Discrimination against student-parents?

[SeattleRDH]

For those with small children (women especially) did you find that it was looked down upon by adcoms that you were applying to dental school?

Did you even mention that you were a parent in your interview?

My husband and I want to have our second baby before I start dental school so that will make me noticeably pregnant during my interviews (fall 2011). We are going to have a live-in nanny but I wonder whether I will be denied admission nonetheless.

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[klpennin]

I had some people tell me not to mention my son when applying, but he is a part of who I am, so there was no way I could just not mention that I have a son. He was almost a year when I was interviewing. I mentioned him in both my personal statement and in my interviews. I had no problems with getting in to any of the schools I applied to. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[DrReese]

Same here. My PS was a story about how my son head bunted me and knocked the bonding off of my front tooth...my interviewers did ask about him, and I got accepted to both schools I interviewed at....As matter of fact, a few years ago I went to visit a dental school while I was on maternity leave. I was trying to schedule a time to come in when I could get a babysitter and the admissions director asked me to bring my son.lol. She said they love babies there. So, no, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

I had some people tell me not to mention my son when applying, but he is a part of who I am, so there was no way I could just not mention that I have a son. He was almost a year when I was interviewing. I mentioned him in both my personal statement and in my interviews. I had no problems with getting in to any of the schools I applied to. I wouldn't worry about it.

I attend the same school as klpennin. I know for a fact that our school does not frown upon students with children. Thye have a lot of respect for student parents. Some of the best students are the parents because they are more focused and do a better time of time management. Some schools may have a different attitude, but I do know some are supportive.

Another thing, and I know from experience, they are very supportive of students who become parents while in school.

 

[Valiant]

Not a problem at Western. We love kids here and have a family support group and many students with families and children. Your kids are such a big part of your life how could you not mention them?

 

[baseballjunkie]

Our entering class at UW has at least 3 people that have kids/family (one with a child under a year old) that I can think of off the top of my head. It's not going to be a big deal. Will they ask about it in an interview? Probably. Just be prepared for it and it won't be a big deal at all.

 

[219122]

Not a problem, one of my classmates was visibly pregnant while interviewing (she had to get a maternity suit!) and got accepted just fine. Her daughter is so cute too. Also lots of people have had babies this year in dental school and I'm sure more will over the time that we're here. The Adcom knows that life doesn't pause for dental school you'll be fine.

 

[LNinlove]

I talked about my unborn son in my personal statement. When I interviewed he was about 3 months old and I mentioned the fact that he and my wife are huge motivating factors for me during the interview. I'll be starting at Western in a couple weeks!

 

[omaralt]

while this may sound wrong, but i also think it matters whether your a male or female. if your a single female raising a kid on your own, some adcoms may think twice. if your a married male with a wife and a kid, that would probably be viewed favorably; as they will view you as responsible. again, i dont think it will impact your admissions either way; but if your a single female raising a kid, i would not mention it unless asked. good luck

 

[DrReese]

I beg to differ omaralt. Single mom here, talked about it in PS and interviews. Got accepted to all schools I interviewed at. If anything I was able to show that I am more responsible as a single mother...able to finish undergrad alone with no family support and work part time to make ends meet. Shows my commitment. Single moms may or may not be responsible so please watch what you say. Maybe you were married and it didnt work out...or maybe not. Doesn't matter. As long as my gpa, DAT, community service, shadowing, commitment to dentistry is competitve, thats what matters. And if I didnt mention my baby, then got accepted, what does that look like when I show up to school with my child? What if there is an emergency and I have to pick my kid up from daycare, and the DS doesnt even know I have a kid? Kids are a big part of anyone who has them. If the adcoms are getting to know you, I'm sure your kids would come up.

 

[omaralt]

I beg to differ omaralt. Single mom here, talked about it in PS and interviews. Got accepted to all schools I interviewed at. If anything I was able to show that I am more responsible as a single mother...able to finish undergrad alone with no family support and work part time to make ends meet. Shows my commitment. Single moms may or may not be responsible so please watch what you say. Maybe you were married and it didnt work out...or maybe not. Doesn't matter. As long as my gpa, DAT, community service, shadowing, commitment to dentistry is competitve, thats what matters. And if I didnt mention my baby, then got accepted, what does that look like when I show up to school with my child? What if there is an emergency and I have to pick my kid up from daycare, and the DS doesnt even know I have a kid? Kids are a big part of anyone who has them. If the adcoms are getting to know you, I'm sure your kids would come up.

ha you completely misunderstood what i'm saying. i never said single mothers are not as responsible at all. if anything they are forced to be more so. however you never know what the guy interviewing you is from/background/religion etc. what if he is a strict right wing nut and thinks only married people should have kids? i was told to not bring up religion or politics during interviews, and maybe this is something similar. you dont want to give those interviewers ANY reason to reject you; whether it's valid or not. i remember during my license exam; they told us to make sure we didnt do anything that would make us stand out. you never know who you may rub the wrong way; so you want to stay as neutral as possible. again, this is just my opinion

 

[SeattleRDH]

ha you completely misunderstood what i'm saying. i never said single mothers are not as responsible at all. if anything they are forced to be more so. however you never know what the guy interviewing you is from/background/religion etc. what if he is a strict right wing nut and thinks only married people should have kids? i was told to not bring up religion or politics during interviews, and maybe this is something similar. you dont want to give those interviewers ANY reason to reject you; whether it's valid or not. i remember during my license exam; they told us to make sure we didnt do anything that would make us stand out. you never know who you may rub the wrong way; so you want to stay as neutral as possible. again, this is just my opinion

Yeah, this is my concern, some people are old-fashioned. I've been told more than once that 'if you want to be a mother be a hygienist'. I don't agree with them (anymore) but the people who said this were all dentists.

 

[DrReese]

Yeah, this is my concern, some people are old-fashioned. I've been told more than once that 'if you want to be a mother be a hygienist'. I don't agree with them (anymore) but the people who said this were all dentists.

Tisk tisk...That would be discrimination!!! What a slippery slope. So what if the interviewer has opinions about non caucasions groups?....That would make you stand out too, right? Maybe they think you wouldn't fit in well with your majority caucasian classmates....I don't think adcoms (and certainly hope not) would discriminate this way. None the less, if the whole commitee agreed about those opinions, that is a dental school I would not want to go to anyway!

OP, if your kids are important to you and maybe are your motivation (like myself and many other parents I know) its almost impossible not to mention them in some way. I'm living proof that its OKAY!!! We are all humans and are unique in one way or another (and I think the point in the interview for getting accepted into school is to stand out from the other number-worthy applicants, not like your experience with licensure, omaralt). Like I pointed out before. As long as my gpa, DAT, shadowing, comm serv, etc were competitive, there is no reason why a school wouldn't let you in, single parent or not. On a sidenote, I would not make my kid the whole topic of my interview, that would be just weird.

 

[datamine]

ha you completely misunderstood what i'm saying. i never said single mothers are not as responsible at all. if anything they are forced to be more so. however you never know what the guy interviewing you is from/background/religion etc. what if he is a strict right wing nut and thinks only married people should have kids? i was told to not bring up religion or politics during interviews, and maybe this is something similar. you dont want to give those interviewers ANY reason to reject you; whether it's valid or not. i remember during my license exam; they told us to make sure we didnt do anything that would make us stand out. you never know who you may rub the wrong way; so you want to stay as neutral as possible. again, this is just my opinion

"Right wing nut" ...? please watch your offensive language