How Long Do I Keep On Trying???

[Eris]

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How long should one keep trying until they should come to the conclusion that maybe they arent meant for a certain profession or that a certain subject just isnt their forte??

I failed general chemistry last semester...this semester im retaking it plus taking 2 biology courses and a math class i dont need but just takin in order to take physics (i MAY very well fail these classes or get D's in them)

i realize that many people have had not so great g.p.a.'s and have gotten into dental school. I also know many of you guys have repeated courses maybe even more than once in a particular subject. But, I dont know how long i should keep pn trying b/c I DONT want to set myself up for failure. I am worried that if i cant handle general science classes..how am i going to handle more advanced one's?

my undergrad freshman yr i maintained almost a 4.0 gpa now i am a sophomore . ...but ever since these science classes I have been below 3.0
i am getting great grades in the classes pertaining to my major...just not in the science classes


....I dont want to be a person who gives up....but how long do I keep on trying???

i dont plan on applyin to dental school right away..I WILL take a break a try to get a job pertaining to my major degree (non-science degree). Should I just finish dental pre-reqs AFTER i graduate when i am ready to apply to dental school? The downside of that is having to pay more $$$ plus if im in school now why not just get the classes over with? The upside is that maybe since i'll be older and already a college graduate i can be more focused specifically on those pre dental classes instead of other non science classes...



Plz help...I have the heart but maybe not the smarts...i guess....😕

I would appreciate any advice!!

 

[messenger]

do you know why you arent doing well in science? do you even enjoy it?

maybe thats why you are doing so well in your major's curriculum, but not in the sciences.

youre right, if you cant handle this "load" , seemingly wont be able to handle the rigors of d school classes.

i would re-evaluate my studying habits if you really want this. but i dont know you; just my advice.

 

[Eris]

do you know why you arent doing well in science? do you even enjoy it?

maybe thats why you are doing so well in your major's curriculum, but not in the sciences.

youre right, if you cant handle this "load" , seemingly wont be able to handle the rigors of d school classes.

i would re-evaluate my studying habits if you really want this. but i dont know you; just my advice.

Honestly, I DONT enjoy science classes. BUT I genuinly want to get into dentistry. I like the clinical and technical part of being a dentist. I think I would be great at that, you know working with the patients. But, I am just not a science person. I am trying to do better with my study habits...problem is not understanding concepts...but being able to remember everything b/c anything goes on a test.... Sometimes wont i figure is gonna be important info is not...and what i think will be important isnt...i mean i have talked to my teachers and they say that i have have to know everything and prepare for anything on a test.

I genuinelly like dentistry...but i cant stand science (b/c i am not good at it and failing!!)....i just dont want to feel like i am giving up.... ughhh decisions decisions!!🙁

 

[dmd2011]

Honestly, I DONT enjoy science classes. BUT I genuinly want to get into dentistry.

you do realize for the first year or two of dental school, you take mostly science classes?

 

[Eris]

you do realize for the first year or two of dental school, you take mostly science classes?

..... 🙁 yea i do...

thats why im always tryna find out on schools most clinical ( i know u still have to take lots of science classes even in the very clinical schools)...


but i guess i'm just tryin to figure out whether its too early to give up?? shud i keep trying?


or wait until i'm somwhat ready to apply to dental school to finish pre-req requirements (like 2-3 yr AFTER i graduate)

 

[dmd2011]

thats why im always tryna find out on schools most clinical ( i know u still have to take lots of science classes even in the very clinical schools)...but i guess i'm just tryin to figure out whether its too early to give up?? shud i keep trying?

only you can answer that question. you need to figure out if you really want to be a dentist or not. it doesnt matter whether you go to a "clinical" or more "didactic" school, you will still take many science classes.

