Should I graduate in 3.5 or 4 years?

[hs2013]

I'm trying to come up with a plan of classes and stuff to graduate on time and well I have two options. I came into college with 17 credits so that helps me out in taking less classes or graduating early.

1) Take an interim class for 3-4 semesters (in between fall/spring semesters and right after spring semester), they are 3 week classes but you get the full credit but 3 hours a day 5 times a week for 3 weeks would sucks. Plus I would have to go up to 15 credits for the actual semester(not including the interim). I would have a heavier course load, some semesters with 15-16 credits while taking 3 science classes but would graduate in 3.5 years with about 8 months off before starting dental school if I get in.

2) Graduate in 4 years, take 4 semesters with just 12 credits, two semesters with 13 credits, one semester with 14. So I would obviously have a lot of semesters with not as many credits even though some of the semesters include 3 science classes. But my concern about this, is would dental schools view this as bad because I am not taking heavy course load semesters, like they're not even 15 credits.

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[arlmay]

I came into college with 65 credits and had 5+ semesters with only 12 credits. Never had a problem with it

 

[Blake1e]

Why do you want to do it in 3.5 years? What are you going to do with so much time off?

To answer your question: it all depends on whether you think you can get a high GPA. If you could with 15 or more credits a semester then I say go for it, the less time you waste in undergrad the better. If you could finish in 3 years instead of in 3.5 yrs (and have a GPA of at least 3.4) then that would be even better, you could apply to D school even earlier and become a dentist at a younger age than most people.

I have a buddy who took an easy major with little class requirements and finished it along with all his pre-reqs in only 2 years. He took no breaks, taking classes in the winter and summer, and he had a good GPA as well. He's now in his 3rd year of med school in Columbia university and hes only 23. All his classmates are jealous of how young he is and wish they thought of doing the same thing back when they were in undergrad.

 

[hs2013]

3 years would be nice as heck but the issue there is, the next 3 years would be hell. I would be taking a ton of classes, I would always have to take an interim and probably a couple of summer classes. If I did it in 3 years it would be hell and I don't know if that is worth it, even though it would mean a year in undergrad tuition saved and a whole extra years worth of income.

4 years would be very nice in the sense that it would be more laid back, more breaks and such.

3.5 would be more work than 4 but 8 months time to do whatever such as traveling, working, and relaxing would be incredible.

I just don't know what the hell to do, like literally not a single clue.

3 years: probably not just due to the amount of work it would require and how stressful it would be
3.5 years: is the 8 months time off before d-school worth the slightly tougher course loads and less time off between semesters?
4 years: the easiest class schedules, but no saving time and no huge 8 month break but even then the breaks I get which are 7 weeks for winter and like 3.5 months for summer are more than enough.

It's so tough to decide.

 

[HaverfoodsDDS]

4 Years hands down.....You will have an easier load which will translate to a better GPA. 3.5 years might seem nice now, but I promise being off for those extra 4-5 months while all of your other friends are busy with school will get boring QUICK.

 

[Blake1e]

I get the sense you want to party and do all the regular college stuff. Its cool if you do, I did. Doing 4 years (while maintaining good grades) will probably evenly spread out all the fun youll have, and 3.5years will probably end up you having some fun in your 8 months off. And if you do my suggested 3 years you will have very little fun, unless you like studying like some, in undergrad and then youll go on to D school and end up being the youngest dentist in your graduating class by a year. Then as a young dentist you will have a large disposable income of well over 100k (unless you start a family), plenty of energy that comes with youth, and much more free time then any college kid will have (unless youre greedy and want to make tons more money, thatll require working more hrs). Sounds like the recipe to living the perfect life thatll maximize all the good times.

If I could time travel I would tell my past self to do undergrad in 3yrs. You adapt to the stress and your busy routine becomes normal to you and not a big deal.

Keep in mind that if you finish in 3.5 yrs not all that time afterwards will be used doing what you listed above unless your parents are loaded. During those 8 months you will be so bored it will be agonizing, it will be more stressful than taking 21 credits of classes and Im speaking from experience.

But like I said it all depends on what you think you can handle and making sure that by the time undergrad ends you have a good GPA. If a high course load is too much for you than 4 years would be best for you.

 

[sjv]

Won't matter, pick whichever you feel most comfortable with and will allow you to get the highest grades while doing ECs/research/shadowing/etc.

 

[Daneosaurus]

Time for my n=1!

I came into college with exactly 3 credits (English comp 1) I earned while in the Marine Corps. I am on the 3.5 year plan, married with 2 kids (currently 5 and 3; wife also full time in school), worked nearly full time, made time for my wife and kids, shadowed (was prior premed - got tons of hours; working on getting my dental hours), and my GPA has never dropped below 3.6. In all likelihood, I will be in the first batch this coming June. It is absolutely doable, but you have to commit yourself to achieving what you want.

Edit: I am on the 3.5 year plan because I started in Spring semester 2012, when I got out of the military.

 

[hs2013]

For me I think I would be the happiest and probably healthiest doing it in 4 years. It gives me time to screw off a bit, work out, take a less challenging course load.

While I know I can graduate in 3 years it's just not worth the amount of work I would have to put in for those 3 years. Constantly studying and stuff, screw that. I need my breaks to just chill and relax.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Came in with 31 AP credits. Graduated in 3.5 years. Had one semester with 12 credit hours, another with 13. Most semesters averaged 14-15 credits.

Had I known initially I wanted to go into dentistry, I would have absolutely tried to get it all done in 3 years. Or, had I known how good my DAT scores were going to be, I would have applied last summer and hopefully just "skipped" my final year of undergrad, which UNC (and some other schools) allow you to do.

