Non-traditional newb introducing myself

[malibu06]

I've been browsing the forum for a bit, and thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm a Non-traditional Student, have been working in corporate world for many years (have an MBA), but ready for a change.

I enjoy working with my hands (as a hobby I build surfboards)

I have a family - wife and 2 toddlers.

I'm taking pre-reqs right now and kicking butt in my classes thus far (Chem, Bio, etc.)

I've done some shadowing (I have a couple of close friends from college that are dentists) and really enjoy it.

Curious to hear/share/ from other non-traditionals... is there a "non-traditional dental" thread? I found one for the pre-med but not the pre-dent...

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[safaroin]

I've been browsing the forum for a bit, and thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm a Non-traditional Student, have been working in corporate world for many years (have an MBA), but ready for a change.

I enjoy working with my hands (as a hobby I build surfboards)

I have a family - wife and 2 toddlers.

I'm taking pre-reqs right now and kicking butt in my classes thus far (Chem, Bio, etc.)

I've done some shadowing (I have a couple of close friends from college that are dentists) and really enjoy it.

Curious to hear/share/ from other non-traditionals... is there a "non-traditional dental" thread? I found one for the pre-med but not the pre-dent...

I am also a non-traditional student. I have been working for an Investment Bank for 7 years, started thinking about cnanging my carrer a couple of years ago. I started taking prereqs in Fall of 07, earned all A's, took DAT in September of '08, applied in October and gained an acceptance to a Dental school. I am still actually working full time at the bank - i guess this has been the hardest part, because my job is very demanding. But I am sure it will all work out for you..good luck!

 

[water88]

I am also a non-traditional student. I worked for an Investment Bank for 7 years, started thinking about cnanging my carrer a couple of years ago. I started taking prereqs in Fall of 07, earned all A's, took DAT in September of '08, applied in October and gained an acceptance to a Dental school. I am still actually working full time at the bank - i guess this has been the hardest part, because my job is very demanding. But I am sure it will all work out for you..good luck!

You're in dental school and doing investment banking on the side? YIKES

 

[chstrckwl]

hey guys, i'm kind of in the same boat. I'm an attorney but looking to make a change and in the early stages of thinking about dental/med school. Good luck to the both of you...I know how stressful it can be just to make the decision, let alone to actually begin the process.

 

[safaroin]

You're in dental school and doing investment banking on the side? YIKES

i am actually not in dental school yet...will be starting in September...and NO, there is no way i can work full time while in dental school.

 

[safaroin]

hey guys, i'm kind of in the same boat. I'm an attorney but looking to make a change and in the early stages of thinking about dental/med school. Good luck to the both of you...I know how stressful it can be just to make the decision, let alone to actually begin the process.

Yes, you are basically signing yourself up for no life (studying like there is no tomorrow), no money ( all is spent on prereqs), and lots of stress. But the result is what matters and i am very happy with the outcome of my investment

 

[chstrckwl]

let me ask you guys a couple quick questions:

1. did you have much science in your educational backgrounds? i had enough to know I can handle science courses, but my last science class was taken in 2001.

2. to those that have been accepted, do you think your professional background, though in an unrelated area, was an asset?

thanks for the info!

 

[doc toothache]

let me ask you guys a couple quick questions:
1. did you have much science in your educational backgrounds? i had enough to know I can handle science courses, but my last science class was taken in 2001.
2. to those that have been accepted, do you think your professional background, though in an unrelated area, was an asset?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=516945

 

[UCSF2012]

let me ask you guys a couple quick questions:

1. did you have much science in your educational backgrounds? i had enough to know I can handle science courses, but my last science class was taken in 2001.

2. to those that have been accepted, do you think your professional background, though in an unrelated area, was an asset?

thanks for the info!

You're asking yourself the wrong question. The question is not whether it was an asset. It's how was my experience an asset, and how do I best convince the admissions committee I'm an asset to them in my personal statement and interview.

 

[safaroin]

let me ask you guys a couple quick questions:

1. did you have much science in your educational backgrounds? i had enough to know I can handle science courses, but my last science class was taken in 2001.

2. to those that have been accepted, do you think your professional background, though in an unrelated area, was an asset?

thanks for the info!

1. i had zero sience background prior to starting prereqs
2. if you are able to apply your experience, then its only a plus

 

[DLC9647]

I'm a non-traditional as well...spent 11 years as a Navy pilot and thought the desire to go to dental school would have gone away by now..but it hasn't...and here I am in my thirties and I don't feel old at all.....

Did any of you take more than just the required courses before applying?

-D

 

[safaroin]

Did any of you take more than just the required courses before applying?

