Strange Situation

[afro5692]

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Hi all!

I have read other threads, and have found some useful information, but I am hoping some of you may have more specific words of wisdom.

I already possess a BS in Agriculture Education (3.5 GPA) and an MS in the same field (4.0). I am obviously a career-changer. I live near a university with a school of dm, and wanted to take my science prereqs there, but the classes are not offered at a time that I can fit in to my schedule (since I have a full time job, I can't take classes during the day). I don't want to take my prereqs at a CC, so I am planning to apply for a one-year post bacc program beginning in the summer of 2015. I would REALLY like to begin dental school at the conclusion of the program (so..Fall 2016). To manage that, I will have to apply before the conclusion of the post bacc program, and will have to take the DAT before that! Is it absolutely crazy to try to manage that? I am a dedicated self-teacher, and do have basic background in Bio, Chem and Phys (just not OChem). I had to take courses in these subject areas for undergrad, but they weren't 'for-majors' classes.

Thoughts?

 

[Illuminati33]

It's hard for me to say because I took a lot of science classes before the DAT, but after seeing the test I think it is doable. As long as you can master the fundamentals you should be fine and just realize that your studying will take longer. In addition, there are a ton of great resources. I would suggest you investing in the Campbell's general biology book-an older addition would work fine. That will be a great reference book for you. Also, as you probably already know-purchase Chads. In addition, since you live near the college you might be able to find someone who will tutor you for cheap with the things that just don't quite makes sense! Or even better, see if the school offers free tutoring. I know the college I attend offers free tutoring to community members in any subject-they are usually high school, but technically its for anyone. Best of luck to you!

 

[afro5692]

Thanks for the advice/encouragement! I am actually studying Barron's AP Bio as we speak. I have heard of Chad's, but are Khan Academy's any good?

 

[Illuminati33]

One more thing-if you do contact that local college see if they have an exam prep course. My school offered one and it was at night and only 200 dollars. Professors from the different departments would come in and teach on the different sections. They also offered free practice exams, yes through Kaplan, but still free!

 

[IsaacYankem]

Thanks for the advice/encouragement! I am actually studying Barron's AP Bio as we speak. I have heard of Chad's, but are Khan Academy's any good?

Khan's academy saved me in QR, I hadn't seen most of that stuff since High School ages ago. Stick with Chad for the CHEM classes. Chad is one of the best out there, and distills the info in a very easy to digest format, and highlights specific things for the DAT. Craig Savage's youtube videos are excellent Bio review.

Here's Campbell's Bio in free ppt format: http://www.course-notes.org/Biology/Slides/Campbells_Biology_7th_Edition

Good luck

 

[afro5692]

Thanks! I appreciate it! Any advice for the PAT? I have heard good things about Crack DAT PAT...and the DAT Destroyer group? Have you used them, any?

 

[Illfavor]

Hmm..seems doable if you have the time and some background knowledge. It would depend on what the post-bacc was like as well, because we're talking like 2 years in the future and you'll most likely go over al l the DAT stuff in the program (so you can just take the test the summer you apply). Welcome to SDN! You can direct DAT prep questions to this forum for more answers.

 

[afro5692]

It would depend on what the post-bacc was like as well, because we're talking like 2 years in the future and you'll most likely go over al l the DAT stuff in the program (so you can just take the test the summer you apply).

It is focused on career-changers. Basically, it includes all of the basic prereqs required by the dental schools I am looking at, with the exception of Biochem.

If I waited until the summer that I want to apply to dental school, it would still be before I have taken those courses though, right? I don't want to have a gap year between post-bacc and DS if possible, and the post bacc is only one year, so I would need to apply to DS the summer that I began the program, right?

Would that be awful, too? Taking the prereqs after I have applied, and having them listed as courses in progress?

 

[J777]

That would be tough. To a large degree, adcoms are basing their decisions on your performance in the basic sciences. If you are applying without any of these grades, and no DAT scores, I am not sure you'd get proper consideration. Not to mention, you'd have to take the DAT a few months (at the latest) after you started the post bacc. Impossible? No. But very, VERY difficult.. with a notable exception. The gap yr is pretty much inevitable unless you find a post-bacc with linkage programs, which could fit the bill for you. These programs feed you straight into dental schools without a gap yr, but you wouldn't have many options as to where to go to dental school. Food for thought

 

[dentalWorks]

Hi all!

I have read other threads, and have found some useful information, but I am hoping some of you may have more specific words of wisdom.

I already possess a BS in Agriculture Education (3.5 GPA) and an MS in the same field (4.0). I am obviously a career-changer. I live near a university with a school of dm, and wanted to take my science prereqs there, but the classes are not offered at a time that I can fit in to my schedule (since I have a full time job, I can't take classes during the day). I don't want to take my prereqs at a CC, so I am planning to apply for a one-year post bacc program beginning in the summer of 2015. I would REALLY like to begin dental school at the conclusion of the program (so..Fall 2016). To manage that, I will have to apply before the conclusion of the post bacc program, and will have to take the DAT before that! Is it absolutely crazy to try to manage that? I am a dedicated self-teacher, and do have basic background in Bio, Chem and Phys (just not OChem). I had to take courses in these subject areas for undergrad, but they weren't 'for-majors' classes.

Thoughts?

Now If I understand you correctly.... You want to start post-bacc in summer of 2015 and THEN start dental school in "fall" (aka summer) of 2016?

If my assumption is correct, then this will be quite a challenge to start DS in '16 because it takes about a year (or little less) just to apply to dental schools. Meaning, you start postbacc in '15 AND do the AADSAS application thing in the same time. And without a DAT score, I don't care how early you apply to any school, they will not look at your file until its all completed (GPA, DAT, and yes even LORs).