I'm not much of a partier, but I do have lots of fun on the weekends and hardly ever studied on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 3 years would have been doable, I just wasn't exactly so sure of my plan during my first 2 years. I'd much rather be graduating from dental school a year earlier. School, for me, was mainly about school. Sure, I had friends and had a good time, but grades always were TOP priority.

I'll have the majority of my fun when I've got some money, my husband, my school hurdles behind me, and can do what I want.

 

[hs2013]

Came in with 31 AP credits. Graduated in 3.5 years. Had one semester with 12 credit hours, another with 13. Most semesters averaged 14-15 credits.

Had I known initially I wanted to go into dentistry, I would have absolutely tried to get it all done in 3 years. Or, had I known how good my DAT scores were going to be, I would have applied last summer and hopefully just "skipped" my final year of undergrad, which UNC (and some other schools) allow you to do.

I'm not much of a partier, but I do have lots of fun on the weekends and hardly ever studied on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 3 years would have been doable, I just wasn't exactly so sure of my plan during my first 2 years. I'd much rather be graduating from dental school a year earlier. School, for me, was mainly about school. Sure, I had friends and had a good time, but grades always were TOP priority.

I'll have the majority of my fun when I've got some money, my husband, my school hurdles behind me, and can do what I want.

Lol you are exactly like me. While I do have fun during school/breaks, I feel like my real life won't start until I've graduated dental school and am just waiting for that day. Having money, being able to save and invest, buying a sexy M4, and just enjoying life.

 

[Illfavor]

Lol. I've been in college 8 years. 4 for undergrad (in music, which is literally impossible to do in less than 4 years), 2 for a masters, now 2 for a postbacc. (Thank god for full rides) I would say the college experience is overrated and get it all done as soon as possible. That being said, I would either do 3 years or 4. Having one semester off isn't really all that much time (4 months?...), especially if your dental school doesn't start until August. If you treat college like your job, then getting the grades isn't really that hard IMO. If you want the college experience, just do the normal 4. No big deal either way.

 

[nomad12]

Lol. I've been in college 8 years. 4 for undergrad (in music, which is literally impossible to do in less than 4 years), 2 for a masters, now 2 for a postbacc. (Thank god for full rides) I would say the college experience is overrated and get it all done as soon as possible. That being said, I would either do 3 years or 4. Having one semester off isn't really all that much time (4 months?...), especially if your dental school doesn't start until August. If you treat college like your job, then getting the grades isn't really that hard IMO. If you want the college experience, just do the normal 4. No big deal either way.

College is absolutely overrated and so is the so called "social life". Like Glimmer, the real fun in my life comes when I'm done with schooling, have a wife, etc.

To the OP, try taking a heavy course load for maybe one semester and see what you think about the difficulty and workload. If it is good, go with your 3.5 yr plan. If you don't feel confident and want to be safe, go with 4 years.

 

[aich]

Advice: Take classes year round, don't take a job, and try not to change your mind.

I too went in wanting to graduate in 3 years but then came an internship, a co-op, living on your own, car payments, monstrous insurance rates, and then decided as a senior that I wanted to go to dental school which meant adding two more semesters for all the prerequisite coursework.

I would definitely do things differently a second time around.

Don't try to elongate undergraduate just for the experience.

 

[hs2013]

The thing for me is, I'm not trying to elongate undergrad just for the experience. The experience isn't much to me in the first place anyways, especially considering the fact that I'm living at home. The only reason for 4 years is because it would make the undergrad journey much less stressful and more enjoyable. My main thing right now is to be a dentist. I don't care about the undergrad experience, I don't really care about the dental school experience. Yea no doubt I want to have fun doing it but for me life really starts when I start working.

It's like this is the grind I have to go through to get where I want but I still want to my my journey there the best as possible. I want to have fun, be able to screw around a bit(probably not much in dental school), and make new friends, but I really want to be a dentist, making money, having an awesome wife, a sexy M4, travel, enjoy my job, etc. It's gon be a long as journey to get there though and tough.

 

[AFlo1770]

I just recently graduated in 3.5 years and am going to dental school in August. I say graduate early if you can manage it. I took winter and summer classes and still had a life--just depends on how much freedom you want in your breaks I suppose. I am just planning on working and enjoying my freedom for the next 6 months before dental school.

 

[NMC2010]

I could have graduated in 3.5 years too, but I wanted the extra semester. I've formed some friendships that I hope will last a lifetime here, and not starting dental school till August anyways... so the extra 6 months is just some nice time to relax and spend with my friends before DS. Not like I have the option to start DS 6 months early. I don't think it's a bad thing unless that extra semester is going to somehow put financial strain on you.

 

[hs2013]

I just saw my syllabuses for the semester and well, now I'm dreading going back to school. My fricking gen chem 2 final is a comprehensive final covering EVERYTHING FROM CHEM 1 TO 2. And yes, there is no way in hell now that I am going to try to graduate in 3 years or 3.5, just too much work compared to how much easier and less stressful doing it in 4 years would be. When dental school comes I'll have to make my adjustments for that course load but right now why if I don't have to.

 

[techyguy]

Stay all 4 years, and work just a little harder to double major, or get a minor. I always recommend Comp. Sci. as an additional credential, but nobody ever listens, so maybe try Music or some kind of Lit.

 

[djtiesto14]

Take 5 years and enjoy your youth. Become well rounded. What's the rush?

 

[hs2013]

Take 5 years and enjoy your youth. Become well rounded. What's the rush?

What do you mean by enjoy your youth? Party and such? Well I'm not too much into that scene. I would consider myself more of an adult than your typical college freshman. Everything I want to do now, I can do when I'm older and I'll much more to enjoy when I'm a dentist.