 

[hotrod0917]

you know, figuring out better study habits, trouble shooting what parts you lack and getting help from profs and TA will help your grade to improve and show you that you CAN do well in sciences. Then you'll enjoy science more.
But even with all that, if you flat out don't care how a person's body works, then that's a problem.
So don't give up yet, but also remember that dentistry is science as well as an art form, and realize that you have to like it enough to do it for the rest of your life;all aspects of it.🙂

 

[SugarNaCl]

You can do this if you truly want it. It maybe doesn't come naturally to you, but if you work hard, you would probably be alright. The problem is that science is dentistry and dentistry is science...as much as traditional medicine is. Dentists have to know about how sulfuric and phosphoric acid will react with teeth and gums for instance, and anatomy/physiology of not only the head an neck region but also others. There are times that patients will be on a certain medication, or will have certain medical conditions where if you treat them improperly, they will end up in the hospital...and at times even worse. Not that this is the norm, but if it happens, you have to be ready for it. Some patients may be on anticoagulants, some may have high blood pressure, some may be allergic to pain meds you prescribe them. You have to know how all these things interact and that is science. I can't tell you the number of times the dentist I observed had patients come in and say "just pull the tooth out...it is causing SOOO much pain." He tapped on the tooth and the one next to it...and the one next to that and each time,the patient screamed out in pain. Know what it was most of the time? Sinus infection. There is so much science in dentistry you really have to love it! Just a heads up 😉 Good luck to you.

 

[lgwdnbdgr]

You are definitely correct that graduate level sciences classes are a lot harder than undergrad. I would echo the comments of other posters -- if you genuinely want to be a dentist, you HAVE to figure out why you are having trouble with these science classes.

For me, I need to relate the information to something important in order to memorize things. So, I look for ways to explain to myself all the terms and whatnot. This way, I'm not REALLY memorizing much; I'm learning concepts and then applying them in a way that lets me figure out whatever fact I need. You might want to try that and see if it works for you. I suspect it will have the added benefit of making the science a lot more fun.

I think you are doing the right thing, though, by asking a lot of people for advice. We all learn slightly differently, but if you can get lots of ideas from lots of different people, you'll be much more likely to create a study strategy that will be effective for your particular learning style.

 

[hafido]

It really comes down to your study habits and finding out what works best for you in science courses. Maybe it takes lots of repitition, or less procrastination to familiarize yourself with the materials early on. I would venture to guess that you probably do well cramming for your other non-science classes right? If so, don't do that for your science courses! Thoses courses require a lot more time, energy and overall processing than most other non-science classes. It all comes down to finding out how you learn best and sticking to regimines.

 

[diane07]

If you get D's or fail your science undergrad classes . . . admissions committees will be inclined to think that you won't be able to handle the sciences in dental school. And dental school sciences are very rigorous and you have a much heavier course load than in undergrad.

See how you do in your upcoming sciences, and then evaluate how you feel about it all.

 

[Nasem]

There are a few things I want to tell you...

Its all about how bad you REALLY want it.... If you want dentistry REAL bad, then you suffer and suffer and suffer some more by droping 3-4 hrs a day (studying your but off)..... yes, I said a day..... for a simple course like general chemistry and General II. Work out problems 1 by 1 and DON'T LOOK UP the answers when you dont' know how to solve a problem, look at your notes first, try to squeze your thoughts together.

Heres something I do to underestand the concepts of classes like general chemistry,
1) I read the entire chapter, outline, and work the examples the text gives BEFORE the lecture of that specific chapter.... If you don't underestand the concept your reading, read it again, and again, and again UNTIL you underestand it, if you still don't underestand it, work out the examples in the book and see if it starts to sink in.

2) problems problems problems, work out as many problems as you can... It really starts to develope your chemistry I.Q

3) Treat the subject like its a "fun" science to learn, if you start off with an attitude like "oh I hate this but I have to do it" you will fail, you'll get bored really fast and not even study for 30 minutes..... Enjoy the subject

 

[Eris]

hey guys i wanted to come back to this thread and THANK YOU.....im late in responding....but i had read the advice and the time it was the week of registration so my mind was going through tough decisions.....but ultimately...i chose to register for pre-dental courses again next semester...so i am going to give it another shot!!

a lot of ya'll advice made lots of sense....i think i need better study habits and have GOT to get to REALLY know my teachers better (i mean they know me..but they can know me better)....plus i would agree that its better to try to understand something then just memorizing it then it wouldnt seem so hard and i know that if i understood something i would like it...and enjoy it too...

