Thinking about changing my major, need some help

[sneakerhead99]

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Hows it going folks? New to posting but have read a lot and learned a lot from this forum.
I am facing one of the worst decisions in my life and would really appreciate some input from people who have been there and maybe some advice as well. Advisers haven't helped much, have talked to some friends but they aren't that helpful either. Read up a lot of archived threads from this forum and absorbed some valuable info but still feel like i should post my stats and see what you guys think. First, let me shed a little light on my background. I am a Psychology major and just transferred to Florida International University from local Community College with a 3.2 GPA, took most of my pre reqs there except Organic and spent three years there. This semester I am definitely going to fail Organic 1 but I am doing well in the other courses I am taking. I am thinking about changing my major to Accounting because I feel like I would not get into a Dental school with a F in Organic and 8 Withdrawals(CC) on my transcript, my GPA is not competitive either. Another reason is that I would not be able to get into a Dental school by 2014 because I would have to retake organic 1 again the next semester and organic 2 the following fall/spring semester and it will just push me back further. I am running out of options and I feel like its better to get out of Dentistry and just go with accounting, finish school by 2013 and get a job etc. I really dont know what to do and after failing this course, I am almost giving up on dentsitry. I just feel like If i cant make it through this course, I will have difficulty later on as well pursuing Dentistry and maybe it is a better option rethinking and making a move now than later. What do you guys think?

 

[Msmouth]

Hows it going folks? New to posting but have read a lot and learned a lot from this forum.
I am facing one of the worst decisions in my life and would really appreciate some input from people who have been there and maybe some advice as well. Advisers haven't helped much, have talked to some friends but they aren't that helpful either. Read up a lot of archived threads from this forum and absorbed some valuable info but still feel like i should post my stats and see what you guys think. First, let me shed a little light on my background. I am a Psychology major and just transferred to Florida International University from local Community College with a 3.2 GPA, took most of my pre reqs there except Organic and spent three years there. This semester I am definitely going to fail Organic 1 but I am doing well in the other courses I am taking. I am thinking about changing my major to Accounting because I feel like I would not get into a Dental school with a F in Organic and 8 Withdrawals(CC) on my transcript, my GPA is not competitive either. Another reason is that I would not be able to get into a Dental school by 2014 because I would have to retake organic 1 again the next semester and organic 2 the following fall/spring semester and it will just push me back further. I am running out of options and I feel like its better to get out of Dentistry and just go with accounting, finish school by 2013 and get a job etc. I really dont know what to do and after failing this course, I am almost giving up on dentsitry. I just feel like If i cant make it through this course, I will have difficulty later on as well pursuing Dentistry and maybe it is a better option rethinking and making a move now than later. What do you guys think?

You sound really disappointed. I would withdraw once again and rethink all your options. If you think accounting could make you happy then go for it. Just think about how you will feel about your decision in 5 or 10 years. I know it's hard to think about that but maybe that will help you.
Best of luck!

 

[MrAvicii]

Hows it going folks? New to posting but have read a lot and learned a lot from this forum.
I am facing one of the worst decisions in my life and would really appreciate some input from people who have been there and maybe some advice as well. Advisers haven't helped much, have talked to some friends but they aren't that helpful either. Read up a lot of archived threads from this forum and absorbed some valuable info but still feel like i should post my stats and see what you guys think. First, let me shed a little light on my background. I am a Psychology major and just transferred to Florida International University from local Community College with a 3.2 GPA, took most of my pre reqs there except Organic and spent three years there. This semester I am definitely going to fail Organic 1 but I am doing well in the other courses I am taking. I am thinking about changing my major to Accounting because I feel like I would not get into a Dental school with a F in Organic and 8 Withdrawals(CC) on my transcript, my GPA is not competitive either. Another reason is that I would not be able to get into a Dental school by 2014 because I would have to retake organic 1 again the next semester and organic 2 the following fall/spring semester and it will just push me back further. I am running out of options and I feel like its better to get out of Dentistry and just go with accounting, finish school by 2013 and get a job etc. I really dont know what to do and after failing this course, I am almost giving up on dentsitry. I just feel like If i cant make it through this course, I will have difficulty later on as well pursuing Dentistry and maybe it is a better option rethinking and making a move now than later. What do you guys think?

