Options, What do do after dental rejection

i think if someone were serious about going into dentistry as their life profession they would at least reapply once, if not more than once, or go the post-bac route. if you really want to become a dentist, i think it's very possible to do so. it just might take a little longer. but if it didn't pan out and i somehow didn't get accepted after multiple tries then i think i would've gone back to school and done business. but honestly, i didn't really think about "what if i didn't get into dental school" cuz i really believe it's possible if you keep on trying and don't give up.

 

One can always go into research with a biology degree.. There are some industry jobs available for bio majors too.

Some options I was considering back in 2000 if I couldn't get into dental school (which was my second attempt):

- Get an academic research job (easiest option).

- Get an industry product R&D job (next easiest option).

- Get paramedic training and apply to the FDNY for a job. (The New York City fire department is always hiring EMTs and paramedics).

- Taking the civil service exam and applying to the U.S. Department of the Interior to be a park ranger (a biology degree is fine for that, but this job is pretty competitive).

- Military service as a last resort, but having military experience will also open up some job opportunities.

- Whatever other odds and ends that comes my way.

None of these jobs pay well, but enough to survive. No gravy, but definitely better than being unemployed..

Thankfully I did not have to resort to any of those contingencies.

 

I'm on board with the busdriver here. I think another serious option would be to reapply. Take the year to improve your profile (GPA, DAT score, experience) and reapply. If it's a person's #1 career choice, then I think it deserves another shot.

 

To the OP:

I did go through that experience... I applied last cycle and realised my chances were really LOW to get an acceptance at the schools I was interested (although I did get interviews from schools that I didn't see myself attending). So, I did some personal thinking about what I should consider as my Plan B! - and to be honest, it wasn't as hard as you would think, it was simply moving-on and to re-apply, and this time... more of a pay-back.

First, I looked at my stats - which was the main reason I didnt get into schools last cycle - so I had to do something about my GPA, which was about 3.1 and Sci 3.0 at the time. Now, I boosted my GPA to 3.45 and 3.4. I did re-take the DAT - and did much better in all sections than my first attempt... with 18's and 19's.

Secondly, started to commit to dentistry - a lot of shadowing with different dentists, summer dental programs etc... - so i would get good references for my application, and something to talk about when I get interviews.

Thirdly, introduced myself to Adcoms at the schools of my interest, so they know that I am more commited for the coming cycle.

Finally, with all the above goals completed, my confidence is much better, and have few doubts about getting rejections if I apply early in May.

So, if you don't get in anywhere this year - its not the end of the world, it is actually a chance to discover more about yourself - have a go at improving your weaknesses, work on your stats - it will show the adcoms that you didn't give up so easily, and that you are a better applicant than before.

My philosophy in life is - if you commit, you can accomplish anything in time.

 

Way to go, Mo007!

 

I've been pretty much rejected this year, and I'm hoping to spend the next year while I wait to reapply doing an internship with Americorps and giving a year of service. I'm thinking this will boost my profile a little bit, does anybody agree?

 

"Horrible" only to you, maybe.

People have made careers out of the military for example and they do fine. Hell, we got people on this here board who are going into the military even after dental school.

In particular I like the idea of working for the National Park Service. I would love to be a park ranger at places like Yosemite or Denali.
That's Denali. "Horrible?" You gotta be kidding.

And don't go dissing paramedics or the FDNY-- They aren't called "New York's Bravest" for nothing! It's definitely something an adrenaline junkie can go for.

Research can be boring yep, that I do agree, having worked in a lab for several years. It fits well with some personalities though who are inclined to academia.

Not everyone who graduates from college is guaranteed a well-paying job, but people still do it anyway because money might not be the only motivating factor.

 

There you go. My point is that those alternatives I mentioned were not so "horrible" as you say. Doesn't matter if you went to school for four years if a job requires only two.

Game, set and match.

 

My initial GPA (3.1/3.0) was with 70 hours of coursework - I added 35 hours on top of that for last year alone, with a GPA of 3.94 (lowest grade was A-) - if you do the Maths, it comes out to roughly 3.45/3.4. I will continue to take more courses to earn a degree, meaning another another 15-20 hours, and if I get A's in those, I can end up with a higher GPA - 3.5-3.6.