This summer I got accepted to SMDEP (i am suprised) hopefully after I do this program itll really give me an idea if i should continue to taking pre-dental classes....if i dont do well...i might hold off pre-dental courses until after i graduate....hopefully i wont fail the sciences classes this semester b/c then i wont proceed as a junior and that would suck....and perhaps mean I MIGHT give up the great opportunity of SMDEP for summer school.....

but anywayz THANK YOU SO MUCH...you all really helped and seeing all the replies ...i realllllyyyy appreciated it.

 

[t man]

I think as long as you genuinely want to be a dentist, you should keep trying until YOU recognize you're a failure. Know what I mean?😉

Didn't know about your story before, but glad to hear your still trying. It sounds like you have a plan to make things better, and you need to have that proactive mentality to make it. Good luck.

 

[dentalman]

Let's give you an example of what I did. (Other people may be able to get away with less, but you are definitely not one of them, because I am a "science person").

For my upper level science classes, they were all video taped since I went to a large university. Instead of going to class, I would watch all the weeks' videos at the end of the week, and pause it to take notes, or rewind anything I missed. I would make sure to understand every question on the homework. For big, complicated things like biochemistry, I would practice drawing the structures over and over until I was sure I could do it on a blank piece of papers ... just like you would need to do on the test day. That way, they could ask me anything about them, because I knew everything. Then, a few nights before an exam or final, I would spend 10-20 hours watching every single lecture video (All Saturday, all Sunday) that was on that exam so that everything was fresh in my mind. The professors say that everything is fair game, so the only way to get a top score is to know everything.

This sounds excessive, but I bet it is more than 99% of what other students did, and my grades reflected that. I didn't get a 4.0 everytime, but a 3.7 in a top level science class is still pretty good.

Now, not everyone has to do this everytime to get a good grade, but they either have better memories, or put in extra effort in their own way. If you want to cover all of your bases, you have to put in the effort. You may need to record the lectures on a digital voice recorder yourself, or just make sure you take perfect notes.

If you want to keep failing though, keep trying it the same way. Good luck.

 

[aggie-master]

I think that next semester (and really starting NOW) you should take the advice of the other posters on this thread about putting in a lot more effort than you are putting now.

Then, if giving 100% effort next semester still results in poor grades, you can figure out if you're not dental school material.

 

[mantraman1010]

never 2 late 😉

 

[IcemanDDS]

Its never too late, but to make a change you have to realize what the weak link is. You cant just read notes and the book over and over while daydreaming and wonder why you cant remember anything. I'll tell you, QUALITY studying is what its all about. You have to FOCUS and IMMERSE yourself in the material to really learn it. Sure you can study for 20-40 hrs for an exam, but if its 20 hrs of sitting in front of the tv with notes then you're wasting time. Make good use of your time and make sure that study time is QUALITY. I make sure I study in a good environment and stay 100% focused, and actually end up spending much less time studying than others. But ultimately, u have to find out what works for you.👍

 

[PChemGrad]

You can alway apply for this program at UC Davis in Brewing
http://extension.ucdavis.edu/unit/brewing/

It would give you some hands on science and I am sure you would become popular with the faculty at D-school.

But apply as long as you feel you still have a chance to get in, maybe take a year off and strengthen you application and not submit the same thing over and over, with only minor gains. You are never too old to go to d-school.

 

[reapply2007]

Maybe you should take some time off from school, spend some time with a charitable organization, and come back at you courses with renewed focus. Going to school for 12 years to finish high school, followed with undergrad and d-school will really pile on academic experience. Experience life a little bit more before you start losing sleep on undergrad prereqs.