would u recommend taking a year off?

[cherryblossom]

just wondering if people consider taking a year off a waste of time, or a time to unwind and relax/mentally prepare for working very hard in dental school.

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[psiyung]

having time to yourself is never a waste of time in my opinion. I plan on taking about 6-7 months off AFTER I graduate to visit about 20 countries. But if you feel you want some time to unwind before school, then go for it

 

[Envision]

I'm taking a year off. Best year ever .

 

[diane07]

Going straight from four years of undergrad to four years of dental school . . . that's quite a long stretch! I would definitely recommend taking time off in between. Having a break is nice, and it can also give you time to evaluate whether or not that's what you really want to do.

If you choose to go straight through . . . fine. Do what you want.

 

[cherryblossom]

thank u for all your input. i would like to study abroad next year but i feel as though i cant because i have to stay around in the usa for my interviews. I am graduating in may and I dont really want to continue going to school or working because the reason for the year off is to get away from school/work. What did everyone do with their year off? Also, I don't really know anyone else who is also taking a year off/who has the money and time to travel or study abroad with me.

 

[MrVagus]

If this (dental school/dentistry)is something that you really want to do then get it over with. The sooner you start the sooner you finish. If you are taking a year off to do something thats probably a once in a generation event, then by all means go for it. But if you are just doing it simply because the opportunity exist to hang out at home, then you might want to reconsider. You'll feel it most, when you enter your third year and start to realize that you could've/should've been graduating that year... In the long run taking time off isnt something that should be considered lightly.

 

[Fuji]

Take a real year off and don't apply until 2008. A study abroad program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I doubt that when you're 65 you are going to regret missing 2 years of work as much as you will regret missing out on a year abroad.

I took 4 years off and haven't regretted it.

 

[ldsmbhc]

I am taking a year off and it has been awesome to save some money for school by selling pest control in good old Texas As long as you have enough money to live on, I don't think you should rush anything.

 

[rarm1]

Hello,
Taking a year off will mean different things to admission committees.

They will wonder why? do you really want dentistry? are there any problems you are not telling them about?

With that said... I will first give a personal statement, then what the committees will look at ( from the standpoint of have being on two committees at two schools and having friends at others... in fact will see them next week at the ADEA meeting (Amer Dental Educators Assoc)

I finished Queens College, NY undecided but leaning to Dentistry. I worked in a hospital part-time and did not like the death/dying I saw (little did I know I would become a full time hospital dentist and deal with that daily... so medicine was low on my list, though I won the NY Regency scholarship for both dentistry and medicine). I was active in politics... it was the 60s. I took so law courses in college and did not like that 1+1 equals 3 before one judge and equals what ever you want in another if you pay.

I decided to take a year off to decide and applied for and got into VISTA. (the current Americorp-- Volunteers In Serve To America).... BUT my parents asked me to apply anyway. I did, very late, and was placed on altnered lists without interviews. One school accepted me for the following year... Great I was all set.

Come Sept. I was in VISTA and openings developed... the school... my first choice... had openings and decided that I should come immediately and my acceptance for the following year was null and void... They said VISTA was not an educational year and they would consider my refusal to come, that I really did not want dentistry,,,, I went..... so much for my personal story.

Now for the schools....
A year of study, especially to learn a foreign language... excellent
A year to help in poverty/third world country or US is now the IN thing.
A year to earn money to pay for dental school... excellent (especially in health care, ie a dental lab(
The Military to help to pay for education.. excellent

A year.... buming around... doing nothing, may lead them to wonder ... can you put up with four hard years.

In summary,,,, If you have plans, a reason, in should be good.

By the way... I want to dental school, was mentored by some of the best which lead me into Oral Medicine, Oral Path, Hospital Dentistry... and death and dying.... and I never gave up my "roots"... I travel with Operation Smile, Health Volunteers Overseas, Partners for Peace, etc. I presented at the 40th reunion of Peace Corps/Vista and am a member of the Governor's Commission on Community and Volunteer Service... amoung other things... and will be heading to Cambodia in about 2 weeks... and now give back more than I ever could have when I was just a college grad....

any questions,,, just email me.... It is hard to check in here often.

bob arm

 

[shamrock2006]

There's nothing wrong w/ taking a year off...so what, instead of graduating when you are 26...you are 27? big friggin deal. Work, save some money..pay off debt...or travel, enjoy life....whatever. Either way. I took a year off and I dont regret it. Undergrad was stressful to no end..i'm glad I took this year off..and if you can use it wisely, i know a lot of adcoms like to see you've gotten out in the world, matured a little bit, and really see if this is what you want to do...i mean hell, there are people who have taken 15 yrs off and are starting D-school..one year is pretty normal these days. I was told this by more than a few interviewers.

 

[dentalman]

There is really no right or wrong answer. If you DID take a year off, I would recommend using at least part of it to travel. Or studying abroad counts as well. You won't look back and say, I wish I would have would have worked more.

 

[shamrock84]

i think taking a year off is a great idea. if you really want to go abroad you can still do it for a semester. i studied and worked and applied to schools and interviewed from may to january and now i am spending time in europe until august. you just need to apply earlier (which is good anyways) so you get most decisions until january. and from my experience most schools didn't care about the fact that i am taking a year off.

good luck!

 

[cherryblossom]

now i feel much better about maybe needing to take a year off. I applied this year a bit late and I'm still waiting to hear back, so right now I am thinking about a back-up plan (20 dat, 3.8gpa). I've always wanted to study abroad so that's what i'll do and I wanted to do it for the entire year but then realized i wouldn't be able to because of having to stay around for interviews. My school doesn't have great study abroad programs and just researching all the thousands of study abroad programs online is giving me a headache because there's too many to choose from and I dont' know which one to choose. Does anyone know or can recommend a good study abroad program for China? (to learn mandarin).

Now i just need to figure out what I want to do b/t now and leaving for my study abroad program....

btw, are men more likely to take a year off than women? (not really relevant but just curious) but that's what it seems like with the people whom i've spoken to. in the back of my head i cant help to think that i will be "behind" if i take a year off...but i'll get over it

 

[DIRTIE]

I think that 3 or 4 months off in the summer after undergrad is enough time to waste. You will be ready by then to go back and get it over with.

 

[ltb]

take a year off. i went straight in after 4 years of undergrad..i really wish i had taken a year off.

 

[cherryblossom]

take a year off. i went straight in after 4 years of undergrad..i really wish i had taken a year off.

what would you have done during your year off?

 

[ClassicalGuitar]

I definitely support NOT taking a year off. I think interrupting the flow of studying and school work to have a lot of relaxation time then trying to go full haul into the intense curriculum of dental school would be very difficult. Myself personally, I've been an undergrad for 7 years (yes, full time every semester (except for 1) with some summers) and I am not taking any time off because I know that if I did, I would have a harder time starting out dental school. I was tempted to do the same, but then looked at the drawbacks. Remember, you can go to school right away then when you are finished, work and take some really nice and long vacations wherever you want. I wish you the best. God bless.

 

[mellow_yellow]

I think it depends on your situation. If you feel like you just want to finish school, then just get it over with. However, if you feel like you want to take a year off then you maybe you should. Dental school is a huge commitment and some people need some time to clear their heads, explore the world, etc. before starting school. You should do what you think is best for you regardless of what other people say. If you want to graduate as early as you can, then you would probably regret it if you take a year off.

Personally, I think taking a year (or a couple of years) off can be very beneficial. You are in twenties only once. I enjoy being young and carefree.I know that I need some time off from school before I dive into dental school and then into 'adulthood.'