a strong DAT, and some impressive first-hand dental knowledge and you should be a strong candidate anywhere. You should be able to take classes this summer and apply next summer. Start school fall 2013. Good luck!

 

[allDAT]

hyogen,

You should approach your decision to pursue a dental career with caution.

Every year, only about 40% of the applicant pool is accepted to dental school. Furthermore, we have seen (and will continue to see) an annual rise in the number of dental school applicants.
Why do I mention this? You may be accepted after revamping your application, but you also may not. What will you do 2 years from now if all you have to show for your work is a handful of rejection letters? Will you re-apply? What if you are rejected a second time?

Pre-dental students have a luxury that you do not have - a backup plan. If a pre-dental student is rejected from dental school, the last 4 years of her life have been spent increasing her earning potential by receiving a bachelor's degree. The unfortunate reality of your situation is that you could waste 2 to 4 years of your young adult-life pursuing acceptance into a profession where the odds are already stacked against you.

If your motivations are merely financial, I would highly recommend looking towards other, less daunting, career building opportunities.

If your motivations to pursue a dental career include a passion for the health sciences, you will have to show a series of serious commitments that lead to your re-pursuit of a DDS or DMD.

To answer your questions quickly: As you probably have read from other members, your approach is not in your best interest. Do not take the DAT now, and do not re-take pre-requisite courses that you have already scored well in. You should focus on taking full loads of upper division biology classes such as genetics, molecular biology, metabolic biochemistry, etc. Dental schools do not care how old your coursework is, they just need to know that you can still master the content and handle the course-load.

Unfortunately, few of these upper division courses are offered at community colleges.

Over the next 2 months, you should start studying for the DAT science sections as it will be a good review for your upper division sciences, but there is not rush to take the exam now.

Good luck

 

[yappy]

hyogen,

The unfortunate reality of your situation is that you could waste 2 to 4 years of your young adult-life pursuing acceptance into a profession where the odds are already stacked against you.

Caution when reading this statement OP. Economy isnt exactly humming, most younger twenty-X y/o have crappy jobs even with a four year (unless you went or did something special). Also - when you think about it - every school WILL accept 40% of the applicant pool every year. Those are pretty good odds compaired to real world competitive job odds.
I say 'go for it' unless you're starting with below a 3.0 GPA (It may take more than two years to repair your GPA). If you graduate by 305 years of age you can have a 25+ year career - not bad. Most people will change their careers more than once in their lifetime. Just do NOT default on current coursework. Get all A's and A-. This is your chance to show that you have what it takes.

PS - dont take the DAT yet.

 

[hyogen]

Caution when reading this statement OP. Economy isnt exactly humming, most younger twenty-X y/o have crappy jobs even with a four year (unless you went or did something special). Also - when you think about it - every school WILL accept 40% of the applicant pool every year. Those are pretty good odds compaired to real world competitive job odds.
I say 'go for it' unless you're starting with below a 3.0 GPA (It may take more than two years to repair your GPA). If you graduate by 305 years of age you can have a 25+ year career - not bad. Most people will change their careers more than once in their lifetime. Just do NOT default on current coursework. Get all A's and A-. This is your chance to show that you have what it takes.

PS - dont take the DAT yet.

hey, i really appreciate this. funny, how i happened to read it now, after i have seemingly raised the white flag due to complications of the wedding and parents. I was engaged to be married in 2 months...now it's unsure of when.....and a lot depends on me having a REAL plan.

I am discouraged, however, of my 2.5 science GPA and 2.8 overall GPA. I have about 105 science credits......b/c I was a biology major. Will take a full year of getting A's to raise that to even a 2.8 GPA science.

I'd like to add that I believe that if I retake my prereqs, even at community college, and get all A's...and do 20+ on DAT, and apply again and again (hopefully less than 3x) I can get into dent school....because my friend did that very thing with similar GPA as me. He did get a very good DAT score though both times (his score expired after 3 years). he got 24, then 22 I think on his DATs. So, yes I BELIEVE I can do it...but can i afford to support me and my soon-to-be-wife through those 2.5-3+ years is a big factor...

 

[AndrewNJ]

Hyogen,
To offer you a little perspective, I am also a non-traditional candidate, but I am even older at 32. I earned every bit of the 2.46 GPA I had when I graduated from UPENN back in 2000. I decided to go for Dental School when I turned 30, and I have spent the last 2 years taking pre-requisite courses at Rutgers University. I stopped working and focused solely on school, maintaining a 3.8+ oGPA in my post-bacc. I studied my butt off for the DAT in a 4 week period (didn't want to stretch it out and start forgetting info), scoring a 24 TS and 23 AA. I applied in late October and received 7 interview invites, attending only 4, and receiving 3 acceptances and 1 wait list. The point of this is to show you that it can be done if you want it badly enough. I was told directly that my grades from PENN were irrevelant, in light of my post-bacc, DAT, and work experience.

I think you will find, if you go through this process, that how you spent the last 8 years of your life will be far more important than your undergrad grades, if you rock your post-bacc and the DAT. I was actually active duty in the Navy for 6 years followed by a few years in the Defense Department. The schools I interviewed at were much more impressed with my life experience than 10 year old grades. I don't know what you have been doing since graduation, but you need to show how that time has matured you and given you perspective and how it has influenced you to pursue dentistry. Your personal statement is an excellent place to showcase that. Combine that with outstanding post-bacc grades and a strong DAT and I think you will be surprised with the response to your application.

As an aside, I do not recommend taking your classes at a Community College. I'm sure some are better than others, but I took Gen Chem 1 at a CC before moving to NJ and enrolling in Rutgers, and it was an absolute joke. In my experience, it was far less comprehensive than the Gen Chem 2 I took at rutgers. Do yourself a favor and set yourself up for success by taking your post-bacc courses at a 4-year university. I imagine it would be "rough" to go from CC to a Dental School.

Best of luck.