Insights regarding game plan...

[8 SNAKE]

I'm working on a game plan that will allow me to apply to dental school next summer and would appreciate any feedback or insights. I graduated college in 2000 as a Finance major with a 3.98 overall GPA and have been a working professional for the last ten years. Before I can apply to dental school, I need to satisfy all of my science requirements and take the DAT. I live near my undergrad university, so I will be able to take all of the required classes at the same college that I initially graduated.

My goal is to begin taking night classes in the Fall, take the DAT early in the Summer of 2011 and apply to dental schools shortly thereafter. I know that I can complete my required classes before matriculating to dental school, but I am not sure if I would be able to get enough of a science background in the first year of classes to put up a solid DAT score.

For the sake of discussion, lets assume that I will be able to take four science classes before I take the DAT. Knowing that, which four classes would you take? I assume that Chem I & II, Biology and something else would be my best bet? As a frame of reference, many years ago I got a 33 on my ACT so taking standardized tests isn't a weakness, as long as I am adequately prepared. Will four science classes and a solid DAT prep give me a solid foundation or am I really stretching here?

I have plenty of volunteer experience (which is still ongoing) and will have more than adequate shadowing time before applying next year. I'm a Missouri resident and my target schools thus far are UMKC, Creighton, U of P and possibly Harvard. Depending on DAT scores, I may throw a couple more schools into the mix if I feel like a marginal candidate. I'm really trying to get into dental school in the least amount of time possible, but I don't want to put together a poor game plan.

Any constructive feedback will be appreciated. Thanks.

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[8 SNAKE]

Did I ask a stupid question or do something taboo? Nearly 170 thread views and not a single reply.

 

[SeattleRDH]

You should do more research on the material on the DAT. Most students who take it completed 1 yr Bio, 1 yr O.Chem, and 1 yr. Gen.Chem. The test isn't graded like the ACTs/SATs. The average score is a 15. Period. So it depends how well everyone else did. You need at least a 20 to be competitive nowadays.
Most of us did as well as you on the SATs/ACTs too.
I'd check out the DAT threads.

 

[8 SNAKE]

You should do more research on the material on the DAT. Most students who take it completed 1 yr Bio, 1 yr O.Chem, and 1 yr. Gen.Chem. The test isn't graded like the ACTs/SATs. The average score is a 15. Period. So it depends how well everyone else did. You need at least a 20 to be competitive nowadays.
Most of us did as well as you on the SATs/ACTs too.
I'd check out the DAT threads.

I know what's in the DAT and what it takes to be competitive. What I don't know is how adequately the DAT prep materials alone would prepare me for the test without having an O-chem course in my background and only four science classes to draw experience from.

I'm not bragging about any of my scores. I'm simply using them as a frame of reference so that people might have a better understanding of where I'm coming from.

 

[ashlander]

I know what's in the DAT and what it takes to be competitive. What I don't know is how adequately the DAT prep materials alone would prepare me for the test without having an O-chem course in my background and only four science classes to draw experience from.

I'm not bragging about any of my scores. I'm simply using them as a frame of reference so that people might have a better understanding of where I'm coming from.

I don't think you will have enough dat prep after only 4 sci courses.
One way is if you finish gchem in summer, ochem in fall/spring, bio in fall/spring, then you could take dat june/july and apply at that summer.
Having said that, with a finance major with no sci background, you are not guaranteed to do well in them after such a long break from school..
If I were you, I would do 1 more year. These days, ppl do more than bare minimum reqs for admission.
On top of those 1yr gchem,ochem,phys,bio, ppl do biochem, anatomy, physio, cellbio, micro, genetics, immune etc..
bottomline is that you are not limited but you will likely need more sci courses before dat to do well and to better your chances of getting in 1st try.

 

[8 SNAKE]

I don't think you will have enough dat prep after only 4 sci courses.
One way is if you finish gchem in summer, ochem in fall/spring, bio in fall/spring, then you could take dat june/july and apply at that summer.
Having said that, with a finance major with no sci background, you are not guaranteed to do well in them after such a long break from school..
If I were you, I would do 1 more year. These days, ppl do more than bare minimum reqs for admission.
On top of those 1yr gchem,ochem,phys,bio, ppl do biochem, anatomy, physio, cellbio, micro, genetics, immune etc..
bottomline is that you are not limited but you will likely need more sci courses before dat to do well and to better your chances of getting in 1st try.

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it.