Should I get my associates degree?

[Blarelli]

I'm wondering if I should apply to receive my associates degree in biology. I know that it really doesn't matter if I have it or not, but I was thinking it would be nice to be able to put on my application that I received my associates degree with high honors (3.8 gpa +) in the section to list awards, etc. Should I do it, or is kind of a lame thing to put on your app?

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[Frederico Albin]

Remember that some dental schools dont accept more than 60 community college credits. I guess having an A.S degree wouln't help or hurt your application, but in case you recieve your associates, depending on how many credits you need to graduate, some of those classes might not be usefull toward your "final" credit count for dental school. I was thinking about taking the same path, but I decided to transfer before receiving the degree and also because I could start taking the ds pre-requesites in a 4 year institution.

 

[DrReo]

Remember that some dental schools dont accept more than 60 community college credits. I guess having an A.S degree wouln't help or hurt your application, but in case you recieve your associates, depending on how many credits you need to graduate, some of those classes might not be usefull toward your "final" credit count for dental school. I was thinking about taking the same path, but I decided to transfer before receiving the degree and also because I could start taking the ds pre-requesites in a 4 year institution.

Tufts doesn't accept any CC courses, FYI.

 

[Frederico Albin]

Tufts doesn't accept any CC courses, FYI.

Yep. Looks like Tufts will have 2 less applicants next year lol.

 

[Blarelli]

I go to a state university, not a cc.

 

[Frederico Albin]

I go to a state university, not a cc.

Hmmm Can I ask you why you are trying to get an associates degree from a state university?

 

[Blarelli]

I'm not. I am asking if getting my associates degree with high honors would be something worth putting on my application. I'll be applying before I graduate so I can't really put graduated Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude or wherever I end up graduating, but I can pay like $30 bucks for the graduation fee and get my associates with high honors.

 

[somethinpositiv]

An Associate's Degree from a 4-year college? So you want dental school admissions to think that you graduated from a Community College? Why?

 

[Blarelli]

An Associate's Degree from a 4-year college? So you want dental school admissions to think that you graduated from a Community College? Why?

Why would they think I graduated from a community college if my only transcript is from one university?

 

[harrygt]

I'm wondering if I should apply to receive my associates degree in biology. I know that it really doesn't matter if I have it or not, but I was thinking it would be nice to be able to put on my application that I received my associates degree with high honors (3.8 gpa +) in the section to list awards, etc. Should I do it, or is kind of a lame thing to put on your app?

Just go ahead and finish all the courses you need to get your bachelor degree. Do not waste your time on other courses to get an AD which is not worth anything when applying to DS. You can put that time on doing some volunteering activities, shadowing, and more.
Good luck.

 

[FutureDocBerg]

Hi, I graduated from a community college and I am proud of it. In fact, I transferred without receiving my A.S. then AFTER I got my bachelors I took a few classes to complete my associates. Some day I will be on the wall of fame there. Do it! Never forget your roots.



-Z

 

[Blarelli]

Just go ahead and finish all the courses you need to get your bachelor degree. Do not waste your time on other courses to get an AD which is not worth anything when applying to DS. You can put that time on doing some volunteering activities, shadowing, and more.
Good luck.

I don't have to do any extra courses for my associates. I'll have everything done for it next semester. Really, I am just wondering if being able to put 'Received associates in biology with high honors' is a decent thing to have to put on an application or is it bupkis? That's all.

 

[RMPredent2009]

i think it might look a little odd and cause some confusion. It will be obvious by your grades in your bio courses that you have done really well, I don't think noting the fact that you received your associates degree with high honors is going to help you stand out especially when bachelors degrees are expected. And like someone else already said, receiving an associates degree is generally linked to community college, which for many grad programs is great, but for Med and Dental school it is preferred to have credits from a four year college so why cause unnecessary confusion if you don't need to?

 

[doc toothache]

Not exactly the sort of achievement that will stop adcoms dead in their tracks.