applying to dental school while in a masters program?

[RUpremed]

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so i'm currently a senior and i've got a crappy situation..

if i can get my gpa up by the end of the year, i can apply for the fall 2012 cycle over next summer..

however, this is assuming that i am going to destroy my classes next semester. (by doing so i'll have about a 3.1 BCP/ 3.3 science gpa)

i was planning on applying to the UMDNJ masters program as a back up so that if I don't do so well during my next semester I can just attend the program, work my butt off, and apply for the 2013 dental school cycle.

from what i've heard, the UMDNJ program lets you know around mid-march if you've been accepted, and that you only have a week or 2 to decide if you want to attend or not.

so what i guess i'm trying to ask is....if i get in and decide to attend the UMDNJ 1 year masters, but also manage to do well enough so that I can apply for the 2012 dental school cycle, will dental schools review my application or will they tell me to finish the masters program and then apply?

 

[Rubber Dam Man]

so i'm currently a senior and i've got a crappy situation..

if i can get my gpa up by the end of the year, i can apply for the fall 2012 cycle over next summer..

however, this is assuming that i am going to destroy my classes next semester. (by doing so i'll have about a 3.1 BCP/ 3.3 science gpa)

i was planning on applying to the UMDNJ masters program as a back up so that if I don't do so well during my next semester I can just attend the program, work my butt off, and apply for the 2013 dental school cycle.

from what i've heard, the UMDNJ program lets you know around mid-march if you've been accepted, and that you only have a week or 2 to decide if you want to attend or not.

so what i guess i'm trying to ask is....if i get in and decide to attend the UMDNJ 1 year masters, but also manage to do well enough so that I can apply for the 2012 dental school cycle, will dental schools review my application or will they tell me to finish the masters program and then apply?

Based on my experiences and having been through a master's program... a great majority of dental schools prefer that you complete your masters before matriculation. I have personally contacted several schools in the past and that is the information I was given. So whatever happens, best of luck and if you do end up going for your masters - work your tail off and you will surely see some love from adcoms

Hope that helps...

 

[4thMolar]

Based on my experiences and having been through a master's program... a great majority of dental schools prefer that you complete your masters before matriculation. I have personally contacted several schools in the past and that is the information I was given. So whatever happens, best of luck and if you do end up going for your masters - work your tail off and you will surely see some love from adcoms

Hope that helps...

I agree with this. I was in the same situation and from personal experience I can tell you the vast majority of schools will want to wait and see how you did in your masters program. Specifically, I know UMDNJ for a fact will not review your application until you finish your Masters degree, so you'll just be wasting money applying there while enrolled in this program. I would still contact your potential dental schools and see what they advise. But as a warning, I can tell you that they will probably say you're competitive, but they can't guarantee anything. I had a lot of schools tell me this at the beginning of the cycle, but at the end of the cycle when I talked to them again (after being rejected) they just told me that there are never any guarantees. I've finished my Masters now I have a lot more interviews then I did last cycle.

 

[herkulease]

I've been told that they'd like to see you finish your master's program before starting dental school. So if at the end of your masters program you go straight to dental school they are ok with it. they prefer you not abandon it half way through as it comes off as you're screwing over someone who really wants the masters.

Just think of it like the prereqs. You don't have to have every single one completed before you apply. Some schools want a bachelor's degree but you know there are plenty of applicants applying @ the start of their senior year. they'd all expect you to have to completed by the time you matriculate.

In your case, since its a 1 year program its hard to say when to apply to get grades in to "improve" your gpa.

If you start your masters in fall of 2011, you'd be done by june 2012. But applying for the 2012 cycle(in June 2011) you wouldn't have any new grades. If you apply for 2013 cycle(in june 2012) after completing masters, you would have the grades but you'd be sitting doing nothing for a year.

I'm not sure if saying you are in a masters program boosts your profile.

 

[RUpremed]

yeah, see thats the thing.

if i do well enough to apply for the fall 2012 cycle, and if i've already committed to a masters program...i'll probably get my earliest interviews in october, which is the start of the masters program...so i won't be able to drop out of it

 

[DonutEater]

What makes you cofident that even if you can't destroy your classes next semester that you will be able to destroy your classes at the masters program for a year? I don't understand... You are bound to do worse at your masters if you can't do well next semester in your undergrad. It seems to me that you are underestmating the masters program.

Just ignore the masters, kill your next semester and just apply next cycle. A 3.1 BCP and 3.3 science is not bad at all assuming you have 20+ on the DAT.

 

[peanutb123]

What makes you cofident that even if you can't destroy your classes next semester that you will be able to destroy your classes at the masters program for a year? I don't understand... You are bound to do worse at your masters if you can't do well next semester in your undergrad. It seems to me that you are underestmating the masters program.

Just ignore the masters, kill your next semester and just apply next cycle. A 3.1 BCP and 3.3 science is not bad at all assuming you have 20+ on the DAT.

You will be surprised...

i know kids who got like 2.0 in high school barely got into college after one year they transfer to state schools and killed the hardest classes ever possible.

 

[banbanother]

Specifically, I know UMDNJ for a fact will not review your application until you finish your Masters degree, so you'll just be wasting money applying there while enrolled in this program.

This is a myth. UMDNJ/NJMS/NJDS will review your application if you do well in your first semester in the program and may provide you with an interview, but in order to be accepted, one has to complete the program. Here are the websites for clarification:

http://njms.umdnj.edu/gsbs/academic_programs/masters_programs.htm

Specifically:
Dental Scholars FAQ: http://njms.umdnj.edu/gsbs/academic_programs/docs/faqDentalSchoolInterest.pdf
Medical Scholars FAQ: http://njms.umdnj.edu/gsbs/academic_programs/docs/faqMedSchoolInterest.pdf