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What should I do next?? Please help!!!
(Apologies for the loooong post - there's a summary at the bottom)...
Unfortunately, during most of my junior year, I had several personal
issues which were quite negatively reflected on my transcript. However, dentistry is still a dream of mine and I am therefore writing this in the hope that I will gain some useful information as to what my next few steps should be.
I am currently a senior at Indiana University, Bloomington, and I am on
track to graduate in May of 2006. However, after discussing this topic with many other students and advisors, my performance to this point may possibly hinder my ability to be accepted into dental school directly from my undergraduate studies. I expect to graduate with a cumulative GPA of about 3.0 (hopefully) and a science GPA of approximately 2.5 with a B.S. Psychology major, and a minor in Biology. I have two B's for the required Bio 1 and 2, one C for gen. chem 1, one D- for Gen. Chem 2, 2 C's for orgo 1 and 2, and hopefully 2 B+'s for Physics 1 and 2. I have not yet taken the DAT's, but I do intend to take them at some point during the spring of 2006. I have a lot of volunteering, dental shadowing, and research experience which certainly will show my desire for dentistry. I have spoken to many
students who were in my same situation and who, with determinition, still
managed to gain an acceptance into dental school. Many of them pursued post-bacc studies in an effort to prove themselves and their abilities. This therefore brings me to the purpose of this thread: I really need some advice, about the following:
*Please note that for your convenience I have structured the questions so that you can simply answer them by including the corresponding letters and numbers.
A) DELAY GRADUATION?:
1) While I am on track to graduate in May 2006, do you think it would be
beneficial to perhaps delay graduation so that I am able to take additional
classes and possibly raise my undergraduate GPA? I could then repeat some
required pre-dental classes that I did not do very well in, and hopefully raise my undergraduate science GPA a little.
2) What other classes would you recommend I take before graduation if this would be beneficial?
B) CHEMISTRY MINOR?:
** I am one class away from a chemistry minor (Biochemistry), however, I have been told by my advisor that gaining this minor would really not make much of a difference to my record. I am skeptical about this advice -
1) Would a chemistry minor be beneficial to me (in addition to my Biology
minor),
-or-
2) Would I rather benefit from repeating other classes and raising my GPA that way?
C) POST-BACC?:
1) Would a post-bacc program be my best option (or a better option then 'A' above)? I have been told that some admission committees analyze undergraduate and graduate coursework separately and that this may be a benefit of a post-bacc program, as opposed to simply delaying my graduation and taking additional undergraduate courses.
2) If this is my best option are there any specific programs that you would recommend?
D) NON-DEGREE?:
** I know that many post-bacc programs are very specific, and that while there are some programs that are tailored specifically toward students in my position, many of them vary.
1) I was therefore wondering if a specifically structured post-bacc program
would be more beneficial than perhaps structuring my own schedule and taking these classes as a non-degree seeking student after my graduation?
2) Would either one (post-bacc or non-degree) be more or less beneficial than the other?
3) Should I maybe just take courses outlined in a post-bacc programs while maintaining my undergraduate status?
E) APPLYING?:
** Once I have decided on a plan of action beyond taking the DAT's next semester,
1) Should I still go ahead and apply for the 2007 dental class, and perhaps
explain my intent to strengthen my resume by taking post-bacc classes (for
example) between the time period of applying and beginning dental school?
-or-
2) Should I first go ahead and complete these classes so that everything is
included in my resume? I realize however, that this would lead me to delaying
dental school to 2008, so -
3) If there is a way around that, what would it be?
F) RESEARCH?:
** I am currently doing research in a neuroscience lab. I may be given the
opportunity to continue this research beyond graduation, however, it would be extremely time consuming and I would not be able to take many additional classes in addition to the research.
1) Is this maybe a good alternative compared to the others; even though it
will keep me from taking some additional classes?
** I am also going to be doing this research during next semester (spring 06),
but it will keep me from taking perhaps an additional science class such as
biochemistry.
2) Should I drop the research and take biochemistry or another science class next semester instead?
Lastly, i am thinking about sending these questions to some admissions committees at some dental schools - do you think thats a good idea? I dont want it to reflect negatively on me...
-- SUMMARY:
- Should I declare graduation or continue taking science classes (as an undergrad) above and beyond predent requirements to strengthen my GPA?
- Does it matter if it's a post-bacc or nondegree structured program?
- All I need is biochem. for my minor - should I even bother with a chem. minor or will it not even matter?
- Should I do research next semester or should I maybe free up some time and take another science class (and maybe get a chem. minor this way)?
THANK YOU so much for your help! I just joined this forum and I am finding it so useful already so any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!!
