Hey guys so this is my first post so try not to be too harsh. I just turned 25 today and graduated with a 3.55 gpa with a Biology degree last Fall.
My family is filled with dentists, my 3 aunts are all dentists and my uncle on my moms sides also a dentist. Ever since my senior year of high school my dad has been pushing me to pursue dentistry simply because I would make a lot of money and maybe one day take over my aunts practice. Because of this, I somehow forced myself to change my major from Business Admin, to Biology and worked my a** off to get a 3.55 gpa during my undergrad. Here's the thing...halfway through my undergrad I started doubting myself and if that was the right career I wanted to be in for the rest of my life. I know there's 100's of posts out there about this but I just wanted to hear from anyone that's been in my position. I'm studying for my DAT right now and am planning on taking it for my first time next week. I have a 150+ hours of shadowing (at my aunts practice/dads friends practice) and over 200+ hours of community service hours. The only thing is..I'm 25..don't feel too prepared for the DAT..and don't know if I should wait and apply next cycle because then I'll be 26 and I feel like I would let my parents down. The only reason I'm taking my DAT so late is because my dad is opening up a Beergarden/Brewery this Fall (I know it sounds random lol) and for some reason I've just been extremely interested in the business he's opening up with and have been giving him advice ever since he decided he wanted to open up the brewery. He's also into commercial real estate and makes a good amount of money but he's also starting to get a bit old and I can't stop thinking about how I could help him in so many ways by managing his property and maybe also the beergarden at some point. I know I should be focusing on dental school right now and what not but I can't stop flirting with the idea of just taking my DAT next week and seeing how it goes and then taking my year off to learn the business from my dad (which he's more than happy to show me). Although my dads pushed me for years to take my DAT and go to dental school, he's also very open minded and knows that if I take over what he's doing and manage his commercial property/Beergarden I would still be in good hands. I guess it ultimately comes down to...should I take the DAT and see how it goes since it's my first time and take my gap year to go into business with my dad and see how I like it? I really don't know what to do and this idea of not doing dental would (in my opinion) seems like I'm taking the easy way out and it's an unsettling feeling because I feel like I'm mooching off my dad with the family business thing. I had a strong passion for dentistry at one point and there was a fire burning under me to pursue dental but it almost feels as if the fires burning out . The thing is, now that I'm older and have gotten to get to know what my dad does for work, I'm getting a better idea of what I'm really interested in but I feel like I would regret not pursuing dentistry in the end :/. I know dentists can make around $150-200+k a year but if I do well in my gap year and get a good grip of how to manage commercial real estate with my dad, I'm sure in the long run I can eventually start bringing in $200+ k all without going to dental school and taking out student loans. I understand that my dads commercial property/beergarden will always be there for me for when I become a dentist but the idea of going to dental school for 4 years then coming out and still not having a better understanding of my dads business while he's getting older won't do me any good. I just think that if I start now I can take over what he's doing in just a few years and make just as much if not more money as if I went to dental school. Just really torn and need some advice with some pros and cons. Let me know what you guys think I should do if you were in my shoes. Also.. I understand that this post makes me sound like an entitled brat but just wanted everyone to know that I've earned almost entirely everything in my life up to this point so don't judge someone from a post. Thanks for everyone's input, I really do appreciate it.
