I'm scared. Need some encouragement

[amersue]

I'm absolutely new to actually posting a thread/comment, but I read posts almost daily. I'm 28 years old, have a Bachelors degree in Business Admin, currently 3 courses away from having enough accounting credits to sit for the CPA exam, and I'm miserable. I work as a Grants Accountant making fairly decent money, but bottom line is - I've wanted to be a dentist since I was a kid. When I was pursuing my undergrad degree, I thought I'd take the safe route by studying business -- its a good foundation. My family is not made of money; dental school seemed like a dream that would never become reality.

At this stage in my life, I'm realizing that I can either live the rest of my years making fairly decent money, being able to live comfortably and be content or I can man-up and take the pre-reqs I need and DAT, and apply to dental school! But I'm scared. All the questions run through my head that probably have crossed the minds of many. How will I afford it? Will I even make the cut? If I get it, will I be able to make it all the way through? Am I too old to start now?!

Most of the threads I have read say "follow your dreams", "it will be worth it", "you're never too old to do what you love." Reading those gets me pumped up to just GO FOR IT! That's not insane, right?!

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[PreD]

I did the same at age of 30 and quite a 6 figure salary. Let me tell you something, be sure this is what you want. Because your life will be so different than what you have been doing for the past 3 years.

There is no more Martini bars with pretty girls on Friday, afternoon Sushi on the beach on Saturday and going to happy hours after work and flirting with pretty waitereses.

Your Saving will start to Shirink, you will be around 18 year olds who think there must something wrong with you being back at school and...

It is tough life but if you LLLOOOVVVEEE Dentistry, you will embrace eagerly.

 

[snaggletoof]

I did the same at age of 30 and quite a 6 figure salary. Let me tell you something, be sure this is what you want. Because your life will be so different than what you have been doing for the past 3 years.

There is no more Martini bars with pretty girls on Friday, afternoon Sushi on the beach on Saturday and going to happy hours after work and flirting with pretty waitereses.

Your Saving will start to Shirink, you will be around 18 year olds who think there must something wrong with you being back at school and...

It is tough life but if you LLLOOOVVVEEE Dentistry, you will embrace eagerly.

 

[K9sbestfriend]

It seems there are many of us that fit this mold. I also got my degree in Business my first time around and have been operating my own contracting business for the past 5 years. I made the decision to go for it at age 31 and if others have done it before me then I can too. You can do it too but like the other post said just be sure it is what you want and stay committed to it.

It is worth the risk. When I made the decision I never looked back. My stats from my business degree aren't great (3.2 gpa and it's not budging) and my science gpa isn't stellar (3.47) but after two years of prereqs I did well on my DAT and I have two interviews so far this fall. Hoping for more of course. I applied to schools in my region this cycle but if I don't get in this cycle I will apply to many of the private schools and any that take a high percentage of oos applicants next cycle.

Good Luck!

 

[Maygyver]

As far as money goes, most of us here don't have any money at all. Most people pay for school with loans. You actually probably are in a better situation to afford it than a lot of people. If you want to be a dentist, don't let that stop you. Start out with taking the prereqs and see how you do. If you really want to be a dentist, then go for it.

 

[AfroChapin]

28 you are young!!!

Im broke as heck, my mom supports me and she makes like 30,000 a year!

Talk to your pre-profesional advisor at school!

You can do it science classes take a lot of hard work, but studying can be fun once you get into it!

 

[darkwalk]

You must make sure this is what you want to do. Afterall, there is no turning back. But the good thing is that you might have enough money to pay for one or two years of tuition.

 

[rickblas]

I'm absolutely new to actually posting a thread/comment, but I read posts almost daily. I'm 28 years old, have a Bachelors degree in Business Admin, currently 3 courses away from having enough accounting credits to sit for the CPA exam, and I'm miserable. I work as a Grants Accountant making fairly decent money, but bottom line is - I've wanted to be a dentist since I was a kid. When I was pursuing my undergrad degree, I thought I'd take the safe route by studying business -- its a good foundation. My family is not made of money; dental school seemed like a dream that would never become reality.

At this stage in my life, I'm realizing that I can either live the rest of my years making fairly decent money, being able to live comfortably and be content or I can man-up and take the pre-reqs I need and DAT, and apply to dental school! But I'm scared. All the questions run through my head that probably have crossed the minds of many. How will I afford it? Will I even make the cut? If I get it, will I be able to make it all the way through? Am I too old to start now?!

Most of the threads I have read say "follow your dreams", "it will be worth it", "you're never too old to do what you love." Reading those gets me pumped up to just GO FOR IT! That's not insane, right?!

I know I can't relate to you...but a wise person told me once that

"Time is never lost..."

Short and simple, but if you really work hard and devote yourself nothing is ever too late! And if your miserable now why be miserable for the next 40+years when you can be miserable for the next 2-3 years (taking prereqs and working your ass off to become a good dental applicant, applying and doubting yourself, being unsure if you'll make it) when for the next 37+ years you could be happy doing what you love!

 

[7 Iron]

I'm absolutely new to actually posting a thread/comment, but I read posts almost daily. I'm 28 years old, have a Bachelors degree in Business Admin, currently 3 courses away from having enough accounting credits to sit for the CPA exam, and I'm miserable. I work as a Grants Accountant making fairly decent money, but bottom line is - I've wanted to be a dentist since I was a kid. When I was pursuing my undergrad degree, I thought I'd take the safe route by studying business -- its a good foundation. My family is not made of money; dental school seemed like a dream that would never become reality.

At this stage in my life, I'm realizing that I can either live the rest of my years making fairly decent money, being able to live comfortably and be content or I can man-up and take the pre-reqs I need and DAT, and apply to dental school! But I'm scared. All the questions run through my head that probably have crossed the minds of many. How will I afford it? Will I even make the cut? If I get it, will I be able to make it all the way through? Am I too old to start now?!

Most of the threads I have read say "follow your dreams", "it will be worth it", "you're never too old to do what you love." Reading those gets me pumped up to just GO FOR IT! That's not insane, right?!

Hi Amersue-- like most others here I would say if your heart is in dentistry then switch now! I would do some shadowing with a couple of dentists to make sure you like what you see, before you take the long road of taking the pre-reqs and applying to dental school. I am a little bit younger--24--but still have been out of college for a few years and got married and got a job in finance, and I HATE this job. I can't imagine doing this for the rest of my life.. so if you feel the same way, there's no reason you shouldn't go follow your dreams of pursuing dentistry. I've been on interviews this season and almost always see someone in their late 20's or even older who are applying, so you are in good company ! Good luck.

 

[peanutb123]

You should def. follow your dream now its better than latter right.

but before throwing away what you have entirely consider this first... make sure that this is something that you want to do. Many people say ohh i want to do this since i was a kid. But you wouldnt know that without shadowing and see what you actually like and dont like about this profession. Observing dentists for 5 mins and making up your mind of loving what they do is not a really good way to judge, if its for you or not. Why dont you shadow a dentist FIRST for couple months during weekends... Then if you do like it, Start planning on how you are going to finish 4-6 bio classes depending on where you want to apply, 4 chemsitry clasess, 2 physics and their labs. & DAT should take you about good 1.5 years or 2.

PS i am still trying to escape my cubicle.

 

[amersue]

Thank you all so much for your advice and encouragement. I have sent out some shadowing requests to local dentists and will be following up this week I think this will definitely confirm whether or not I know this is the right path for me! I plan to try to shadow a few different dentists for the next few months and then plan a course of action.

Thanks again everyone and good luck to you all!