Can you get into dental school if you're dirt poor?

[hajin]

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Poor people are whiners. Anybody could have done what I did and gotten in. Honestly, for me, getting in was a cakewalk. A 4.0 in science classes and crushing the DAT? No problem. All I had to do was study hard. People gotta man up. I don’t understand why people make it sound like getting ahead is so hard. It’s not like I had any support... except for help from everyone I know.

Victim little punks always have excuses though. Whatever. I pulled off straight A’s on 16 units plus of hard science classes while I was dead broke, living in chaos, commuting for 2 hours, and working full time. Ok... actually I paid for a nice quiet apartment walking distance from campus, lived on my savings and didn’t work at all. But, I would have gotten those same grades anyway.

Point is, students these days don’t have to worry about money. School loans and grants subsidized by hardworking taxpayers cover everything for this new generation of spoiled brats... except some books, research costs, test prep materials, testing fees, school application fees, interview travel expenses and school deposits. But, common, what kind of idiot doesn’t keep 20k of emergency funds handy, amirite?

If your sarcasm detector is dead, I am very grateful for all the help I got getting into dental school. Without a ton of savings and a lot of support, I would never have been able to pull this off. I’m a non-traditional student now, but as a poor kid in college the first time around barely scraping through for my degree, dental school would have been almost impossible. Of course I’m incredibly lucky no matter how you look at it – I’m an American who has been able to go to college a couple times now. Still, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, and rich is better.”

In the political climate today a lot of people hang on to some fantasy that life is an “equal playing field” regardless of background. Well, my life experience doesn’t back that up. The carefree rich kid life I experienced the second time through college made even the hardest ochem class seem easy compared to how school was back when I was way too busy working all the time, had a messed up living situation, was stuck dealing with my criminal family, and was broke off my ass.

So, in the words of PC Principal, “Check your white privilege bro!” lol. Can you get into professional school without money? Absolutely. People do it. But is it anywhere close to an equal playing field? Uhh…. ‘Merica!!!!

tldr: with tons of cash, getting into dental school is a lot easier

 

[ncide]

Education is seen as the great equalizer where barriers to class mobility are removed and the only roadblocks in people's lives are themselves. It just isn't true, as you point out.

I took classes that examined this inequality, and it really shaped how I view American society and the harsh realities that come with living under disadvantaged situations. Check out Class Matters.

 

[hajin]

Thanks. I'll check that out.

And yeah, the "great equalizer" argument is BS. Going back to school with almost zero financial worries was a wildly different experience.

 

[sumin5924]

As a fellow broke student from a poor family, salute.

 

[Predent850]

I have to say that while the barrier to entry may be a little higher for those without money to get into dental school, I don't think that it's impossible to get in if you want it bad enough. Also, when you get past that barrier you are going to have a huge advantage. If you were able to work 2 or 3 jobs in college and still do well in classes and have to scrape together enough money to go through the application cycle, I have to believe that you'll absolutely rock dental school when you are able to secure loans and get to finally place all of your focus on becoming the best dentist that you can. It's also helps you to make some better decisions I think. You can't just apply to 20 schools because you simply don't have the funds. You are forced to narrow down your list and find the schools that will truly be a good fit for you. People who are striving to get into dental school from a low socioeconomic status aren't typically the ones playing the victim and worried about how easy or hard it is for everyone else. I don't find myself thinking about how I wish there was a "level playing field". I think it breeds an individual that is especially prepared to succeed later in life whether it be in the dental profession or anything else.

 

[hajin]

I have to say that while the barrier to entry may be a little higher for those without money to get into dental school, I don't think that it's impossible to get in if you want it bad enough.

Is it possible to get in without money? Well, yeah. Even my trailer trash ass found a way eventually. Have my struggles led to personal growth? I guess. Still I would take "less struggle" over some hippie stuff about "becoming a better person," wouldn't you? I'm no victim, but I do suspect a lot of sheltered middle class / rich kids never realize the huge leg up they have in school. Getting into professional school is more than "a little harder" if you don't already have money and the time to focus that money gives you (and let's not even go into family environment, emotional support and all the rest). Not complaining. Not saying there's no way around it. I'm just saying - fact - me personally, I could never have done it without money.

