Is graduating in three years a good idea when wanting to apply to dental school? Does is look competitive or not?
Graduating in three years a good idea?
- Thread starter asiseeyou
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I wouldn't advise trying to finish a degree in 3 years if it is going to hurt your GPA. A 3 year degree with a 3.2 won't look as good as a 4 year degree with a 3.6+.
Just remember that you will need to take the DAT after your second year, so that you have time to re-take if neccessary. You want to make sure you have bio,chem, and ochem done by the end of your second year.
Is it a good idea? Well what are you planning on majoring in?
I think if you are a non-science major and you are just planning on taking the dental school pre-recs and finishing your degree in 3 years, that would be a bad idea. It would be a good idea to take upper division science classes, so in that case a fourth year would be worth it.
If you are going to be a bio or other science major and finish all general and upper division courses in 3 years, then yea that would work.
Just remember that you will need to take the DAT after your second year, so that you have time to re-take if neccessary. You want to make sure you have bio,chem, and ochem done by the end of your second year.
Is it a good idea? Well what are you planning on majoring in?
I think if you are a non-science major and you are just planning on taking the dental school pre-recs and finishing your degree in 3 years, that would be a bad idea. It would be a good idea to take upper division science classes, so in that case a fourth year would be worth it.
If you are going to be a bio or other science major and finish all general and upper division courses in 3 years, then yea that would work.
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I has the opportunity to graduate in 3 years, but did not do it. I would recommend staying in college and making the most of it, as after you finish, you will be working until you retire. Instead of finishing up in 3 years, I finished in 3.5 years and went abroad for a semester (I highly recommend this). Looking back, I would have stayed another semester in college and finished up in 4.
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I graduated in 3 years with my BS in Biology; it was not a good idea. It does look good to dental schools because it shows them that you know how to handle a rough course load, but it is really tough. My grades were good but could have been amazing if I had taken my time. I don't recommend it unless you are alreday older...
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Avoiding expenses for a 4th year would not hurt and it may be well worth it provided you do not place undue stress on yourself. Finishing in 3 years is not unheard of especially when taking summer schools into account and AP/dual credits.
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The answer to your question is simple - yes. It is a good idea, provided you make the grades.
This can be good or bad, depending on whether you are about to finish in 3 years already, or not.
If you're almost done in 3 years, and you got good grades, all things ready, good for you!
If you're just contemplating, think long and hard whether you think you can really handle it.
This can be good or bad, depending on whether you are about to finish in 3 years already, or not.
If you're almost done in 3 years, and you got good grades, all things ready, good for you!
If you're just contemplating, think long and hard whether you think you can really handle it.
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I got my BS in Bio in 2 1/2 years (thank you, Mom, for making me take all those AP classes), and I wouldn't say it hurt my chances for dental school. The one thing I didn't get was an opportunity to volunteer often or participate in clubs or other activities during school. It was tough to take 17/18 credits every semester, but assuming you can manage your time, it's completely doable (and cost-effective as well).
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i graduated with a B.S in biology AND a minor in management in 3 yrs an a quarter - now i have 8 months to do nothing before dschool starts! its soo hard finding a job these days
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Knowing that I could finish undergrad within three years, I couldn't justify the price of the "extra" year (in my case, about 50K all told). There were a lot of things I could've done in my senior year-- study abroad, finish a thesis, an extra chem major-- but to be honest, I really love having this spare time that I know I'll never have again. IF you can finish all your prereq/major courses with good grades (and that's a big "IF"), go ahead an graduate. So far at interviews, no one's even asked about the fact that I graduated early. But if you 're planning on graduating early because you want to impress dental schools, you're going to be sorry, because no one, and I mean no one, cares. At all.
Bottom line is, don't sacrifice good grades to graduate early.
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Not to mention if you graduate a year early that is a whole extra year of income as a dentist!
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Apparently many think this is a good idea... I guess it depends on how much time you have. If you have a job, are involved in school clubs, play sports, and are volunteering at least 20 hours a week I guess it could be a little much to make about 19 units a quarter. What killed me was having 4 three hour labs a week with long wite-ups. But I've been accepeted and will be done at age 24... so I guess thats cool. Still, an extra year to actually have summer vacations would have been nice. If you think about it there is no summer vaca. in dental school and once you graduate there won't been one eathir...
