If you were me... What would you do?

[Dasani335mL]

I've looked around a bit and found out that where you go to undergrad matters and you need bachelors in most cases to get in to dental school.

I am 22 year old in the Navy, I have never thought of trying to become a dentist, but I have been working in Dental clinic with more than 50 dentists and saw many cases which made me to think about maybe becoming one ( i am a dental assistant currently).

I am about to receive my Associates in science for business administration from Columbia college, so other than english I do not have any pre reqs.

People who are pursuing same dream are going to other community college to get pre-dental courses done, and I was thinking about doing it beginning next semister so I looked around and saw many posts saying that community college GPAs arnt really good as Universities (I understand Universities are harder than community colleges)

So my question is, should I just go to community college and study real hard for DAT? or try for University that is about 2 hours away (since I cannot leave my duty station Ill have to travel every other day)
Do you guys think it will be worth it to travel ? I might miss some classes because I might have duty on some days, if univerisites are hard, am I going to be able to keep up ?

What is my best option? I am not trying to go into dental school tomorrow, so I dont mind studying for extra couple of years but what is important is because of me being in a military I will deploy and change duty stations so I wont be able to stay with one university or college the whole time.

I have 3.9 GPA with about 60 credit hours ( only gotten B in 2 classes and others all A) also with 83 credit hours that was given to me by military training such as Hospital Corpsman school, Dental assistant school, Forensic dentistry training (to validate dead combatants on battlefield), etc...
So in my degree audit it shows I have 143 credit hours, if I go to predental I assume it would be another 50 or so.. thats about 190 with no bachelors... ? weird? I think so too.
I have been volunteering a lot for years and have a decent yearly military evaluations.


Any one else went through pre-dental while in military? I just went on rambling because I am kind of lost... I am seeing my advisor tomorrow I dont know how much it will help/
What do you think I should do ? Is going to community college going to weigh me down that much although it is really hard for me to goto university?
Also how much does being in a military in a dental field weigh? teaching kids on dental health months? and being able to fix dental equipements?

sigh I have written alot, thanks for reading any answers are appriciated.

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[Osity]

It does NOT matter where you go to your undergrad, as long at it's a four-year school. I am at a really small school and it has not been a problem at all.

Many schools don't like community college credit for prerequisite classes because they are easier at the CC level, but for your situation, you should probably contact some dental schools that you are interested in and ask they admissions office.

 

[DomzWRX]

It does NOT matter where you go to your undergrad, as long at it's a four-year school. I am at a really small school and it has not been a problem at all.

Many schools don't like community college credit for prerequisite classes because they are easier at the CC level, but for your situation, you should probably contact some dental schools that you are interested in and ask they admissions office.

Everything he just said. To reiterate, it does matter where you went to for undergrad.

 

[MechZZ]

Everything he just said. To reiterate, it does matter where you went to for undergrad.

lol did you read his post?

 

[angelnyc89]

It doesn't matter where you go for undergrad, but a few DS require all pre-reqs to be from a 4yr college/university. I think you should take your classes at a CC. I didn't take my pre-reqs at a CC but I did get my AA from one. I think when you apply and if your GPA is good, if you do well on your DAT DS will see your effort while working full time for the military and being a full time student (assuming). DS take everything into consideration, not just your stats, but your experience, personality, and you. Good Luck!

 

[Kahr]

You sound like you are fabulously setup as an applicant so far, your experiences in the Navy and the job you performed will both be assets. At this point, it sounds like you will have to wait to get out of the Navy or be stationed somewhere where you can finish your BA/BS. So for now, getting those pre-reqs done would probably be your best bet, they'll also help you prepare for the DAT (having pre-reqs and the DAT knocked out will make finishing your BA/BS seem like a piece of cake last hurdle to getting into dental school).