 

[tooth knockn]

if you are dirt poor, then maybe applying is not possible .. . . BUT if you gather some pebbles and nice rocks together, maybe that would be considered of higher value than dirt . .. and you would be considered rockin poor . ..

just some thought . . . .

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[TthDec]

Is it possible to get in without money? Well, yeah. Even my trailer trash ass found a way eventually. Have my struggles led to personal growth? I guess. Still I would take "less struggle" over some hippie stuff about "becoming a better person," wouldn't you? I'm no victim, but I do suspect a lot of sheltered middle class / rich kids never realize the huge leg up they have in school. Getting into professional school is more than "a little harder" if you don't already have money and the time to focus that money gives you (and let's not even go into family environment, emotional support and all the rest). Not complaining. Not saying there's no way around it. I'm just saying - fact - me personally, I could never have done it without money.

What stops you from just taking on a larger loan and not working 3 jobs? A lot of students I know just loaned the entirety of the BA program.

 

[tooth knockn]

This is a great post Tooth Knockn, thank you

anytime scumbag




no pun intended

 

[DC206R]

Preach. I can relate.

 

[Master Yoda]

if you are dirt poor, then maybe applying is not possible .. . . BUT if you gather some pebbles and nice rocks together, maybe that would be considered of higher value than dirt . .. and you would be considered rockin poor . ..

just some thought . . . .

Don't underestimate the power of dirt.

 

[hajin]

What stops you from just taking on a larger loan and not working 3 jobs? A lot of students I know just loaned the entirety of the BA program.

I could tell you that student loans are mainly meant to cover tuition, NOT living expenses. I could tell you that the financial aid packages for some public colleges - even if you take out the max in loans - is nowhere near enough to live on (luckily for a lot of us this changes when you hit grad school). Still, someone might argue that it was possible to live on 2 grand for 4 months if you went to some college with a dirt cheap cost of living, didn't mind bunk beds, had no car, lived on ramen, and charged your credit card to the max. Ok. Let's say you manage to pull that off and stay sane. Then the summer a year before dental school comes. What do you do?

Well if you're like a lot of broke students you get a job ASAP because you're about to be homeless. Or you register for a few summer classes because that might get you another few hundred bucks in loans to live on. But you know what I did last summer for money?

Nothing. You see I had money saved. So I bought all the test prep materials, studied the DAT full time, crushed it, and now I start dental school this Fall. Am I any smarter than someone who was working and taking summer classes right before the DAT and got a low score?
Nope. But I got in.

 

[nonociceptors]

Combined parental income below 30k and I made it so yeah, it's possible

 

[yihaej12]

Same here. Its kind of comforting to know that we are not alone.

I had to work as soon as it was legal in my state to do so to help pay for whatever we needed around the house, but managed to get a 4.0 all throughout my years of college too. Then during application/DAT taking season, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Its been a crazy journey. And now I can't stop worrying about the financial aspect of dental school since I start in like 3 months.

Even though I can say that I worked hard to get where I am, I would never just tell anyone that if they want it bad enough they can make it happen. Thats just not the case. The disadvantages, although conquerable, is indeed very crippling. And if you say that all you have to do is work hard, you're basically telling everyone that failed, that they didn't want it bad enough.

There's a fine line between believing that hard work is the solution to everything, and understanding that it isn't a strictly black and white concept.

 

[hajin]

Combined parental income below 30k and I made it so yeah, it's possible

So... You're saying you had both parents? lol (Deadpool was awesome)

Same here. Its kind of comforting to know that we are not alone.

Good for you. I took a more circuitous route, but it's nice to know that some people get it. I know it's not that important, but after meeting so many people with doctor/dentist parents etc., sometimes I do wonder if everyone at my dental school is gonna be from a way different background than me. I guess we'll find out in a few months.

