Changing Careers . . . When to Take the DAT

[JavadiCavity]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm changing careers from being a stock broker with a top Wall Street firm to Dentistry. In college, I never took any of the Dental school pre-reqs, so I have to start from scratch. The local university only allows a non-traditional student to take 6 credits/semester. I'd like to take the DAT during Aug. 2004. By that point I'll have taken 1 year of G Chem, 1 year of Bio, and 1/2 year of O Chem. Is it premature to take the exam then? I've read some people say the DAT has no phsyics and you only need the first half of O Chem to do well. I'd like to start school Fall of 2005, hence the rush to complete the prereqs. Am I at a disadvantage to traditional applicants?

Furthermore, I'd love to hear from other non-traditional type "hopefuls" or successful applicants. What tips do you have? What advice, if any? etc., etc.

 

[critterbug]

When you say "6 credits" do you mean "6 credit hours" or "6 classes".... I don't think I have ever heard of someone being limited to how many hours they can take just because they are a "non-traditional" student. First of all, are you gonna be workin full-time, part-time, or not working at all? Depending on your circumstances, I see nothing holding you back from taking the DAT and applying next year. But do what you have to do to get the highest grades possible in your science pre-req's, preferably A's. If that means quiting your job, then so be it. I would concentrate on taking as many classes as I could and getting the best grades that I can possibly get. Then apply next year with confidence. And, 1 year BIO + 1 year Gen Chem + 1 semester of O-chem should be sufficient for the DAT. Just study the KAPLAN book and whatever supplemental material you can get your hands on, and you should be fine. Good Luck, and keep us posted on your endeavors!!

critter

 

[JavadiCavity]

I'll continue working full-time, which won't be a problem for me and my studies.

6 credit hours means 1 or 2 classes a semster depending on whenter they are 3 or 4 credit hour classes.

 

[critterbug]

Most of the science classes I took were 4 credit hours w/lab. My OCHEM II was 5 credit hours (2 for lab+ 3 for lec). So, if your university was like mine, that will limit you to one science class a semester.

You want to get as many science pre-reqs under your belt, and maybe even a few upper level BIO classses before you apply.

 

[swiminh2o]

I am a non-traditional as well. I have a M.S. in audiology and have been an audiologist in private practice for the last seven years. I have gone to night school and taken a few courses over my lunch hour at the local CC to complete my dental prereqs. It has been a long haul but I took the DAT in July and did well. I have four interviews lined up already. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Granted, I have a lot of school ahead of me but when I first considered going back to school it seemed a bit overwhelming. You can do it if your willing to pay the price. I agree with critter. You'll do fine on the DAt with those classes under your belt. However, my third quarter of OCHem was helpful to me for the DAT. The Kaplan book nailed it pretty good so if you make up the difference of that last quarter of Ochem with some extra studying of supplemental materials you'll do fine.

 

[Comet208]

Javad,

going to school, studying for DAT, working full time, and being married and having kids is way more than a full time life. its doable however you might have to sacrifice some of your work hours. All i am saying is that take your time and get the concepts in Bio, chem, and Ochem classes down since DAT can ask anything, even if this would mean you applying a year later than you desire, but y'll be more prepared and therefore more competitive. (especially since you have been out of school for a while now and that you dont have abiological since background)

if you didnt have so much on your plate, i would suggest you take 6 credits at one school and maybe 4 more at another school. or some schools will enroll you as a "special student" and you are allowed to take up to 10 or 11 credits per semester. just remember that you need 8 credits of each of bio, chem, Ochem, and physics ALL of which with labs.

how competitive you will be also depends on your undergrad GPA as well.

Its a long and rough way, but very doable and rewarding at the end. good luck to you.

Comet

 

[JavadiCavity]

Do many schools require that your pre-reqs be done by the time you apply, or can you be "in the process of" completing them before matriculation?

How important or critical are the "recommended" courses suggested by all adcoms?

 

[critterbug]

Yes, you are able to be in the process of taking the courses while you are applying. However, you must have them completed before projected matriculation into dental school.

Since you are a "non-traditional" applicant, it is to your best advantage to take as many relevant scinece classes as you can in order to "prove" to the adcoms that you are proficient in the sciences. And, as far as recommended courses, I would think they would be even more important for an individual who does not have a science background. The recommended classes are usually upper lever bio-classes such as Medical Microbioloy, Biochemistry, and/or Anatomy/Physiology, etc. etc....all of which you will see again in some way, shape, or form when you get into dental school. Adcoms are recommending these courses to try and gauge what your performance will be like in dental school.

So, my suggestion. Take as many science classes as you can before you send off the application. It will prob be OK to leave OCHEM II and physics for the classes to take before matriculation. But at least try to have Gen Chem,Gen Bio, O-Chem I, and a handful of upper level Bio classes BEFORE you send off your application so adcom's can see a consistent performance in rigorous science classes so they can "gauge" what your future performance in dental school will be like.

Again, this is just one man's opinion, and would probably be the strategy "I" would embark on if I was in your shoes.