I took upper Biology courses to boost my GPA - Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology - which I think will help me out a lot at first year of Dental School. Those classes were not post-bacs, I took them at a 4 year college as a continuing-ed student. They were not easy, I guess being dedicated kept me going and getting those grades. So, in a sense - adcoms would like to see those improvements made on my last year's application (I hope).

 

Take a vacation.

 

You need to re-read my original post. I'm not talking about being a fireman-- I'm talking about being a paramedic or EMT with the New York City Fire Department, and a biology degree is perfectly fine for that.

Here in New York, the EMS is part of the FDNY.

Even if you are not an outdoorsy type, if you find this "horrible," all I can say is most people on this planet would disagree with you.


As I said, only to you, maybe.

Game, set and match. Again.

 

Who said paramedics or EMTs are the same as firemen? Not me. If you bothered to read my post carefully, you would have gotten my point 10 posts ago that a BIOLOGY DEGREE IS FINE FOR PARAMEDICS AND EMTS, AND IN NYC THAT MEANS WORKING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. Why are these simple facts so difficult for you to comprehend?

Then again, from that *ahem* lovely home video of yourself below, I should have known I was dealing with a mentally-******ed petulent child.

Seriously, if you don't like the fact that the Emergency Medical Service is part of the Fire Department in the City of New York, don't whine to me about it. Complain to them. (shrug)

Write to this address:

Honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor
Gracey Mansion
New York, NY 10024



The readers know who got the game, set and match, chump.

 

corky looks hungry

 

That's Jabba the Hut's love child.

 

I had the same fears when I started college (what would I do with a bio degree). I decided to take the safe route and get a business degree. Now, I'm 23 with a decent job and I'm taking the prereqs at night so that I can apply to dental school next May. I currently have a 3.85 GPA and 4.0 in science, but this may change over the next year as I'm finishing up the prereqs.

I know that the route that I've taken will end up adding two years to the process of becoming a dentist, but I was the first person in my family to go to college and I had no idea that I would be as successful as I was in school.

I didn't want to go to school for four years to end up making 35K as a science teacher or something like that.

 

So what you're saying Mo, is you didn't get in as a non-degree seeking student. In other words, you were attempting to matriculate into d-school without a degree. One thing the OP should know is the difficulty of getting into d-school without a degree. Sure, alot of people have done it, but they are alot less competitive than those with a degree. Obviously, in your case, you will be a good example of how a degree will help you get into d-school (as well as your upward grade trend).

 

double post

 

I tried without a degree - and found out the consequences and repercussions. - but my stats were still decent, so - a degree is very imperative.

 

Hrmm. There are some schools that don't require a degree and a lot that pretty much require one. Ask the school for their admissions stats for the final say.

Aggie: with the retiring age set to 65 now, and prob 67 within the next 5-10 years depending on how broke this country will be thanks to Bush, an extra 2 years is a sneeze. Take those two years and enjoy it while you can before you matriculate.

 

I was a poli sci major and I got in no problem. There were plenty of science majors that I beat out. Getting into dental school requires a bit of strategy, and mine was to make sure my GPA looked good, even if I wasn't taking as hard a schedule as everyone else. It all comes down to GPA, DAT, and interview(not necessarily in that order). They don't take a very close look at your file (in terms of major, hours, community service crap, extra cir. stuff, etc. etc.)until after the first round and close to the end of the second round of applicants. So, if you put yourself, GPA/DATwise, ahead of the curve a bit, they won't even worry about that stuff. They may ask you about it in your interview(they didn't in my three interviews), if they do, tell them that you are going to load up on science classes in your senior year.

 

Yep, I will have taken biochem, histo, anatomy and a dental science course that was offered in the fall by the end of the year. Once you're accepted(Dec. 1 in my case) you only need to make Cs, so I make Cs in all my poli sci classes and I work fairly hard in my sciences to learn the material so I'm not totally ignorant next year.