The whole community college issue isn't very widespread, so I wouldn't worry about it unless you have some very specific schools you want to apply to (i.e. check to see if those schools don't accept CC credits, etc). When I was in the AF, we had fairly easy access to University education (mostly with the University of Maryland), I'm sorry to hear you're so isolated from that option. I myself took 3 of my pre-req classes at a CC, as well as other recommended science courses. As long as you do fairly well on the DAT, I doubt many people will even give your CC coursework a second glance. If it comes up during interviews, you simply explain your current situation, they can't fault you there (and if you're at that stage in the game, I doubt they really care). And I sure as hell don't need to bring up the numerous examples of SDN members who took plenty of pre-reqs at a CC and are now accepted or in dental school.

All the best with your future, if you're interested at all in chatting about the HPSP, or other military related dental issues, bring it over to the military dentistry forum, we're a bit higher class than most of these pre-dental forum-goers.

 

[kdentg]

Hey, it sounds like you would be a stellar applicant. That shows dedication that you will be going to school and working full time in the military as well. You can tell them in your personal statement and in your interview why you had to go to a community college and not a university. Getting an "A" at a community college is better than getting a "B" or "C" at a university. And you'll probably be missing class if you went to a university as well and that won't help your grades. But with that being said, an "A" at a university is better than an "A" at a community college. But you have a lot more in your application to make up for it.

And you do NOT need a Bachelor's degree. Two of the three schools I was accepted to this year accepted me without getting a degree. Now I am going to get a degree but I had applied with the intentions of not getting one. I just took 21 credits and I'm going to transfer credits back from dental school to get it.

But my recommendation is you'll have to decide whether you wanna do the CC or university. Either way you will be good. Get your pre-reqs and apply!

Good luck.

 

[gsxra4b6]

@ dansani335, where are you stationed at? if it is san diego, note that you will not be able to attend a 4 yr college since they dont offer classes in the evening and also having duty would limit you or interupt. It is good that you decided to seek the dental school path and kept your gpa high so early. i am in the same situation as you, i choosed to complete my bachelor from the college on base and then i started on my pre-regs at the community college. i will be applying next year.

here is list of dental school that dont restrict cc credits.

USC
UNC
WESTERN
SIU
UIC
LSU
NYU
MUSC
MEH
CUL
ECUU
ABUB
Casewestern
Louisville
Columbia
Creighton
Iowa
UconnUK & UMDNJ

im sure being in the military and also working as a dental assistant will help your package.

I volunteered to get deploy a few years back. doing dentistry in iraq (definitately helps your package to stick out from the rest of the applicants since no other applicants have that option)

I also challenge the state board and obtain my Registered Dental Assistant license. Since i am taking my pre-regs at CC i decided to start a master program on base.

since you are in and have a few years on your contract, try to finish your bachelor on base in whatever since it doesnt matter for dental school


if you really want to go to a 4 yr college, if i was you i would get out of the military, make sure you time your EOAS and apply to that 4yr college a year before that way you can start as soon as you get out.

 

[glo1984]

It doesn't matter where you go for undergrad, but a few DS require all pre-reqs to be from a 4yr college/university. I think you should take your classes at a CC. I didn't take my pre-reqs at a CC but I did get my AA from one. I think when you apply and if your GPA is good, if you do well on your DAT DS will see your effort while working full time for the military and being a full time student (assuming). DS take everything into consideration, not just your stats, but your experience, personality, and you. Good Luck!

Pure logistics might say that only some schools don't like CC credit, but it is too competitive these days to try to gain acceptance with a lot of your science credits at CC. If you only want to take a few prereqs, then fine. But also be aware that many 4yrs won't accept your community college credit towards like their bio degree therefore you would either have to retake all these sciences or you'd have to settle for a different degree with only prereqs.

If anyone sits there and says just apply to the schools that allow CC credits, they are delusional. Those schools might say they accept them but they will see them as different; exceptions are exceptions. Just because you want a cheaper solution and/or easier time, don't set your application up for questions. You will be making the road to matriculation much more difficult if you take all your prereqs at a CC. That has to be the worst advice I've ever heard.

