Is it necessary to utilize your school's Office of Pre-Professional Health Studies (PPHS)?

[nasturtium]

The PPHS at my school stated they will not grant me a committee interview due to my low math/science GPA (however this is only because the first time I was in school, I dropped out with poor grades. I'm now at another university, several years later, with good grades).

My question is - do you really need them (PPHS)? They make it seem like the only way you can get into professional school (specifically dentistry for me) is through them. Additionally, many schools emphasize having a letter of recommendation from the committee.

Will it hurt my dental school application this summer to not utilize PPHS?

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[xerxes106]

No, some schools prefer it but I assume just for simplicity sake. I've had no problem without it. Our prehealth adviser was an incredibly negative and mean woman (and since let go from her job last I checked) so I had no desire to utilize them in the first place.

 

[nasturtium]

No, some schools prefer it but I assume just for simplicity sake. I've had no problem without it. Our prehealth adviser was an incredibly negative and mean woman (and since let go from her job last I checked) so I had no desire to utilize them in the first place.

This is great to know. I found my school's PPHS to be negative as well - - interesting.

 

[Rand627]

BYU has so many pre-dental that they don't even offer a committee letter.

 

[Soleus715]

My school's advisors gave me wrong information twice.. I never went back.

 

[IndianCurry]

Here's an answer. HECK NO.

Use SDN, lol.

 

[nasturtium]

Here's an answer. HECK NO.

Use SDN, lol.

Yeah, I'm gonna be on here every day until I get in . SDN is more helpful than any "advising" committee.

 

[nasturtium]

My school's advisors gave me wrong information twice.. I never went back.

Same! I found them to be very judgmental as well.

 

[nasturtium]

BYU has so many pre-dental that they don't even offer a committee letter.

Maybe I should have gone to BYU lol

 

[IndianCurry]

Yeah, I'm gonna be on here every day until I get in . SDN is more helpful than any "advising" committee.

The committee at my school told me to look for an alternative career after looking at my GPA

I was REALLY close to taking the FDNY and Park Rangers civil service exam, then my parents talked me out of it. Can you believe it? My freaking parents (NOT born here, mind you) were better mentors than the fools at the office. If these advisors had DDS/DMD after their name, fine, I would take their advice a bit more seriously.

 

[nasturtium]

The committee at my school told me to look for an alternative career after looking at my GPA

I was REALLY close to taking the FDNY and Park Rangers civil service exam, then my parents talked me out of it. Can you believe it? My freaking parents (NOT born here, mind you) were better mentors than the fools at the office. If these advisors had DDS/DMD after their name, fine, I would take their advice a bit more seriously.

Same thing happened to me. All they could focus on was that low math/science GPA from my first time in college; I found it very discouraging. I understand that they have to prepare us for the worst, but they didn't need to kill my dreams in one conversation! I decided not to meet with them again or utilize them in my application process. Ain't nobody got time for that negativity

 

[Streax1]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure my pre-health "advisor" at BYU was a 19 year old pre-med student that didn't know the first thing about the dental school applications process. One visit was all it took for me to realize that the committee there was a joke. Thank goodness for SDN.

Sent from my XT1096 using SDN mobile

 

[fogorvostan]

I skipped the committee at my school (mainly because I was a non-traditional student). Absolutely no issues with any of my letters.

 

[nasturtium]

I skipped the committee at my school (mainly because I was a non-traditional student). Absolutely no issues with any of my letters.

This is good to know...I'm 'sort of' a non-traditional student, I guess. I was worried how it would affect my application to not have that committee letter; some schools even say that they "prefer" it, but like @xerxes106 said, it's probably for simplicity.

 

[nasturtium]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure my pre-health "advisor" at BYU was a 19 year old pre-med student that didn't know the first thing about the dental school applications process. One visit was all it took for me to realize that the committee there was a joke. Thank goodness for SDN.

Sent from my XT1096 using SDN mobile

Thank goodness, indeed!

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

It's not necessary, no. But similarly, my health committee's comments about myself were pretty discouraging as well :\ One suggested I should look into a different career choice, and I was so disheartened to hear those words, especially from a professor whom I've had in the past and thought she liked me, but oh well I've shuffled between 3 different advisors already throughout my college career, and I've only met with each of them once and never went back. Last year's rating I was told that I should apply again next year--ouch. I still plan to utilize the committee though since I think I have a better chance this year of getting the letter, but take what they say with a grain of salt. SDN has become my best resource for the past couple years.

 

[kholley25]

My undergrad pre-health adviser was not helpful when I was researching health careers and only provided me with info that was easily found and printed from their website. SDN has all the resources you need, really.

 

[nasturtium]

It's not necessary, no. But similarly, my health committee's comments about myself were pretty discouraging as well :\ One suggested I should look into a different career choice, and I was so disheartened to hear those words, especially from a professor whom I've had in the past and thought she liked me, but oh well I've shuffled between 3 different advisors already throughout my college career, and I've only met with each of them once and never went back. Last year's rating I was told that I should apply again next year--ouch. I still plan to utilize the committee though since I think I have a better chance this year of getting the letter, but take what they say with a grain of salt. SDN has become my best resource for the past couple years.

Very interesting how many of us have had the same 'discouraging' experience...I've only just started to really use SDN yesterday, and already feel better about the application process.

 

[nasturtium]

My undergrad pre-health adviser was not helpful when I was researching health careers and only provided me with info that was easily found and printed from their website. SDN has all the resources you need, really.

So true! I only wish I had begun utilizing SDN earlier!

 

[Incis0r]

I have a friend at a different school whose advisors told him that it was fine to take the DAT late August and apply in September *facepalm*

 

[nasturtium]

I have a friend at a different school whose advisors told him that it was fine to take the DAT late August and apply in September *facepalm*

Wow that has got to be the worst advice ever lol. I'm taking my DAT in July (and that's pushing it in my opinion) but submitting my AADSAS when the cycle opens anyway - advice I got from SDN!

 

[xerxes106]

I remember my prehealth adviser said "you'll never get into dental school, pick a different career blah blah" and I never went back. Although I have been waiting for years to run into her somewhere just to prove her wrong. I remember I spoke with my actual major adviser and it had turned out there were a huge amount of student complaints.

The better question: has anyone had a positive experience? I don't think I've heard a single one in my life.

 

[fogorvostan]

I remember my prehealth adviser said "you'll never get into dental school, pick a different career blah blah" and I never went back. Although I have been waiting for years to run into her somewhere just to prove her wrong. I remember I spoke with my actual major adviser and it had turned out there were a huge amount of student complaints.

The better question: has anyone had a positive experience? I don't think I've heard a single one in my life.

My Honors College adviser was AWESOME. He helped me so much and got me involved in really awesome ways (including 3 study abroad trips that the Honors College paid for). Plus he nominated me for an award without me knowing and I got recognized at my graduation for it. I never even went to the advising office for my major. In fact, I don't even think I know where it was? We had a separate "prehealth" adviser but because I wasn't premed, I wasn't assigned to her. Oh well.

 

[confidentandgood]

I had a great personal pre-health advisor, but the general pre-health advising center at my school is a joke. If you feel unsure about what they have to say, take it with a grain of salt and seek other resources (I will add there are some posts on SDN that should be taken with a grain of salt ).