If you can retake your classes and do well on the DAT you still might have a shot! Accounting is VERY VERY VERY BORING AND DRY! Lol I come from a business background and have worked with numerous accounting agencies as well as accountants. Its a dry job and it doesnt pay well AT ALL (as compared to dentistry.)

Also you have yet to take the DAT, so why are you giving up already? How bad do you want it? Can it be achieved? Would you be willing to get a Masters degree to boost your GPA? If so then you still have options left. Dont count yourself out, if you have yet to take the DAT.

If you can raise your GPA to a 3.4 or 3.5 and have your science GPA at similar levels while getting a 20 or so on the DAT, you should be ripe for acceptance!

NEVER GIVE UP and NEVER SURRENDER! Esp if your alternative is the world of bean counting aka accounting LOL 😀

 

[doc toothache]

If you can retake your classes and do well on the DAT you still might have a shot! Accounting is VERY VERY VERY BORING AND DRY! Lol I come from a business background and have worked with numerous accounting agencies as well as accountants. Its a dry job and it doesnt pay well AT ALL (as compared to dentistry.)

Accounting may be boring to you, but the roughly 50K graduates per year might disagree.

 

[bing12]

Accounting may be boring to you, but the roughly 50K graduates per year might disagree.

is that how many graduate from accounting? ..if so, i would say maybe 10% of those would disagree.

 

[MrAvicii]

Accounting may be boring to you, but the roughly 50K graduates per year might disagree.

haha how bout the thousands of psychology grads that dont have jobs? whats your point? oh wait i forgot your posts HAVE NO POINT!!! LOL time to retire kid!

 

[MrAvicii]

is that how many graduate from accounting? ..if so, i would say maybe 10% of those would disagree.

haha word bing! they do it for the financial stability. its a good field, but its not great! and it is very very boring, in fact the presenter for accounting at my old undergrad started by saying "contrary to what most people believe, accounting is NOT boring." oreally? lol

 

[doc toothache]

is that how many graduate from accounting? ..if so, i would say maybe 10% of those would disagree.

And you got that information from the same hat with the bunny?

haha word bing! they do it for the financial stability. its a good field, but its not great! and it is very very boring, in fact the presenter for accounting at my old undergrad started by saying "contrary to what most people believe, accounting is NOT boring." oreally? lol

Unlike that for some ds applicants/enrollees.

 

[UltimateHombre]

Let me start out by saying that you still have plenty of time to correct your GPA. You still have 2 years to bring it up. Also, changing you major might also set you back a semester or two... so it might not just be ochem.

You could always do both?! Still shoot for dentistry by completing the prereqs, but also get an accounting degree, just in case. Just try and really think about what career you really want for yourself.

Also, the predental prereqs are also the prereqs for pharmacy, optometry, medicine, podiatry, and physical therapy. So if dental school doesn't work out... you could still pursue another healthcare field if you wanted.

Best of luck!!

And ya... take another W in ochem!

 

[doctor123456789]

The way i see it, you still want dentistry. If you knew accounting is what you want and is what will make you happy, why would you second guess your self about it and come for our opinion? Its not what you want, atleast i think.

