Applying to Dental School Before or After Graduating University?

[donnyyou]

So I am in a weird position right now. I went to a technical high school where I learned a trade (HVAC Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning). I am in the trade right now and hate it and want to go school to become a dentist. Its already August 4th so its too late to apply for Fall semester and I don't want to go to community college because I read that CC credits would put you at a slight disadvantage vs someone who has gotten all credits from a 4 year university. That being said I can apply and go to a public university for the spring semester. The problem with that is I will graduate in the fall of 2024 (around December) which means when dental school start taking taking applications in June I can apply but I will still be in the middle of senior year. And if they accept me I wont be able to go to dental school (they start around July/August) because I still haven't graduated. That would be a waste of money should I just apply the next year after I have already graduated and wait half a year until June? I know really nobody has been in my position but any feed back is helpful thanks!

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[FeralisExtremum]

You could make up the credits for the one semester you'd be short of a spring graduation by taking summer classes. I would personally try to start as soon as possible.

 

[donnyyou]

You could make up the credits for the one semester you'd be short of a spring graduation by taking summer classes. I would personally try to start as soon as possible.

Say I do take a summer class and make up my credits and can graduate in the spring. Do i apply to dental school end of junior year or senior year?

 

[FeralisExtremum]

Say I do take a summer class and make up my credits and can graduate in the spring. Do i apply to dental school end of junior year or senior year?

End of junior year. The timeline will go like this:

Applications open over the summer (after your junior year) --> submit everything --> start hearing back from schools and going on interviews during your fall semester of senior year --> admissions decisions December 1st and later --> graduate spring semester of your senior year --> matriculate dental school that summer/fall.

This way, there's no gap year between your undergrad degree and starting dental school.

 

[donnyyou]

End of junior year. The timeline will go like this:

Applications open over the summer (after your junior year) --> submit everything --> start hearing back from schools and going on interviews during your fall semester of senior year --> admissions decisions December 1st and later --> graduate spring semester of your senior year --> matriculate dental school that summer/fall.

This way, there's no gap year between your undergrad degree and starting dental school.

Thanks for clarifying that makes a lot more sense. This means I should take my DAT before the summer of applying as well. Also a separate question but do dental schools care about what university you get your credit from? Say I have the same GPA and DAT score as someone who went to a more well known school vs me going to a local state university will they have an underhand on me?

 

[FeralisExtremum]

Thanks for clarifying that makes a lot more sense. This means I should take my DAT before the summer of applying as well. Also a separate question but do dental schools care about what university you get your credit from? Say I have the same GPA and DAT score as someone who went to a more well known school vs me going to a local state university will they have an underhand on me?

Yes, I'd definitely aim to have the DAT taken so your scores are in by the time you submit your application.

Whether or not schools care about where you went is a very difficult question that I think depends a lot on the individual schools. I think there are a few dental schools that place heavy weight on where you went to undergrad if you went to specific schools they like, but for the most part, I don't think it really matters. A strong GPA and DAT (especially the DAT, which is a standardized test) matter more than where you went to school. I went to a state school and I don't think it held me back anywhere except for maybe one dental school.

 

[donnyyou]

Yes, I'd definitely aim to have the DAT taken so your scores are in by the time you submit your application.

Whether or not schools care about where you went is a very difficult question that I think depends a lot on the individual schools. I think there are a few dental schools that place heavy weight on where you went to undergrad if you went to specific schools they like, but for the most part, I don't think it really matters. A strong GPA and DAT (especially the DAT, which is a standardized test) matter more than where you went to school. I went to a state school and I don't think it held me back anywhere except for maybe one dental school.

In that case if I just work hard and be smart with my time then I should be able to get into dental school 🙂 Little off topic but what did you major in university? I heard that you can major in anything you want but science is the best path to dental school

 

[FeralisExtremum]

In that case if I just work hard and be smart with my time then I should be able to get into dental school 🙂 Little off topic but what did you major in university? I heard that you can major in anything you want but science is the best path to dental school

I majored in neurobio. You can really major in anything and I don't think it makes a difference in terms of your application. Majoring in a science just makes things easier because the courses you take for your degree overlap heavily with the courses you're required to take to get into dental school.