What will happen?

[bird06k]

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After high school, I spent almost 3-4 years at community college and then transferred to a 4-year university. Before I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but now I am sure what I want to do. The fact that I went to community college and spent 4 years there, will that affect my chances of getting into dental school? Right now, my GPA is above 3.0.

The other question, does someone know how they will calculate my GPA? Will they combine my community college gpa with the 4-yr. Uni.’s gpa?

When is the best time to start shadowing and volunteering? Will it be considered late if I start shadowing, volunteering, and participate in extracurricular activities in my junior year?

My heart sinks in pain when I think about the fact that just because I went to community college, I won’t be able to do what I really want to do. Please, respond with sincerity.

Thanks

 

[pacbum]

oh don't worry about it. just do well in school, on all the prereqs, and the DAT, and you'll be fine. most people don't know what they wanna study right out of high school. it won't affect you if you spent a few extra years deciding that. the average age in d-school is like 24, there are plenty of people that decide to go into it later. don't worry about it at all. won't have any bearing as long as you do well.

 

[DDSY]

oh don't worry about it. just do well in school, on all the prereqs, and the DAT, and you'll be fine. most people don't know what they wanna study right out of high school. it won't affect you if you spent a few extra years deciding that. the average age in d-school is like 24, there are plenty of people that decide to go into it later. don't worry about it at all. won't have any bearing as long as you do well.

Agree. Just study hard and do well and you'll be fine.

 

[PChemGrad]

What was your major?
Do you still have pre-reqs to take?
If so where are you going to take them?

 

[bird06k]

What was your major?
Do you still have pre-reqs to take?
If so where are you going to take them?

My major was undecided at the time. I took almost all my pre-reqs at community college. I took bio, gen chem, o. chem, both physics, psychology, physiology, and anatomy classes there too. I dread saying that now, after reading what others have said on SDN, but I can't redo them again. It will take forever. Should I just forget about it? I don't know what to do!

My life sucks, I had to help my single mom out and take care of my young siblings. Thats why I ended up in community college.

Should I take some pre-reqs classes over again at the 4 yr. Uni?

 

[dancedancekj]

My life sucks, I had to help my single mom out and take care of my young siblings.

I think that this could be something you can talk about with your personal statement, as a life-enriching experience- no?

 

[I'mFillingFine]

Should I take some pre-reqs classes over again at the 4 yr. Uni?

That depends on the school. Some allow you to have your prereqs from a CC, and others don't. They should all specify it on their respective web sites.

 

[Survivior]

I think that this could be something you can talk about with your personal statement, as a life-enriching experience- no?

Yeah, you should state that in your personal statement.
I'm not sure about if it will be considered late if you do the activities now, but someone else on the SDN might be able to tell you.

I think the gpa will be combined together.

Hope that helps

 

[dmd2011]

i dont think it would be considered to late to start your ECs. you should explain you situation in your personal statement and work hard to ace the DATs and you should be fine.

 

[bird06k]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REPLIES!!!!!!!

I just don't want to give up. I am studying for the DAT right now and praying at the same time.

Does anyone here on SDN know anyone who got accepted to dental school after taking pre-reqs at the community college?

 

[dmd2011]

yea it is possible. you really need to do well on the DATs b/c that is the only across-the-board measure of applicants. tufts is the only school that i heard of that has a requirement that your pre-reqs come from a 4 year school.

 

[PChemGrad]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REPLIES!!!!!!!

I just don't want to give up. I am studying for the DAT right now and praying at the same time.

Does anyone here on SDN know anyone who got accepted to dental school after taking pre-reqs at the community college?

I took all of my pre-reqs at a CC. But then I majored in Chemistry and took a bunch of upper division science classes, and I am currently getting my MS in Chemistry, so even more science classes. I have two acceptances so far. Some schools care if you take your classes at a CC, others wish you didnt but wont say anything, as long as you show you can handle upper division science classes at a 4 year university.

 

[bird06k]

I took all of my pre-reqs at a CC. But then I majored in Chemistry and took a bunch of upper division science classes, and I am currently getting my MS in Chemistry, so even more science classes. I have two acceptances so far. Some schools care if you take your classes at a CC, others wish you didnt but wont say anything, as long as you show you can handle upper division science classes at a 4 year university.

Thank you so much for replying!

I'm very glad that everything is working out for you. Do the upper division classes have to be science? I am majoring in Mathematics because that’s what I'm finding interesting. If I have to then I will take some of the pre-reqs upper division science classes again.

