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MSB.

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Hello everyone!

I hope you all are doing fine. I am really upset due to a decision I made recently. I need your help and suggestions. I would highly appreciate your input on this situation. So, I basically completed my AA degree at Indian River State College. I transferred to University of Central Florida with 63 credits and decided to pursue my bachelor's from there since most of the dental school only accept 60 from colleges. However, I severly became homesick as I have never in my life lived away from family and I thought I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to stay back there and ruin my grades or my perfect 4.0 gpa, so I dropped the courses before due date and came back home. This semester of mine has already gone to waste. I'm planning to continue my bachelor's at the same state college from where I got my Associates. However, I'm confused and not sure if dental schools will accept it. I really want to be a dentist and I know that I should've done my bachelors at the university but I did what I felt was right for me. What do you think I should do? I was thinking to switch my major and do something else but I felt bad that all my shadowing hours would even go to waste and plus I cannot even think of any other career. What should I do? Please, help me and try to understand what I have been going through. I really want to do this, but I'm so hopeless and disappointed that I can not really think for a solution.

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So, Indian River State College is a community college? If so, do community colleges even offer bachelor's degree programs?
I think most dental schools don't acknowledge courses taken at CC; some dental schools do let you take pre-req's but only limited number of classes.
Since you just dropped the courses (that you just started a couple weeks ago) before your schools drop date, I take it that they won't show on your academic record? Then that won't be a problem.
But I really recommend doing your bachelor's at an accredited 4-year school; you already have a lot of CC credits. Many schools won't accept CC credits and even if they do, it won't look that great on your application later. But what do I know?
Anyways, you did say you really want to be a dentist and that you can't think of any other career.. so I think you already know the answer. Do you have another 4-year school near home that you can transfer to?
If being homesick is a problem, maybe take a break this semester and try to take care of your mental health first. But at the end whether you like it or not, you will have to be away from your home at some point (especially when you go to dental school).
Good luck.
 
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So, Indian River State College is a community college? If so, do community colleges even offer bachelor's degree programs?
I think most dental schools don't acknowledge courses taken at CC; some dental schools do let you take pre-req's but only limited number of classes.
Since you just dropped the courses (that you just started a couple weeks ago) before your schools drop date, I take it that they won't show on your academic record? Then that won't be a problem.
But I really recommend doing your bachelor's at an accredited 4-year school; you already have a lot of CC credits. Many schools won't accept CC credits and even if they do, it won't look that great on your application later. But what do I know?
Anyways, you did say you really want to be a dentist and that you can't think of any other career.. so I think you already know the answer. Do you have another 4-year school near home that you can transfer to?
If being homesick is a problem, maybe take a break this semester and try to take care of your mental health first. But at the end whether you like it or not, you will have to be away from your home at some point (especially when you go to dental school).
Good luck.
Thank you so much for showing concern. I know I have to one day or the other. I'll try to work on it. Thanks for the advice :) Highly appreciate it!
 
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Hello everyone!

I hope you all are doing fine. I am really upset due to a decision I made recently. I need your help and suggestions. I would highly appreciate your input on this situation. So, I basically completed my AA degree at Indian River State College. I transferred to University of Central Florida with 63 credits and decided to pursue my bachelor's from there since most of the dental school only accept 60 from colleges. However, I severly became homesick as I have never in my life lived away from family and I thought I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to stay back there and ruin my grades or my perfect 4.0 gpa, so I dropped the courses before due date and came back home. This semester of mine has already gone to waste. I'm planning to continue my bachelor's at the same state college from where I got my Associates. However, I'm confused and not sure if dental schools will accept it. I really want to be a dentist and I know that I should've done my bachelors at the university but I did what I felt was right for me. What do you think I should do? I was thinking to switch my major and do something else but I felt bad that all my shadowing hours would even go to waste and plus I cannot even think of any other career. What should I do? Please, help me and try to understand what I have been going through. I really want to do this, but I'm so hopeless and disappointed that I can not really think for a solution.

Is that school a community college?
 
Is that school a community college?
I honestly don't know. That is what's confusing me. I moved here two years ago and I don't really know if there is a difference between cc or state colleges. I have attached a picture. Please, have a look.
 

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That's not a community college. That's just a strange college that awards both an associates and a bachelors. I've never seen that before. You can stay there and not worry about the stigma of community college. It's not. Perhaps they once were and now "upgraded". Once it gets sponsorship to grant PhDs it'll be called a University.
 
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That's not a community college. That's just a strange college that awards both an associates and a bachelors. I've never seen that before. You can stay there and not worry about the stigma of community college. It's not. Perhaps they once were and now "upgraded". Once it gets sponsorship to grant PhDs it'll be called a University.

Oh ok. This makes sense. Can you look at the other two pictures that I attached. It says that IRSC was named as one of the ten best CC in US in 2014. And it's name changed from CC to State College in 2008. So, the name doesn't really make a difference right? It's still a CC I think :(
 
Florida State Colleges are basically community colleges that have been renamed because they offer some 4 year degrees. Look up the Florida College System for more info.

OP, You should get your prereqs done at one of the state universities, adcoms (at least in Florida) will know what a state college is. They have very limited upper levels and degrees and some classes like microbio and biochem need to be 3000 level. And don't worry about the withdrawals, I basically did the same thing and I have 3 interviews already. Just use it as a learning experience and kill the rest of your undergrad. Good luck!
 
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Oh ok. This makes sense. Can you look at the other two pictures that I attached. It says that IRSC was named as one of the ten best CC in US in 2014. And it's name changed from CC to State College in 2008. So, the name doesn't really make a difference right? It's still a CC I think :(

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not a community college anymore. You can go to a University like @workofshart said, but I don't think it'll hurt you to finish off at that current college and apply with a good DAT score. If you feel you are happier there and will succeed, then why change that? Unless you get an acceptance to a highly renowned University where brand recognition exists, then I wouldn't change schools.
 
Florida State Colleges are basically community colleges that have been renamed because they offer some 4 year degrees. Look up the Florida College System for more info.

OP, You should get your prereqs done at one of the state universities, adcoms (at least in Florida) will know what a state college is. They have very limited upper levels and degrees and some classes like microbio and biochem need to be 3000 level. And don't worry about the withdrawals, I basically did the same thing and I have 3 interviews already. Just use it as a learning experience and kill the rest of your undergrad. Good luck!

Thanks a lot. I will look into it :) Also, I dropped the courses before due date so they won't show up on my transcript as Withdrawals.
BTW Congratulations on your interviews. I wish you all the best!!
 
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I wouldn't worry about it. It's not a community college anymore. You can go to a University like @workofshart said, but I don't think it'll hurt you to finish off at that current college and apply with a good DAT score. If you feel you are happier there and will succeed, then why change that? Unless you get an acceptance to a highly renowned University where brand recognition exists, then I wouldn't change schools.

I agree to that. Thank you so much for your help! Really really appreciate every bit of it :)
 
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