Biochem as a prereq... when to take? junior or senior year?

[Neuro178]

Does biochem need to be done before or after applying? I'm going into my junior year right now, and I had planned on taking biochem in the spring. Thing is, we just got a new biochem prof who has NEVER taught before! Eek! I was hoping to take it spring semester of my senior year so that I could take it only if the dental school I am (hopefully) accepted into requires it. What do you think?

Can you take biochem your senior year (if you apply summer before senior year) if it is REQUIRED by the dental school??

A quote from Penn: "All prerequisite courses should be completed by the applying term, prior to matriculation to dental school." What exactly is the "applying term"? What do they mean by this?

Thanks for your help, guys!

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[tinman831]

Applying term is simply the year you want to matriculate into dental school. As long as that prereq is completed before the deadline (usually a couple weeks before dental school starts), you'll be fine.

 

[klutzy1987]

Does biochem need to be done before or after applying? I'm going into my junior year right now, and I had planned on taking biochem in the spring. Thing is, we just got a new biochem prof who has NEVER taught before! Eek! I was hoping to take it spring semester of my senior year so that I could take it only if the dental school I am (hopefully) accepted into requires it. What do you think?

Can you take biochem your senior year (if you apply summer before senior year) if it is REQUIRED by the dental school??

A quote from Penn: "All prerequisite courses should be completed by the applying term, prior to matriculation to dental school." What exactly is the "applying term"? What do they mean by this?

Thanks for your help, guys!

It means that byu the time that you begin dentak school all prereqs must be completed. You can take it after your acceptance to dental school.

 

[DRHOYA]

Yeah, as stated above, as long as you complete it before you matriculate into Dental School. It's a great class to be exposed too before entering Dental School......so i've heard.

 

[Neuro178]

Thank you all for your help! I'm glad that's the case because first-year professors usually haven't developed a strong teaching style yet. She's fresh out of grad school, and I'm hoping I get accepted into one of the schools that don't require biochem, because then I could just take it credit/no-credit spring of my senior year to get the exposure without stressing over the grade.

I won't be put at a disadvantage by having this one prereq incomplete, right?

 

[Jake8]

Careful with that plan. Most schools that do have it as a prereq will not accept it if you do not receive a grade in it.

 

[DRHOYA]

Thank you all for your help! I'm glad that's the case because first-year professors usually haven't developed a strong teaching style yet. She's fresh out of grad school, and I'm hoping I get accepted into one of the schools that don't require biochem, because then I could just take it credit/no-credit spring of my senior year to get the exposure without stressing over the grade.

I won't be put at a disadvantage by having this one prereq incomplete, right?

If you don't want to take it right now due to the professor, then that is understandable. However, I would take it sometime before you Dental School matriculation. Think about it this way......the school may have a biochem requirement or not, and you may have taken the class or not. But, say a Dental school has a class of 50. Out of thousands of people that apply to a school..............50 WILL have the "requirement" or the class under their belt.

 

[Neuro178]

If you don't want to take it right now due to the professor, then that is understandable. However, I would take it sometime before you Dental School matriculation. Think about it this way......the school may have a biochem requirement or not, and you may have taken the class or not. But, say a Dental school has a class of 50. Out of thousands of people that apply to a school..............50 WILL have the "requirement" or the class under their belt.

Hmm... you bring up a good point. Maybe I will just suck it up and take the new professor. I think it might be her second time teaching biochem by the time I take her, so maybe she'll have figured things out by then.

I would only take biochem credit/no-credit if it was not required by the school I was accepted to. If it were a prereq, I would obviously take it for a grade.

Ugh.. decisions decisions. Luckily I don't have to make up my mind until December. By then I can talk to students who have taken her to see how she does...

Thanks again for everyone's input. I can always count on you guys!

 

[Tejv24]

I would take it before applying to dental school because it kinda helps you it shows that you can handle upper division course in your undergradte with all the other things. So, I would take it. It will also help on DATs.

http://mydds.wordpress.com

 

[War Eagle]

You just need to complete it before school, but if you can, I would get it in before you take the DAT. It helped me a bunch. You don't need it for the DAT, but it helps cement some major concepts down that are on the DAT.

 

[Neuro178]

You just need to complete it before school, but if you can, I would get it in before you take the DAT. It helped me a bunch. You don't need it for the DAT, but it helps cement some major concepts down that are on the DAT.

Unfortunately I'm taking the DAT this month (pretty early.. I know), so biochem won't be able to help me.

You guys have convinced me.. I'm going to take it in the spring of this upcoming school year. Better safe than sorry!

 

[GoBlueJays]

I will preface my following comment by saying that I have taken biochemistry as an undergraduate and advanced biochemistry as a graduate student.

Aside from being useful it is quite enjoyable to study; by enjoyable I mean...a drop kick to the groin (for the ladies reading, whatever is equivalent to a kick to the groin). No offense to any biochemists consulting this forum.

Good luck Neuro.

Regards,
Tim "the maniac" Sylvia AKA GoBlueJays

 

[Neuro178]

I will preface my following comment by saying that I have taken biochemistry as an undergraduate and advanced biochemistry as a graduate student.

Aside from being useful it is quite enjoyable to study; by enjoyable I mean...a drop kick to the groin (for the ladies reading, whatever is equivalent to a kick to the groin). No offense to any biochemists consulting this forum.

Good luck Neuro.

Regards,
Tim "the maniac" Sylvia AKA GoBlueJays

hahaa! Thanks for the warning, GoBlueJays. I have heard a lot of nasty things about biochem at my school, so... yay.