- Joined
- Jan 16, 2003
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 0
Are there any programs that are known for taking nontraditional applicants? Or any that are known for not doing so?
thanks.
thanks.
nontraditional applicant
- Thread starter efh4
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2003
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 0
Interested in schools east of the mississippi (esp pa, nj, ny, oh).
chemical engineering degree in undergrad (2.9 gpa overall).
worked in business field for 3 yrs.
mba from top 25 school (whatever that means)
have not yet taken dat.
plan to take biology class this year, otherwise have all required classes.
also, minority status (if that changes anything)
plan to apply this year (if not too late)!?!?
is that specific enough? 🙂
chemical engineering degree in undergrad (2.9 gpa overall).
worked in business field for 3 yrs.
mba from top 25 school (whatever that means)
have not yet taken dat.
plan to take biology class this year, otherwise have all required classes.
also, minority status (if that changes anything)
plan to apply this year (if not too late)!?!?
is that specific enough? 🙂
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2002
- Messages
- 1,459
- Reaction score
- 4
Your background is actually not as "nontraditional" as you think. My class has a lot of people with similar backgrounds like yours-- Worked in another field, decided to change careers for the better and get into dental school.
Me, I worked for years as an IT/MIS guy before dental school.
My gross anatomy lab partner used to own a pizza chain in LA.
My neighbor in clinic across the aisle from me was an avionics engineer with Boeing.
The list goes on. 😀
All I can say to you is APPLY! As long as you demonstrate a sense of dedication to the profession and that you are sure dentistry is for you (something you will be doing for the rest of your life!) in your application and interview, you should be able to get into a school (assuming of course your grades, DAT and course requirements are up to speed).
And yes, it's still early if you are applying for Fall 2004 admission.
Good luck!
Me, I worked for years as an IT/MIS guy before dental school.
My gross anatomy lab partner used to own a pizza chain in LA.
My neighbor in clinic across the aisle from me was an avionics engineer with Boeing.
The list goes on. 😀
All I can say to you is APPLY! As long as you demonstrate a sense of dedication to the profession and that you are sure dentistry is for you (something you will be doing for the rest of your life!) in your application and interview, you should be able to get into a school (assuming of course your grades, DAT and course requirements are up to speed).
And yes, it's still early if you are applying for Fall 2004 admission.
Good luck!
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2001
- Messages
- 3,339
- Reaction score
- 31
AAAAAhhhhhhhh....by non-traditional, you meant by a non-science major minority that had been out of the academia for awhile....
You see, there are many types of "non-traditional" applicants such as "minority" applicants (Afr. Amer., Amer. Indians, and Hispanics ONLY) and "physical challenged" applicants (deaf, handicapped, etc.), so that's is why I wondered what you meant by "non-traditional" applicant.
With your classification (if there's one), there are no dental schools that will prefer one way or the other. As long as you have a decent undergraduate GPA (3.2-3.4) and a competitive DAT score (19/19), you should get into a dental school, even at the east coast dental schools. Now if you have a >3.5 GPA and a 20/20 DAT, then you're guaranteed to be accepted to a dental school. In your case, since you undergraduate GPA is lower, hopefully you have a higher graduate GPA (your MBA GPA) to show for!
Now, if you're a one of three ethinic background as I have listed above or below, then you may have some advantage at majority of the dental schools since they all are trying to increase their class diversity by accepting minority applicants. Since you also have a graduate degree (your MBA), you're also a more attractive applicant to dental schools.
Again, applicants are considered minority are:
1) African Americans
2) American Indians
3) Hispanic/Spanish background
With your stats, educational and ethnic backgrounds, you shouldn't have too much trouble being accepted to a dental school. Also, doing well in your DAT will help also. Aim for 20s/20s!
Good luck and it's not too late to apply.
You see, there are many types of "non-traditional" applicants such as "minority" applicants (Afr. Amer., Amer. Indians, and Hispanics ONLY) and "physical challenged" applicants (deaf, handicapped, etc.), so that's is why I wondered what you meant by "non-traditional" applicant.
With your classification (if there's one), there are no dental schools that will prefer one way or the other. As long as you have a decent undergraduate GPA (3.2-3.4) and a competitive DAT score (19/19), you should get into a dental school, even at the east coast dental schools. Now if you have a >3.5 GPA and a 20/20 DAT, then you're guaranteed to be accepted to a dental school. In your case, since you undergraduate GPA is lower, hopefully you have a higher graduate GPA (your MBA GPA) to show for!
Now, if you're a one of three ethinic background as I have listed above or below, then you may have some advantage at majority of the dental schools since they all are trying to increase their class diversity by accepting minority applicants. Since you also have a graduate degree (your MBA), you're also a more attractive applicant to dental schools.
Again, applicants are considered minority are:
1) African Americans
2) American Indians
3) Hispanic/Spanish background
With your stats, educational and ethnic backgrounds, you shouldn't have too much trouble being accepted to a dental school. Also, doing well in your DAT will help also. Aim for 20s/20s!
Good luck and it's not too late to apply.
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2003
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 0
thanks for the advice and encouragement!
do you think my gpa (2.9, probably 2.7 science) will hurt me alot? will admissions committees take into account my major (chem engineering) and the quality of my undergrad?
my mba classes are only pass/fail so I don't think they will be too helpful.
thanks!
do you think my gpa (2.9, probably 2.7 science) will hurt me alot? will admissions committees take into account my major (chem engineering) and the quality of my undergrad?
my mba classes are only pass/fail so I don't think they will be too helpful.
thanks!