-D[/quote]


I wasnt even done with all of prereqs when i applied
at what stage are you right now? Best of luck to you, btw

 

[dentalmama]

I am proud to say, I too am a non-trad predental student and was accepted in December to 2 out of the 3 dental schools I applied to (USC and Western). Today I was asked for an interview from my 3rd school (UCLA)!!! I am 43 years old and a single mom of two adolescent boys and I have to say, I am thrilled to have made the choice to go back to school (after nearly 20 years) and finally achieve my dream of becoming a dentist!!! My undergrad major was Math, my MA is in Economics and I worked as a strategic systems consultant for a few years before getting married and having kids - then that became my life for 12 years. I dabbled in charity, tennis, volunteer work, kids schools and taking care of my ailing parents, and when they both died (at fairly young ages - 64 and 72) I realized how short life really is, and it was time I needed to do this for ME! Being in undergrad science classes again has been a great (and VERY easy!) experience, and not a problem in the least! (I'm surprised I thought it was so tough before!) Taking science classes is the EASY part - compared to raising kids!
I feel so lucky, that after the work I put into prereq classes, I've been accepted and will be able to have my dreams realized before its too late - because growing older WILL happen to all of us.
As far as your career being an asset, the idea that you have life experience and maturity is a huge asset, not necessarily the precise skills you've gained on the job. When you're older, you have more of a perspective on things and are able to handle stressful situations better - (I'm optimistic that that includes dental school). Especially when you are a parent, you learn not to sweat the small stuff, and put things into perspective - THAT's the real asset you have.
Good luck!

 

[BillytheEchidna]

I am proud to say, I too am a non-trad predental student and was accepted in December to 2 out of the 3 dental schools I applied to (USC and Western). Today I was asked for an interview from my 3rd school (UCLA)!!! I am 43 years old and a single mom of two adolescent boys and I have to say, I am thrilled to have made the choice to go back to school (after nearly 20 years) and finally achieve my dream of becoming a dentist!!! My undergrad major was Math, my MA is in Economics and I worked as a strategic systems consultant for a few years before getting married and having kids - then that became my life for 12 years. I dabbled in charity, tennis, volunteer work, kids schools and taking care of my ailing parents, and when they both died (at fairly young ages - 64 and 72) I realized how short life really is, and it was time I needed to do this for ME! Being in undergrad science classes again has been a great (and VERY easy!) experience, and not a problem in the least! (I'm surprised I thought it was so tough before!) Taking science classes is the EASY part - compared to raising kids!
I feel so lucky, that after the work I put into prereq classes, I've been accepted and will be able to have my dreams realized before its too late - because growing older WILL happen to all of us.
As far as your career being an asset, the idea that you have life experience and maturity is a huge asset, not necessarily the precise skills you've gained on the job. When you're older, you have more of a perspective on things and are able to handle stressful situations better - (I'm optimistic that that includes dental school). Especially when you are a parent, you learn not to sweat the small stuff, and put things into perspective - THAT's the real asset you have.
Good luck!

Dentalmama, congratulations on the 3rd interview! I can relate to your realization of how short life is: my dad also passed away when he was 64, very suddenly. I was 25, and I knew immediately that I needed to do something more meaningful with my life than just existing. It took a few years to figure out that the 'something' was dentistry... I have a B.A. in English and I'd been doing random jobs, including page layout at an educational publishing company (one was a dental assisting textbook, which really piqued my interest!). I started taking classes again when I was 27, while working full time... I am 30 now. I don't have the best grades, and it hasn't always been easy for me (I struggle with chemistry), but I am really glad that I went back to school! I didn't have many science classes in my first try at school -- just enough to ruin my GPA, because I didn't try very hard back then! (as a nontrad, they will use both your old and new grades in computing your GPA). I am still waiting to hear a decision from the one and only school I applied to. It's possible that this won't be the year for me, but I'm still going to keep taking classes and try again! Good luck to everyone!

 

[malibu06]

Wow!
Great to see all the diversity. Non-traditionals, please keep posting up your stories. Gives us all additional strength to keep pressing forward to pursue our dreams at whatever age!

 

[BillytheEchidna]

The disadvantage in being nontraditional is that it's impossible to stay anonymous on a forum like this when we tell our stories. If the admissions committee is reading this now, they would totally be able to figure out who I am! I guess that's no one's fault but my own.

 

[chstrckwl]

I'm in the process now of trying to figure out a) whether this is really what I want to do and b) where I could take my prereqs and get them done with most quickly. It's cool to see all sorts of different ages and backgrounds represented here. It really makes the process seem much less daunting. Good luck to all of you

 

[malibu06]

The disadvantage in being nontraditional is that it's impossible to stay anonymous on a forum like this when we tell our stories. If the admissions committee is reading this now, they would totally be able to figure out who I am! I guess that's no one's fault but my own.

True true... just "behave", then you don't have anything to worry about.

 

[Istr8nthem]

Wow!
Great to see all the diversity. Non-traditionals, please keep posting up your stories. Gives us all additional strength to keep pressing forward to pursue our dreams at whatever age!

I applaud all of you for pursuing your dreams! I think from an former ADCOM's perspective the best attribute of a non-traditional student is the fact that they are mature enough to be certain about their choice to pursue a different career path. Having real-world experience is incredibly important and having the maturity and interpersonal experiences that many gain in real-life only help when dealing with patients on a daily basis. The better you are able to connect with your patients and their experiences, the better dentist you will be. Also, for all of you MBA, business, banking people-- you will be happy when you are done with dental school and it is time to start thinking about running your own business and dealing with staff issues, etc. You will be ahead of the game!

