Who is the more competitive applicant and why???

[UMDeeMan]

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ok, on another thread i brought this question up and I want everyone to see it so I can get some opinions.

Who is a more competitive applicant? A student with a science-core major, or a non-science core major? assume both have matching gpa's and DAT's.

My own opinion is that the science major is more compeititive due to the extensive exposure to the more advaced bio and chem then a business major would get. but let me know what you all think. I also think business really isn't that difficult, albeit, i have not been exposed to it like I have the science field so I am biased i guess. i ask this because it has been increasingly mentioned on here (both indirectly and directly) that most adcom's only care about gpa's. based on what i know about business and science courses, business is much less stressful. so what stops everyone from just taking a business major and then doing the prereqs for dschool besides a sincere interest in a specific field? please elaborate and let it out. thanks everyone.

 

[Woodsy]

it all depends on how high the GPA is and how high the DAT score is. Normally I would say the science guy has a better chance because he took more science courses. However, it really does depend on how high their GPA and how high their DAT is. If they both have high scores, both of them will get in. If the scores are low then the science person might have a chance whereas the non science would have none. The reason being that the non science person needs someway to prove themselves because they don't have a science background.

 

[aggie-master]

I don't know much about dental school admissions yet, but I would think that the science person is more competitive just because they have a better science background.

On the other hand, the non-science major scored just as well on the DAT without all of the science background, so that has to say something about their ability to succeed in dental school.

 

[aileen]

If u r a business major, and have a high GPA, and a good DAT score, u r a strong candidate just like a science major student. Dental schools are looking for a diverse (including non-traditional) student body. I was a business major myself and was considered a very competitive applicant by all the schools I applied to.

 

[Calculus1]

Originally posted by aileen
If u r a business major, and have a high GPA, and a good DAT score, u r a strong candidate just like a science major student. Dental schools are looking for a diverse (including non-traditional) student body. I was a business major myself and was considered a very competitive applicant by all the schools I applied to.

Poli Sci major here,

Ditto

 

[spooky42]

i was comp sci and minor in business. my interviewers seemed to like that I had a different background.

 

[trypmo]

If I were on an adcom, here's the way I'd think. I would know how difficult the various science majors were (like bio & chem), there'd be some outside majors whose difficulty I'd have some idea of (like engineering = harder in many cases), but as far as business majors or other majors I really didn't know anything about, there'd be this big question-mark sittin' there. So I'd do one of three things.

Option 1. (Most likely for me personally) Ignore GPA and go on the DAT (which I heard an admission dean call "the great equalizer"), LORs, personal statement, and performance at interview.

Option 2. Actively seek out current applicants and applicants from past years who majored in the same thing to try to get some basis for GPA comparison.

Option 3. (Least likely for me personally) Maybe kindof ask around a little about the major in my social circle, but basically give it my best estimate without really knowing much about it.

Also, if I'm not familiar with their field of study, there's much more I need to know about them in order to make an admissions decision, so I'd invite practically all of them for interviews by default just to make up for the amount of substance of the application that couldn't be standardized to that of the rest of the flock.

(So can you tell I want to be on an adcom someday? )

So I guess my response to the OP is that I'd have to interview the non-science major to determine his/her competitiveness for entrance in the program, because the bare application wouldn't be providing me with enough information.

Therefore, my final judgement is that if you're a non-bio/chem major and you don't get interview invites, then the adcom members at the schools to which you applied are poo-heads.

 

[UMDeeMan]

i'm just posted this cause i'm seriously considering switching to business from kinesiology. i think kinesiology would prepare me more for dschool then business, but if for some reasons i can't get into dental school (god forbid) then i want other options. i have a sweet connection with AEGON financial (very close relative) and i could get into sales/client relations. the income my uncle makes is sick, 500k+ a year. if it was about money, i would say screw dental but it's what i really want to do. what do you all think, switch to business so I have an out??? my gpa will be around 3.4-3.5 regardless if i stick with kinesiology or business. probably would have more time to drink and party with a business major though. let me know.

 

[Bickle]

Originally posted by UMDeeMan
the income my uncle makes is sick, 500k+ a year.

I'm surprised that your uncle would disclose to you how much he makes.

 

[UMDeeMan]

it's cause he doesn't know what to do with all of it. it's a commission based job, his commission checks are anywhere from 30k to 120k. i saw the the big one in person. the reason he tells me this is because 1. he can't hide 2. we are like brothers 3. i know he's trying to lure me to follow his path. the only downfall to the job is that there is wicked travel and it isn't condusive to a family life.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Non-science is more competitive at most schools.

Adcoms seem to thrive on diversity, and that isn't only a skin color or race.

I was an English major and I got into plenty of schools. Many interviewers told me they liked my English background.

 

[aggie-master]

ItsGavinC, I hope you are right. I'm hispanic, a business major, and I've got a 3.85/4.00. I still have several science courses to take and I have to take the DAT next spring before I can apply, but it sounds like I'll have a decent chance if I keep my grades up and perform well on the DAT.