Applying after two years?

[HenryH]

With dental school becoming aggressively competitive, I gots to thinkin': how about I apply after two years of college? By the end of next year, I'll have taken all chemistries and biologies, and I'll be finishing up organic chemistry. Most of the subjects would still be fresh in my mind, which would facilitate studying for the DAT. I could take the test sometime during the spring and apply super-early that summer.

Is there anyone else who's had success with this kind of plan? Is the lack of a bachelor's degree too much of a hold-up for dental schools, or would I be okay as long as I applied with a 3.6 or above? I would be firing off early, early applications to my state school, NYU, BU, etc.

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[rocknightmare]

you only need 90 credits to get into dental school so if you will have 90 credits b4 matriculation then you are good to go

 

[HenryH]

Thanks, that helps create a clearer picture. If I keep taking 14 credits/semester, I'll have 84 credits by the end of my third year. So I could either take two classes during the summer, or sign up for two 17-credit semesters (as opposed to my typical 14-credit "load").

 

[PChemGrad]

The chances of applying after two years and getting in after your third can be done, but it is a small chance. some people get in after their third year every cycle but it is the exception not the norm.

 

[HenryH]

What minimum GPA would you recommend I apply with? Right now, I have a 3.65; if I can maintain that, do you think I'd have a shot? I was planning on taking some of the easier bio classes during the summer to insure my science GPA stays up there...

 

[Neil45]

I am in the same boat as you are, Henry. I also want to apply after second year. Just wondering, what courses did you take in the first two semesters of your undergraduate? I took Bio, Chem, Math, and Sociology in my first two semesters(28 credits).

 

[muz]

there are a total of four students in my class that came into dental school with three years of undergrad...i believe three of us graduated and one got in after the third year...also there are two students that got in after they completed undergrad in TWO years...yes thats rite they finished college from thee university of michigan in two years and got in!!!

sooooo...if u plan rite and do well u too can get in...in two - threee years....just gotta focus and have fun (key word in all of this...FUN have Fun undergrad years of ur life do not comeback!)

 

[toothfairy85]

I think there are a couple of schools that require only 60 credits. I thought USC was one of them unless it changed.

 

[dddsmack]

If you have a good DAT (19+) score and a 3.6+ GPA, I am willing to bet that you will get into a few schools.

It happens every year. I know a load of poeple who got accepted w/o a degree. It is a balsy move, but it can be done.
So throw your dick out there and see what happens.

 

[HenryH]

Thanks for the positive words and advice, guys. I might as well blow a few hundred bucks of my parents' money. By the end of this year, I'll also be able to get definitely two (maybe even three) LORs. The only downside would be skipping out on my possibilities of applying to places like Tennessee and other schools that are starting to require extra science courses (biochem, etc.).

I don't think there's any way I could apply after only one year -- I probably wouldn't be able to handle physics and o. chem. in the same semester.

Neil45: my first semester, I took chem. 1, math, music appreciation (didn't appreciate how easy I had it) and English comp. During my second semester (what I'm in currently), I'm taking chem. 2, bio. 1, sociology and math.

Now that I think about it, should I even follow my school's biology degree path? I mean, if I'm going to be serious about getting in after three years, shouldn't my priority be to boost my sci./cum. GPA? While I finish up the pre-reqs., I thought about taking a bunch of super-easy science classes that don't require any pre-requisite courses. My school offers lots of "contemporary issues" classes, many of which are widely acclaimed to be easy A's.

 

[sejin8642]

I know someone who apply after ONE YEAR at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE and got accepted with associate's degree.

 

[HenryH]

How did he manage to apply after only one year? Don't you have to go to at least two years of college (or a year and a summer) to take the pre-reqs. up to o. chem. and have time to take the DAT (and put it on his application)?

 

[sejin8642]

How did he manage to apply after only one year? Don't you have to go to at least two years of college (or a year and a summer) to take the pre-reqs. up to o. chem. and have time to take the DAT (and put it on his application)?

He took English Composition & Writing and General Chemistry when he was a HS senior (I think it was a kind of dual credit course offered at near CC. When he was a freshman at the CC, he took the rest prerequisites which are Organic Chemistry and Biology.

 

[Blitzdt]

If you have a good DAT (19+) score and a 3.6+ GPA, I am willing to bet that you will get into a few schools.

It happens every year. I know a load of poeple who got accepted w/o a degree. It is a balsy move, but it can be done.
So throw your dick out there and see what happens.

Precisely