How Would This Look To Adcoms?

[Skyrising]

- Community College: 60 credits (A.S.) completed (The only dental pre-reqs taken here are 2 English Composition courses)
- 4 Year University: Business Major with dental pre-reqs (Bio, Chem, Orgo, Physics)

Assume that the oGPA, sGPA, and DAT are decently competitive (3.5 gpa and 20 AA).

I'm worried that dental schools will look down on my time spent at community college. I was an academic failure in high school (2.3 gpa) and my family is poor so I didn't bother applying to a 4 year university. I went to community college and worked my butt off instead. I currently have a 3.8 gpa and will graduate from my CC in one semester. I've always been interested in Business so I will major in that but my ultimate goal is to become a dentist and eventually run my own practice. Will doing well in the pre-req courses (Bio, Chem, Orgo, Physics) at the 4 year university be enough to prove to Adcoms that I can handle dental school? I'm worried that they won't care and will automatically dismiss me due to my 60 credits/A.S. done at community college and lack of upper level science courses (Anatomy, Genetics, Physiology, etc).

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[pinetree305]

I didn't spend 2 yrs at CC but I took Eng from them. As long as your GPA, DAT, your upper level science classes, and your personal statement is OK, you will be fine

 

[Skyrising]

How important are upper level science classes to dental schools in general? I will do the pre-reqs of course but I'm trying to keep my post-academic debt as low as possible, as my family can't financially support my education. I know classes like Anatomy, Physiology, etc are useful to take as you'll have to take them in dental school but are they a deal breaker for Adcoms if you don't take them in undergrad? Has anyone been accepted into dental school with only taking the pre-reqs (1 semester of Bio, Chem, Orgo, and Physics)?

 

[hellofuturedentists]

How important are upper level science classes to dental schools in general? I will do the pre-reqs of course but I'm trying to keep my post-academic debt as low as possible, as my family can't financially support my education. I know classes like Anatomy, Physiology, etc are useful to take as you'll have to take them in dental school but are they a deal breaker for Adcoms if you don't take them in undergrad? Has anyone been accepted into dental school with only taking the pre-reqs (1 semester of Bio, Chem, Orgo, and Physics)?

Most schools also include biochemistry as a pre-req now. Many want microbiology and physiology as well. Definitely check into the requirements of some the specific schools you think you might want to apply to.

 

[Flower_Child]

Following

 

[ajj70]

http://www.brynmawr.edu/healthpro/documents/DentalSchool_Addional_Requirements2015.pdf

Work these classes into your schedule so you don't inadvertently eliminate a potential school by not having all the pre-reqs. If you haven't done so already, look around to other colleges where you could get financial aid. If your family is that poor, you shouldn't have to pay much, if anything for undergrad. Your time at the CC will not be an issue but if you don't take anatomy, biochem, etc., that will hurt you. Can you switch to be a bio major or something so you can get the courswork in? If your plan is a business major to help run your practice, you will forget most of it by the time you open your practice so right now you are better off taking a major to get into dental school. Take that extra spring semester if you have to.

Also, your work ethic in CC should be worked into your PS when the time comes. Going from a 2.3 to almost a 4.0, if you can sustain that or close to that in the 4 year college will be very interesting to the adcomms.

 

[Skyrising]

http://www.brynmawr.edu/healthpro/documents/DentalSchool_Addional_Requirements2015.pdf

Work these classes into your schedule so you don't inadvertently eliminate a potential school by not having all the pre-reqs. If you haven't done so already, look around to other colleges where you could get financial aid. If your family is that poor, you shouldn't have to pay much, if anything for undergrad. Your time at the CC will not be an issue but if you don't take anatomy, biochem, etc., that will hurt you. Can you switch to be a bio major or something so you can get the courswork in? If your plan is a business major to help run your practice, you will forget most of it by the time you open your practice so right now you are better off taking a major to get into dental school. Take that extra spring semester if you have to.

Also, your work ethic in CC should be worked into your PS when the time comes. Going from a 2.3 to almost a 4.0, if you can sustain that or close to that in the 4 year college will be very interesting to the adcomms.

Wow I didn't realize so many dental schools had additional course requirements, thank you. I've always had an interest in business/entrepreneurship and I thought it would help me run my future dental office. It does look like I might as well major in Biology though, if I have to take all those extra courses. I can't take an extra spring semester at CC because I thought the CC credits cutoff for most dental schools is 60 credits.

 

[ajj70]

Wow I didn't realize so many dental schools had additional course requirements, thank you. I've always had an interest in business/entrepreneurship and I thought it would help me run my future dental office. It does look like I might as well major in Biology though, if I have to take all those extra courses. I can't take an extra spring semester at CC because I thought the CC credits cutoff for most dental schools is 60 credits.

Before your edit you said you were going to graduate in Dec. I assumed you meant from your 4 year school and that was the extra semester I was talking about.