If you don’t mind, can you please tell me which dental schools you applied to and also got accepted to?

 

[albodent]

Many people that have taken the pre-reqs at c.c. have gotten in d-school. It is recommended that you do not take the o chems in c.c. but the rest are fine. If you do well on the dat and have a reasonable gpa, then you should be okay. It does not really matter where you learned the material, but how well you learned that counts.

Also for the gpa, it only makes sense for it to be combined togther with the c.c. gpa for adsas.

My math teacher in my local c.c. makes 97K a year. She has a masters and does not do much. If math is your thing, you should stick with it.

 

[bird06k]

Many people that have taken the pre-reqs at c.c. have gotten in d-school. It is recommended that you do not take the o chems in c.c. but the rest are fine. If you do well on the dat and have a reasonable gpa, then you should be okay. It does not really matter where you learned the material, but how well you learned that counts.

Also for the gpa, it only makes sense for it to be combined togther with the c.c. gpa for adsas.

My math teacher in my local c.c. makes 97K a year. She has a masters and does not do much. If math is your thing, you should stick with it.

Thanks for the reply

I am seriously not going into dental school just for the money. If I wanted to I could have gone for the engineering, but I want to do something in the medical field that won't take that long and will also be more rewarding than just money.

I thought we could major in anything we want, right? 😕

 

[lnsip9reg]

i think you should follow what PChemGrad did and start taking upper-level science courses if you don't want to redo your prereqs. you can't be sitting idly by and not improve your application. just fulfilling the minimum requirements might work, but it might not. why not make yourself a sure bet by going dedicating yourself completely to this challenge? 🙄

and really, the best thing for you to do is keep a positive attitude. what's past is past, just figure out how to improve moving forward!

 

[DrYankem]

I went to a community college for my first two years in college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I took all of the necessary classes for dental school at the community college. When I had an interview with my 4-year school's interview committee (to get a recommendation letter for dental school), they said that they were impressed that I maintained a high GPA when I transferred to a "harder" school. Actually, the education I received at the community college was 10x better than what I got at 4-year university.

Anyway, I got my acceptance letter to dental school yesterday and they didn't even question the quality of my education from a community college.

Don't worry, just work hard and don't let your GPA fall. You'll do fine.

 

[DrYankem]

I went to a community college for my first two years in college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I took all of the necessary classes for dental school at the community college. When I had an interview with my 4-year school's interview committee (to get a recommendation letter for dental school), they said that they were impressed that I maintained a high GPA when I transferred to a "harder" school. Actually, the education I received at the community college was 10x better than what I got at 4-year university.

Anyway, I got my acceptance letter to dental school yesterday and they didn't even question the quality of my education from a community college.

Don't worry, just work hard and don't let your GPA fall. You'll do fine.

 

[bird06k]

i think you should follow what PChemGrad did and start taking upper-level science courses if you don't want to redo your prereqs. you can't be sitting idly by and not improve your application. just fulfilling the minimum requirements might work, but it might not. why not make yourself a sure bet by going dedicating yourself completely to this challenge? 🙄

and really, the best thing for you to do is keep a positive attitude. what's past is past, just figure out how to improve moving forward!

You are so right. I will take upper level science classes, like histology, physiology, and cell bio classes.

Thanks!

 

[bird06k]

I went to a community college for my first two years in college and then transferred to a 4-year university. I took all of the necessary classes for dental school at the community college. When I had an interview with my 4-year school's interview committee (to get a recommendation letter for dental school), they said that they were impressed that I maintained a high GPA when I transferred to a "harder" school. Actually, the education I received at the community college was 10x better than what I got at 4-year university.

Anyway, I got my acceptance letter to dental school yesterday and they didn't even question the quality of my education from a community college.

Don't worry, just work hard and don't let your GPA fall. You'll do fine.

I agree with you, the community college I went to was very tough compare to the University I am going to.

Did you check with all the dental school first to see if they accept the cc credits?

 

[DMD to Be]

You'll be fine as long as you do well on the DAT. 19+ depending on the school you want to go to. And then, as everyone has said...take lots of upper level bio courses full time at a 4-year college. That will show that you can handle the courseload. Best of luck to you...🙂

 

[bird06k]

You'll be fine as long as you do well on the DAT. 19+ depending on the school you want to go to. And then, as everyone has said...take lots of upper level bio courses full time at a 4-year college. That will show that you can handle the courseload. Best of luck to you...🙂

Thanks !!!!