- Drteeth
(Apologies for the loooong post - there's a summary at the bottom)...
Unfortunately, during most of my junior year, I had several personal
issues which were quite negatively reflected on my transcript. However, dentistry is still a dream of mine and I am therefore writing this in the hope that I will gain some useful information as to what my next few steps should be.
I am currently a senior at Indiana University, Bloomington, and I am on
track to graduate in May of 2006. However, after discussing this topic with many other students and advisors, my performance to this point may possibly hinder my ability to be accepted into dental school directly from my undergraduate studies. I expect to graduate with a cumulative GPA of about 3.0 (hopefully) and a science GPA of approximately 2.5 with a B.S. Psychology major, and a minor in Biology. I have two B's for the required Bio 1 and 2, one C for gen. chem 1, one D- for Gen. Chem 2, 2 C's for orgo 1 and 2, and hopefully 2 B+'s for Physics 1 and 2. I have not yet taken the DAT's, but I do intend to take them at some point during the spring of 2006. I have a lot of volunteering, dental shadowing, and research experience which certainly will show my desire for dentistry. I have spoken to many
students who were in my same situation and who, with determinition, still
managed to gain an acceptance into dental school. Many of them pursued post-bacc studies in an effort to prove themselves and their abilities. This therefore brings me to the purpose of this thread: I really need some advice, about the following:
*Please note that for your convenience I have structured the questions so that you can simply answer them by including the corresponding letters and numbers.
A) DELAY GRADUATION?:
1) While I am on track to graduate in May 2006, do you think it would be
beneficial to perhaps delay graduation so that I am able to take additional
classes and possibly raise my undergraduate GPA? I could then repeat some
required pre-dental classes that I did not do very well in, and hopefully raise my undergraduate science GPA a little.
2) What other classes would you recommend I take before graduation if this would be beneficial?
B) CHEMISTRY MINOR?:
** I am one class away from a chemistry minor (Biochemistry), however, I have been told by my advisor that gaining this minor would really not make much of a difference to my record. I am skeptical about this advice -
1) Would a chemistry minor be beneficial to me (in addition to my Biology
minor),
-or-
2) Would I rather benefit from repeating other classes and raising my GPA that way?
C) POST-BACC?:
1) Would a post-bacc program be my best option (or a better option then 'A' above)? I have been told that some admission committees analyze undergraduate and graduate coursework separately and that this may be a benefit of a post-bacc program, as opposed to simply delaying my graduation and taking additional undergraduate courses.
2) If this is my best option are there any specific programs that you would recommend?
D) NON-DEGREE?:
** I know that many post-bacc programs are very specific, and that while there are some programs that are tailored specifically toward students in my position, many of them vary.
1) I was therefore wondering if a specifically structured post-bacc program
would be more beneficial than perhaps structuring my own schedule and taking these classes as a non-degree seeking student after my graduation?
2) Would either one (post-bacc or non-degree) be more or less beneficial than the other?
3) Should I maybe just take courses outlined in a post-bacc programs while maintaining my undergraduate status?
E) APPLYING?:
** Once I have decided on a plan of action beyond taking the DAT's next semester,
1) Should I still go ahead and apply for the 2007 dental class, and perhaps
explain my intent to strengthen my resume by taking post-bacc classes (for
example) between the time period of applying and beginning dental school?
-or-
2) Should I first go ahead and complete these classes so that everything is
included in my resume? I realize however, that this would lead me to delaying
dental school to 2008, so -
3) If there is a way around that, what would it be?
F) RESEARCH?:
** I am currently doing research in a neuroscience lab. I may be given the
opportunity to continue this research beyond graduation, however, it would be extremely time consuming and I would not be able to take many additional classes in addition to the research.
1) Is this maybe a good alternative compared to the others; even though it
will keep me from taking some additional classes?
** I am also going to be doing this research during next semester (spring 06),
but it will keep me from taking perhaps an additional science class such as
biochemistry.
2) Should I drop the research and take biochemistry or another science class next semester instead?
Lastly, i am thinking about sending these questions to some admissions committees at some dental schools - do you think thats a good idea? I dont want it to reflect negatively on me...
-- SUMMARY:
- Should I declare graduation or continue taking science classes (as an undergrad) above and beyond predent requirements to strengthen my GPA?
- Does it matter if it's a post-bacc or nondegree structured program?
- All I need is biochem. for my minor - should I even bother with a chem. minor or will it not even matter?
- Should I do research next semester or should I maybe free up some time and take another science class (and maybe get a chem. minor this way)?
THANK YOU so much for your help! I just joined this forum and I am finding it so useful already so any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!!
- Drteeth
