Tips for an undergraduate

[kat3iseret]

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So I am an undergraduate freshman that is pursuing the pre-dental path (in hopes of becoming a dentist one day 🙂). Anyways, I am wondering what I should be doing now, and for the rest of college to maximize my chances of getting into dental school (I know I need a good GPA and DAT).
I am volunteering at Shands in the Dental School and joined our ASDA and Pre-Dental clubs. I am concerned that I am not doing enough this first semester- should I really try to get a research opportunity or shadow a dentist somewhere else right now- or can I wait till Sophomore year?

Also, any other tips that you would like to share would be MUCH welcomed (tips you wish you had when you were going through this process)

Thanks!!!

 

[Vicviper]

Give yourself time, take it slow, you just started college. Many people don't know that they want to go to dental school until they're freshman or juniors, so you've got plenty of time. You should definitely look into shadowing, but research might be difficult to find without at least taking some of the core sciences first. Starting research as a junior would be more than fine.

Right now just focus on getting a good foundation in your basic sciences. Good luck, and keep up the hard work.

 

[sketo43]

I think you have enough dental ECs for your freshman year. Other things I would recommend doing before you do your applications: shadowing, research, community service (not necessarily dental related), and a hobby that requires manual dexterity (building model airplanes, jewelery making, etc). If I were in your place, I would wait at least until the spring semester to start any of these - make sure you can get good grades before adding more obligations.

GPA and the DAT are the most important. It's easy to get some shadowing hours later - raising a bad GPA is tough. You seem like you're very on top of things, and I'm sure you'll do well. Have fun in college and good luck!

 

[angelnyc89]

Welcome to SDN! Begin taking you pre-reqs (bio,chem,orgo,physic), shadow, keep your gpa up & nail the DATS! 🙂 Good Luck!

 

[Ryltar]

Volunteer at a private practice. For some reason dental schools, especially UF, prefer to see shadowing done at a private practice. Job shadowing experience is something that you can't have too much of, so I would get some shadowing done at both Shands and a private practice. Most dental schools don't require a whole lot of extracurriculars, but you do want to look well-rounded (e.g. have some athletic activity as well). Dental schools like to see that applicants participate in activities that involve fine motor coordination, such as learning to play a musical instrument.

Ideally you want to do well in a 15+ credit hour load. You want to do especially well in all of your core dental school prereqs.

The best way to increase your chances at this point is to maintain a high GPA under a somewhat high course load.

 

[bigstix808]

GPA and the DAT are the most important. It's easy to get some shadowing hours later - raising a bad GPA is tough. You seem like you're very on top of things, and I'm sure you'll do well. Have fun in college and good luck!

make sure you actually have a social life because an application full of EC's doesn't meet squat if you have the personallity of a stick 😎

 

[kat3iseret]

You have mentioned that I need to have some sort of fine motor skill activity- would it be better to start sewing or to take up playing the trumpet again, and for a musical instrument should I have private instruction, join a band, or is just playing on my own sufficient?