Should I apply for a Special Masters Program?

[PeaceLoveTeeth]

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After I graduated in 2010, it took me almost a year or so to find a job that somewhat related to my degree in Biomedical Sciences. It's quite honestly, the opposite of what I saw myself doing. I now have a full-time job, working rotating 12-hour shifts in a petroleum laboratory. It's exhausting! It's a great job, but I still feel like my heart is in the dental field. My motivation has renewed itself and I would like to pursue my dream of becoming a dentist once more.

I took the DAT a couple years ago while I was still in college and made a rather low score. 16 AA, 16 TS. It completely discouraged me to the point where I thought of changing career choices. Now that I have experienced a different career outside of the health care field, I am reverting back to my original plan.

My GPA was a 3.4...pretty average, not too low and not awesome either. I made a "C" in one pre-req class, but improved and made an "A" in the second portion. I also had another "C" in an upper level course. The rest were A's and B's. Not terrible, but I know I have to do amazing on the DAT to be competitive.

This is where I have a dilemma. Do I try one more time at the DAT or do I get back into school and prove to dental schools that I can handle the rigor of their courses, get reacquainted with actual science courses (since I graduated 2 years ago), and THEN retake the DAT (as I would be refreshed in a lot of the material)? I already tried studying this summer, but with my work schedule, it's difficult. I usually get home in time to eat and go straight to sleep. When I work nights, I sleep all through the day and have but a few hours to spare before my shift. On my days off, all I want to do is SLEEP! So you can see where I might have a problem with time management.

I am leaning more towards a Special Master's Program and have researched quite a few. My top schools include: UMDNJ, Barry University, Boston University, Midwestern University and NOVA Southeastern University. I really would like a program that offers dental courses or Gross Anatomy and preferably a non-thesis based program.

If any of you have any thoughts, advice, or recommendations on programs... please let me know! I will appreciate all the help I can get! 🙂

 

[diene]

After I graduated in 2010, it took me almost a year or so to find a job that somewhat related to my degree in Biomedical Sciences. It's quite honestly, the opposite of what I saw myself doing. I now have a full-time job, working rotating 12-hour shifts in a petroleum laboratory. It's exhausting! It's a great job, but I still feel like my heart is in the dental field. My motivation has renewed itself and I would like to pursue my dream of becoming a dentist once more.

I took the DAT a couple years ago while I was still in college and made a rather low score. 16 AA, 16 TS. It completely discouraged me to the point where I thought of changing career choices. Now that I have experienced a different career outside of the health care field, I am reverting back to my original plan.

My GPA was a 3.4...pretty average, not too low and not awesome either. I made a "C" in one pre-req class, but improved and made an "A" in the second portion. I also had another "C" in an upper level course. The rest were A's and B's. Not terrible, but I know I have to do amazing on the DAT to be competitive.

This is where I have a dilemma. Do I try one more time at the DAT or do I get back into school and prove to dental schools that I can handle the rigor of their courses, get reacquainted with actual science courses (since I graduated 2 years ago), and THEN retake the DAT (as I would be refreshed in a lot of the material)? I already tried studying this summer, but with my work schedule, it's difficult. I usually get home in time to eat and go straight to sleep. When I work nights, I sleep all through the day and have but a few hours to spare before my shift. On my days off, all I want to do is SLEEP! So you can see where I might have a problem with time management.

I am leaning more towards a Special Master's Program and have researched quite a few. My top schools include: UMDNJ, Barry University, Boston University, Midwestern University and NOVA Southeastern University. I really would like a program that offers dental courses or Gross Anatomy and preferably a non-thesis based program.

If any of you have any thoughts, advice, or recommendations on programs... please let me know! I will appreciate all the help I can get! 🙂

The masters will certainly only make you a more attractive candidate, but you have no option for the DAT..a retake is a MUST. Your GPA is honestly not that bad, so if you were to take the DAT and do amazing on it, a masters program might not be necessary. If you are of those people who have trouble doing really well on standardized tests, then go the masters route and take the DAT whenever you get a chance to study for 1-2 months straight. As for getting reacquainted with the material, taking the classes again will help, but you can certainly relearn on your own, since it hasn't been like 10 years since you last took the prereqs. Using the right DAT materials, you can refresh your memory 🙂

Bottom line, if you do masters and succeed in your courses, an average DAT will suffice. If you don't do masters, then a higher than average DAT should get you in somewhere.

Best of luck!

 

[calid]

There are a couple of points I don't really agree with coming from the previous response. Just to give you a background, I also finished my Bachelor's in 2010 and will finish my last two classes at Barry's SMP this Fall, so if you have questions about it let me know, but here's my take on your dilemma.

Doing a SMP doesn't fit your situation. You need to get your DATs up, not your GPA, and the purpose of a SMP is to improve your GPA, showing you can handle dental courses. You also don't take pre-req classes at a SMP, so they won't actually help with the DAT. You'll have to study for it on your own. If standardized testing has always just been an issue for you, a SMP isn't going to help that, which sucks, but the fact of the matter is standardized testing is part of education's infrastructure even in dental school because you have to be able to pass board exams.

If you're set on doing a SMP, performing well in one is obviously going to make you a stronger candidate. You just don't have a low GPA and would be better off focusing on the DAT. And doing well in the Master's doesn't exclude you from needing solid DAT scores by any means.

 

[jhc83]

I suggest you just retake the DAT and apply!
In my opinion, there is no need for you to waste another 1-2 years of your life for something unnecessary. If you had a very low GPA, such as below 3.0...then it would be a different story.

I graduated in 2009 and currently finishing up a Master's program in Biology. Obviously, the reason was because I have a low undergraduate gpa (around 3.1ish). I have one more semester to go with a 3.8 now. I took the DAT on July 16th and got everything above 22!

Honestly, the courses I took in my master's program somewhat helped.... but mostly it was myself re-teaching all the important concepts (gc, oc, bio) using sources such as Chad's videos, destroyer, cliff's biology...etc.

You can do it! Just study for about 2 months and get those scores! You don't have to be a genius to earn 20+. I am just an average student and managed to get those scores. Second time is always easier than the first time. For gc and oc, I mainly used Chad's videos and took very good notes! This is basically all you need....along with destroyer for additional practice problems.


If I can do it, so can you! Keep your hopes up and good luck!!!

 

[PeaceLoveTeeth]

Thanks for the replies. My only issue with just studying again and retaking the DAT is time. I feel like I have no time for anything these days. I get home, eat something, sleep and then do it all over again. I do get 4 days off in between my shifts, but I tried studying this summer again and it was just too much to handle. Any suggestions on managing time for studying with a 4 on/4 off schedule like mine? When I get off of work, I probably have about 5 hours to play with before I have to go to sleep. I don't want to stretch out my study period too much, maybe 3 or 4 months max before taking it again.