Prerequisites all done before application?

[igotswansons]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and appreciate all the information everyone has provided. I am a career changer and am currently taking my prereqs. By fall of 2010, I will have all my prereqs complete except Biology I, Org Chem II and Biochemistry. I am taking bio I and O chem II that fall. I was considering taking my DAT that fall as well. My question is this... Should I even waste my time applying next year? I know some schools don't require you have all your prereqs done by the time you apply but I figured missing 3 courses' grades doesn't offer a complete picture in terms of science GPA. Does anyone have any personal experience with this situation? What kind of DAT score would I have to get to become competitive for admission next year or will I not be competitive since I still haven't completed those 3 courses? I could wait another year but was just curious if it was worth my time and money.

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[vlct0ria]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and appreciate all the information everyone has provided. I am a career changer and am currently taking my prereqs. By fall of 2010, I will have all my prereqs complete except Biology I, Org Chem II and Biochemistry. I am taking bio I and O chem II that fall. I was considering taking my DAT that fall as well. My question is this... Should I even waste my time applying next year? I know some schools don't require you have all your prereqs done by the time you apply but I figured missing 3 courses' grades doesn't offer a complete picture in terms of science GPA. Does anyone have any personal experience with this situation? What kind of DAT score would I have to get to become competitive for admission next year or will I not be competitive since I still haven't completed those 3 courses? I could wait another year but was just curious if it was worth my time and money.

You will find the biology section of the DAT very difficult if you try and take it the same semester you are taking Biology I, assuming you haven't taken any bio before. There is some orgo II on the DAT too, so that may work against you as well. And to answer your question, no, you do not have to have all your prerequisites done at the time of applying. Most schools just ask you to confirm that you plan on taking them before you enter dschool. I would suggest waiting to apply until 2011.

 

[dev9036]

You will find the biology section of the DAT very difficult if you try and take it the same semester you are taking Biology I, assuming you haven't taken any bio before. There is some orgo II on the DAT too, so that may work against you as well. And to answer your question, no, you do not have to have all your prerequisites done at the time of applying. Most schools just ask you to confirm that you plan on taking them before you enter dschool. I would suggest waiting to apply until 2011.

+1

 

[Palmetto914]

I took the DAT after having only one biology course, and no organic II. I can't say my score was awesome, but I did get accepted. In fact, since I was working full-time as an engineer during the day, I had a very limited amount of study time. This winter I still need to take orgo II, biochem, psych, english, micro and anatomy. There definitely is a way through it all, just study, study, study!

 

[igotswansons]

I took the DAT after having only one biology course, and no organic II. I can't say my score was awesome, but I did get accepted. In fact, since I was working full-time as an engineer during the day, I had a very limited amount of study time. This winter I still need to take orgo II, biochem, psych, english, micro and anatomy. There definitely is a way through it all, just study, study, study!

I am currently working as a full time engineer as well. So you got accepted without grades from Ochem II, Biology and biochemistry as well? This is encouraging to hear. If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats and what school was it?

 

[MTD52]

I took the DAT after having only one biology course, and no organic II. I can't say my score was awesome, but I did get accepted. In fact, since I was working full-time as an engineer during the day, I had a very limited amount of study time. This winter I still need to take orgo II, biochem, psych, english, micro and anatomy. There definitely is a way through it all, just study, study, study!

That's pretty impressive. While it's clearly possible and if you really want, you can probably achieve that goal, that doesn't seem like a "normal" occurrence. I don't think I would have had a prayer of getting trough the Orgo without having taken it first. Even though I hadn't taken it in a while and didn't really remember anything, just the familiarity helped a lot. I guess it all depends on your circumstances.

 

[subdoc]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and appreciate all the information everyone has provided. I am a career changer and am currently taking my prereqs. By fall of 2010, I will have all my prereqs complete except Biology I, Org Chem II and Biochemistry. I am taking bio I and O chem II that fall. I was considering taking my DAT that fall as well. My question is this... Should I even waste my time applying next year? I know some schools don't require you have all your prereqs done by the time you apply but I figured missing 3 courses' grades doesn't offer a complete picture in terms of science GPA. Does anyone have any personal experience with this situation? What kind of DAT score would I have to get to become competitive for admission next year or will I not be competitive since I still haven't completed those 3 courses? I could wait another year but was just curious if it was worth my time and money.

