need advice on applying to dentistry schools :(

[predentkid]

hi all! i'm currently a 3rd year undergrad student in Ontario looking forward to pursuing dentistry, but with this dream comes a lot of hard work and requirements that i'm sure all of you are very well aware of haha! with that being said, i need some advice. idk if this is the right place to ask, but i guess i should take my chances since i can't really get answers from anywhere else.

of course, my main concern is where i should apply and whether or not i will get in. most of the dentistry schools here in Canada require physics, A COURSE I DREAD VERY MUCH. i absolutely cannot take physics as it will bring down my GPA, which I AM NOT willing to risk at all. since i am in Ontario, the best options for me are UofT and UWO, both of which do not require physics! UofT would take my 3 best years, while UWO would take my 2 best years. 1st year was a rough patch for me, so it was most definitely my worst year. 2nd year was better, but still not good enough with only a 3.3 (i know it sucks like what am i even thinking lol). In 3rd year, i worked a lil harder and managed to get a 3.85 gpa this past term. i feel like i'm finally getting the hang of this uni thing and becoming more serious about pursuing dentistry, which is why i saw an improvement. i hope to keep this up and maintain at least a competitive GPA, especially for UWO. for UofT, on the other hand, assuming i maintain a competitive GPA, the chances of me getting in are still EXTREMELY low as my sad 2nd year GPA would be included (see why i don't wanna take physics now? lol). i feel like i shouldn't even bother applying there? however, i feel like ONLY applying to UWO is.. idk maybe cutting it too close, if that makes any sense? like only applying to 1 professional school.. is this reasonable? do other people do this? what if i don't get in?! idk if i'm just being stupid. 

additionally, i plan on taking a year off after i graduate to study for the DAT and continue volunteering and shadowing, which i have already started. i know that these are really important factors along with ECs, which i have also taken a part in throughout uni such as joining teams and other leadership opportunities.

lemme know what you guys think  any feedback is good feedback ily all

also, thanks so much if you read all of that omg

TL;DR: 3rd year student in Ontario, wanna pursue dentistry, only recently started getting the marks for it. cannot and will not take physics, which leaves me with fewer options: UofT & UWO. probably won't get into UofT because of my sad marks in the past. should i even bother applying there? or is ONLY applying to UWO not a smart move? 

[Fentist]

Hi predentkid,

Besides western, Saskatchewan, dalhousie and maybe manitoba take the last 2 years. If being dentist is your dream and your goal, don't give up & keep at it. It will happen! Ubc is taking on a more holistic approach & I hear alberta is doing the same. Work on grades & making your app better,  best of luck

[northernjb]

Hey predentkid,

Keep at it and work really hard in your final years.  As Fentist said, there are other options for you to explore with best 2 years, but without taking physics you may be limited.  If I recall, USask just removed one of their physics requirements, and I now think they only need 1 semester (which is still not helpful, but slightly better for physics-haters).  I don't think it's dumb to only apply to UWO if its your only/best shot.  I got into to UWO and it was 1 of 2 schools I applied to, just work on your extra curriculars and work on being a well rounded applicant, as their application is more holistic Good luck!

[predentkid]

On 12/30/2019 at 10:32 PM, Fentist said:

Hi predentkid,

Besides western, Saskatchewan, dalhousie and maybe manitoba take the last 2 years. If being dentist is your dream and your goal, don't give up & keep at it. It will happen! Ubc is taking on a more holistic approach & I hear alberta is doing the same. Work on grades & making your app better,  best of luck

yeah, having them only take the last 2 years is super important to me. 1st & 2nd year me wasn't the best student haha! those other schools requiring physics is my only issue tho...

thanks for the advice, i'll make sure to keep checking their requirements regarding their approaches!

thank you so much for your kind words of motivation! you have no idea how much it means to me! i'll make sure to work hard! 

best of luck to you as well! stay safe!

 

[predentkid]

On 12/31/2019 at 4:53 PM, northernjb said:

Hey predentkid,

Keep at it and work really hard in your final years.  As Fentist said, there are other options for you to explore with best 2 years, but without taking physics you may be limited.  If I recall, USask just removed one of their physics requirements, and I now think they only need 1 semester (which is still not helpful, but slightly better for physics-haters).  I don't think it's dumb to only apply to UWO if its your only/best shot.  I got into to UWO and it was 1 of 2 schools I applied to, just work on your extra curriculars and work on being a well rounded applicant, as their application is more holistic Good luck!

i absolutely will! and yes, you're right! 

i had no idea about USask removing one of their physics requirements, i'll definitely look in to that! 

thanks so much! applying to such a limited amount of schools was and still is my greatest worry. you seemed to have been in the same boat as me in terms of how many schools you applied to! i'm glad you got in! that's actually really inspirational and reassuring  so thanks for that! did you end up accepting the offer?

i'll make sure to improve my grades, and work on my extracurriculars to show that i'm well-rounded! thank you once again!

keep well!