horid prehealth advisor - please help!

[Stoshdawg]

So, I've had several issues with my pre-health advisor and I just don't understand why. I've been polite, punctual and prepared for all of our meetings so I don't understand where this is coming from.

A couple of questions and then the story:

1. How important is this lady in my application process? Doesn't she write an LOR? I feel like she's constantly trying to tear me down instead of help so I'm scared what kind of a letter she would write!

2. Help with this AED situation:

I'm a post bac taking the prerequisites required to apply to dental school.
I've recently turned in my application to be an AED (pre-health honor society) member.

My pre-health advisor received the application and told me that I couldn't be in the organization b/c I was a post bac. I contacted national AED and they said I could indeed be a member. When I told her this fact she just drummed up another reason: that my science gpa was too low.

Again, I contact AED to see how they calculate the science GPA they get a 4.0. She is calculating it to get a 3.0. (Minimum is a 3.2). Basically they are in a disagreement about which classes are counted. I told her yesterday that they calculate it differently and she simply disagrees. (Um... how can you disagree with the society about the society's rules?)

So now what do I do? This is getting silly and it seems like constantly telling this pre-health advisor that she's doing her job wrong is bad for my LOR. She is the only pre-health advisor at my school.

Suggestions from anyone out there?

Just as a quick aside: She's also told me in the past that I had to take a remedial math class (since I hadn't taken any math) which simply wasn't true. Taking that class would have meant it would have taken 3 years for prereqs instead of 2 years. Gee thanks! Great advising right?!

Also, she told me that I shouldn't take my DAT until August to apply early. I might be wrong about this one but I thought everything needed to be in around the end of June to be considered an early applicant?

Thanks for any help out there!

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[UCLAzy]

So, I've had several issues with my pre-health advisor and I just don't understand why. I've been polite, punctual and prepared for all of our meetings so I don't understand where this is coming from.

A couple of questions and then the story:

1. How important is this lady in my application process? Doesn't she write an LOR? I feel like she's constantly trying to tear me down instead of help so I'm scared what kind of a letter she would write!

2. Help with this AED situation:

I'm a post bac taking the prerequisites required to apply to dental school.
I've recently turned in my application to be an AED (pre-health honor society) member.

My pre-health advisor received the application and told me that I couldn't be in the organization b/c I was a post bac. I contacted national AED and they said I could indeed be a member. When I told her this fact she just drummed up another reason: that my science gpa was too low.

Again, I contact AED to see how they calculate the science GPA they get a 4.0. She is calculating it to get a 3.0. (Minimum is a 3.2). Basically they are in a disagreement about which classes are counted. I told her yesterday that they calculate it differently and she simply disagrees. (Um... how can you disagree with the society about the society's rules?)

So now what do I do? This is getting silly and it seems like constantly telling this pre-health advisor that she's doing her job wrong is bad for my LOR. She is the only pre-health advisor at my school.

Suggestions from anyone out there?

Just as a quick aside: She's also told me in the past that I had to take a remedial math class (since I hadn't taken any math) which simply wasn't true. Taking that class would have meant it would have taken 3 years for prereqs instead of 2 years. Gee thanks! Great advising right?!

Also, she told me that I shouldn't take my DAT until August to apply early. I might be wrong about this one but I thought everything needed to be in around the end of June to be considered an early applicant?

Thanks for any help out there!

seems like you found out what most people eventually find out:
pre-health advisors know nothing! /gratz

 

[americanpierg]

So, I've had several issues with my pre-health advisor and I just don't understand why. I've been polite, punctual and prepared for all of our meetings so I don't understand where this is coming from.

A couple of questions and then the story:

1. How important is this lady in my application process? Doesn't she write an LOR? I feel like she's constantly trying to tear me down instead of help so I'm scared what kind of a letter she would write!

2. Help with this AED situation:

I'm a post bac taking the prerequisites required to apply to dental school.
I've recently turned in my application to be an AED (pre-health honor society) member.

My pre-health advisor received the application and told me that I couldn't be in the organization b/c I was a post bac. I contacted national AED and they said I could indeed be a member. When I told her this fact she just drummed up another reason: that my science gpa was too low.

Again, I contact AED to see how they calculate the science GPA they get a 4.0. She is calculating it to get a 3.0. (Minimum is a 3.2). Basically they are in a disagreement about which classes are counted. I told her yesterday that they calculate it differently and she simply disagrees. (Um... how can you disagree with the society about the society's rules?)

So now what do I do? This is getting silly and it seems like constantly telling this pre-health advisor that she's doing her job wrong is bad for my LOR. She is the only pre-health advisor at my school.

Suggestions from anyone out there?

