year off or not?

[sleepy21]

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I will be graduating next May and was thinking about taking a year off and teaching school or something like that. My grandparents have already said that I can live with them and save what I make, so that could be about 30,000 towards dental school. Plus, my in-state school is not expensive- I think I can finish only 50,000 in-debt including everything, if I didn't work a year and save up. In a way, I'd like that time to take a break and recover from college and strengthen my application, but I just think, do I want to push it back another year? One year older when I get out...Also, I fear that if I don't get in, I'll have to spend two years out, which I absolutely DON'T want. What do y'all think?
sleepy

 

[DcS]

For what it's worth, I took a year off in between and am very glad I did. I found myself energized and motivated when I started, instead of burnt out if I had gone straight in. As far as being a year older, in the whole scheme of things I don't think it matters. Just my opinion of course.

 

[critterbug]

I took a few years off and worked full time. I will start dental school in the Fall. It was great for me. I learned a lot about myself, met a lot of new and different people, and enjoyed being away from school.

For me, I had gone 3 years of high school, and 4 straight years of college without ever really working. I needed to experience something else besides just school!! So I did. And in my opinion, it was the best thing for me.

But, taking time away from school is not for everyone. First of all, it takes a lot of maturity to go back. After working and making money for the first time, it sure is easy to just sit back and enjoy it. Make sure you keep your eye on the ultimate goal.

 

[HangOnSloopy]

I originally planned to attend med school, and it was because of events during my year off that I changed my mind and decided to go to dent school. The time off, as well as the chance to step away from the academic setting really gave me the chance to figure out that dentistry was the thing for me. I guess my point is that its better to take the time now, while you are probably in your early 20's, to make sure about what you really want to do, rather than to rush into something and realize when you are 40 or 50 that you have some regrets.

 

[mathnerd]

Take the year off! You'll be able to really focus on what you want to do, travel, better prepare for dental school -or perhaps change your mind-, grow on a personal level and experience some things you simply can't do while in school.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I say do NOT take a year off. Jump headlong into dental school. They'll be plenty of time for playing around later. For the record, my dental school experience is NOTHING like my undergrad experience. The learning is on another level entirely, and just setting foot in dental school was all the "refreshing" I needed.

I've been going to school for 5 year straight now (no summers off) and it's been great for me. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Is this the way everybody should go? Absolutely not. But I thought I'd chime in since everybody else told you to skip a year.

 

[critterbug]

*rolls eyes*

You're SUCH a non-conformist 😉

J/K Gavin

 

[UBTom]

to Sleepy21:

Some dental schools start as early as July, some as late as September. Depending on which dental school you want to go to, the fact is you will have a summer from 2-4 months long.

Heck, I took a 1-month-long trip around the Pacific Rim in the summer before dental school started, and I still had enough time to arrange for housing, move my stuff and get settled in.

Personally, I think 2-4 months is plenty of time to recover from college if you went through it without any extraordinary difficulty. Unless you are REALLY burnt-out from college, taking a year off *may* dull one's mental edge and make it harder to "get back into the groove."

Choice is yours of course, but I'd say go.

 

[critterbug]

Originally posted by UBTom
to Sleepy21:

Some dental schools start as early as July, some as late as September. Depending on which dental school you want to go to, you will have a summer from 2-4 months long.

Personally, I think 2-4 months is plenty of time to recover from college if you went through it without any extraordinary difficulty. Unless you are REALLY burnt-out from college, taking a year off *may* dull one's mental edge and make it harder to "get back into the groove."

Choice is yours of course, but I'd say go.

good point.

 

[gryffindor]

Tom gave some really good advice. I completely agree with him and Gavin.

I think of it this way - take the year off after dental school. If you got a job straight out of school as a dentist, you'd earn more than the $30,000 you are projecting to earn in your year off, even if you worked part-time as a dentist. By taking a year off, you're just delaying the inevitable of going through dental school and it is no picnic here (think 4 years of near hell). I don't want to go back to school on Monday mornings after the weekend; I'd never come back if I had a year off.

And if you are afraid of spending two years out b/c you don't get in after your year off, then apply your senior year in college. If you do get in, you can possibly defer if they let you or just turn down the acceptance and take the year off, strengthen your app more, and apply again.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by critterbug
*rolls eyes*

You're SUCH a non-conformist 😉

J/K Gavin

yeah, yeah yeah, but seriously, my overall point is that dental school for me has been such a vastly different experience than college, that I do feel as though I'm in a different time and place.

FINALLY I'm studying something *directly* related to my career. I've been pursuing dentistry for so long that's in it's own it's relaxing to finally be in dental school.

Then again, a vacation is always nice. Back to studying for the Boards...

 

[spooky42]

I personally took a couple of years off before dental school. Well I wouldnt exactly call it taking off, I had a different career. If your not sure what you want to do in life then take the year off, otherwise just travel during the summer and start school in the fall.

 

[mathnerd]

All in all, it is your call. If you feel frazzled & unsure, wait a year; however, if you have the wherewithal to launch a full frontal assault then go for it. Everybody's opinion is just that. Anecdotal evidence is not proof. Only you know what the right choice shall be. Best wishes.

 

[mr.fat_chops]

taking the year off by "choice" is no good. if you apply, and don't get in... there ya go... ask and yee shall receive.

but, when i finished my Biology B.S. in april 2003 and dental classes started in september 2003... that's like 5months.

my assisting gig at an ortho' office became pretty much full time and i got a job at a grocery store, too. things were good financially, i saved up lots of money, sold my house, bought a new guitar/amp and jammed with the band almost every weekend...

guess what? it was BORING, really... going to work everyday is not all that stimulating (especially making chump change)... but, starting classes and starting on that road leading to a more fulfilling carees/life is so much of a releif...

and you do lose your competitive edge when you stay away. of you feel burnt out, 2-weeks to 1 months is WAY more conducive than a year off (the year will probably make things worse if dentistry is what you want, anyway).