Does education gap lower the chance of acceptance?

[joonkimdds]

I have been in university over 4 and a half year and I finally finished all the requirements to graduate with Bachelor's degree in BIO.
I canceled my graduation intent form because I was thinking of taking more classes (not for dental school, since I finished all the prerequisites and recommended classes) for back up plan in case I get rejected from dental school. Maybe I could use those classes to make my application stronger in case I have to reapply next year.

But I don't plan to take any classes this Spring 2009. I am just gonna spend this semester doing everything I need; volunteering, shadowing, writing personal statement , letter of recommendation and most importantly study for DAT.

When I said I will take classes for Plan B, I meant to take them in Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.

Do you guys think taking a semester off before I graduate(even though I can graduate now if I want to) and applying to dental school is something that admission officers will frown on?

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[DentalRocks09]

to be honest dude i wouldnt take the semester off...id finish it as fast as possible..that way when it comes time for spring, u can use the extra months to study ur butt off for the DATs...ur goin to need a solid score...this is my take on it...id do some volunteering, shadowing, and getting ur letter of recs together in the mean time as well

 

[joonkimdds]

to be honest dude i wouldnt take the semester off...id finish it as fast as possible..that way when it comes time for spring, u can use the extra months to study ur butt off for the DATs...ur goin to need a solid score...this is my take on it...id do some volunteering, shadowing, and getting ur letter of recs together in the mean time as well

But I don't have any classes to take for dental school, and I am done with all the requirements to graduate with Bio degree.

When I said I will take classes for Fall 2009 and Spring 2010, they are for back up plan (nursing pre-requisites).

Do you think I should still take nursing prerequisites in Spring 2009 and do not take the semester off?

 

[doc3232]

Hmmm...I would guess that if they ask you in an interview what you will be doing that semester and you say "Just chillin"...then ya, that's not good.
maybe do some volunteering, get a job, etc

 

[joonkimdds]

Hmmm...I would guess that if they ask you in an interview what you will be doing that semester and you say "Just chillin"...then ya, that's not good.
maybe do some volunteering, get a job, etc

what I am worried is that I will not even get an interview due to the gap.

 

[somethinpositiv]

what I am worried is that I will not even get an interview due to the gap.

That alone won't hold you back, if everything else is solid (GPA, DAT, ECs) and you spend that time wisely (do everything you said: volunteer, shadowing, study for DAT, perhaps get a job).

You already have 4 1/2 years of undergrad under your belt, the worst that would happen is that they'll make you finish your degree, after you're accepted and before you matriculate. And if they ask you about the gap, you'd better have your explanation down pat.

 

[bustedgrill]

I am sure that there is more upper level science classes you could take.

 

[joonkimdds]

I am sure that there is more upper level science classes you could take.

Yes there are, but do you think it's necessary for me to take them
just to avoid education gap?

and if so, does it have to be full time or is part time or half time fine?

I was planning on spending time studying for DAT, volunteering, shadowing and others but if I take some classes, it will kinda ruin my plan.

Taking half time will give me free time to do what I planned, too but I have a feeling that admission officers will treat half time as if it's an educational gap as long as it's not full time.

 

[dent2009]

i noticed from reading your different threads that you're a very paranoid person. sorry, just had to get that out. Anyways, you could stop taking classes and do all the stuff that you want, but it would impress the adcoms if you can take a full course load while DAT studying, shadowing, etc. Since that may be too much, decrease the course work and do part-time. That might not be so bad.