Graduate Early?

[cavityqueen]

I am having doubts about my decison to graduate in 3 1/2 years with a Chem BA degree and my GPA doesn't reflect any good aspects of it....However I feel like if I stay another semester and take more bio classes it wouldn't be as good as maybe getting a chemistry or dental related job / internship??? For some reason I feel applying my knowledge is more useful than just retaining it in school? Which decision will reflect better with the dental admission officers? thanks!

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[toothfairy85]

I would get a dental-related job. It will give you great experience to put on your resume and something to talk about in interviews. You could always get a job and continue taking 1-2 classes that would help for dental school. Not a post-bacc program, but just taking a few classes part-time while working.

 

[dmd2011]

I am having doubts about my decison to graduate in 3 1/2 years with a Chem BA degree and my GPA doesn't reflect any good aspects of it....However I feel like if I stay another semester and take more bio classes it wouldn't be as good as maybe getting a chemistry or dental related job / internship??? For some reason I feel applying my knowledge is more useful than just retaining it in school? Which decision will reflect better with the dental admission officers? thanks!

dental experience is important but without the grades it wont matter much. my advice would be to take more upper level science classes to boost you GPA.

 

[Veneto]

Take the classes and do some shadowing when time permits. I am surprised at how many pre-dents dont really get this one important point. Like it or not, GRADES and DAT scores are what get your application looked at. If, and only if, there are a group of applicants that have similarly high stats, then the scale may tip in your favor if you had some amazing dental expirence, or something truly unique in your application. No matter what you may have done the adcom wants to be convinced that you will pass the first 1 1/2-2 years where there will be lots of hard upper science classes. I would go and take some 400-500 level classes in any hard biological science you can, to show adcoms that you are a top notch student, and that you will make their school's test averages high. I understand that this is not always the case, there are a few schools who really emphisize the extracurriculars, but they still have to accept people that will pass the classes.

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

I graduated a semester early, but I had good grades. I feel that the grades that mattered most were those upto my senior year in college. I was accepted Dec. 1, and my fall semester grades were released mid Dec, and now I'm enjoying my spring semester off. If you were to apply after taking the courses then they might really help you. In terms of an internship/job...good luck...I wanted a bio job and haven't seem to find any ones that fit me. Most good jobs want you to stay there for at least a year.

 

[Dauber]

They don't expect you to have had a job in the dental field when interviewing you for dental school. However, they DO expect grades representative of an exceptional student. You can get a lot of shadowing done on top of your coursework. The point is to know what you're getting yourself into, not knowing the most about dentistry. Good luck!

 

[UnderRep]

Graduate, and have fun. you will be taking classes for what seems like forever so enjoy life, just drink and get high.