How important are the recommended courses?

[wwuviking]

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Hey guys,

Like many before me, I'm a late starter (23, so not super late) who has a few questions about the prerequisites to D School. I have a book with each of the schools requirements, and see that they all require the Basic Pre-Dental Science course, (Chem, Ochem, Bio, and Physics I believe are all of the basic science courses) I also find that many of the schools I am interested in recommend biochem, anatomy, histology, and a number of other advanced science courses. How important is it to meet these recommendations if you are a student who is going back to school, and already have a B.A.?

Should I just take the core courses, or should I add biochem among others to my resume?

Thanks

 

[b4ways]

Take all the recommended courses you can. You will be going up against people with much more depth on their application than you if you don't. For instance say you take only the required prereqs and get an A in all of them. You still have only a few classes for a dental school to compare you to a student with many upper level science classes.

I am 30 and just got into dental school in Feb at my in state school. I spent two years taking all the courses I could. This was the advice I was given by the Dean of Admissions at VCU. I advise you to call the admissions office at your state school and set up an appointment with the Dean of Admissions. The Dean of Admissions sat down with me for an hour and told me everything I have to do to get into school and his reasoning behind every move I should make.

It also would not hurt to start practicing the PAT now. Get Crack PAT, not Crack DAT it is worthless.

 

[adizzle87]

A majority of dental students majored in Biology. Its the norm for a competitive applicant to have completed 4 or more of the recommended courses. It also depends on how well you do on your DAT, particularly the sciences. If you do well, you might be able to get away with taking as little as 2 electives and still get interviews.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I would take Biochem at the least, and Physiology will help you for the DAT.

Histology and Gross Anatomy will help you during your first year of dental school.

Also check which classes schools recommend, and which classes schools require. For example, Ohio State and Howard require Anatomy, it is not a recommendation.. A lot of schools require Biochem as well.