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DMDRAJ

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Hey everyone! So I've been a spectator for the past two years on SDN, never making an account and just reading up on all of this. Just wanted to introduce myself.. Im a Junior now at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I'm pre-dent and majoring in business-management. I've been fascinated with business every since I've been little, partly because I've been born and raised in that environment, yet my passion has always been dentistry. The two being similar, made me come to a conclusion that this is what I want to do. I'm a mediocre student with a 3.3ish gpa. I have experience with shadowing 4 dentists and many hours volunteering in dental clinics and a foundation for mentally handicapped children called Exceptional Foundation. I plan on taking the DAT's in August after taking a Kaplan course during the summer. Few questions to you guys!
Have any of you takin a Kaplan course taught at a Kaplan center and was it worth it in your opinion?
Will my business major look down upon because I won't be able to compete with others who have a science background in dental school?
Because of my low gpa I definitely need to have a DAT score high enough to balance the two out. In my opinion I am weak in science's and feel I need to start preparing now. I saw a forum about a 6 week program that had it cut down into what to study during those days, and am going to try that out for during my Christmas break. Have any of you had success with that?
I've been born and raised in Mississippi and plan on going to MS dental school, but im definitely going to be applying to others including UAB's. I love the advice you guys give on this site, its about time I've made an account and started asking questions of my own :D

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Your major won't hurt you(as long as your science GPA is competitive.) While the majority of dental students majored in a science, the actual percentages of applicants with non science majors who got admitted was actually higher than that of science majors. I remember reading this from some other thread. Just say in the interviews you were really interested in business and you knew undergrad was a great opportunity to learn those skills.

Props on being a predent/business major. I have a friend who's a sophomore and she's taking o-chem/bio/accounting at the same time. :scared:
 
Your major won't hurt you(as long as your science GPA is competitive.) While the majority of dental students majored in a science, the actual percentages of applicants with non science majors who got admitted was actually higher than that of science majors. I remember reading this from some other thread. Just say in the interviews you were really interested in business and you knew undergrad was a great opportunity to learn those skills.

Props on being a predent/business major. I have a friend who's a sophomore and she's taking o-chem/bio/accounting at the same time. :scared:

Theres nothing wrong with majoring in a non-science major; however, don't get the false "security" that a non-science major is equivalent to a science major when it comes to med/dent/pharm admissions. Those upper levels do make a difference in the adcoms eyes. In one of my interviews, the interviewer specifically told me my 10+ Bio Electives with good grades in them were my saving grace in my application. I guess what I'm trying to say OP...is that you should pursue what makes you happy, but do think about taking biochem/genetics/immuno etc. If you can ace that, you are good to go! =)
 
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Hey everyone! So I've been a spectator for the past two years on SDN, never making an account and just reading up on all of this. Just wanted to introduce myself.. Im a Junior now at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I'm pre-dent and majoring in business-management. I've been fascinated with business every since I've been little, partly because I've been born and raised in that environment, yet my passion has always been dentistry. The two being similar, made me come to a conclusion that this is what I want to do. I'm a mediocre student with a 3.3ish gpa. I have experience with shadowing 4 dentists and many hours volunteering in dental clinics and a foundation for mentally handicapped children called Exceptional Foundation. I plan on taking the DAT's in August after taking a Kaplan course during the summer. Few questions to you guys!
Have any of you takin a Kaplan course taught at a Kaplan center and was it worth it in your opinion?
Will my business major look down upon because I won't be able to compete with others who have a science background in dental school?

Because of my low gpa I definitely need to have a DAT score high enough to balance the two out. In my opinion I am weak in science's and feel I need to start preparing now. I saw a forum about a 6 week program that had it cut down into what to study during those days, and am going to try that out for during my Christmas break. Have any of you had success with that?
I've been born and raised in Mississippi and plan on going to MS dental school, but im definitely going to be applying to others including UAB's. I love the advice you guys give on this site, its about time I've made an account and started asking questions of my own :D

I personally did not do the kaplan course cause... $1000+ isn't worth it. Kaplan does NOT teach you the sciences, they'll assign chapters for you to read.... shooot I can do that myself, without someone telling me what/when to read something..... There are a few people who have done the kaplan and did EXCEPTIONALLY WELL (above 25AA+), but those people are somewhat rare. Majority of folks (from my observations alone) who depends mostly only on kaplan don't do too hot (ie around 18-19AA).

My opinion, whatever its worth, self study is the most efficient way to hit that 20+AA. You will need discipline and hard work, but it pays off

As far as your major is concerned. Dental schools see and care most about your GPA and science-GPA. They don't care about the major so much, but they care about the GPA. A history major with a 3.9 looks better (on paper at least) than a 3.1 from MIT in nuclear physics, you get what I mean?

Good luck on whatever you decide
 
Hey everyone! So I've been a spectator for the past two years on SDN, never making an account and just reading up on all of this. Just wanted to introduce myself.. Im a Junior now at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I'm pre-dent and majoring in business-management. I've been fascinated with business every since I've been little, partly because I've been born and raised in that environment, yet my passion has always been dentistry. The two being similar, made me come to a conclusion that this is what I want to do. I'm a mediocre student with a 3.3ish gpa. I have experience with shadowing 4 dentists and many hours volunteering in dental clinics and a foundation for mentally handicapped children called Exceptional Foundation. I plan on taking the DAT's in August after taking a Kaplan course during the summer. Few questions to you guys!
Have any of you takin a Kaplan course taught at a Kaplan center and was it worth it in your opinion?
Will my business major look down upon because I won't be able to compete with others who have a science background in dental school?
Because of my low gpa I definitely need to have a DAT score high enough to balance the two out. In my opinion I am weak in science's and feel I need to start preparing now. I saw a forum about a 6 week program that had it cut down into what to study during those days, and am going to try that out for during my Christmas break. Have any of you had success with that?
I've been born and raised in Mississippi and plan on going to MS dental school, but im definitely going to be applying to others including UAB's. I love the advice you guys give on this site, its about time I've made an account and started asking questions of my own :D

was good raj,

In addition to what DW above me said your major does not matter. BUT you need to take extra science classes other than just basic prereq. You need to take b.cheem, mico, anat & phy. etc... you can be any major you want but you HAVE to and must take extra science classes otherwise your app wont look strong. you have to basically make your self look like ALMOST a bio major...In most schools its just 10-12classes and you a bio major. That being said.


Kaplan does have solid structure and schedule that you can follow, they have plenty of practice material but you still have to buy outside practice material ie, topscore, cdp, achiever. Some say kaplan is good, some say is bad. I found it to be good b/c of the amount of practice material they throw at you. I have taken an online class, i only think the practice material was wroth it regarding the class we had a great instructor but hey how much of bio can he teach in <12 hrs... not whole lot.
 
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