NYU w/o a Bachelors?

[jlaha]

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Hey everyone.

I'm about to begin my 3rd year in college. I just transferred to UCLA from a community college, where I took just about all my pre-dental classes, and will major in History.

I've been considering applying to dental school without a bachelors degree so I can start a year earlier (and so I can move the hell away from my parents ASAP hehe). I understand that NYU doesn't require a bachelors. I've been really considering NYU for a few reasons. For one thing, it's in a great, lively city. I have a lot of family in NY and a couple of my cousins currently go to NYU Dental School also. Another incentive for me to go to NYU is that I can get free housing because one of my uncles owns some apartment complexes in Forest Hills, Queens and he said that if I go there, he could hook me up. This could save me like 60K-80K.

As far as my stats go, I have an overall GPA of about 3.35. My science GPA is probably around a 3.3. I have yet to take the DAT. I expect my GPA to rise a little after this summer.

I guess my question is, what do you guys think as far as my chances of getting admitted, considering I'd be applying w/o a bachelors? What % of NYUs entering class don't have a bachelors? Also, what do you think about my situation w/ free housing? Is it too far from the school? What are the positive and negatives of it? My cousin says its like a 30 min subway ride door to door.

To be honest, I don't know YET if the dental field is right for me (I'm trying to decide between dental and optometry), but I don't seem any harm in applying just to see what happens.

Thanks

Jonathan

 

[Comet208]

Jonathan,

first off, i encourage you to start shadowing a dentist (or two) and reading on dentistry to make sure whether dentistry is your thing or not. shadowing a dentist is almost a requirement these days. Also, getting into a dental school w/o a B.S is not only happening at NYU. you can apply after having completed 90 credits and if you have 3.5+ GPA and high DAT's you have some chance. last year, only 15 people (out of class of roughly 250) got into NYU w/o a B.S.

good luck to you.

Comet

 

[ItsGavinC]

Good points, Comet.

To the OP: you say you currently have a 3.35, and expect that to raise a bit after this summer. How much of a raise are we talking about?

Also, I wouldn't apply JUST because of free housing. Unfortunately there are no sure things when it comes to dental admissions, and this is especially true if you'll be a non-degree student.

If you are going to take the time to apply to NYU, then I assume you will also apply to other schools at the same time. What happens if you get accepted to another school, say UOP, but NOT to NYU?

Would you decline your UOP acceptance because you won't be getting free housing, or because you'd have to live on the West coast?

On the other hand, perhaps you would have been accepted to NYU if you would have come with a degree.

As you can see, there are quite a few things to think about, but I'm sure you have thought through most of these already.

I wouldn't let the lack of a degree keep you from applying. If, as Comet says, NYU does accept 15 non-degree students each year then you have better chances there than at other schools (where the average is more like 3-5 students each year).

As you said, there isn't any harm in applying, but I wouldn't necessarily let an acceptance determine your career path. In a rough generalization I can tell you that it is GENERALLY easier to get accepted to optometry schools, and dental school will be a bit more difficult for you. Much of this is because there is a MUCH greater interest in dentistry and MANY more applicants to dental schools than to optometry schools. That doesn't mean you should choose optometry, it just means you need to do a bit more research and decide which field meets your criteria and matches your personal abilities and interests.

Good luck!

 

[Brand]

If I had to guess the time for the commute, I would have said at least 45 minutes. I used to live in Richmond Hill which is right next to Forest Hill. But, I don't really remember. Your uncle is probably right. Ignore me, I'm blabbering.

 

[UBTom]

to jlaha:

You don't say... I live in Forest Hills NY. It takes me approximately 1 hour to commute to NYU Dental School by subway.

Right now I'm doing a summer externship with the Bellevue Hospital OMFS Department across the street from NYUCD. I take the E train from Forest Hills to 53rd/Lex, change to the 6 going downtown, get off at 23rd Street/Park and walk over to 1st Avenue.