Anyway, lets say you fail orgo, can't you take it again? Then atleast you got your feet wet, and know what to expect and know your weaknesses. Keep trying. If you know your going to fail then fail fine. If you honestly dont know anything, fine fail. Skip class, go to the tests, guess on them and you might get lucky and get like a C- with the curve in your class if you can get lucky with guessing if you have a multiple choice test. If you can withdraw, then do that, but at this point in the year i dont think you can. Anyway put that time to use on your other classes that you gain from not going to orgo. I assume they might be science classes as well since you probably transferred as a science major because you wanted to go into dentistry. Atleast you will do good in those other classes you are taking, not letting your gpa suffer that much. And they are science courses too maybe since u prolly transfered as a sci major to go into dentistry, so that can bring your science gpa up. But if you understand things in org chem, and you feel like you can piece A and B together, then stick in and fight. But if you havent gone to class 10 weeks out of your 15 week class, chances are you are going to fail, and might have a chance at guessing your way through.

Anyway, i know this seems like an extreme, but if your going to fail then your going to fail. Atleast put your efforts in another class. If you can withdraw then do that.

Please take anything i said with a grain of salt. It's not any better than what someone else said. And i promise it is and it is going to sound alot worse. And its likely not the right choice. Its just an idea, so you have options, might even make you think and you might come up with another plan.

You make decisions and you live with it. Not everyone can bench over 300 pounds no matter how much work they put in. Not everyone can run a marathon. Not everyone can eat a whole cake. Not everyone can be a dentist. Not everyone can read an entire book. Not everyone can graduate from college. Not everyone is able to have a child. Not everyone is able to make over 100k a year with that degree they have. Not everyone that goes into biology will be a doctor of some sort.

Find what you love and enjoy in your life. If you can find that then you will always be happy. what do you love. if you can find that, no matter where you end up, no matter what you are doing, you will be happy because you have already what makes you happy. What is it, is it playing music? Is it being with your family? Is it being with your uncle? You could work a minimum wage job, and be happy. Why are you associating happiness with money? If that's what makes you happy i am sorry, because if you never get it you won't ever have a great day because you will constantly be thinking about it and how you dont have it. But really think about it.

I also once heard this quote.
Don't let your education get in the way of your learning.

 

[doctor123456789]

But hoenstly, don't listen to what i wrote, just try in the ochem class everyday. Go to class, and go to your TA's office hours, and go to your discussion class every week. Why do you think its there, they know its a hard topic. There's always someone smarter than you, but cmon, just find one person in your class and just ask how to do a problem, you'll be amazed how much you have in common. Everyone in org chem wants to be a doc of some sort.

 

[MrAvicii]

And you got that information from the same hat with the bunny?



Unlikely that for some ds applicants/enrollees.

once again, please retire. your replies are a waste of space on the SDN forums and contribute very little to the overall atmosphere. thanks.

 

[doc toothache]

once again, please retire. your replies are a waste of space on the SDN forums and contribute very little to the overall atmosphere. thanks.

Yes, so unlike yours.

 

[DentalJedi]

once again, please retire. your replies are a waste of space on the SDN forums and contribute very little to the overall atmosphere. thanks.

What are you talking about? The charts and spreadsheets he compiles have saved me TONS of time. Does he need to troll or post something stupid in every single thread like you do in order to contribute?

 

[MrAvicii]

What are you talking about? The charts and spreadsheets he compiles have saved me TONS of time. Does he need to troll or post something stupid in every single thread like you do in order to contribute?

oh thats right i forgot, he violates copyright laws by republishing information from the ADEA book without their direct permission. yup thats better than trolling!

 

[MrAvicii]

What are you talking about? The charts and spreadsheets he compiles have saved me TONS of time. Does he need to troll or post something stupid in every single thread like you do in order to contribute?

yes jedi, i troll every post. thanks for your post! lol

 

[doc toothache]

oh thats right i forgot, he violates copyright laws by republishing information from the ADEA book without their direct permission. yup thats better than trolling!

Add expertise on copyright laws to your resume.

 

[MrAvicii]

Add expertise on copyright laws to your resume.

👍 on it chief!

 

[DentalJedi]

yes jedi, i troll every post. thanks for your post! lol

I will take back the trolling thing. I confused you with amalgamsomethingorother, so my mistake on that and I apologize. But I do disagree with your condemnation of doc toothache. He's posting data, not scanning the publication and posting it. I don't think that's illegal.

