Decisions, What Should I Do?

[hallwe]

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Hey Folks,

I got a situation. I applied to both the Medical University of South Carolina and Meharry. I am still waiting on Meharry. MUSC has already filled their chairs. I did get accepted to a Masters program at MUSC though, the program starts in August. I really do still want to go to dental school but this was my back up plan just in case I did not get into Dental school. The program is 2 years. A good friend of mine said apply to Dental school again for the next year. My question is should I wait until I finish this program or should I try while I am working on that Master's in Microbiology? Please give me some good advice!!!!

 

[The Musketeer]

Well, it depends....will you be enjoying 2 years of your time and money to devote in the Masters program or will you be relishing the first chance you will get to go to dental school?

If your answer is the latter, then I suggest that you should not waste any uneccessary time in pursuing your dream. Since many dental schools look highly on Master education, you will certainly have a very good chance next year if you don't get in this year.

Once again, if you REALLY want to go into dentistry, then don't waste your time and money for another year.

 

[trypmo]

Just my opinion, but I think it can look a little wishy-washy to be in a Master's program for only a year and then go to dent/med school thereafter. I think there was a thread on this a while back. Anyhow, I can tell you for sure that at least some of the profs in the Master's program are likely to be unfavorably predisposed toward you if they know you're just biding your time till you get into dent school (this happened to a friend of mine; one professor especially went out of his way to make the student's life more difficult).

On the financial side, it can be common at some schools for Master's students in the sciences to get teaching assistantships or research assistantships, which pay your tuition and also pay you a stipend to live on.