Just as a quick aside: She's also told me in the past that I had to take a remedial math class (since I hadn't taken any math) which simply wasn't true. Taking that class would have meant it would have taken 3 years for prereqs instead of 2 years. Gee thanks! Great advising right?!

Also, she told me that I shouldn't take my DAT until August to apply early. I might be wrong about this one but I thought everything needed to be in around the end of June to be considered an early applicant?

Thanks for any help out there!

Im pretty sure you don't HAVE to get your prehealth advisor to write you a letter... I dont even think they contribute to a committee letter... they're just there for people who need more guidance.

Just be firm with her and don't be afraid to tell her if shes wrong (kinda like how i managed to train my puppy). It sounds like she has no clue on what she's doing in regards to your stuff but yet you're allowing her to screw you over by being a pushover. She advises EVERYONE if shes the only one at your school... she can't possible know EVERYTHING. The problem is she seems to be too stubborn to admit it or is too lazy to look things up and is just giving out false and misleading information. Tell her shes wrong. IF you want to be nice, tell her she MIGHT be wrong. Tell her to double check her sources. Don't take no for an answer (although it'll be pretty embarassing if she turns out to be right and you turn out to be wrong). Ask her for the sources for her claims if she still thinks shes right and you now shes not.

 

[BLTDENT]

Pre-health advisors are useless. You don't need them to write a LOR. Even with a composite committee letter all she will do is write a cover letter which I am sure is a template.

About the DAT I would take it no later than June to be an early applicant.

 

[Montserrat]

Call up schools you are interested in and ask them directly. Do what they say. Generally speaking, applying early is in your best interests and most schools encourage this if you read their FAQ.

 

[7 Iron]

Pre-health advisors really don't know a damn thing in my experience. They are not important. And by the way, neither is AED. I didn't even put that society on my application. The only reason I used my pre-health advisor was so she could compile all my professor's LORs and upload it to AADSAS for me.

 

[Stoshdawg]

Thanks for the responses. I think it sounds like I need to stop putting so much weight into what she says, continue trying to get into AED (even though it's probably not that big of a deal).

I want to get into the Dental School in the same institution where I am doing my undergrad prereqs at now. So, unfortunately, my prehealth advisor knows all of the admin committee heads (b/c she coordinates talks and meetings with them). I'm not sure how close they are but I don't want this woman to totally hate me.

I will continue to be a velvet brick...

Thanks again!

 

[Odontos2015]

The best pre-health advisor is sitting at a desk in the admissions office at your target dental school.

 

[Karelia]

You don't have to get a letter of rec from her. I didn't ask my advisor for one.

Also, you don't have to take the DAT before June to be an early applicant. Just make sure you submit your application beginning of June, and then take the DAT in June or July. However, if you think you may have to retake it, take it early so you have enough time to retake it. I think you have to wait something like 6 months after you take it to retake it.

 

[DomzWRX]

My university does a committee letter where the pre-health advisor determines how qualified you are and writes a consolidated LOR from the committees comments. I did not get one from my advisor, and I have gotten into 4 schools so far, so not required, while at the same time, can be very helpful, if positive.

 

[Maygyver]

The best pre-health advisor is sitting at a desk in the admissions office at your target dental school.

👍👍

Each school will have it's differences, so it is usually best to just look at the schools you are interested in and contact them. Obviously don't keep calling over and over, but get the important information from them. Some schools have a committee letter that you need to get (I don't really know much about this, I just got individual letters). If you don't have one, then your pre-health advisor doesn't matter really, as far as a letter goes. Just work on getting to know professors/research/bosses/dentists to get solid letters. Good luck!

 

[ChubbyBaby]

Suggestions from anyone out there?

I don't know if my college had a pre-health committee, and I never even checked. Why add administrators/bureaucrats to the process if you don't have to? Use this as an excuse to not involve yourself with these bozos. Apply, and get your letters of rec. from professors directly. I did this and got interviews at every school I applied to, and got accepted to every school I interviewed at.

 

[Stoshdawg]

Apparently at my target d school a LOR from my prehealth advisor is required. (If someone's school doesn't have that program, it's not... but, if they do, it is).

So, I guess I will make nice and tread lightly around her to get the job done.

And I'll keep working on the AED part.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[UltimateHombre]

seems like you found out what most people eventually find out:
pre-health advisors know nothing! /gratz

Haha... so true! I had a friend who went to a pre-health advisor, she told him that he had no shot a d-school and to go for physical therapy instead. He just got up and left and never went back. He ended up with a 22 DAT and was accepted to like 5 schools.

Screw pre-health advisors... SDN is all you need!

 

[angelnyc89]

Can you change your pre-health advisor? They have pre-health advisors at my school, but I have never seen them; they are useless and their the professors who suck at teaching.

