Undergrad Major

[Flipper405]

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Hello everyone. I just recently found these forums - they're very informative! 🙂

My question right now is about my major. I am currently a music major, but I am also interested in dentistry. I have been kinda skirting these two for a long time now... I went to a magnet science high school, and had an internship with my orthodontist my senior year, came to college with the plan of biology/music double majoring - didn't work out too well as far as scheduling. I dropped the biology major. It's now the end of the year, and I am once again starting to think about what I'm going to be doing in the future.

I'm taking biology and chemistry this summer to keep my options open.

My question basically is: how much of an effect does one's undergraduate major affect dental school and everything that entails?

Also somewhat random, I know these have no relevance, but... I tried taking a practice DAT today, here's my scores (keep in mind I'm a freshman with only one biology, chemistry, and biochemistry class each from high school 😀) -


(this was the Kaplan online practice test - not completely accurate but doesn't really have to be for my purposes right now)
Natural Sciences - 12
Biology - 8
General Chemistry - 8
Organic Chemistry - 7
Perceptual Ability - 14
Quantitative Reasoning - 16
Reading Comprehension - 18

 

[organichemistry]

Hello everyone. I just recently found these forums - they're very informative! 🙂

My question right now is about my major. I am currently a music major, but I am also interested in dentistry. I have been kinda skirting these two for a long time now... I went to a magnet science high school, and had an internship with my orthodontist my senior year, came to college with the plan of biology/music double majoring - didn't work out too well as far as scheduling. I dropped the biology major. It's now the end of the year, and I am once again starting to think about what I'm going to be doing in the future.

I'm taking biology and chemistry this summer to keep my options open.

My question basically is: how much of an effect does one's undergraduate major affect dental school and everything that entails?

Also somewhat random, I know these have no relevance, but... I tried taking a practice DAT today, here's my scores (keep in mind I'm a freshman with only one biology, chemistry, and biochemistry class each from high school 😀) -


(this was the Kaplan online practice test - not completely accurate but doesn't really have to be for my purposes right now)
Natural Sciences - 12
Biology - 8
General Chemistry - 8
Organic Chemistry - 7
Perceptual Ability - 14
Quantitative Reasoning - 16
Reading Comprehension - 18

okay, your major is pretty much irrelevant. you need to have a high overall GPA and high GPA in the dental school pre-reqs.

obviously your science dat scores are awful, but that's what we would expect with no background. your quantitative reasoning score might be a little concerning -- try to get that to the 18-19 range; the reason i say it is concerning is because an 11th or 12th grader has all the math needed to score in the 20s on the QR test. in any event, best of luck... you have years and years to get to where you need to be.

 

[souperman]

Study what you enjoy. Take all of your pre-reqs (extras if you can-minor in bio or chem), learn them well and get good grades in them. If you love what you are studying then you will do better in those classes and have a higher GPA. Remember you don't need to be a bio grad to get into or be sucessful in dental school.

 

[dexadental]

I wish I had majored in music. Kudos to you for dropping the biology major, who wants to memorize a bunch of that stuff anyways? I never liked biology majors, thought it was just dumb to dedicate your life to memorize information, and not apply it or get the concepts. Maybe I'm just a disgruntled chemistry major, but good luck! Your DAT scores are irrelevant and won't reflect how you'll do on the actual exam having not taken any of the pre-reqs.

 

[dental pilot]

I also majored in music (saxophone performance), and then spent 4 years as an airline pilot before applying... it was no problem. So I wouldn't worry about that as long as you take enough science classes in addition.

As for the DAT, I wouldn't bother with the practice tests until you've spent some serious time studying. At this point, all those super low scores mean is that you haven't taken enough classes and studied for the test yet.

What kind of music are you majoring in, and where?

