Secondaries - Should I mention...

[kokobean]

I'm filing out a secondary application and was wondering what you guys thought about this:

if you guys read my past post, i'm a younger applicant, and I know in the health fields its a disadvantage as people will see me as not mature enough, or maybe unsure of what I want in life - someone who will drop out in the first year of dental school.

Do you guys think I should target this concern on the "additional comments" part of my secondaries or just leave it alone? would it be better to tell them why I am mature enough, and committed enough, or would it just bring more attention to it? Thanks

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[dippedindettol]

they can tell ur mature enough by your stats. unless theyre stupid.

 

[Mrxle3]

I'm filing out a secondary application and was wondering what you guys thought about this:

if you guys read my past post, i'm a younger applicant, and I know in the health fields its a disadvantage as people will see me as not mature enough, or maybe unsure of what I want in life - someone who will drop out in the first year of dental school.

Do you guys think I should target this concern on the "additional comments" part of my secondaries or just leave it alone? would it be better to tell them why I am mature enough, and committed enough, or would it just bring more attention to it? Thanks

I don't think this is a problem. Out of curiousity, how young are you?

 

[kokobean]

I don't think this is a problem. Out of curiousity, how young are you?

I'll be 19 entering..

This secondary is for UCLA actually, and I noticed you're going there! I'm just praying to get into any California school.

 

[dexadental]

I would NOT tell them that you are mature, that is something better left to be discovered...instead, let them know that your age has not proved to be a barrier in your drive to become a dentist. Hopefully your record can back this up, but I would mention how your age has not deterred you from applying to dental school and getting the grades and exposure to dentistry.

 

[BirkChick]

I'm filing out a secondary application and was wondering what you guys thought about this:

if you guys read my past post, i'm a younger applicant, and I know in the health fields its a disadvantage as people will see me as not mature enough, or maybe unsure of what I want in life - someone who will drop out in the first year of dental school.

Do you guys think I should target this concern on the "additional comments" part of my secondaries or just leave it alone? would it be better to tell them why I am mature enough, and committed enough, or would it just bring more attention to it? Thanks

Hi Kokobean,

I think that you may have a lot to talk about in your "additional comments" section:

1. You're going to be 19 at matriculation. That is approx. 5 years younger than the average dental school. Is this age difference going to affect interactions with your classmates? (I bring this up because, at my advanced age of 26 (27 at matriculation hopefully), I have a hard time imagining how I would relate to a 19-year-old in a classroom/social setting.) Also, where's the fire? What makes you not want to wait another year or two before entering d-school?

2. You may have a high GPA (and incredible DAT scores), but you haven't taken any courses at a 4-year institution! How can you demonstrate your ability to handle the strenuous d-school work load?

3. You need to take 50 more credits in the next two semesters in order to obtain your degree. (And these credits will be taken at a 4-year institution to which you have never gone? Do you realize that many 4-year institutions only offer higher-level courses once per year, and usually some are scheduled at the same time, which prevents students from taking more than a couple higher-level courses per semester?) (And just another note, when you're talking to schools, be sure to mention that you will be taking summer classes next year in order to finish your degree -- I know that some schools will not allow this (ex. OhioState))

Those are my $0.02. I think you have a long road ahead of you, but I wish you the best of luck.

 

[kokobean]

Hi Kokobean,

I think that you may have a lot to talk about in your "additional comments" section:

1. You're going to be 19 at matriculation. That is approx. 5 years younger than the average dental school. Is this age difference going to affect interactions with your classmates? (I bring this up because, at my advanced age of 26 (27 at matriculation hopefully), I have a hard time imagining how I would relate to a 19-year-old in a classroom/social setting.) Also, where's the fire? What makes you not want to wait another year or two before entering d-school?

2. You may have a high GPA (and incredible DAT scores), but you haven't taken any courses at a 4-year institution! How can you demonstrate your ability to handle the strenuous d-school work load?

3. You need to take 50 more credits in the next two semesters in order to obtain your degree. (And these credits will be taken at a 4-year institution to which you have never gone? Do you realize that many 4-year institutions only offer higher-level courses once per year, and usually some are scheduled at the same time, which prevents students from taking more than a couple higher-level courses per semester?) (And just another note, when you're talking to schools, be sure to mention that you will be taking summer classes next year in order to finish your degree -- I know that some schools will not allow this (ex. OhioState))

Those are my $0.02. I think you have a long road ahead of you, but I wish you the best of luck.

thanks birkchick. those are some good points your brought up, and I do have reasons to justify all of them. I'll be sure to address them in my secondaries. THANK YOU

 

[BirkChick]

thanks birkchick. those are some good points your brought up, and I do have reasons to justify all of them. I'll be sure to address them in my secondaries. THANK YOU

I'm glad I could help!

 

[natedizzle]

I was wondering if you all would want to give me your opinion on a piece of information I was thinking of including in my secondary to Nova. In the section that asks for any other information that could help the school better evaluate you, do you think that I should put that I'm applying with my girlfriend and that we hope to go to the same school?

 

[kokobean]

I was wondering if you all would want to give me your opinion on a piece of information I was thinking of including in my secondary to Nova. In the section that asks for any other information that could help the school better evaluate you, do you think that I should put that I'm applying with my girlfriend and that we hope to go to the same school?

I would not include that, simply because I see it as extraneous information.