 

[Blarelli]

I found that my prehealth adviser was pretty similar. She wasn't very encouraging, and kinda painted a bleak picture. However, I understand where she is coming from. I don't come across as a very intelligent person most of the time 🙄 so she was probably just encouraging me to more realistic about my career expectations.
I started thinking I would be better off just doing everything by myself but once I started on my application she became very helpful. It's true that she didn't know as much as I did about the entire application process, but she knew infinite amounts more than I did about writing a personal statement so in the end she was worth the time and criticism.

 

[iamjackbauer]

Haha... so true! I had a friend who went to a pre-health advisor, she told him that he had no shot a d-school and to go for physical therapy instead. He just got up and left and never went back. He ended up with a 22 DAT and was accepted to like 5 schools.

Screw pre-health advisors... SDN is all you need!

Your friend sounds gay

 

[doc toothache]

Thanks for the responses. I think it sounds like I need to stop putting so much weight into what she says, continue trying to get into AED (even though it's probably not that big of a deal).
I want to get into the Dental School in the same institution where I am doing my undergrad prereqs at now. So, unfortunately, my prehealth advisor knows all of the admin committee heads (b/c she coordinates talks and meetings with them). I'm not sure how close they are but I don't want this woman to totally hate me.

Or it could be that she knows a thing or two but no one is listening.

 

[dentalWorks]

So, I've had several issues with my pre-health advisor and I just don't understand why. I've been polite, punctual and prepared for all of our meetings so I don't understand where this is coming from.

A couple of questions and then the story:

1. How important is this lady in my application process? Doesn't she write an LOR? I feel like she's constantly trying to tear me down instead of help so I'm scared what kind of a letter she would write!

2. Help with this AED situation:

I'm a post bac taking the prerequisites required to apply to dental school.
I've recently turned in my application to be an AED (pre-health honor society) member.

My pre-health advisor received the application and told me that I couldn't be in the organization b/c I was a post bac. I contacted national AED and they said I could indeed be a member. When I told her this fact she just drummed up another reason: that my science gpa was too low.

Again, I contact AED to see how they calculate the science GPA they get a 4.0. She is calculating it to get a 3.0. (Minimum is a 3.2). Basically they are in a disagreement about which classes are counted. I told her yesterday that they calculate it differently and she simply disagrees. (Um... how can you disagree with the society about the society's rules?)

So now what do I do? This is getting silly and it seems like constantly telling this pre-health advisor that she's doing her job wrong is bad for my LOR. She is the only pre-health advisor at my school.

Suggestions from anyone out there?

Just as a quick aside: She's also told me in the past that I had to take a remedial math class (since I hadn't taken any math) which simply wasn't true. Taking that class would have meant it would have taken 3 years for prereqs instead of 2 years. Gee thanks! Great advising right?!

Also, she told me that I shouldn't take my DAT until August to apply early. I might be wrong about this one but I thought everything needed to be in around the end of June to be considered an early applicant?

Thanks for any help out there!

Dear Stoshdawg,

Congratulations, we here at SDN, are proud to have members come to the realization that majority, if not all, of pre-med/pre-dental undergrad advisers are complete and utter *****s.

Please, take the time and give you self a standing ovation, you are now one step closer to fulfilling your goal of becoming a dentist. And to answer some of your questions / concerns:

for 1.) She is NOT important at all. Regarding the LOR, you can either obtain them individually from your professors and store each one individually in interfolio.com (this is what I did). If you want to go with the committee option, thats also viable, but I think the way this works is you still have to obtain individual LORs from each professor, you give it to the committee and they compile one big collective LOR.

for 2.) I don't know anything about this AED. But I am pretty sure that its got nothing to do with making you more competitive. The best way to make yourself competitive is by acing your classes right now as a post-bacc.

As far as taking the DAT in august, this will NOT make you an early applicant. Let me explain, you take the DAT in august, but your DAT scores don't get received by AADSAS till about 4 weeks later. This means your application won't be ready till September, thats not early. You want to have everything in by June / early July.

I highly advice you NOT to ask this lady for a LOR, she doesn't seem like she thinks much of you.... why ask her for a LOR? Just ask your individual professors for LOR, this IMO is your best option.

Sincerely,

DWs



P.S your adviser is a *****

 

[lnngu]

Dear Stoshdawg,

Congratulations, we here at SDN, are proud to have members come to the realization that majority, if not all, of pre-med/pre-dental undergrad advisers are complete and utter *****s.

Please, take the time and give you self a standing ovation, you are now one step closer to fulfilling your goal of becoming a dentist. And to answer some of your questions / concerns:

for 1.) She is NOT important at all. Regarding the LOR, you can either obtain them individually from your professors and store each one individually in interfolio.com (this is what I did). If you want to go with the committee option, thats also viable, but I think the way this works is you still have to obtain individual LORs from each professor, you give it to the committee and they compile one big collective LOR.

for 2.) I don't know anything about this AED. But I am pretty sure that its got nothing to do with making you more competitive. The best way to make yourself competitive is by acing your classes right now as a post-bacc.