 

[Dental Dreamer]

Wow, I am so glad that I read this thread. It inspires me to continue on the path that I have started down. I have been a dental hygienist for the past 5 years and I am 27 years old. After getting comfortable with hygiene I always had this nagging feeling that I should have done more and when the dentist that I am currently working for started to push me in this direction it became harder and harder to ignore that feeling. I did not complete my undergrad prior to gaining acceptance in hygiene and have applied to return in the fall and continue gaining necessary pre-requisites.

The reaction from my parents was less than stellar, they think that I should just be happy with the career I already have and start having kids. I am so worried that if I don't pursue this path I will always regret it and wonder what could have been. Thanks for sharing your stories...they make me want it more!

 

[malibu06]

I applaud all of you for pursuing your dreams! I think from an former ADCOM's perspective the best attribute of a non-traditional student is the fact that they are mature enough to be certain about their choice to pursue a different career path. Having real-world experience is incredibly important and having the maturity and interpersonal experiences that many gain in real-life only help when dealing with patients on a daily basis. The better you are able to connect with your patients and their experiences, the better dentist you will be. Also, for all of you MBA, business, banking people-- you will be happy when you are done with dental school and it is time to start thinking about running your own business and dealing with staff issues, etc. You will be ahead of the game!

Thanks for posting this Istr8nthem. My buddies that are dentists all say that having an MBA and my work experience in the business world will be a big asset - viewed positively by ADCOMS - which of course I agree with. However, I've read threads that people say it doesn't really matter.... just your GPA and DAT. Your note here definitely gives us a boost of confidence that Adcoms will look positively on our previous experiences and maturity.

 

[safaroin]

Thanks for posting this Istr8nthem. My buddies that are dentists all say that having an MBA and my work experience in the business world will be a big asset - viewed positively by ADCOMS - which of course I agree with. However, I've read threads that people say it doesn't really matter.... just your GPA and DAT. Your note here definitely gives us a boost of confidence that Adcoms will look positively on our previous experiences and maturity.

In my opinion, if your GPA and DAT are not competitive, having MBA/banking experience wouldnt make a difference. they also dont care about you studying nights and working full-time 12 hrs daily.

 

[malibu06]

In my opinion, if your GPA and DAT are not competitive, having MBA/banking experience wouldnt make a difference. they also dont care about you studying nights and working full-time 12 hrs daily.

Good point safarion -- GPA and DAT are most important -- but good to know that some adcoms will put some "value" on those experiences -- maybe in a similar way to volunteer work / extracuricullar activivites...

 

[iwh77]

Hi everyone,thanks for creating this thread.It is really encouraging.I am 34,a 2nd year Bio major ,and mom of 2.I have a B.A degree(Gpa 3.78)and applying for Sep2010(for the first time).
There is just something which worries me.I may go part time preparing prereq and work couple of hours a week.what do you think,is studying part time a disadvantage?I need to support my family financially in the meantime.I know when you are a dental student,you may get enough loan to handle things,but now it is terribly insufficient.(I am a canadian appicant)
Looking for your replies,great to have this thread

 

[bustedgrill]

Wow, good to see this thread. I was a cook in my life before school. Worked around and met some great people. Lots of work with my hands.

 

[dentalmama]

Hi everyone,thanks for creating this thread.It is really encouraging.I am 34,a 2nd year Bio major ,and mom of 2.I have a B.A degree(Gpa 3.78)and applying for Sep2010(for the first time).
There is just something which worries me.I may go part time preparing prereq and work couple of hours a week.what do you think,is studying part time a disadvantage?I need to support my family financially in the meantime.I know when you are a dental student,you may get enough loan to handle things,but now it is terribly insufficient.(I am a canadian appicant)
Looking for your replies,great to have this thread

I don't think its a disadvantage at all if you go to school part time in your case - if you do well in your classes. You can always explain this in your essays, and it shows you are responsible and have a life - all good qualities to have and shows you have balance! I'm not sure what you mean by part time - maybe taking 2 classes a semester? or 1? Try to take at least 2 classes (with labs) and I think you'll be fine. That's about the schedule I had to take with 2 kids and it was the perfect pace for me. I will start DS in the fall, hope I can still handle it, because I know my slow ride will be over. But I'm braced and ready...

 

[whateveryoulike]

malibu06, you sound like you're on the right track. I think it speaks volumes that you left a successful career and I'm sure it will be acknowledged when you start applying to schools. you can do some searches in the predent forum and should get quite a bit of nontraditional related stories. if you're looking for comfort posts to give you an idea of how competitive you are then Im sure most of the members on here will agree you're just fine and will probably be at an advantage compared to traditional students. warning: anything that comes out of my mouth is worthless since I havent applied yet, lol.