New here and a few application questions...

[srbm1786]

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This is my first post here. I'm currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology and planning to apply to dental school for either the class of 2017 or 2018. I have a couple of questions about the application process (I apologize if these have been asked here before...I'm sure they have but I'm not having good luck with the search function).

1. When dental schools say that there is a 90hr minimum for admission, do those 90 hours have to be completed before you apply, or just before you start dental school? I plan to graduate with my Bachelor's in May 2013. However, if I apply June 1st 2012, I will only have 83 hours completed, and will be enrolled in 8 hours that summer (Organic Chem 1 and 2).

2. Is it necessary for the prerequisites to be completed prior to application? If I apply June 1st 2012, I will have all the prerequisites except Organic Chem 1 and 2 completed. I will be enrolled in those courses that summer. Is there some way to update your application after you complete classes?

Given questions 1 and 2, would it be better to just risk a late application in August 2012 when I've completed Organic? Or would it be better to get the application in early while enrolled in Organic?

3. Is it completely unreasonable to plan to take the DAT before I take Organic Chemistry? I'm not taking Organic until Summer 2012 (I can't make it work with my schedule any other way). I had hoped to submit my application to AADSAS on June 1st, and most schools "strongly recommend" that you take the DAT prior to applying. In your opinion, which would be better - study hard on my own and take the DAT before June 1st (when I haven't yet taken Organic) and risk a lower score, or wait and take it in August after I've completed Organic and risk the late application?

Or, given all three questions, would it just be better to take the DAT in August after I've completed Organic and submit the application then?

I realize that it would probably be best (and least stressful for me) to just wait and take the DAT after I graduate in May 2013 and apply in June 2013 for the class of 2018. But I'm a nontraditional student (25 now), so getting in a year early would be worth it to me if there's any way I could make it happen.

I know these are probably really basic questions, I'm just trying to wrap my head around the application process. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Shadownght12]

Hey most schools require the 90 hours to be completed before you actually start dental school not when you apply. They clarify that only because a few still do not require a bachelors degree to attend. (But do require 90 hours)
You can definitely apply before taking orgo because in the app you can list future courses. However the sooner you can take the DAT the better. You're application isn't processed until you have the scores.
Personally the orgo section of the DAT is a piece of cake in comparison to the orgo I took at school.
I would recommend trying to take the DAT this summer, study up on the orgo. Then next summer as soon as the app opens up apply apply apply.
Are you sure you can't take orgo this fall??

 

[jeffity]

There's a lot here, but I'll take a stab.

1. When dental schools say that there is a 90hr minimum for admission, do those 90 hours have to be completed before you apply, or just before you start dental school? I plan to graduate with my Bachelor's in May 2013. However, if I apply June 1st 2012, I will only have 83 hours completed, and will be enrolled in 8 hours that summer (Organic Chem 1 and 2).

I'm going to say 90 before school starts. Kind of like how the pre-reqs work. BUT, you pretty much have to have a degree unless you're crazy awesome. Looks like you're planning to finish anyhow. Many people apply the summer between their Junior and Senior year.

2. Is it necessary for the prerequisites to be completed prior to application? If I apply June 1st 2012, I will have all the prerequisites except Organic Chem 1 and 2 completed. I will be enrolled in those courses that summer. Is there some way to update your application after you complete classes?

No. Just completed prior to matriculation. When you fill out the application, you can put current or planned courses. Later in the application process (in fall) you can update those.

Given questions 1 and 2, would it be better to just risk a late application in August 2012 when I've completed Organic? Or would it be better to get the application in early while enrolled in Organic?

It wouldn't matter much. You application would just be sitting there until you had a DAT score to go with it.

3. Is it completely unreasonable to plan to take the DAT before I take Organic Chemistry? I'm not taking Organic until Summer 2012 (I can't make it work with my schedule any other way). I had hoped to submit my application to AADSAS on June 1st, and most schools "strongly recommend" that you take the DAT prior to applying. In your opinion, which would be better - study hard on my own and take the DAT before June 1st (when I haven't yet taken Organic) and risk a lower score, or wait and take it in August after I've completed Organic and risk the late application?

Or, given all three questions, would it just be better to take the DAT in August after I've completed Organic and submit the application then?

Kind of. That's a WHOLE lot of chemistry to teach yourself, especially during a normal semester and trying to prep for all the rest of the DAT. Organic is serious business. I took the DAT without OCHM II and it sort of sucked a big one. It brought my TS and AA down. But I knew in general I was risking a lower score by taking over winter break and without OCHM II. I'd suggest not attempting OCHM I and II on your own unless you have some serious free time on your hands.

As for next summer, OCHM is serious business, especially in a truncated format. It's ultimately up to you, but applying June 1 and then taking both OCHMs while concurrently studying for the mother DAT so you can get it done at a reasonable time isn't going to be super easy either. It's definitely better than taking it without having taken the OCHMs though.

I realize that it would probably be best (and least stressful for me) to just wait and take the DAT after I graduate in May 2013 and apply in June 2013 for the class of 2018. But I'm a nontraditional student (25 now), so getting in a year early would be worth it to me if there's any way I could make it happen.

I hear you on the non-trad thing. Only you know your situation and your academic skill and if you can get a solid DAT in there to avoid the off year. It's doable though. You could get into some home OCHM fun during this next school year. I don't know when your semesters end, but we have almost a month off between spring and summer. If you were at least novice with OCHM, you could really start cranking out some studying before summer school started and take the DAT and apply summer 2012.