Those that Re-apply and get in....

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cdmOMR

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My question is to those who apply at the end of Junior year and dont get. But raise their DAT/GPA/Extracurriculars they're senior year, re-apply and get in.

What do you do for that year off??...well 6 months if you count getting accepted in winter some time. Do the D-schools expect anything out of you during this time? I find it hard to imagine that you get anytime to just relax or work to build some income without some sort of major reprocussion. Id also imagine that you want to keep your mind somewhat fresh.

Anyone have any thoughts/experiences?
 
I think there are a lot of options. Some people go strait into a post bac or 1 year masters in public health. Some people travel which can be a plus on your application if you represent it correctly. Other people get a science related job and just volunteer.

Personally, I am a re-ap and am splitting time between working for a dental lab and another job to save up more money. In essence you are applying to dental school right after you graduate, so there isn't a lot of dead time. I'm taking a hit financially by doing work at a lab a person out of high school could do (and getting paid like it😉 ), but I think it is the most beneficial thing for me right now as far as my goal of becoming a dentist.

All that being said, i dont think there is a best answer. You need to reflect on your situation. I think adcoms understand.... check that..... i hope they understand😀
 
I think there are a lot of options. Some people go strait into a post bac or 1 year masters in public health. Some people travel which can be a plus on your application if you represent it correctly. Other people get a science related job and just volunteer.

Personally, I am a re-ap and am splitting time between working for a dental lab and another job to save up more money. In essence you are applying to dental school right after you graduate, so there isn't a lot of dead time. I'm taking a hit financially by doing work at a lab a person out of high school could do (and getting paid like it😉 ), but I think it is the most beneficial thing for me right now as far as my goal of becoming a dentist.

All that being said, i dont think there is a best answer. You need to reflect on your situation. I think adcoms understand.... check that..... i hope they understand😀

Well I can see during application, but what about after you are accepted? Is it necessary or expected of you to take more classes during this time between acceptance and starting your first year of D-school?
 
Hey guys...I agree that different things might work for different people, but as somebody who got in this year after having to take a year off after college I can tell you that adcoms all told me the same 2 things when I was reapplying: 1. Show that you're still passionate about dentistry. Whether its working in a dental office or a dental lab or just volunteering as much as you can in an office or clinic, you have to show them that you're as passionate about dentistry as the next guy/girl. 2. You have to show that you can still handle learning at an intense level. Adcoms worry that people who have been out of school for a while won't be able to adjust to taking a HUGE load of tough classes if all they've done is blow off a year and not stayed in a classroom in some capacity. How you do these things is up to you, but every single adcom I spoke to (it was at least 5) said that traveling and taking time off to 'reflect' etc is NOT the best thing to be doing. At the end of the day they're looking for people that want to be dentists and be successful in school. I know some people have gotten in after spending some time abroad or whatever, but it's really a stretch to think that every adcom will see this as a positive. On the other hand, taking classes and getting dental experience IS something that every adcom will see as a positive...thats the bottom line. Also, once you're accepted, forget about it...you're in, so it doesnt matter what you do afterwards. That's the time to travel and reflect on your life...nobody is going to take your acceptance away once you've got it. Good luck!
 
Well I can see during application, but what about after you are accepted? Is it necessary or expected of you to take more classes during this time between acceptance and starting your first year of D-school?

why in the heck would you do that?? 😕 as soon as i found out i was accepted in Dec, i dropped all my classes for the spring except for the OChem 2 Lab cuz it was a prereq. i was so glad i did. it was nice to have an easy semester before Dschool. don't burn yourself out.
 
why in the heck would you do that?? 😕 as soon as i found out i was accepted in Dec, i dropped all my classes for the spring except for the OChem 2 Lab cuz it was a prereq. i was so glad i did. it was nice to have an easy semester before Dschool. don't burn yourself out.

Lol, I didnt say Id necessarily want to do that. Believe me I would love 6-months to just clear my mind and work at the dental office. But I didnt know if the adcoms check up on you or what happens. Also Im not sure if Id like to go in to a school much more intense than undergrad with 6 months of vegin out. But I guess the best thing to do if they cant take your acceptance away from you is just to relax.
 
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