When to apply for dental school??

[SMILEY_22]

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I have a business management degree, and decided to pursue denstistry instead of business. I am still in the proccess of taking the necessary science courses to apply for dental school. When should I apply?? should I apply when I am done with all of the requirements or can I apply without being done? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

 

[VijayEM]

hey, how long have you been in the business field and what kind of work do you do? or did you just graduate with your business degree. i am asking because i am also pursuing a business degree along with pre-med (i wish i had done something else though since it takes up a lot of time)

you should apply after your science classes so dental schools can see the grades in them. you can apply during the regular time so your spring classes will be over by then.

 

[dragonfly9]

Hi Smiley, Have you finished any of your science requirements yet or did you just start this fall? I graduated this May, finished up my final requirement (organic chem) this summer and will be applying as early as possible this summer. I had considered rushing to apply after I finished up chem but I figured I had a much better chance of going where I wanted to if I applied early next year instead of late this year. Good luck!

 

[eschou01]

The general timeline:

To maximize your DAT score, wait until you have had at least one year of bio., gen. chem, and Ochem. I would reccmmend taking the DAT in the Spring of the year before you plan to enter (e.g., I am entering in Fall 2002, therefore I took my DAT in May 2001).

You can file the AADSAS beginning June 1st. This should also be the year before you plan to enter (I filed mine on June 1st, 2001 for entrance in Fall 2002).


FYI...6 tips (from my personal experience) to make you a very competitive, well-rounded applicant:

1) Maintain a high GPA (3.5+ overall and science)
2) Do well on the DAT (19 and up is great)
3) APPLY EARLY!! Get the letters of rec., transcripts, etc. prepared by June 1st! I know way too many people whose applications were on hold b/c they were waiting for a professor to write a one-page letter.
4) Do research. Its great experience and interviewers love talking about it!
5) Shadow a dentist. Most schools expect you to have some knowledge of the dental profession, not just what you read in a book.
6) Have lots of extracurriculars. They will make you a much more well-rounded applicant (and person). Don't be Jo Blo pre-dent with a 4.0 GPA but no clubs, honor societies, leadership positions, etc. Your interpersonal skills will reflect this.

Anyway, I'm sure most of you are already ahead of the game on this stuff, but I just thought I would put in my $0.02. Good luck to all of you.

 

[Toothfairy]

Good advice eschou1!

I would recommend the same advice; however I do have a few more tips. If you have a pre-dent. advisement center, ask them if they offer committee interviews. You may already know about these. If you do, I would recommend going that route when gathering your recommendations. From my experience, schools put more credibilty into them. I would also begin collecting all the necessary info. you will need to fill out the AADSAS form or school application around the middle of May. This way you will have no suprises, when you are on-line filling the app. out. You can get this info from http://www.adea.org. Also, make sure you contact all the schools you attended by or on June 1st to have your transcripts sent out. My only other advice would be to copy your AADSAS app. and all other materials you will be sending out! Things can get lost, so if you keep your own records, you can fix problems fast and not delay your chances of getting in. Remember, the earlier, the better. I give you my best and hope that your hard work pays off in the end! 😀