As far as taking the DAT in august, this will NOT make you an early applicant. Let me explain, you take the DAT in august, but your DAT scores don't get received by AADSAS till about 4 weeks later. This means your application won't be ready till September, thats not early. You want to have everything in by June / early July.

I highly advice you NOT to ask this lady for a LOR, she doesn't seem like she thinks much of you.... why ask her for a LOR? Just ask your individual professors for LOR, this IMO is your best option.

Sincerely,

DWs



P.S your adviser is a *****

I generally respect your posts, DWs, but your personal vendetta against advisors is ridiculous.

I, for one, found my advisors to be pretty damn good. To be honest, I can imagine what they face just reading these forums. Everyone goes to them wanting to go into medicine/dentistry. Every mediocre student claims he'll magically turn on the switch, turn his life around. The truth is that few will.

Personally, I would much prefer to tell someone how hard it will be and err on the side of caution than to build up false hope and see them flame out over and over. Admissions into d-school is already hard enough even with a good application, and the idea is to get in, not luck into a spot. Just because someone is fortunate enough to beat the odds once in while doesn't mean that it's a good idea for people to dump their savings in Vegas.

Also, while I do not wish to hate on the OP, there is something that doesn't ring right in this story. There's a world of difference being a 3.0 and a 4.0. Using some loophole might get him into the AED (whatever that is), but will that really make a difference in the long run?

 

[dentalWorks]

I generally respect your posts, DWs, but your personal vendetta against advisors is ridiculous.

I, for one, found my advisors to be pretty damn good. To be honest, I can imagine what they face just reading these forums. Every one go to them wanting to go into medicine/dentistry. Everyone mediocre student claims he'll magically turn on the switch, turn his life around. The truth is that few will.

Personally, I would much prefer to tell someone how hard it will be and err on the side of caution than to build up false hope and see them flame out over and over. Admissions into d-school is already hard enough even with a good application, and the idea is to get in, not luck into a spot. Just because someone is fortunate enough to beat the odds once in while doesn't mean that it's a good idea for people to dump their savings in Vegas.

Also, while I do not wish to hate on the OP, there is something that doesn't ring right in this story. There's a world of difference being a 3.0 and a 4.0. Using some loophole might get him into the AED (whatever that is), but will that really make a difference in the long run?

Im glad you've found someone thats worthy of the title "adviser". There is a reason why I always use terms like "Majority" or "most" because ur right, not everyone of them is clueless. But trust me when I tell you this, if you take 100 undergrad advisers, I am willing to bet, 80 of them don't know anything. They give you advice based on what "they've heard" instead of actually what goes on.

I agree that giving people false hopes is in no way productive. But there is a clear difference between hopeless and putting hopes down. I have heard horror stories of these so-called advisers telling pre-meds (friends, cousins, current med students, even some SDN-ers who PM me about this very thing) that they stand no chance of ever making it because of 1 bad grade in an important pre-req (orgo). And there are plenty more stories like this one.

I don't like to use myself as an example, but its something to consider. Had I listen to the pre-med advisers back in 2006, I woulda never started my post-bacc route, they looked at my papers and said "nope, not gonna happen for you".... Looking back at it today, Im glad I gave myself hope, because it sure as hell wasn't gonna come from them. Now I will be fair and say that my situation was.... difficult: low GPA, none of the pre-reqs whatsoever, working full time during the day, and worst of all, had bad studying habits.......HOWEVER they had no right to put me down. Its not like they came out and said "well its going to be very hard for you, but not impossible".... NO...... they flat out suggested to look else where cause no matter what I do, it wasn't gonna make a difference.

So, to conclude, if/when I see posts about undergrad advisers giving "advice" that generally sounds like putting students hopes down, I am going to be sure to speak my mind..... I pity the thousands of folks out there (even non-trads) who don't know much about SDN, these poor guys probably relay on their undergrad advisers for "help".

 

[longhornpride]

It really honestly depends. I'd say... 75% of the advisors out there don't know jack ****. Most of my bio advisors at UT's school of natural sciences had no idea what classes were required. Thank God UT has a pre-health office... where they were on top of their ****. They had info sessions for pre-vet, pre-dent, pre-med... with timelines, packets, and tips full of information to make you a better applicant. They also did amazing mock interviews, made submitting LORs very easy, made committee packets with your LORs, and prepared you very well if you took advantage of their resources. They would also bring in students from the previous cycles who had been accepted for Q&A sessions.