My sister didn't like taking the subway at all. She drove to and from NYUCD when she was in dental school, paid for a parking spot at the Waterview Condominium about 3 blocks away. It takes 1 hour or more to drive there from Forest Hills if traffic is heavy.

HTH!

 

[3rdMolarRoller]

Hey Tom, how long is the walk from 23rd to NYUCD...is this the same area or close to where the PATH is?

 

[UBTom]

Hey Brocnizer,

The walk takes about 15 minutes... Of course right now it's summer and it's hot as all heck in NYC so by the time I get there I'm all sweaty. 😛

I suspect the walk would be a bit more pleasant in cooler weather though..

I don't remember seeing a PATH station there at 23rd/Park... But for sure there is one at 23rd/6th (the F-train station).

HTH!

 

[Beagle]

I do not think NYU will grant you full admission unless you have a BS or 90 credits with a 3.5 or over (as Comet said).
When I recieved the acceptance letter, it said you had to have either a BS or the 90 credits and 3.5 GPA. They're pretty anal about it. I have a Masters degree and they are still hounding me about my BS. They want my undergraduate institution to send them a letter saying I recieved my BS with the requirements, even though they know I have a masters degree and they have my graduate transcripts.... 🙄
Check out other schools aside from NYU. Although it's nice to have free housing, it probably won't be too nice when you have to commute so far each day.

 

[nyu2007dds]

Beagle, you can get free housing from NYU? who is eligible for that? I am from out of state. I guess I won't have any previlege then 🙁.

 

[Comet208]

i doubt is anyone is able to get free housing at NYU. unless you have very very strong ties to the housing office, and even then, i am not sure how things will be (i have been working for Res life at another university for the past 4 yrs). your best bet is to get a relatively cheaper place in Astoria, Queens or other not so "hot" places and commute. unfortunately though, is that case your commute will be about an hour, which according to NYians, not bad at all.

Comet

 

[UBTom]

Heh heh.. I think Jlaha was talking about his uncle providing him with "free housing" in Forest Hills rather than NYU doing that... I don't think NYU would ever give you free housing unless you got a full scholarship that covers it (and those should be rarer than hen's teeth as the saying goes).

Free housing in Forest Hills is definitely a big deal to a New Yorker... That's one of the nicest bedroom communities in all of NYC. I would rank only Douglaston and maybe Beechurst as nicer (both of which are pain in the butt to commute to Manhattan from).

 

[Pi__Guy1]

After a year in NY, I can tell you that I was really glad I forked over the $1500/month at 26th Street residence over commuting from Queens, Brooklyn, etc... 1 hour commute is not too bad, but when you factor in rain (INVEST IN SEVERAL UMBRELLAS), transfers, and rush hour on the 6 train, it can be hell.

Even living in Chicago my whole life (where we have a good subway (or "L" system), I was pretty annoyed with dealing w/ NY's public transportation. I think UBTom's sister did the best thing. I would rather sit in traffic everyday than to deal with the hassles of the subway. (btw, UBTomm, did they decrease the subway fares back down to $1.50 yet?)

Man, I'm dreading going back to NY next month. UBTom wasn't kidding about being all sweaty after the subway ride. If it's 90 degrees in NY, add 15 degrees at the subway stations. And remember, NY is all about walking so if it rains...well,

Welcome to New York...

 

[UBTom]

LOL, hell no, I'm still forking over $4 every day right now commuting daily to NYUCD. 😛

After 2 weeks so far of getting out of the 23rd/Park IRT station and walking over to the NYUCD/BHC/NYUMC/VA complex in the morning heat, yeah I can definitely see my sister's wisdom in getting the parking space over at the Waterside condo.

I met a few of your fellow schoolmates by the way when they came over to BHC's OMFS department on rotation. Their help is GREATLY appreciated, what with just two OMFS residents and me trying to clear 50 patients PER DAY, trying as best as I can to help them stem the tide. 😀

I envy you and your classmates, because the hospitals around Buffalo aren't quite as much fun for OMFS rotations as Bellevue is, heh heh..