Year Off Advice

[VTDent]

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So for this cycle it didnt go as planned. With that I need some help in what I should do in this year off as I will be graduating this May. The options as follows:

1. Go back to school and get another degree in which I can do in 1 semester.

2. Intern/Work at a Dental Office or clinic

3. Get a job that is not dental related at all.

What do you guys think will help me with my application for next cycle? Any advice will help.

 

[321931]

So for this cycle it didnt go as planned. With that I need some help in what I should do in this year off as I will be graduating this May. The options as follows:

1. Go back to school and get another degree in which I can do in 1 semester.

2. Intern/Work at a Dental Office or clinic

3. Get a job that is not dental related at all.

What do you guys think will help me with my application for next cycle? Any advice will help.

Depends on the reason why you didn't get in the first place. Bad scores? Retake DAT. Bad gpa? See what your GPA ends at with spring semester. Perhaps take summer courses or look into masters. Application late? Apply early and then do one of the three options you mentioned.


Overall, #1 sounds like the best idea depending on the situation. #2 not so much in general. #3 would be the best idea if your scores are fine imo.

 

[mr24]

i didnt get in my first cycle, and contemplated doing similar things as you are. i decided to re take the dat. thats all i did. did not want to take more classes after graduating. but if you already have a 20+ dat and good gpa that probably would not be a good idea in your case.

 

[dentalWorks]

So for this cycle it didnt go as planned. With that I need some help in what I should do in this year off as I will be graduating this May. The options as follows:

1. Go back to school and get another degree in which I can do in 1 semester.

2. Intern/Work at a Dental Office or clinic

3. Get a job that is not dental related at all.

What do you guys think will help me with my application for next cycle? Any advice will help.

what will help your application for next-next cycle? umm... obviously its option #1, thats cool, you do 1 semester and you earn (I suppose) a double degree title right?

 

[VTDent]

My scores and GPA are below. I also plan on taking the DATs again this summer:

I have a 3.77 overall and a 3.67 science gpa in Biochemistry. On the DATs I had:

PAT:19
QR:17
RC:19
Bio:20
Chem:18
Ochem:18
Science:18
and AA:18

And yeah, it'll be considered a 2nd degree in Chemistry (BA though)

 

[healthcaree]

My scores and GPA are below. I also plan on taking the DATs again this summer:

I have a 3.77 overall and a 3.67 science gpa in Biochemistry. On the DATs I had:

PAT:19
QR:17
RC:19
Bio:20
Chem:18
Ochem:18
Science:18
and AA:18

And yeah, it'll be considered a 2nd degree in Chemistry (BA though)

Do not go back to school as your GPA is really good (you'll be wasting your money on tuition..). I would suggest you to maybe find a dental assistant position + RETAKE YOUR DAT. really, try to aim for 20+ in all sections and you'll definitely have multiple acceptances the following year 🙂


I have ~3.3 GPA, re-applied with no additional classes. I started working as a dental assistant, retook my DAT (~20+ in all sections). I landed with 8 interviews and 2 acceptances so far. you can do it! 🙂

 

[Maygyver]

Retake your DAT and then just spend time doing extracurriculars. Your GPA looks fine. As far as going back to school, I don't really understand how schools would really see this as an advantage if you applied this summer(on time) because you wouldn't have any grades to show for it, just intentions.

 

[dentalWorks]

Retake your DAT and then just spend time doing extracurriculars. Your GPA looks fine. As far as going back to school, I don't really understand how schools would really see this as an advantage if you applied this summer(on time) because you wouldn't have any grades to show for it, just intentions.

hes trying to build a back-up plan just incase he applies this cycle and doesn't get in.

 

[Maygyver]

hes trying to build a back-up plan just incase he applies this cycle and doesn't get in.

Ah, that makes sense. 👍 I never understood people applying after just getting into Masters/post-bachs but not completing any courses.

 

[duvaldentist]

Do not go back to school as your GPA is really good (you'll be wasting your money on tuition..). I would suggest you to maybe find a dental assistant position + RETAKE YOUR DAT. really, try to aim for 20+ in all sections and you'll definitely have multiple acceptances the following year 🙂


I have ~3.3 GPA, re-applied with no additional classes. I started working as a dental assistant, retook my DAT (~20+ in all sections). I landed with 8 interviews and 2 acceptances so far. you can do it! 🙂

Do you need special training or schooling inorder to be a dental assitant? (Sorry if thats a dumb question, its just i have not thought about that before thus explaining my lack of knowledge reguarding the topic, but reading your response spiked my interest)

And secondly what schools did you get interviewd at, and what were your DAT scores if you dont mind me asking.

 

[amber11]

Do not go back to school as your GPA is really good (you'll be wasting your money on tuition..). I would suggest you to maybe find a dental assistant position + RETAKE YOUR DAT. really, try to aim for 20+ in all sections and you'll definitely have multiple acceptances the following year 🙂


I have ~3.3 GPA, re-applied with no additional classes. I started working as a dental assistant, retook my DAT (~20+ in all sections). I landed with 8 interviews and 2 acceptances so far. you can do it! 🙂

Hi Healthcaree,

I'm in a same situation here. I have 3.6 cumulative GPA and ~3.4 science GPA(with a low DAT score), and I got rejected 2 years ago. I'm currently working as a dental assistant as you do and studying for my DAT. I feel like I am so not prepared to take the DAT and re-apply this cycle. I feel like I need extra time to prepare for the DAT since I'm taking it for the second time and I really want to do well on it. I'm thinking to re-apply next cycle. What is your advice for this? Do you think I should push myself hard, retake the DAT and apply this year? Or if I decide to apply next cycle, should I take some upper level science courses just to boost my GPA? Thanks a lot for your time!

 

[Timpson]

The advice here is good. Improve your DAT and get a job and enjoy the paychecks and health insurance benefits for a year. Hell, you could even stock up on KAPLAN books and DAT destroyer stuff and immerse your life in it.

I took a year off (actually 2 total if you consider the amount of time that will lapse before I start dental school and a half a year during undergrad to do paid research at a corporation). It has been a great experience for me. With enough patience and work, I am confident you can accomplish your dream.

 

[healthcaree]

Hi Healthcaree,

I'm in a same situation here. I have 3.6 cumulative GPA and ~3.4 science GPA(with a low DAT score), and I got rejected 2 years ago. I'm currently working as a dental assistant as you do and studying for my DAT. I feel like I am so not prepared to take the DAT and re-apply this cycle. I feel like I need extra time to prepare for the DAT since I'm taking it for the second time and I really want to do well on it. I'm thinking to re-apply next cycle. What is your advice for this? Do you think I should push myself hard, retake the DAT and apply this year? Or if I decide to apply next cycle, should I take some upper level science courses just to boost my GPA? Thanks a lot for your time!

I don't think you need to take any upper level science courses as your GPA isn't bad at all. BUT it's totally up to you whether you want to spend another year working or push yourself to be back in school. Some people prefer working and want to take some time off, on the other hand for me I just want to be back in school 🙂

Plus you can probably take the DAT in May or even early June to re-apply. you still got few more months. I studied for about a month only (while working). so it really is up to you.