 

[dWiz]

those are incredibly horrendous scores. Dont worry, i'm sure you'll prepare before taking the real thing next year or after or whenever

 

[gtl4f]

I went into college determined to be a Bio major because I didn't know that dental schools don't care about what major their applicants are. I took a psych class, absolutely loved it and needless to say, I'm a psych major now. I'm so glad that I decided to switch majors because if I do get into dental school, I know I'll be taking a lot of science classes there anyways and psychology is a lot easier to me which means good gpa booster. 😀

 

[Sprgrover]

Welcome to SDN! It's true that you can major in anything. I majored in Art History, for example. Of course you will need to take all of the necessary pre-reqs and taking a few additional science courses wouldn't hurt either. If you do decide to pursue music as a major then it will be important for you to earn the best grades possible (A's and some B's) so as to demonstrate that you can more than handle hard science courses.

In regards to your practice scores, you'll want to bring them way up - but you have plenty of time on your side. Best of luck! 👍

 

[Flipper405]

I also majored in music (saxophone performance), and then spent 4 years as an airline pilot before applying... it was no problem. So I wouldn't worry about that as long as you take enough science classes in addition.

As for the DAT, I wouldn't bother with the practice tests until you've spent some serious time studying. At this point, all those super low scores mean is that you haven't taken enough classes and studied for the test yet.

What kind of music are you majoring in, and where?

I am attending the University of Georgia. I don't know how it is at most schools, but you have to pass a jury at the end of the semester and be accepted by the faculty as a performance major. I play horn, and we've only had 3 perf. majors in the last 15 years apparently. However, I just got accepted as a performance major yesterday; so that's a good sign 😀

Thanks everyone for the comments, I am really considering sticking with music now. Hearing from all of you that you don't need to major in bio really helps. I just can't help thinking that I wouldn't be prepared by taking only a few classes in the sciences, but I guess I just have to make sure to do really well in those classes.

I am going to sit down with my parents this summer and really take a look at all my options. Another question: The degree for performance has a LOT of requirements, so I'm thinking I would have to take more than 4 years to fit in the pre-reqs - would taking 4 and a half years or even five be a detriment to being a dental school applicant?

 

[cowsgomoo]

Dude you what you are actually far better of as far as your major is concerned, because I hear that schools look for diversified students not just the same old bio and chem students. If you take all the prereqs and get A's you will be definitely be accepted. You obviously need to work on your DAT but apart from that you should be fine.

 

[ISU_Steve]

I chose to major in life sciences (biology) because that's what most of my classes are in as a predent. I had planned on being a German Language, Literature and Linguistics major, but I would have been basically required to do a semester abroad which wouldn have delayed my application to dental school by a year. So I decided instead to just minor in German and Chemistry, because if I don't get in to dental school the first time around, two more semesters and I'll have a second degree in German. 🙂 I figure either way, I'll be well rounded and diverse in my educational background.

 

[dental pilot]

I am attending the University of Georgia. I don't know how it is at most schools, but you have to pass a jury at the end of the semester and be accepted by the faculty as a performance major.

I went to the Oberlin Conservatory, and jurys were similar there, only you had to be a performance major from the beginning (admission audition), and then had to pass the jurys to continue each year... but same thing. Congratulations on passing, playing for a committee is tough.

I just can't help thinking that I wouldn't be prepared by taking only a few classes in the sciences, but I guess I just have to make sure to do really well in those classes.

Yes, do very well, and also take more than just the minimum prerequisites. That would make you better prepared, and a better applicant too.

Another question: The degree for performance has a LOT of requirements, so I'm thinking I would have to take more than 4 years to fit in the pre-reqs - would taking 4 and a half years or even five be a detriment to being a dental school applicant?

Yeah, performance majors not only have a lot of requirements, the timing is usually not very flexible because so many of the classes are sequential. So it might take longer than 4 years, but if it's worth it to you, I don't think that would make any difference at all when applying to dental school.

 

[45540]

those are incredibly horrendous scores. Dont worry, i'm sure you'll prepare before taking the real thing next year or after or whenever

I can't imagine doing much better not even having the some of the prereq classes except for in high school

 

[Flipper405]

I can't imagine doing much better not even having the some of the prereq classes except for in high school

lol, yeah... I was just throwing those out there; not really worried about the science part, although I was hoping to do a little better on the QR/PAT... but whatever...

The main thing I was worried about was my major; Thanks again for all the responses everyone. I think I will be going ahead with music.