 

[MrAvicii]

I will take back the trolling thing. I confused you with amalgamsomethingorother, so my mistake on that and I apologize. But I do disagree with your condemnation of doc toothache. He's posting data, not scanning the publication and posting it. I don't think that's illegal.

lol thanks, but typing it over and publishing it online w/o the direct permission of the ADEA (which he clearly doesnt have) is a direct violation of copyright laws. and I thought a dentist was smarter than that

instead of condescending posts, he should be more concerned about a lawsuit.

 

[amalgamgrillz]

I will take back the trolling thing. I confused you with amalgamsomethingorother, so my mistake on that and I apologize. But I do disagree with your condemnation of doc toothache. He's posting data, not scanning the publication and posting it. I don't think that's illegal.

Haha I would take offense to that, but I won't since it had cleverness and wit. Agreed, though, posting public data is fine.

 

[MrAvicii]

Haha I would take offense to that, but I won't since it had cleverness and wit. Agreed, though, posting public data is fine.

really? google copyright laws.

 

[yellowjeeep79]

How about we get back to the OP? Dentistry is a great profession and it is certainly worth some sacrifice to get here. On the other hand, you need to realistically asses your chances. The reason O chem is such a big deal for admission to ds is that you'll be inundated with similar courses. Microbiology, pharmacology, anatomy etc., all coming at you at break neck speed. I might recommend trying O chem again. If you really do fail it, then it's time to reassess your goals and see what else might appeal to. We've had a number of folks re-apply year after year, wasting a ton of time and money, only to finally realize that it was never going to happen.
On the other hand, if your doing OK in general at FIU (3.0 or so gpa) and get a "C" in Ochem, then go for it. Fight like hell for every scrap of gpa improvement, do a bunch of ecs and take atleast one good (read expensive) DAT review course.
On a side note, rumor has it that one of those schools is in the beginning stages of starting up a dental school (maybe FAU?)

 

[snikki]

Let me start out by saying that you still have plenty of time to correct your GPA. You still have 2 years to bring it up. Also, changing you major might also set you back a semester or two... so it might not just be ochem.

You could always do both?! Still shoot for dentistry by completing the prereqs, but also get an accounting degree, just in case. Just try and really think about what career you really want for yourself.

Also, the predental prereqs are also the prereqs for pharmacy, optometry, medicine, podiatry, and physical therapy. So if dental school doesn't work out... you could still pursue another healthcare field if you wanted.

Best of luck!!

And ya... take another W in ochem!

👍👍👍

 

[93geo]

👍

 

[MrAvicii]

this is false. yea, an entry level accountant will make a lot less than a dentist, but if you get the CPA certification and work your way up in a firm you can make more $ than a dentist. I have a family member that started out as an accountant and now is a CFO. He makes 4x what the average dentist makes.

to the OP: maybe if you go the quick route and get your accounting degree it could give you some time to work, save money, and mature a little. you could eventually go back and finish your prerequisites when you are ready to do well and enter dentistry when you are ready. just a thought.

oh ok so because you have 1 family member as a CFO that should compel the OP to go into accounting LOL first of all, majority of accountants are not CFOs. Some accountants are in auditing (which is hell and doesnt pay well at all.) And others are at the senior or mgmt level where they make equivalent to starting level d-school students or 2nd year associates (i.e. 115 to 120k) The job is grueling and boring (ask your CFO family friend how much fun he has at work.)

The CFO you speak of cannot make 4 times as a dentist. That would mean that a CFO gets $500,000. Majority of CFOs do not make that kind of money, they are usually in the range of 200 to 300K. So please dont feed the OP some bs about bogus stats. CFOs exist for various divisions and yes (in theory) some CFOs can earn half of million. But the fact is that majority of them do not earn that much. Dentistry beats accounting on ALL LEVELS! Any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

PS giving the OP advice to spend time on an accounting degree to later go back and try to do d-school reqs is probably the dumbest thing he can do. He should either pick one or the other. But its fair to know that most dentists are making $150K and up, meanwhile most accountants dont make that much. Either way its not only about money, accounting is just plain boring (yes thats an opinion, but it is shared bu the majority of people who are accountants or who have studied accounting.)

