Need Advice

[saif]

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Hello everyone, I just found this website... wish I found it earlier! I wanted to ask all you guys for some advice.

I just graduated from Wayne State Univ (in Detroit) with a BS in physics, and a minor in math. My GPA was 3.62. Counting math courses and 1 computer science course as sciences, I have a science GPA of 3.60, but not counting them I have a 3.45 science GPA. Can anyone clarify whether those count as sciences?

Anyhow, I only recently made a commitment to go into dentistry, and I am VERY late in the process for 2005 admission. I know if I waited for 2006 admission I would have a better chance, but I feel like I should give it a shot this time anyway. I am sending out my application in a couple days, and am also planning on taking the DAT in about a month (hopefully within the time it takes for them to process my application, so there is no delay). Based on my preparation so far, I am anticipating a decent score, hopefully around 20 in the academic section for example. This will be the first time I take it.

Now, I have another problem: the only biology courses I have taken are two intro courses, and microbiology, and for chemistry, I have taken general chem and also organic chem 1. So... I am basically missing about 1 bio course, organic chem 2 and analytical chem from the pre-reqs. Although, I have taken tons of physics courses which I am hoping would convince the admission committees that I have a strong background in science and can perform well in them. I have also been doing research in my physics dept for about 2 years now. I am also going to tell them on my application that I would be willing to take those courses that I'm missing, say in the summer if necessary, as a condition for acceptance.

Most of the schools I will apply to have deadlines on March 1st. What do you all think about my chances? Am I too late, and is the lack of pre-reqs going to be a major problem?

 

[Dr.Smiley-OR]

Hello everyone, I just found this website... wish I found it earlier! I wanted to ask all you guys for some advice.

I just graduated from Wayne State Univ (in Detroit) with a BS in physics, and a minor in math. My GPA was 3.62. Counting math courses and 1 computer science course as sciences, I have a science GPA of 3.60, but not counting them I have a 3.45 science GPA. Can anyone clarify whether those count as sciences?

Anyhow, I only recently made a firm commitment to go into dentistry, and I am VERY late in the process for 2005 admission. I know if I waited for 2006 admission I would have a better chance, but I feel like I should give it a shot this time anyway. I am sending out my application in a couple days, and am also planning on taking the DAT in about a month (hopefully within the time it takes for them to process my application, so there is no delay). Based on my preparation so far, I am anticipating a decent score, hopefully around 20 in the academic section.

Now, I have another problem: the only biology courses I have taken are two intro courses, and microbiology, and for chemistry, I have taken general chem and also organic chem 1. So... I am basically missing about 1 bio course, organic chem 2 and analytical chem from the pre-reqs. Although, I have taken tons of physics courses which I am hoping would convince the admission committees that I have a strong background in science and can perform well in them. I have also been doing research in my physics dept for about 2 years now. I am also going to tell them on my application that I would be willing to take those courses that I'm missing, say in the summer if necessary, as a condition for acceptance.

What do you all think about my chances? Am I too late, and is the lack of pre-reqs going to be a major problem?

I strongly suggest that you should wait for the cycle 2006 because you are only 1/2 done. Here are my reasons.
1) you still need to have 1 bio course, organic chem 2 . I believe that you must/should have these prerequisites done when you apply. Your background in physics is great, but it does not substitute these prerequisites.
2) From the way you are rushing with your application, can I ask if you have volunteered or shadowed a dentist yet? Do you have your letters of recommendation ready?
3)There is a dealine for when your DAT must be in with your profile. If you are going to take your DAT in about a month (Feb) + 2-3 weeks for the results to be sent to the schools, your application is not completed until the end of Feb. This is a very late late application. Your chance is so slimmmmmm.
4)Some school need you to complete a secondary application as well. If by the end of FEb is when they receive your application, then by the time they send you their secondary application form and you return the complete form to them, it will be in March. I don't know if any school will continue to do interview in March.
Of course it is up to you to apply, but I strongly recommend against it! Save up your money for now and wait. Rushing on your application bring you more harm than good (actually no good at all).

