So you're accepted...must you finish?

[brandonbraud]

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Hi,
I got in, but am facing a small existential crisis. I am a 5th year senior with all pre-reqs long done with. I have only 3 ridiculous music classes to finish my music degree by June, but here are the problems:
1. it would cost me 15 grand to finish the degree, just recently having lost a full scholarship because it expired after 4 years.
2. I want to come back home and take science classes instead to get me ready for the fall and pay 3 grand for it.
3. I am ready to get the hell out of california, right now. I am a Texan and I can't afford the gas for my truck anymore. No way.

So, Once you're in, do you have to finish that piece of paper....? Or can you just stay in school elsewhere?....Or can you go lie on a hammock in Tampa and sip on an Icehouse until orientation?

 

[harjay]

it often depends on the school. Some require you to finish your degree, others don't care (you just have to tell them ahead of time).
Call LSU tomorrow and ask if you have to finish the degree, if you have to finish at that school, if you can take other classes somewhere else... yada yada.

At my school for example, if you only had 3 classes left you could probably take them at another school and still get your university degree. (some requirement of having a % of the last 90 units done at their univ).

 

[kdawg]

Ya, what harjay said.

If I end up going to MWU, they aren't making me finish my remaining 5 classes toward my major. And, while I feel a little crappy about putting in so much work with no degree to show...who cares?! It's a means to an end, just a means to an end. So now probably just be taking a couple of their biology prereq's and not killing myself the semester before dental school. Sounds good to me.

Oh, and a side note...what I'll end up doing if I don't finish my major is applying 1st year dental school credits back to my university. They'll give me some bogus "medical biology" B.S. (no pun intended) and that's good enough for me. You should find out if your undergrad offers such a deal and also find out EXACTLY what your dental school expects.

 

[dmd2011]

Hi,
I got in, but am facing a small existential crisis. I am a 5th year senior with all pre-reqs long done with. I have only 3 ridiculous music classes to finish my music degree by June, but here are the problems:
1. it would cost me 15 grand to finish the degree, just recently having lost a full scholarship because it expired after 4 years.
2. I want to come back home and take science classes instead to get me ready for the fall and pay 3 grand for it.
3. I am ready to get the hell out of california, right now. I am a Texan and I can't afford the gas for my truck anymore. No way.

So, Once you're in, do you have to finish that piece of paper....? Or can you just stay in school elsewhere?....Or can you go lie on a hammock in Tampa and sip on an Icehouse until orientation?

hate to break it to you but you are probably going to have to finish that degree. check your acceptance package to see what the school's requirements for matriculation are. you can always check with the school but most acceptances are conditional upon finishing your current degree program.

 

[Streetwolf]

Lots of schools just want your pre-reqs done and a certain # of credits. Remember, people DO head off to d-school after only 3 years of undergrad and no degree. Not many, but they exist.

However, check your acceptance letter. It may say that you need to get the degree.

 

[Frederico Albin]

That's what I'm going for streetwolf. If it only takes 3 years in order to finish all your pre-requesites and your 90+ semester hours, why wouldn't you take this route? It's hard, but in the end it's worth it. 😛

 

[NewMexDent]

That's what I'm going for streetwolf. If it only takes 3 years in order to finish all your pre-requesites and your 90+ semester hours, why wouldn't you take this route? It's hard, but in the end it's worth it. 😛

I guess it depends on who you are. I wouldn't trade my five years of undergrad for anything. It was fun, relaxed and gave me a lot of oppurtunities to explore the world (research in Chile, dental excursion in the Ukraine, work in orphanages in Russia - for example). It also allowed me to take science classes that would ease my life in dental school and take classes that increase my appreciation of subjects outside of science.

In my opinion, there's no need to be in a hurry. Dental school will be difficult and after you graduate you'll be starting "real life". It's no harm taking a couple extra years to experience life while you're young. I don't think you'd ever regret a few extra years, but you may regret killing yourself through 3 years of undergrad followed immediately by 4 years of dental school.

Anyway, that's why I wouldn't take the 3 year undergrad route.

 

[dmd2011]

That's what I'm going for streetwolf. If it only takes 3 years in order to finish all your pre-requesites and your 90+ semester hours, why wouldn't you take this route? It's hard, but in the end it's worth it. 😛

the problem is very few people are actually accepted with the minimum 90 credits. plus, these people apply before their junior year so that they matriculate the fall of what would have been their senior year of undergrad. the AADSAS application does ask if you will have your degree by the time you matriculate so unless you were a person who applied early, id imagine that they would expect you to finish your degree. all of the schools i was accepted at required that i finished my degree in order to matriculate.

 

[tinman831]

1. it would cost me 15 grand to finish the degree, just recently having lost a full scholarship because it expired after 4 years.

If you wrote on your application that you planned to have a degree by the time you matriculate, I don't know of any school that will let you out of that. I'm sure the school will notify you of the conditions of your acceptance and they aren't negotiable. I've heard of students not pass a class, or not maintain their required GPA and get dropped.

2. I want to come back home and take science classes instead to get me ready for the fall and pay 3 grand for it.

Usually people recommend you don't read your textbooks or take classes to review before you enter dental school. Relax and enjoy yourself.

3. I am ready to get the hell out of california, right now. I am a Texan and I can't afford the gas for my truck anymore. No way.

Why did you even move to Cali anyways? Everyone knows Texas is the greatest.

 

[kdawg]

Again, the only definite answer is to go directly to your school and find out. If all you're looking for is an idea of the LIKELIHOOD you'll have to finish your degree, then I would probably agree with the above posters that most schools will require you to finish if you stated that you would on your app.

But like I said earlier, I will most likely choose MWU, who is NOT requiring me to finish my final 5 classes toward my major. Sweet bonus!