more newbie questions

[Livineasi]

Okay - I got my BA in Sociology in 1998. I'm just starting to take my pre-reqs. I've got one down and think I can pull off taking the remaining 7 or 8 by the end of next Spring...

If I don't die from exhaustion - I plan on taking the DAT sometime in early 2008 and applying as soon as I can (which I guess is June). So - does that mean WHEN I'm accepted I would start Dental School in Fall of 2009?

QUESTIONS:
1. If I don't do well on the DAT the first round, how soon can I take it again and get it in with my application?

2. Anyone know of any Los Angeles based schools where I can take BioChem without having OChem as a pre-req since I'll need to be taking both classes concurrently to finish in time?

3. I had to take Intro to Chem as a pre-req to get into CHEM1 -- should I assume my Intro to Chem class doesn't count as one of my "semesters" I need to also take CHEM2 to fullfill the pre-reqs?

4. Unlike 4-year institutions, community colleges are cheap and offer more night classes -- how much less competitive am I if I take all my science pre-reqs from Community colleges?


thanks soooo much!! sorry if a lot of these questions were already answered in the past.

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[armorshell]

4. Unlike 4-year institutions, community colleges are cheap and offer more night classes -- how much less competitive am I if I take all my science pre-reqs from Community colleges?

You're going to get multiple answers about this question on the website, because people really want to believe community colleges make you less competitive. They don't.

Make sure you do well on the DAT and you'll save yourself a lot of money, and don't bother appling to Tufts, BU or Pitt

 

[Livineasi]

why shouldn't I apply to those schools?

 

[LNinlove]

Okay - I got my BA in Sociology in 1998. I'm just starting to take my pre-reqs. I've got one down and think I can pull off taking the remaining 7 or 8 by the end of next Spring...

If I don't die from exhaustion - I plan on taking the DAT sometime in early 2008 and applying as soon as I can (which I guess is June). So - does that mean WHEN I'm accepted I would start Dental School in Fall of 2009?

QUESTIONS:
1. If I don't do well on the DAT the first round, how soon can I take it again and get it in with my application?

2. Anyone know of any Los Angeles based schools where I can take BioChem without having OChem as a pre-req since I'll need to be taking both classes concurrently to finish in time?

3. I had to take Intro to Chem as a pre-req to get into CHEM1 -- should I assume my Intro to Chem class doesn't count as one of my "semesters" I need to also take CHEM2 to fullfill the pre-reqs?

4. Unlike 4-year institutions, community colleges are cheap and offer more night classes -- how much less competitive am I if I take all my science pre-reqs from Community colleges?


thanks soooo much!! sorry if a lot of these questions were already answered in the past.

I can answer a couple of these for you...

1. I think it is 90 days...someone please verify?

3. You should assume that you WILL have to take Chem II. Intro courses don't count...

4. I will have 60 hours from a CC when I apply. Some will be pre-reqs, but most will be the general core classes. I can tell you that most (if not all) 4years will not take ochem from a CC. I spoke with the dean at my state dental school and he said that a few pre-reqs from a CC won't kill me. However, they would like to see them come from a 4 year. I understand the CC thing, I HAVE to work 40 hours a week, there is no other option. CC's just offer better times for courses. If you have to take a pre-req from a CC, just remember that the DAT is the "great equalizer". Here is a good discussion on the CC myth....
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=376079

 

[Snahster]

why shouldn't I apply to those schools?

because those schools don't accept CC credit

 

[armorshell]

why shouldn't I apply to those schools?

They don't accept any community college credits

 

[diane07]

Schools will say what their preferances are regarding pre-requisites on their websites. Do some research to be on the safe side!

 

[EnviroDentist]

1. It's 90 days!

 

[Fuji]

So - does that mean WHEN I'm accepted I would start Dental School in Fall of 2009?

yes

QUESTIONS:
1. If I don't do well on the DAT the first round, how soon can I take it again and get it in with my application?

90 days

3. I had to take Intro to Chem as a pre-req to get into CHEM1 -- should I assume my Intro to Chem class doesn't count as one of my "semesters" I need to also take CHEM2 to fullfill the pre-reqs?

Most likely. You should go ahead and call some of the schools you are interested in to confirm this, though.

4. Unlike 4-year institutions, community colleges are cheap and offer more night classes -- how much less competitive am I if I take all my science pre-reqs from Community colleges?

Some schools will not accept credits from CC. Again, call the schools and find out for certain.

 

[Nasem]

me and you are on the same boat..

I finished my B.S in computer science in 2004 and been working in I.T for a while now. Just this past january I started taking my pre-reqs and I'll be done with ALL of them by May of 2008. I (also) will be applying june of 2008 for the 2009 cycle and here are a few things I came accross...

1) the route to dentistry requires you to sacrifice A WHOLE LOT. For me, I am going to give up my sweet I.T job this coming september so I can finish school full time.

2) Community college WAS a consideration for me, but because I am a "lower than average applicant", I need to make my self stand out as much as possible. It is true that community college doesn't make you a bad applicant, but a 4-year institude makes you look even better. So I choice the 4-year institude route

3) you REALLY need to know what your getting you self into, studying to get into any medical field is hard and very stressful.

 

[xdianaax]

Organic is ALWAYS a pre-req for biochem from what I know, it just depends if it is both orgo 1 or orgo 1 and 2.

 

[neatofrito55]

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