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- Thread starter yuvi
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usually you need atleast 90 credits
I don't think there is really a minimum amount of credits to just apply, you just have to have a minimum of 90 by the time your start including your prereqs. .
I'm in a similar situation - I have all but two of my prereqs completed and will be finishing them up this spring, apply this summer, and have a whole year to finish the rest of my undergrad degree before starting in 2005. The only way I have been able to do it is to take 18-20 credits every semester since last spring, 9 credits over the summer, and a winter class. I'll have to continue like this until I start dental school and maybe have a break the summer before.
How many of the prereqs do you have completed? I would finish those first to prepare for the DAT. Also, meeting with a pre health advisor helped me. I just said this is when I have to be done and she mapped it all out for me. I have a wife, two kids, and run a business so its been a brutal schedule but i'll be done in time.
I'm in a similar situation - I have all but two of my prereqs completed and will be finishing them up this spring, apply this summer, and have a whole year to finish the rest of my undergrad degree before starting in 2005. The only way I have been able to do it is to take 18-20 credits every semester since last spring, 9 credits over the summer, and a winter class. I'll have to continue like this until I start dental school and maybe have a break the summer before.
How many of the prereqs do you have completed? I would finish those first to prepare for the DAT. Also, meeting with a pre health advisor helped me. I just said this is when I have to be done and she mapped it all out for me. I have a wife, two kids, and run a business so its been a brutal schedule but i'll be done in time.
Whats the rush??? I know some people have a family to provide for but didnt you say you were 21?? I say just finish your degree, that'll give you a better shot at getting accepted rather than doing the bare minimum to get in.
I agree, no rush when your 21. I guess my situation is different, I'm 28 and want to specialize so I just don't to reach retirement age by the time I done - that's why I'm plowing through to get done as soon as I can.
I may be wrong but I think an older student would be more likely to get accepted with the minimum credits as opposed to someone who is 21 so the degree is very important.
Yeah, I would try to get in as quickly as possible if I was in your position. I'll be 28 when I get my DMD, but at times I think I'm behind everyone else. I personally know 2 people that will be 26 and 27 when they will be done, and I know a practicing dentist who's only 23!!! Yikes!
23??!!! Have they even hit puberty yet?
I wish I was in your position. It could be worse though - there are two guys that I know who are applying the same time as me and one is 32 and one is 34! A brand new DMD at 39 - ouch!
Do you mean to say i should apply for dental school next year? I'm not trying to rush anything, it's just that i don't want to sit free for one year after my college is done. I was planning on taking my DAT exam this year after finishing organic I & II and physics II. I have completed most of my prereqs. Here's a list of classes i've done so far:
> - English I & II
> - One Writing Class - in which i had my first story published
> - History I & II
> - Psychology I & II
> - One Art Class
> - Gen. Biology I & II w/labs
> - Vertebrate Zoology
> - Foundations of Cellular Biology w/lab
> - Gen. Chem I w/lab
> - Trigonometry
> - Gen. Physics I w/lab
> - Precalculus
This semester i will be taking
> - Calculus I
> - Mammalian Physiology w/lab
> - Chemistry II w/lab
I'm planning on taking my physics II and organic I & II in the summer with an elective, then i would be done with the main things and i could take my time from there on. What do you think?
p.s. thanks for replying.🙂
> - English I & II
> - One Writing Class - in which i had my first story published
> - History I & II
> - Psychology I & II
> - One Art Class
> - Gen. Biology I & II w/labs
> - Vertebrate Zoology
> - Foundations of Cellular Biology w/lab
> - Gen. Chem I w/lab
> - Trigonometry
> - Gen. Physics I w/lab
> - Precalculus
This semester i will be taking
> - Calculus I
> - Mammalian Physiology w/lab
> - Chemistry II w/lab
I'm planning on taking my physics II and organic I & II in the summer with an elective, then i would be done with the main things and i could take my time from there on. What do you think?
p.s. thanks for replying.🙂
I think if you can realistically finish your degree and prereqs before the fall of 2005, there's no reason not to apply this coming cycle. As long as you can get at least the first semester of ochem done before you take the DAT you should be fine. I'm not positive but I think you have until October of this year to take the it the DAT (someone correct me if thats not right), though I wouldn't wait that long. I'm having to do about 80 credits in 4 full semesters and 2 summer sessions, so it can be done if you have no life like me. Good luck!
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You could even wait to take physics II next spring because it may be close to impossible taking ochem I and II and physics over a summer. I am really cramming my classes and I wouldn't even attempt that. Plus there is very little, if any, physics on the DAT anyway.
Isn't taking taking physics II and organic I & II in the summer with an elective kinda crazy? Most people have a lot of trouble taking any one these prereqs and passing in a regular semester. I think you run a great risk of hurting your gpa if you take these classes in the summer and do bad. In my school you wouldn't be allowed to do this since it would amount to 20 summer credits, you are only allowed 14. Plus I took orgoI last summer, half the class dropped out, most got C's, a couple of B's, and one A for me. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life but not nearly as hectic as what you are planning.
I'm 30 and going back to college starting monday...
I spent 3 years in engineering school before realizing that I want to be a dentist...