 

[sneakerhead99]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post guys, I really do appreciate it! You guys have made some valid points and opened my eyes to some aspects which I might have overlooked while thinking this through. I do understand that accountants dont make a lot of money and it is a boring subject, I was leaning that way because I could have got done with the degree and could have started working pretty soon. I have taken some accounting courses in high school and they were not that bad, well IMO atleast. I am considering taking Organic again, the professor teaching next semester is worst than the one I have right now but I will have to grind it out. I am also thinking about still doing Accounting but incorporating my pre reqs as I go along. I am going to be in school till 2014 if I go for dentistry and will have enough time to take care of both. This will be a good backup just in case nothing comes through after I graduate. Some of you have said to go with what I like, well I really dont know to be honest, I do like maths and numbers a lot compared to biology though lol. This is still a tough decision for me and I still got to realistically think everything through, I dont want to choose something and later on look back and regret.

 

[Toothshucker]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post guys, I really do appreciate it! You guys have made some valid points and opened my eyes to some aspects which I might have overlooked while thinking this through. I do understand that accountants dont make a lot of money and it is a boring subject, I was leaning that way because I could have got done with the degree and could have started working pretty soon. I have taken some accounting courses in high school and they were not that bad, well IMO atleast. I am considering taking Organic again, the professor teaching next semester is worst than the one I have right now but I will have to grind it out. I am also thinking about still doing Accounting but incorporating my pre reqs as I go along. I am going to be in school till 2014 if I go for dentistry and will have enough time to take care of both. This will be a good backup just in case nothing comes through after I graduate. Some of you have said to go with what I like, well I really dont know to be honest, I do like maths and numbers a lot compared to biology though lol. This is still a tough decision for me and I still got to realistically think everything through, I dont want to choose something and later on look back and regret.

I have several family members and friends who are in that field. They all do well, even those who are not CPAs or don't have an MBA. I won't argue your point about it being boring though, IMO. There are many options for additional education that accountants can pursue for increased financial stability.

I'm not trying to persuade you away from dentistry, just giving a little insight.

 

[sneakerhead99]

I have several family members and friends who are in that field. They all do well, even those who are not CPAs or don't have an MBA. I won't argue your point about it being boring though, IMO. There are many options for additional education that accountants can pursue for increased financial stability.

I'm not trying to persuade you away from dentistry, just giving a little insight.

I took basic accounting courses back in high school and it wasnt that bad like I mentioned. Most people who took accounting in university told me that it is boring and dry. What additional education are you referring to, can you please enlighten me. If I was to go down that path, I would go for CPA/MBA, are there any other routes you can take besides that?

 

[Toothshucker]

Besides CPA/MBA, you can get training to be a certified valuation analyst, certified forensic financial analyst, various certificates in appraisal, litigation, mediation/arbitration, etc. You're basically extending your education as you work, becoming much more knowledgeable in other areas of expertise. The more you can do, the more business you can take on. Some people specify in a certain area and other do a lot of different things.

 

[tlq123]

Thanks for the information,just found this post my technorati news feed section! I was searching for this since past 3 months and i am glad to see it here. Thanking you much

 

[Toothshucker]

lol you don't have to be a CFO to earn more than a dentist. Lots of other ways. But MrAvicii is correct in that you won't make much right away at least (many audit). But there is a lot of room to grow. There are a lot of variables involved, but there are plenty accountants that earn more than an associate.

 

[Toothshucker]

Seeing a career counselor at your school would be a wise decision in regards to possibly pursuing accounting. Don't give up on dentistry yet!