Urgent Help!

[busupshot83]

Hey guys,

I have a problem regarding my immigration status. I am currently on a visa, studying at a university in Florida. When my visa is up, I probably will have to go back to Toronto, Canada. However, I'm unaware of how this will play into the admissions process. Do US dental schools accept Canadian applicants? How does this work? I know some of you guys are applying from Canada (Avin, Dentaldream, etc.), maybe you can hit me up with a PM or something. Thanks.

bus.

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[The Musketeer]

Hey bus, it is easier than you think applying to U.S. dental schools as a Canadian. The thing that might be a disadvantage is that you will be competing with non-residents for positions. If you are applying to Private schools you will have basically the same status as every other U.S. applicants, however, for admission to state schools will be harder - but possible if you have reasonably high GPA and DAT. What you can do is to contact your potential schools and ask if their school will favour accepting U.S. student than Canadian students. Also ask what is the % of non-resident they accepted in previous years.

Hope this will motivate you to apply to U.S. dental schools.

Oh, btw, I am sure you might know this but it is VERY IMPORTANT for you to apply and submit your application AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE because unlike Canadian schools, the earlier you apply, the better chance of you getting interviews and acceptance!

Good Luck!

 

[Bickle]

Ditto to what Musketeer had to say.

Also, getting a student visa once in dental school is relatively easy (from what I have been told).

Go Flames Go!!

 

[The Musketeer]

Getting a student visa is extremely easy. You just have to provide a document attesting to your financial situation to dental school, and they will then send the 'I-20' to you, all you need to do then is to go to the customs office (at the border), and the I-20 signed and from that point on, you are a student visa.

I have already received my I-20, now I just need to get it signed.

 

[Bickle]

Musketeer,

When does your school start? I was told that I cant be issued a visa more than 90 days before school starts for me. In the mean time, I'm applying for some private and provincal loans.

 

[busupshot83]

Originally posted by The Musketeer
Getting a student visa is extremely easy. You just have to provide a document attesting to your financial situation to dental school, and they will then send the 'I-20' to you, all you need to do then is to go to the customs office (at the border), and the I-20 signed and from that point on, you are a student visa.

I have already received my I-20, now I just need to get it signed.

Thanks Musketeer

Thanks DentalDream

I talked to Meggs over at the International forums, where she filled me in on the visa situation in more depth. She's a very helpful person.

A few more questions:

- Do I have to take the U.S. DAT? Or can I take the Canadian?

- When I take the U.S. DAT, can I take it at a Canadian site? Or will I have to come to the U.S. to take it?

- Wil Canadian financial aid help me pay for U.S. dental school? Or will I have to apply for U.S. funding?

Thanks again.

bus.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey bus......do you have a visa or a greencard? The fact that you are coming back to Toronto tells me that you dont have a greencard....in that case, no matter where you are, you will be considered a foreign student......even if you were studying in Florida.

Do I have to take the U.S. DAT? Or can I take the Canadian?

You can take either. I took the US DAT cause I only applied to US schools but if you are applying to both, take the Canadian, cause its accepted in both countries, whereas the US DAT is not accepted in Canada.

When I take the U.S. DAT, can I take it at a Canadian site? Or will I have to come to the U.S. to take it?

You have to take it in the US......if you are in Toronto, just drive to Buffalo.....thats what I did.

Wil Canadian financial aid help me pay for U.S. dental school? Or will I have to apply for U.S. funding?

If you dont have a greencard, you are not eligible for financial aid in the US and must rely solely on private Canadian loans....you can maybe get some gov't loan, but it will only amount to a few thousand dollars......petty change.......

By the way....I like your name......West Indian food is damn good.....Damn I love those dal rotis!

 

[The Musketeer]

My orientation starts in the last week of July. I know you cannot get the I-20 signed until 90 days prior to school starts but it is always good for the school to send you the I-20 application ASAP to prevent delays. As soon as you get your I-20 form, all you need to do is to get it signed by the customs on your own time. However, I believe to get the I-20 sign you have to pay about $100 U.S.

Originally posted by Dentaldream
Musketeer,

When does your school start? I was told that I cant be issued a visa more than 90 days before school starts for me. In the mean time, I'm applying for some private and provincal loans.

 

[busupshot83]

Originally posted by avingupta
Hey bus......do you have a visa or a greencard? The fact that you are coming back to Toronto tells me that you dont have a greencard....in that case, no matter where you are, you will be considered a foreign student......even if you were studying in Florida.



You can take either. I took the US DAT cause I only applied to US schools but if you are applying to both, take the Canadian, cause its accepted in both countries, whereas the US DAT is not accepted in Canada.



You have to take it in the US......if you are in Toronto, just drive to Buffalo.....thats what I did.



If you dont have a greencard, you are not eligible for financial aid in the US and must rely solely on private Canadian loans....you can maybe get some gov't loan, but it will only amount to a few thousand dollars......petty change.......

By the way....I like your name......West Indian food is damn good.....Damn I love those dal rotis!

Sorry for not replying sooner, I was busy watching the Leafs getting spanked by Sens. Oh well, the Lightning bullying are the Isles, so there is still hope for one of my teams.

Thanks Avin. Yes, those damn rotis are good.

I've been looking at colleges and universities around the Toronto area. Any ideas?

http://www.univsource.com/on.htm

That site has a list of Ontarios universitites. Which ones offer all the pre-dental courses? Which ones are the best overall teaching?