 

[Yellow-Jellow]

hi saif...I live in michigan 2...as you know there is 2 dentistry schools in mi..1) UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (ANNARBOR)....2) UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY (DETROIT)...the dead line of the Uni of MI is 1/15/2005 which means after 9 DAYS......the dead line of Detroit mercy is ..i think 3/1/2005 but i'm sure its around march of 2005 . and based on your background...GPA..etc..you have a good chance at least at Detroit mercy.....send your Gpa..and all the info they request ..and u'll be fine..this is the DETROIT MERCY /SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY website
http://www.udmercy.edu/dental/
I'm re-takin' my DAT..by the FEB/2005......good luck.. 👍
---

 

[Sprgrover]

Hi saif, welcome to SDN! 👍 Unfortunately you are coming in on the tailend of the 2005 application cycle. As other posters have mentioned you do need to have taken all of the necessary pre-reqs or be in the process of finishing them (and analytical chemistry is not a gneral pre-req). Also, it depends on which intro biology course you took as some dental schools will not accept a lower one if an intermediate is offered (e.g. Biology 100 for nonscience majors vs. Biology 150 for science majors). since you have recently made the decision to plunge into dentistry I would also urge you to do some shadowing, if you haven't done so already, as schools love to ask applicants about their experience and exposure to the field. These items, along with the timing of your application and the DAT makes me believe that you would be better off applying for the 2006 cycle. I wish you the best! 👍

 

[saif]

I strongly suggest that you should wait for the cycle 2006 because you are only 1/2 done. Here are my reasons.
1) you still need to have 1 bio course, organic chem 2 . I believe that you must/should have these prerequisites done when you apply. Your background in physics is great, but it does not substitute these prerequisites.
2) From the way you are rushing with your application, can I ask if you have volunteered or shadowed a dentist yet? Do you have your letters of recommendation ready?
3)There is a dealine for when your DAT must be in with your profile. If you are going to take your DAT in about a month (Feb) + 2-3 weeks for the results to be sent to the schools, your application is not completed until the end of Feb. This is a very late late application. Your chance is so slimmmmmm.
4)Some school need you to complete a secondary application as well. If by the end of FEb is when they receive your application, then by the time they send you their secondary application form and you return the complete form to them, it will be in March. I don't know if any school will continue to do interview in March.
Of course it is up to you to apply, but I strongly recommend against it! Save up your money for now and wait. Rushing on your application bring you more harm than good (actually no good at all).

Thanks for the response!

Yes I have shadowed a dentist although not a huge number of hours. Should be enough to put into my application. As for recommendations, they should be sent within the next couple weeks, probably. As for the overall lateness of the application, this was my logic: It takes at least 6 weeks to process the app, so by the time I send in my DAT score in a month, it wouldn't really delay anything since the application would be processing anyway. At least, this is what I have been told by others who have applied, I hope they weren't wrong! Is it possible that they will not even start processing the application until the recieve the DAT score?

A lot of the schools have deadlines on march 1st... so I would hope I still have a shot with those.

Yellow-Jellow: Yeah I am applying to both schools in Michigan, I really hope I can get into UDM (I know U-M is more of a longshot at this stage). Are you applying to UDM too?

Anyway, I do realize it's a bit late, but hey why not give it a shot? All I have to lose is the application money and it's worth taking that risk.

 

[saif]

Hi saif, welcome to SDN! 👍 Unfortunately you are coming in on the tailend of the 2005 application cycle. As other posters have mentioned you do need to have taken all of the necessary pre-reqs or be in the process of finishing them (and analytical chemistry is not a gneral pre-req). Also, it depends on which intro biology course you took as some dental schools will not accept a lower one if an intermediate is offered (e.g. Biology 100 for nonscience majors vs. Biology 150 for science majors). since you have recently made the decision to plunge into dentistry I would also urge you to do some shadowing, if you haven't done so already, as schools love to ask applicants about their experience and exposure to the field. These items, along with the timing of your application and the DAT makes me believe that you would be better off applying for the 2006 cycle. I wish you the best! 👍

Actually, the intro bio courses are the ones that science majors take, not the intro 101 classes. But yeah, missing those other courses is really a problem... I guess I'll just have to see if something works out! 🙂

By the way, the other question I had... anyone know if those math and comp sci courses count toward the sci gpa?

 

[Yellow-Jellow]

hi saif..i applied to other 4 schools..but i got a better chance in detroit mercy....they got logic pre-preqs....but its always a good thing that you apply early to the dental school , 'cause there are limited places at the universities...so if the school is full..u have to wait for your turn..anyway ....just take it easy if u didnt get in by this year .. 😀 😀
you'll get in by next year for sure.. 😎 😎 ...have fun..go out in vication . .enjoy your life before u start a 4 years of battle to be a dentist.. ......



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a good advice if u didnt pass your DAT...