HELP! UCF, Rollins, or Stetson for Biology (pre dentistry)

[RAD3]

Hi,

I really need help deciding where I want to go to college to study biology (pre dentistry). First off, I attend a pretty small high school and was concerned that UCF would be too big and overwhelming. Rollins and Stetson are both small schools and I'm not sure if any of their students end up getting into dental school. (By the way I've been accepted to all these schools)

Can someone please give me some feedback on what it's like attending a big public university majoring in biology or a smaller college.

My goal is to achieve a high GPA to get into a top dental school, and I'm not sure if UCF will be too difficult for me to achieve that. I know majoring in biology is tough but i want to go someplace where I can succeed. A few people are telling me I should attend UCF because they might be opening a dental school.

Thanks!

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[Vosko]

I go to UF and will be graduating with a biology degree in May. UF and UCF are comparable in size so I can tell you a little about my experiences. Pretty much all of my science classes (bio, gen chem, orgo, physics, etc.) were all in HUGE lecture halls, approximately 250-400 kids. So you're pretty much a number. It was pretty difficult to meet teachers so you have to be on a mission to get letters of recommendation. As long as you stay on top on everything, you will be fine. Just try and get involved in volunteering and research as soon as possible because positions are probably limited. I did pretty well in this large academic environment and enjoyed the competition.

 

[RAD3]

Thanks for your reply!

Have you been accepted to any dental schools yet? Which one of your science classes was the most challenging? Also was it hard for you to achieve a high GPA?

 

[Vosko]

My overall G.P.A is 3.89 and my science G.P.A. is 3.83. If you put in the effort, you can definitely achieve anything. I wasn't the best student in high school and somehow got into UF.

I applied to 16 schools:
UF, Nova, LECOM, NYU, Columbia, Stony Brook, UMDNJ, Harvard, BU, Tufts, Maryland, U Penn, Temple, Pittsburgh, U Conn, and UCSF

I received interviews from 14 schools:
All except BU and Stony Brook

Interviewed at:
UF, UMDNJ, Nova, Harvard, and Maryland

Accepted at:
UMDNJ and Nova

Waitlisted at:
UF, Harvard, and Maryland

 

[RAD3]

Wow that's awesome!
Congrats on your acceptances!
Did you major in biology?

 

[Vosko]

Yes

 

[Barking Lamb]

I'm surprised to hear cost isn't an issue. UCF may save you or your family quite a bit of money. Rollins and Stetson are very expensive schools for an undergraduate education.

With that in mind, I attended UCF and enjoyed my biology classes. It's true that the general classes are huge, but research potential is enormous if you meet the professors.

I'm a bit of a hypocrite. One thing I am SO excited for during dental school is the intimate class sizes. So, good luck deciding.

Check my pre-dent profile if you have questions about my stats.

 

[RAD3]

Well I'm out of state so the tuition at UCF for out of state is a lot more than the in state tuition. Stetson gave me a really good scholarship and I haven't heard back from Rollins.

 

[Vigilante]

If Stetson gave you a scholarship, making the prices comparable, and you think you'd enjoy being at a smaller school, I'd say you should go there. As these forums show, the school you attend has absolutely nothing to do with getting accepted into dental school, so you might as well go to the place that you're going to enjoy yourself the most. If it makes you feel any better, there's a kid that went to Stetson in my class...I'm not positive, but I don't think he had a really good DAT or gpa, but it sounds like he was very involved at the school and developed relationships with faculty that probably helped him get in, and he probably wouldn't have been able to do that at a large public school. Just saying, you'll get into d-school no matter where you go, just make the most of your time there. Rollins is super nice too!

 

[ritumal08]

I'm a Bio major at UCF and very familiar with Rollins and their program as well. Like you said UCF is a very large school. Our science classes may have up to 300 students. Rollins is a very small school with their classes having around 8-15 students and would have a similar atmosphere to a high school. The campus is GORGEOUS as well as the environment. If I had the opportunity to choose between Rollins and UCF with cost not being a factor I would choose Rollins. The classes are more personal and teacher interaction is more one on one. I have several friends in the Bio program at Rollins as well who love it. It is mostly a personal choice as to how you thrive better in a classroom!

 

[RAD3]

Unfortunately Rollins didn't offer me that much money, so I don't think I would be going there. It looks like its UCF for now. I hear their molecular and microbiology program is a lot smaller than the Biology program. Can someone give me some feedback on this and is the molecular and microbiology program a lot toughter than the biology program.

 

[white fang]

Is it too late to apply to and get into your cheapest state school with a bio program? If you would be OK without leaving the state, you will save a ton of $$, probably have as much or more fun and have an easier time keeping a high GPA. I know I regret going to an expensive undergrad school for my first degree.

 

[ritumal08]

I wouldn't say m&m (micro and molecular) is a lot tougher than biology but it is definitely more challanging. Its courses are more specific as opposed to the biology major where you will have a broader range of classes to choose from to apply toward your degree. 80% of both degrees consist of the same classes, your last two years will vary slightly with a few upper level classes that differ. Good luck at UCF though!

 

[Firm]

Neither. Go to Valencia rack up a high GPA, save some money then transfer to either any of the schools and do really well your 3rd year(even if you have to take less courses. You will get into dental school pretty easily.