Applying to both Dental and Optometry?

[nyckid10]

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Hello,

I was wondering how it would look if I applied to both dental and optometry schools.

I have a 3.3 cumulative gpa, 3.0 science gpa. Since the OAT's and DAT's are really similar except for the perceptual ability and physics sections, I am considering taking both....and sending out my applications to both opto schools and dental schools.

Does this seem realistic? What problems may I possibly run into if I decide to do this? I have a bunch of LOR's from teachers.....but I only have shadowing letters from Dentists....as I never shadowed any Optometrists.

I guess you can say that Optometry is a backup plan, but I am genuinely interested in the field. I have a family full of Dentists, so I have been exposed to it for far longer...but I am willing to give Optometry a try....if it is willing to give me a chance lol.

 

[paymaant]

thats gonna cost you a lot of money...

 

[UCSFx2017]

In comparison to what you want, consider what dental schools want. Do they seriously want someone who is on the edge of choosing between dental school and optometry school? Do they want someone with less than average stats? In either case, there's a lack of dedication from the applicant. There's a trick question that dental schools sometimes ask on the interview, "If you couldn't get into dental school, what would you do?" If there were a right answer, it is probably more along the lines of "I would improve my application and reapply next cycle" than "[insert another profession]".

Contemplating Dentistry and Optometry is like comparing apples to oranges. You can easily like one and hate the other. Someone who is dedicated to the profession would pursue a post-bacc or a Master's, not switch professions.

There is also a section on the AADSAS application where you indicate whether or not you are applying to or have applied to other professional schools. I would imagine that any answer other than "no" would be a bad one.

 

[TrixxyW]

This is highly frowned upon. Not to mention, the LOR are supposed to be geared specifically to why you would be good for dentistry, or optometry. What would an optometry school say if your letter says you would be a good dentist? What would a dentistry school think when they ask you why you want to become a dentist and what made you want to?

 

[Mr. Thirsty]

I would advise against this. If dentistry is what you want, then why settle for anything less? So if you don't get into dental school the first try, you're saying that you are willing to spend the rest of your life doing something that you didn't want as badly, as opposed to taking one extra year to do a post bacc / masters to achieve your goal?

 

[Baba Yaga]

Hello,

I was wondering how it would look if I applied to both dental and optometry schools.

I have a 3.3 cumulative gpa, 3.0 science gpa. Since the OAT's and DAT's are really similar except for the perceptual ability and physics sections, I am considering taking both....and sending out my applications to both opto schools and dental schools.

Does this seem realistic? What problems may I possibly run into if I decide to do this? I have a bunch of LOR's from teachers.....but I only have shadowing letters from Dentists....as I never shadowed any Optometrists.

I guess you can say that Optometry is a backup plan, but I am genuinely interested in the field. I have a family full of Dentists, so I have been exposed to it for far longer...but I am willing to give Optometry a try....if it is willing to give me a chance lol.

Why don't you figure out which career would suit you better and then apply?

There is also a section on the AADSAS application where you indicate whether or not you are applying to or have applied to other professional schools. I would imagine that any answer other than "no" would be a bad one.

Having previously applied to other professional schools is one thing. I don't think it's much of a negative as long as you show that you really are committed to dentistry now.

However, applying to other professional schools at the same time is quite another. I am sure it is very severely frowned upon.