Hey, I applied (just starting to get interview offers for this cycle - apps mailed Sept 21) and at time of application I had yet to take Microbio, Biochem, any Orgo and any Bio. I am also a "career changer" still working full-time. Without the classes beforehand it made the DAT tough. I will say this, I came to the realization early it is not grades or test scores which gets "career changers" in, but the resume and personality. Good luck, show passion, show interest, be personable, and you will do great!

 

[Palmetto914]

I am currently working as a full time engineer as well. So you got accepted without grades from Ochem II, Biology and biochemistry as well? This is encouraging to hear. If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats and what school was it?

Ochem II isn't too bad to pick up on after you have ochem I (which I had before the DAT). Click on my predents profile for my exact stats, but I think my overall GPA was 3.7 and sci 3.6...DAT was around 17/18 with 20 PAT/23 RC (I bombed QR...and I'm an engineer...go figure). Michigan accepted me (I'm in-state).

 

[Palmetto914]

That's pretty impressive. While it's clearly possible and if you really want, you can probably achieve that goal, that doesn't seem like a "normal" occurrence. I don't think I would have had a prayer of getting trough the Orgo without having taken it first. Even though I hadn't taken it in a while and didn't really remember anything, just the familiarity helped a lot. I guess it all depends on your circumstances.

I do agree that it isn't the norm. Then again, if there is one thing I would fault these boards for is the focus on DAT/GPA. Obviously they're important, but they're not everything. When I was accepted, they told me it was my PS and my interviews that really did it for me.

 

[Palmetto914]

I am also a "career changer" still working full-time. Without the classes beforehand it made the DAT tough. I will say this, I came to the realization early it is not grades or test scores which gets "career changers" in, but the resume and personality. Good luck, show passion, show interest, be personable, and you will do great!

I agree 100%.

 

[golf05]

Any way you can take Bio I over the summer? Maybe at a different school? I jumped around from school to school within my home state so that I could fit in the most efficient sequence of classes. Did Bio, Phys, Chem II, OChem, Biochem in one calendar year including summer classes. Perhaps this spring you could attend the OChem II class (audit or just show up) to see what you can pick up, then take the DAT and apply with AADSAS in July or August of 2010.

 

[PaulieGualtieri]

to OP... I do think that it is ok to have incomplete pre-reqs while applying, but, just as other posts say, that DAT is going to be brutal. I would wait another year because if you apply early, which greatly increases your chances of getting accepted, you will have essentially not learned anything from your bio and orgo classes.

 

[MTD52]

to OP... I do think that it is ok to have incomplete pre-reqs while applying, but, just as other posts say, that DAT is going to be brutal. I would wait another year because if you apply early, which greatly increases your chances of getting accepted, you will have essentially not learned anything from your bio and orgo classes.

No one cares about learning anymore. Where have you been?!

 

[PaulieGualtieri]

No one cares about learning anymore. Where have you been?!

lols, how u been?

 

[MTD52]

lols, how u been?

Wonderful. Two finals left, by next Friday night I will be done for the semester, I'm accepted to dental school, and Christmas is right around the corner. Life is good haha. It's too bad we're not gonna be classmates. How you doin?

 

[PaulieGualtieri]

Wonderful. Two finals left, by next Friday night I will be done for the semester, I'm accepted to dental school, and Christmas is right around the corner. Life is good haha. It's too bad we're not gonna be classmates. How you doin?

Fantastic. Took my last final already. No more school till dental. Just going to work and shadow till may. I think I'm going to apply for the research over the summer. Do you think it's a good idea?

 

[MTD52]

Fantastic. Took my last final already. No more school till dental. Just going to work and shadow till may. I think I'm going to apply for the research over the summer. Do you think it's a good idea?

Sounds good man. I'm still looking for a job . I've been unemployed since I got surgery. Anyway, as for the research, it depends. If you're planning on doing research later in your life, sure it would probably be a great idea. If you can get that stipend they offer, and it's free, yes also definitely a good idea. If either one of those are NOT true, I would have to think long and hard about it. You're dropping $360k+ for your education there, and I wouldn't be willing to add to that, but that's just me. I think it would be a good experience if you like research, and probably a good way to get "in" with the crowd over there. I'm not a fan of research, and probably would never do a significant amount of it in my life, so it likely wouldn't be for me. Any idea what research you would be doing?