 

[glo1984]

@ dansani335, where are you stationed at? if it is san diego, note that you will not be able to attend a 4 yr college since they dont offer classes in the evening and also having duty would limit you or interupt. It is good that you decided to seek the dental school path and kept your gpa high so early. i am in the same situation as you, i choosed to complete my bachelor from the college on base and then i started on my pre-regs at the community college. i will be applying next year.

here is list of dental school that dont restrict cc credits.

USC
UNC
WESTERN
SIU
UIC
LSU
NYU
MUSC
MEH
CUL
ECUU
ABUB
Casewestern
Louisville
Columbia
Creighton
Iowa
UconnUK & UMDNJ

im sure being in the military and also working as a dental assistant will help your package.

I volunteered to get deploy a few years back. doing dentistry in iraq (definitately helps your package to stick out from the rest of the applicants since no other applicants have that option)

I also challenge the state board and obtain my Registered Dental Assistant license. Since i am taking my pre-regs at CC i decided to start a master program on base.

since you are in and have a few years on your contract, try to finish your bachelor on base in whatever since it doesnt matter for dental school


if you really want to go to a 4 yr college, if i was you i would get out of the military, make sure you time your EOAS and apply to that 4yr college a year before that way you can start as soon as you get out.

If all your prereqs are from a CC, you most likely won't gain acceptance to Columbia and a few others off that list. The stats are NOT in your favor.

 

[gsxra4b6]

@ glo1984, if you dont mind explaining why most likely he wont be accepted into columbia U... and also which are the other schools you thing off that list he wont get accepted to and why?

 

[glo1984]

@ glo1984, if you dont mind explaining why most likely he wont be accepted into columbia U... and also which are the other schools you thing off that list he wont get accepted to and why?

Because the people that get accepted to Columbia are ideal candidates. Ideal candidates don't have ALL their prereqs from a CC.

 

[SN1]

Because the people that get accepted to Columbia are ideal candidates. Ideal candidates don't have ALL their prereqs from a CC.

What if an applicant went to cc and got a 23 AA vs someone who went to a 4 year uni and got a 19-20 AA?

 

[glo1984]

An exception is only an exception. The DAT is only one exam, someone can study their butt off and score well without being dramatically smart or prepared for DS. Schools are looking for individuals that have taken upper division credits while achieving high grades at a 4yr.

Since you think exceptions should be viewed as commonplace, I doubt anyone at Columbia took all their prereqs at a CC. During my interview at Columbia they actually went through my transcript and acknowledged that I didn't waste my time at a CC; take it how you want.

 

[gsxra4b6]

@glo1984, thanks for that information, i will take your word for it, that list i provided earlier was as per the individual den-sch website it did not state anything about cc credits. but you are right.

i did contact the admission office of the school that i want to go to and they confirm that they will accept my credits from CC.

you said columbia most likey will not, what other school from your experience you think would not?

 

[glo1984]

@glo1984, thanks for that information, i will take your word for it, that list i provided earlier was as per the individual den-sch website it did not state anything about cc credits. but you are right.

i did contact the admission office of the school that i want to go to and they confirm that they will accept my credits from CC.

you said columbia most likey will not, what other school from your experience you think would not?

It's not that they won't accept CC credits but given the competitive level of many programs these days, would you want to go up against someone with similar scores minus the CC credit? If you want to be at a disadvantage, go ahead and take ALL your prereqs at CC.

 

[SN1]

It's not that they won't accept CC credits but given the competitive level of many programs these days, would you want to go up against someone with similar scores minus the CC credit? If you want to be at a disadvantage, go ahead and take ALL your prereqs at CC.

I am taking all of my prerequisites at a CC (brookdale, best in NJ) and planning on transferring to rutgers to take some upper level courses as well as my bachelor's. Do I still got a chance?

 

[glo1984]

I am taking all of my prerequisites at a CC (brookdale, best in NJ) and planning on transferring to rutgers to take some upper level courses as well as my bachelor's. Do I still got a chance?

Of course you have a chance. If you do everything you mentioned plus destroy the DAT, you stand a great chance for interviews/acceptances.

My only point was many dental schools frown upon a lot of CC credit.