 

[The Musketeer]

Hey bus, every schools offer pre-dental courses, you just have to select them as an elective if they are not a compulsory course for your program. None of the universities in Ontario has a 'Pre-dental' program. If you want good teaching, go to U of Toronto because they have the best reputation in Canada and this attracts a lot of professors there (and also U fo T have a lot of money to spend on them). You can also take a look at McMaster University as well (about 45 min - 1 hr drive from Toronto), because they have a medical school there the school is also 'science-focused'.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey bus, every schools offer pre-dental courses, you just have to select them as an elective if they are not a compulsory course for your program. None of the universities in Ontario has a 'Pre-dental' program. If you want good teaching, go to U of Toronto because they have the best reputation in Canada and this attracts a lot of professors there (and also U fo T have a lot of money to spend on them). You can also take a look at McMaster University as well (about 45 min - 1 hr drive from Toronto), because they have a medical school there the school is also 'science-focused'.

Sorry Musketeer, but I have to interject on this one.......THIS IS BAD ADVICE!! As a UofT grad, yes I admit, it has the best reputation in Canada and is well-known around the world for research. HOWEVER, research is the key word here. If you want to get into a job of research, or do a masters or phD, then YES, UofT IS the place to be, cause of all the connections blah blah blah. BUT, since you want to get into dentistry, learn from my mistakes........DO NOT GOTO UOFT!!!!!! The competition is SO cutthroat here, i just feel like barfing all over myself just thinking about it. If I were you, and many people do this as an "easier" way of getting into a professional school, goto York University in Toronto. Although, not known for its sciences, its still a 4 year degree from a recognized university, and the competition wont be as cutthroat, and you will be able to get better marks!

IF any other Torontonian wants to chime in here, Im sure they will all agree with me.

 

[busupshot83]

Originally posted by avingupta
Sorry Musketeer, but I have to interject on this one.......THIS IS BAD ADVICE!! As a UofT grad, yes I admit, it has the best reputation in Canada and is well-known around the world for research. HOWEVER, research is the key word here. If you want to get into a job of research, or do a masters or phD, then YES, UofT IS the place to be, cause of all the connections blah blah blah. BUT, since you want to get into dentistry, learn from my mistakes........DO NOT GOTO UOFT!!!!!! The competition is SO cutthroat here, i just feel like barfing all over myself just thinking about it. If I were you, and many people do this as an "easier" way of getting into a professional school, goto York University in Toronto. Although, not known for its sciences, its still a 4 year degree from a recognized university, and the competition wont be as cutthroat, and you will be able to get better marks!

IF any other Torontonian wants to chime in here, Im sure they will all agree with me.

That's what my cuz told me. She said U of T is cutthroat. What about the community colleges over there, like George Brown. Do they have good professors?

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

IF you goto George Brown, its not a university.....its a college.....remember, "college" in the US doesnt meant the same as "college" in Canada.

If you goto George Brown, you will NOT be eligible for dental school.

 

[busupshot83]

Originally posted by avingupta
IF you goto George Brown, its not a university.....its a college.....remember, "college" in the US doesnt meant the same as "college" in Canada.

If you goto George Brown, you will NOT be eligible for dental school.

ah, gotcha. so york is my best bet?

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

If you want to get into dentistry and want to stay in Toronto, York is your best bet.

 

[The Musketeer]

Bus, if you want a less competitive environment...yes then York will be a good choice. However, less cut-throat university does not guarantee BETTER TEACHING!

You can also consider University of Guelph (also about 1.5 hr from Toronto) which will be a less competitive school than Toronto but has a better scientific reputation than York. York is mainly known for its business programs.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Bus, if you want a less competitive environment...yes then York will be a good choice. However, less cut-throat university does not guarantee BETTER TEACHING!

Teaching?? Who cares!! Honestly, are you really gonna remember or need to remember the evolution of a horse in dental school??? teaching will be important if you want to do further work within a specific field, but for dentistry, u just need the prereqs and then get the hell outta there!

Of course, there are courses that are beneficial, but York's science teachers are not necessarily idiots......wherever you go, science is science.....and university is always gonna be a independent learning experience, so teaching becomes somewhat irrelevant.

Recall, this only applies to getting into a professional school, where your undergrad years will be way behind you.

 

[The Musketeer]

Hey Av, I've only stated this because he was inquiring in his original post about which school will provide him with 'best overall teaching':

That site has a list of Ontarios universitites. Which ones offer all the pre-dental courses? Which ones are the best overall teaching?

Of course everyone should know that it does not matter which school you take your courses just as long as you have high GPA; many schools do in fact indicated that they will not take into consideration which school you have done your studies in, and what program you took. All they care about are your GPA and DAT scores. So Bus, if you are trying to get into dental school then just go with Avingupta's advice.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Hey Av, I've only stated this because he was inquiring in his original post about which school will provide him with 'best overall teaching':

My mistake.

 

[The Musketeer]

No problem! Just want to clarify the situation and don't want to confuse Bus about the objective of getting into dental school

 

[busupshot83]

Guys, this discussion has been the most beneficial thread ever since I joined SDN. Thanks a lot. I've already started looking at York (I don't like cut-throat). Thanks again, you guys are great. Take care.

pce,

bus