I'm going the route that you should if you can have stellar grades, but with the same thought that the life experience in the extra year is completely worth doing the four year route. It's pretty impressive the way your life-view can change within the span of a couple of years.
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I did the three year route, double majoring in biology and chemistry. I will be graduating in May and attending Indiana in June!
It is all about time management. I have only a 3.7 GPA but could have gotten a 4.0 if I didnt overload my schedule with courses.
Another problem with the three year route is your ability to hold positions in organizations and clubs. Fortunatly I had the opportunity to be in a fraternity, be president in 3 or 4 various organizations, and sit on the honor council, campus judicial board, etc.
If you are able to graduate in 3 years with <3.6 GPA, hold leadership positions, and not go insane, then do it!
The only thing I regret about graduating in three years is the extra year undergraduate fun I could of had. Besides that, I will be saving money from tuition at a purrddy expensive undergraduate univeristy and will be making an income a year earlier than my cohort.
It is all about time management. I have only a 3.7 GPA but could have gotten a 4.0 if I didnt overload my schedule with courses.
Another problem with the three year route is your ability to hold positions in organizations and clubs. Fortunatly I had the opportunity to be in a fraternity, be president in 3 or 4 various organizations, and sit on the honor council, campus judicial board, etc.
If you are able to graduate in 3 years with <3.6 GPA, hold leadership positions, and not go insane, then do it!
The only thing I regret about graduating in three years is the extra year undergraduate fun I could of had. Besides that, I will be saving money from tuition at a purrddy expensive undergraduate univeristy and will be making an income a year earlier than my cohort.
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Graduating in 3 years is the smartest thing you can do, provided you can still maintain a good GPA. What you will have going for you:
1. One less year of undergrad tuition and fees
2. Paying less for dental school. Since dental schools raise their tuition every year, getting in a year earlier will save you money.
3. Start practicing dentistry earlier.
The downside is that you probably won't have as much fun in undergrad but that doesn't matter. If you are stressed for time I suggest you do 3yrs undergrad + 3yrs dental school (UOP). You will complete in 6 years what many do in 8. Those two years should compensate for any fun lost in undergrad.
1. One less year of undergrad tuition and fees
2. Paying less for dental school. Since dental schools raise their tuition every year, getting in a year earlier will save you money.
3. Start practicing dentistry earlier.
The downside is that you probably won't have as much fun in undergrad but that doesn't matter. If you are stressed for time I suggest you do 3yrs undergrad + 3yrs dental school (UOP). You will complete in 6 years what many do in 8. Those two years should compensate for any fun lost in undergrad.
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My interpretation of graduating in three years is that a uber-motivated scholar wants to bust his/her buns to get to a dental school to continue busting his/her buns to start working in the real world and will then have to bust their buns some more just to pay off school. Before they know it, they are 30 years old and have never stopped to have fun.
I'm an uber-motivated scholar, too, but a balance of school, work, and fun is the key to a healthy lifestyle! Personally, I'm all for a standard 4 year college experience-- I study hard, work weekends, take my dog for a walk everyday, go to my club meeting every week, and every now and then take a night off to go Salsa dancing.
I realized that once I stopped thinking that I had to hurry up and get through school so I could "start my life," I all of a sudden started enjoying the little things way more! Becoming a dentist is very important to me, yes, but I seriously hope that I won't let Dentistry be the only thing that defines me.
I'm an uber-motivated scholar, too, but a balance of school, work, and fun is the key to a healthy lifestyle! Personally, I'm all for a standard 4 year college experience-- I study hard, work weekends, take my dog for a walk everyday, go to my club meeting every week, and every now and then take a night off to go Salsa dancing.
I realized that once I stopped thinking that I had to hurry up and get through school so I could "start my life," I all of a sudden started enjoying the little things way more! Becoming a dentist is very important to me, yes, but I seriously hope that I won't let Dentistry be the only thing that defines me.
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