 

[lazyindy]

I could tell you that student loans are mainly meant to cover tuition, NOT living expenses. I could tell you that the financial aid packages for some public colleges - even if you take out the max in loans - is nowhere near enough to live on (luckily for a lot of us this changes when you hit grad school). Still, someone might argue that it was possible to live on 2 grand for 4 months if you went to some college with a dirt cheap cost of living, didn't mind bunk beds, had no car, lived on ramen, and charged your credit card to the max. Ok. Let's say you manage to pull that off and stay sane. Then the summer a year before dental school comes. What do you do?

Well if you're like a lot of broke students you get a job ASAP because you're about to be homeless. Or you register for a few summer classes because that might get you another few hundred bucks in loans to live on. But you know what I did last summer for money?

Nothing. You see I had money saved. So I bought all the test prep materials, studied the DAT full time, crushed it, and now I start dental school this Fall. Am I any smarter than someone who was working and taking summer classes right before the DAT and got a low score?
Nope. But I got in.

Yeah this worries me also. I'm curious, can we also take out private loans such as discover student loans in addition to the federal loans to help pay off extra living expenses?

 

[yihaej12]

So... You're saying you had both parents? lol (Deadpool was awesome)



Good for you. I took a more circuitous route, but it's nice to know that some people get it. I know it's not that important, but after meeting so many people with doctor/dentist parents etc., sometimes I do wonder if everyone at my dental school is gonna be from a way different background than me. I guess we'll find out in a few months.

yeah, i wonder about that too. i guess we'll come back on here once school starts and put in our 2 cents haha

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[deleted738762]

if you are dirt poor, then maybe applying is not possible .. . . BUT if you gather some pebbles and nice rocks together, maybe that would be considered of higher value than dirt . .. and you would be considered rockin poor . ..

just some thought . . . .

But tooth knockn, how can someone of your stature even grab some rocks & pebbles with your bears paws?
Just some thought.... : )

 

[deleted738762]

Poor people are whiners. Anybody could have done what I did and gotten in. Honestly, for me, getting in was a cakewalk. A 4.0 in science classes and crushing the DAT? No problem. All I had to do was study hard. People gotta man up. I don’t understand why people make it sound like getting ahead is so hard. It’s not like I had any support... except for help from everyone I know.

Victim little punks always have excuses though. Whatever. I pulled off straight A’s on 16 units plus of hard science classes while I was dead broke, living in chaos, commuting for 2 hours, and working full time. Ok... actually I paid for a nice quiet apartment walking distance from campus, lived on my savings and didn’t work at all. But, I would have gotten those same grades anyway.

Point is, students these days don’t have to worry about money. School loans and grants subsidized by hardworking taxpayers cover everything for this new generation of spoiled brats... except some books, research costs, test prep materials, testing fees, school application fees, interview travel expenses and school deposits. But, common, what kind of idiot doesn’t keep 20k of emergency funds handy, amirite?

If your sarcasm detector is dead, I am very grateful for all the help I got getting into dental school. Without a ton of savings and a lot of support, I would never have been able to pull this off. I’m a non-traditional student now, but as a poor kid in college the first time around barely scraping through for my degree, dental school would have been almost impossible. Of course I’m incredibly lucky no matter how you look at it – I’m an American who has been able to go to college a couple times now. Still, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, and rich is better.”

In the political climate today a lot of people hang on to some fantasy that life is an “equal playing field” regardless of background. Well, my life experience doesn’t back that up. The carefree rich kid life I experienced the second time through college made even the hardest ochem class seem easy compared to how school was back when I was way too busy working all the time, had a messed up living situation, was stuck dealing with my criminal family, and was broke off my ass.

So, in the words of PC Principal, “Check your white privilege bro!” lol. Can you get into professional school without money? Absolutely. People do it. But is it anywhere close to an equal playing field? Uhh…. ‘Merica!!!!

tldr: with tons of cash, getting into dental school is a lot easier

You have no idea how much you motivated me. Thank you