Some encouraging stories

[Jericho1234]

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Hi, everyone. I think this thread may be encouraging for some of us who are quite anxious about dental schools, and their so-called "highly recommended" prereqs that seem more like "do-it-or-get-out" prereqs. So, I was wondering if anyone here got into dental school while completing only MINIMUM requirements. For example, you only took prereqs, like GenChem, OChem, Physics, GenBio, or you have just average DAT (18-21). Of course, when I say minimum requirements, I also include all paperwork(like letters of recommendation, etc). But that's it. No cool job shadowing, no fancy research projects, no additional bio classes (like, Anatomy, Physiology), no sculpturing classes (to train your hand work), no working in dentist office.
Also, if you got into dental school, but originally thought that u would never make it,please, share your story with us.

 

[Incis0r]

Hi, everyone. I think this thread may be encouraging for some of us who are quite anxious about dental schools, and their so-called "highly recommended" prereqs that seem more like "do-it-or-get-out" prereqs. So, I was wondering if anyone here got into dental school while completing only MINIMUM requirements. For example, you only took prereqs, like GenChem, OChem, Physics, GenBio, or you have just average DAT (18-21). Of course, when I say minimum requirements, I also include all paperwork(like letters of recommendation, etc). But that's it. No cool job shadowing, no fancy research projects, no additional bio classes (like, Anatomy, Physiology), no sculpturing classes (to train your hand work), no working in dentist office.
Also, if you got into dental school, but originally thought that u would never make it,please, share your story with us.

Friend of my majored in engineering, got a 3.3 GPA, 20 on his DAT, and swung an acceptance out of it. Didn't take anything more than the basic pre-reqs (+ maybe biochemistry I think).

 

[dentalabscessed]

Hi, everyone. I think this thread may be encouraging for some of us who are quite anxious about dental schools, and their so-called "highly recommended" prereqs that seem more like "do-it-or-get-out" prereqs. So, I was wondering if anyone here got into dental school while completing only MINIMUM requirements. For example, you only took prereqs, like GenChem, OChem, Physics, GenBio, or you have just average DAT (18-21). Of course, when I say minimum requirements, I also include all paperwork(like letters of recommendation, etc). But that's it. No cool job shadowing, no fancy research projects, no additional bio classes (like, Anatomy, Physiology), no sculpturing classes (to train your hand work), no working in dentist office.
Also, if you got into dental school, but originally thought that u would never make it,please, share your story with us.

I knew a comm major from USC and a material sciences major from MIT who did the "bare minimum" requirements and both got into Penn. That being said, they got As in all the pre-reqs & the DAT. No fancy research projects, no additional bio classes, no sculpting classes, no working in a dentist office. Shadowing, however, is a must for most (if not all) schools.

 

[toothdoctor123]

So, I was wondering if anyone here got into dental school while completing only MINIMUM requirements.

My science education before dental school: four chemistry courses, two biology, one biochem, two physics, one math, one stats. 3.3 sGPA. Got into Columbia, Penn, and UConn. (Turned down other interview invitations.)

I personally feel that taking extra biology courses only to prepare for dental school would have been a waste of my time in college. I do just fine in my biomedical coursework here at Columbia. If you think you would need more than the minimum academic requirements just to get by in dental school, then there's either something wrong with you or with the quality of the education you're getting (probably the latter, to be honest). Admissions officers are not trying to trick you by secretly requiring courses they only "recommend" on their websites. Have faith that your future dental school will teach you what you need to know.

You don't have to be a "scientist" to be a dentist, anyway. Take the extra science courses only if you're genuinely interested in the subject, want to do science research in dental school, etc. Otherwise, study something else that would make you unique and keeps your overall GPA high. In the long run, you would probably profit so much more from being well-spoken, worldly, creative, etc. than from knowing the Krebs cycle.

Also, keep in mind that every time you register for an extra science course, you're taking an unnecessary risk with your sGPA.

But that's it. No cool job shadowing, no fancy research projects, no additional bio classes (like, Anatomy, Physiology), no sculpturing classes (to train your hand work), no working in dentist office.

Well, if you're only completing the minimum academic requirements, then presumably you're doing other things in all of that free time. Surely you are majoring in something unique since it's not biology.

Job shadowing isn't glamorous for anyone...don't worry about that. Just do at least 100 hours.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

In college the only real biology classes i took were genetics and microbiology, and i took microbiology after i had already been accepted. I took a 2 week summer course for my final bio, and APd the other 4 credits. I took the bare minimum amount of pre-reqs required, but i had all A's. I was involved in a ton of extracurriculars, but they were all normal. DAT was a 21. GPA 3.81 at time of application.