Basic formula tests studied in necessary physics classes will help ease the transition from college to dental school. Before you apply to dental school, a crucial question to ask yourself is “Why are you going? Although you are not expected to plan your entire life plan, you should be able to give at least one thoughtful and well-reasoned answer. There are many good reasons to pursue a career as a dentist. A good salary, an ongoing intellectual challenge, autonomy and security at work, the enjoyment of contributing to research and the opportunity to work with people are just some of them.
However, it's important to establish why attending dental school is the best option for you. A dental degree can open up a world of opportunities, but attending school is hard work. Whatever your reasons for going back to school, you need to be prepared to make a serious commitment. So, is it the right thing for you? Ultimately, that's a decision you have to make.
Dental school is a serious commitment to time and money. But if you have specific career goals and apply, the reward can be extraordinary. Most schools agree on the basic elements of pre-dental education. Minimum course requirements for most of the United States,.
Dental schools include one year of biology, general (inorganic) chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and related lab work for each science course. In addition, many dental schools require English and math courses. See U.S. Admission Requirements.
UU. And Canadian dental schools, published by the American Association of Dental Schools, for information on admission requirements at specific schools. While science careers are certainly more common, dental schools emphasize their interest in well-rounded students with broad-based undergraduate backgrounds. In fact, regardless of your major, your undergraduate transcript is a vital part of the admission decision.
If you are not majoring in a science, your work will be evaluated in science and non-science courses. However, with fewer courses in which to assess your scientific ability, your grades in core science courses will become more important. In short? Don't choose a specialty because you think you'll be accepted into dental school. Choose to specialize in a topic that really interests you.
You'll probably get better grades. Dental schools, the DAT plays a significant role in the admissions process. Your DAT score is a relatively objective way for admissions committees to compare you to other applicants. In addition, dental schools use DAT scores to assess whether or not you have the academic foundation on which to build a successful career in dentistry.
Obviously, dental schools view dentistry-related experience favorably. Check with the dental schools you are applying to see if they require dental work experience for admission. Your pre-health coach can be instrumental in helping you decide if dental school is right for you and evaluating your chances of admission. In addition, it will be particularly useful in guiding you to the right schools, both in terms of the best curriculum for your interests and the schools that are likely to accept it.
Finally, your pre-health advisor will have specific data on dental school requirements, how your school's students fared in the admissions process, and where students with similar academic backgrounds and DAT scores were accepted. In many undergraduate institutions, letters of recommendation are handled by the pre-health office. In some cases, they simply transmit the letters to dental schools. In other cases, the counselor or pre-health committee writes a letter to the admissions offices on your behalf.
It is imperative that you know these people and that they know you. With the number of applications to dental schools at an all-time high, pre-health counselors are extremely busy. If you're not a particularly strong candidate, you may not be thrilled by your advisor. You may have legitimate concerns about your competitiveness and may try to dissuade you from running.
At that time, it's up to you. You may have to do it alone without the full support of your school's pre-health office. If everyone agrees that your chances are slim, have a backup plan in case you are not admitted. The trick to evaluating your chances of entering a particular program is to know where you stand on the various factors that programs take into account when making admissions decisions.
A good way to get an idea of how dental schools perceive you is to create a fact sheet with your DAT scores (or projected scores), overall GPA, and GPA in your specialty (and lower, if applicable). Relevant external activities, work experience, internships, publications, etc. It will also contribute to the overall robustness of your application. The number of dental schools to which you must apply is best determined by your strength as an applicant, the difficulty of admitting to the schools in which you apply, and the overall difficulty of entering any program in your discipline.
If applying to five or six dental schools, choose a pair of dream schools, several in the “probable” category, and one or two safety schools. The next step is to find a current source of information about dental programs. There are several guidelines published each year that provide school rankings, as well as data on acceptance rates and average GPA and DAT scores. In addition, some rank schools according to their reputation among students, teachers, or outstanding individuals in the field.
Include your DAT score and GPA along with the average number of schools you are interested in. The comparison will give you a rough idea of your position. But remember, the DAT and GPA aren't the only admission criteria. Many other factors, such as recommendations and “intangibles,” such as activities and relevant experience, can play a prominent role in the admissions equation.
Once you have an idea of where you stand in the pool of applicants, you can start making decisions about your application strategy. . .