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2001
- Messages
- 3,339
- Reaction score
- 31
Please apply for a membership to the "Under 3.0 Club", we are now accepting applications.
http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28491&highlight=under+3.0
Kick ass on the DAT, you must get at least 20/20!
http://www.studentdoctor.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28491&highlight=under+3.0
Kick ass on the DAT, you must get at least 20/20!
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction score
- 0
hello there
i agree with the poster above...how come Asian Americans are not considered to be minority? (or East-Indian Americans, for that matter)?
i agree with the poster above...how come Asian Americans are not considered to be minority? (or East-Indian Americans, for that matter)?
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2001
- Messages
- 11,749
- Reaction score
- 24
They aren't considered a minority for the purpose of application to professional/college programs because they don't suffer at all with acceptances or matriculation!
The minority applicant status is given to applicants as a means of assisting them into programs and into more productive positions in the workforce and society.
Asian americans have NO trouble in this realm, so to designate them as such would not assist with the ultimate goal of the minority status term.
The minority applicant status is given to applicants as a means of assisting them into programs and into more productive positions in the workforce and society.
Asian americans have NO trouble in this realm, so to designate them as such would not assist with the ultimate goal of the minority status term.
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2001
- Messages
- 11,749
- Reaction score
- 24
I wanted to tell the OP that the 2.9/2.7 grades certainly won't help, but the MBA may well show that you do have a commitment to learning and advancing. It is too bad that it can't show so through a graduate GPA, however.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you'll need to get DAT scores of 21+ on your academic to really be considered by most schools.
If that 2.7 comes flying through the application quite a few schools will deny you simply because you don't meet their GPA cutoffs. If they took the time to read your application they may find you have many great qualities that outweigh your GPA, but with so many applicants these days the adcoms don't have time to initially browse every portion of the application.
Private schools get at least 1,000 applications each year, with many of them getting more than that. My school received 1500 applications last year for 54 spots.
Public schools are just as bad and can be far worse if you are an out-of-state applicant. My 3.4 didn't even get me interviews at public schools out-of-state.
You MUST rock the DAT if the only GPA you can show is a 2.9/2.7. Rocking the DAT will signifigantly boost your application in the eyes of the adcoms.
Good luck, and don't give up if this is truly what you want! Many have gotten in with GPAs lower than yours, but they also have great DAT scores!
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you'll need to get DAT scores of 21+ on your academic to really be considered by most schools.
If that 2.7 comes flying through the application quite a few schools will deny you simply because you don't meet their GPA cutoffs. If they took the time to read your application they may find you have many great qualities that outweigh your GPA, but with so many applicants these days the adcoms don't have time to initially browse every portion of the application.
Private schools get at least 1,000 applications each year, with many of them getting more than that. My school received 1500 applications last year for 54 spots.
Public schools are just as bad and can be far worse if you are an out-of-state applicant. My 3.4 didn't even get me interviews at public schools out-of-state.
You MUST rock the DAT if the only GPA you can show is a 2.9/2.7. Rocking the DAT will signifigantly boost your application in the eyes of the adcoms.
Good luck, and don't give up if this is truly what you want! Many have gotten in with GPAs lower than yours, but they also have great DAT scores!
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction score
- 0
hi itsgavinc
as an asian-canadian, i'm curious about your statement that asians do not 'suffer' in the application process. What do you mean 'suffer'? do you mean that asians usually attain higher grades and are more competitive than other 'minorities'?
thanks
as an asian-canadian, i'm curious about your statement that asians do not 'suffer' in the application process. What do you mean 'suffer'? do you mean that asians usually attain higher grades and are more competitive than other 'minorities'?
thanks
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2003
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 7
Sufferring is a bad choice of words. Under representation is a better term. Asians (including Indians) are well represented in graduate programs. Therefore, schools don't feel that they to make special allowances to admit them. So while Asians are minorities, they aren't considered an "under represented" minority. African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders etc. aren't considered minorities because they suffer from discrimination in the admissions process. They are considered minorities because they are under represented at most schools. The reason why they are under represented in graduate programs is two-fold. The first reason is that many minorities don't apply to programs. The second reason is that they have average lower entrance statistics.
The purpose of affirmative action is to rectify discrimination in admissions during the pre-civil rights era. And it's to create a surplus of minority professionals so that their children will have the same resources to education so that they won't need affirmative action in the future.
There are two sides to the debate. While many applicants feel that AA is a form of reverse discrimination. Schools justify AA because they feel that minorities improve the learning experience of a school because it exposes students to a diverse student body.
The purpose of affirmative action is to rectify discrimination in admissions during the pre-civil rights era. And it's to create a surplus of minority professionals so that their children will have the same resources to education so that they won't need affirmative action in the future.
There are two sides to the debate. While many applicants feel that AA is a form of reverse discrimination. Schools justify AA because they feel that minorities improve the learning experience of a school because it exposes students to a diverse student body.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2003
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction score
- 0
thanks for clarifying. i dont think such a system exists in canada except for aboriginal canadians, who receive special considerations. I remember there was a case a few months back of a student suing the school because she thought AA was the reason why she didnt get in med school. How did that case turn out?
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2003
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 7
There is a case in which a lady a caucasian lady sued the University of Michigan because she didn't get into law school. It should be noted that this lady had very high credentials(3.8 GPA +) and she seemed quite polished in regards to her appearance and interviewing skills. She blames affirmative action for denying her an equal access to education. The case went to the Supreme Court. I don't know the outcome.