I'll be starting out with bio1, spanish1, chem1, and psych this semester...
then i'll take chem2, spanish2, english2, and bio2 over the 2 summer semesters...
then organic1, microbio, immunology, and physiology in fall 2004...
in spring 2005, i'll take organic2, anatomy, and 2 math electives to finish off my mathematics minor...i'll also be studying for the DAT during this semester...
I'll take the DAT in May and send in my AADSAS at the end of may or beginning of june...
then i'll just have 2 classes left to take to finish prereqs and get my B.S. degree: biochemistry and molecular biology...
of course, if they allow me to take biochem and molecular bio WITH organic2, that would be great...but organic2 seems to be a prereq for these...
anyway, point is that there's plenty of time...i'm just going to concentrate on doing as well as I possibly can in these classes and retain as much as possible so I can be a better doctor.
the dean of admissions at UF said it would be highly unlikely that someone would be accepted without a bachelor's degree by the time they matriculated because of the competetiveness of the applicant pool...there would have to be ALOT of real-world experience to substitute...at 21 years old, that is pretty uncommon.
I spent 3 years in engineering school before realizing that I want to be a dentist...
I'll be starting out with bio1, spanish1, chem1, and psych this semester...
then i'll take chem2, spanish2, english2, and bio2 over the 2 summer semesters...
then organic1, microbio, immunology, and physiology in fall 2004...
in spring 2005, i'll take organic2, anatomy, and 2 math electives to finish off my mathematics minor...i'll also be studying for the DAT during this semester...
I'll take the DAT in May and send in my AADSAS at the end of may or beginning of june...
then i'll just have 2 classes left to take to finish prereqs and get my B.S. degree: biochemistry and molecular biology...
of course, if they allow me to take biochem and molecular bio WITH organic2, that would be great...but organic2 seems to be a prereq for these...
anyway, point is that there's plenty of time...i'm just going to concentrate on doing as well as I possibly can in these classes and retain as much as possible so I can be a better doctor.
the dean of admissions at UF said it would be highly unlikely that someone would be accepted without a bachelor's degree by the time they matriculated because of the competetiveness of the applicant pool...there would have to be ALOT of real-world experience to substitute...at 21 years old, that is pretty uncommon.
If you meet the minimum requirements you could always give it a shot-that is if you don't mind spending the money for the applications and interviews.
Two of my classmates in dental school applied early during their junior year. Had they not been admitted for this school year they would have finished off their senior year earned their B.S. and reapplied for next year. In the end it worked out for them. In any case it isn't impossible. If I had any idea that it was possible I think I would have at least tried to do the same.
Two of my classmates in dental school applied early during their junior year. Had they not been admitted for this school year they would have finished off their senior year earned their B.S. and reapplied for next year. In the end it worked out for them. In any case it isn't impossible. If I had any idea that it was possible I think I would have at least tried to do the same.
hey thanks for the info.
i made a mistake when i said i would take physics II and orgo I & II together. i meant to say i was planning on taking two of the three together with an elective if possible. i don't know what classes are offered at this college in the summer yet, i just transferred so i'll find out next week. you're right, i shouldn't rush my way through college, my hubby says it's better i take my time and get straight A's rather than cram-up and lower my gpa. Which is a 3.0 at the moment and i want to work on raising it. Besides i have my whole life ahead of me. I know i will become a dentist like my mother one day but it'll just take a lot of patience and effort. I'm planning on applying this year to dental school, why not just give it a shot, then i'll apply again next year when i'm almost done. I will be finishing college before the end of 2005. As for real-world experience i have some, i have been working with my mother for about eight years now and i have learnt alot including ortho, surgical, perio, general and much more, (gr8 hands-on experience torturing my brother with his braces). I even go to seminars with my mother and work with other dentists from different states. I'm also going to take a two week coarse called gateway to dentistry at UMDNJ. I am determined to become a dentist, it's become my main goal in life.😎 Hey, if anyone knows some more things which can help me get a better grip at dentistry let me know, i'm willing to learn.
thanks
i made a mistake when i said i would take physics II and orgo I & II together. i meant to say i was planning on taking two of the three together with an elective if possible. i don't know what classes are offered at this college in the summer yet, i just transferred so i'll find out next week. you're right, i shouldn't rush my way through college, my hubby says it's better i take my time and get straight A's rather than cram-up and lower my gpa. Which is a 3.0 at the moment and i want to work on raising it. Besides i have my whole life ahead of me. I know i will become a dentist like my mother one day but it'll just take a lot of patience and effort. I'm planning on applying this year to dental school, why not just give it a shot, then i'll apply again next year when i'm almost done. I will be finishing college before the end of 2005. As for real-world experience i have some, i have been working with my mother for about eight years now and i have learnt alot including ortho, surgical, perio, general and much more, (gr8 hands-on experience torturing my brother with his braces). I even go to seminars with my mother and work with other dentists from different states. I'm also going to take a two week coarse called gateway to dentistry at UMDNJ. I am determined to become a dentist, it's become my main goal in life.😎 Hey, if anyone knows some more things which can help me get a better grip at dentistry let me know, i'm willing to learn.
thanks
