eugenius Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 hi, i guess i should go through the forums and look for this myself but im lazy i was wondering what dental schools think if u finished ur undergrad, decided to take a year off and applied during ur year off. so basically u havent been in school for a year before u enter dental school. is there anything wrong with this? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.rious Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 I hope it doesn't affect their decisions... This is currently my situation. But I am volunterring at a dental office in the meantime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aravis Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 there's nothing wrong with it. some schools like uwo might ask what u are doing during ur year off. i know of people who have just spent the year traveling or working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenius Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 ok great, thanks for the info. did u have to worry about interest on student loans? if u received student loans that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aravis Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 yeah, if u get osap u have to start paying by december Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenius Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 haha damn! dont want to pay. thanks aravis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dEsIbOii Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 well with osap, depending on your monthly income you could apply for an interest free period (which is what I did), no interest for me till april then when Dent school time, I will push back the inevitable. But definitely they will ask what you did in your off time, but it should not effect you negatively, unless GPA cut offs rise and your best years dont cut it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenius Posted March 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 oh no nothing like that, i just wanted to plan in case i don't get in this year. im just finishing up my degree, and if i dont get into dental school this cycle i dont want to go back to school and do a fifth year or a masters. id rather work/travel. so i was just wondering what dental schools think of that. judging from the posts above, it seems to be fine. i wrote my DAT in feb 2010. dat scores r good for 2-3 years right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDent2010 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 I agree that taking a year off will likely have no impact on the decision itself, however, some students (such as myself) started a new undergrad in order to improve gpa - I think that some dental schools will see this as a form of persistance/dedication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie87 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 hey! i am currently on a year off and i still got interviews! i don't think they care to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aravis Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 students who usually take a year off have mental problems mental problems? i dont know of anyone who took a year off having mental problems. they just didnt sufficiently prep for their interview or had low gpa/dat numbers. this doesnt mean that they have issues. some dent students have taken a year off to travel, work, teach in japan, apply to more schools, or get married and said that it was the best decision they ever made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dent2015 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 mental problems? i dont know of anyone who took a year off having mental problems. they just didnt sufficiently prep for their interview or had low gpa/dat numbers. this doesnt mean that they have issues. some dent students have taken a year off to travel, work, teach in japan, apply to more schools, or get married and said that it was the best decision they ever made. I'm in the married boat. My wife and I got married in December of 4th year, i didn't get into school that cycle (last year) however she started a dental hygiene program. So I had to work full-time to support her through school. After applying again this year though, I got in! So taking a year off didn't seem to hinder me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleanup Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Whoever said people generally take years off because of mental issues clearly has a mental issue themselves. Honestly, when talking with my past supervisors, the thing I hear most often is, "The one thing I regret is not taking time off between my degrees." Enjoy life. Chill out. Do your best, and make multiple plans, but do what feels right at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDent2010 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Whoever said people generally take years off because of mental issues clearly has a mental issue themselves. Honestly, when talking with my past supervisors, the thing I hear most often is, "The one thing I regret is not taking time off between my degrees." Enjoy life. Chill out. Do your best, and make multiple plans, but do what feels right at the time. I don't know about you guys but I would be really bored taking a year off, during the summers I usually look forward to school - I need intellectual stimulation! I guess I'm a workaholic as well... oh well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aravis Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 obviously dont sit around ur parents house doing nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molarman Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Whoever said people generally take years off because of mental issues clearly has a mental issue themselves. Honestly, when talking with my past supervisors, the thing I hear most often is, "The one thing I regret is not taking time off between my degrees." Enjoy life. Chill out. Do your best, and make multiple plans, but do what feels right at the time. Lol telling a group of pre-dents to chill out is like telling them to stop breathing. XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB2B Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Being a good dentist is not just about grades. In fact, many studies have been done recently that show grades/undergrad success/DAT scores are not at all predictive of clinical success in third and fourth year and as a practising dentist (although predictive of success in the first two years). What determines these successes in later dental years is more correlated with your interview scores (hence the testing for seven competencies - which can be improved/learned through non-academic experience). I took a year off this year and built/developed my non-academic attributes to help improve my success as a candidate and later as a practising dentist. This was not because I was lazy or did not get in - this was a calculated decision to ensure I would make the most successful applicant. I believe that I was successful this year (my first time applying) because of how well my interview went. Seventy percent of my examples came from this last year - that I took off: where I worked, got promoted at my job, and had time to develop my interpersonal relationships. I believe a balance combination of both academic and non-academic attributes make for the most well-rounded application and a more developed clinician. I got in my first time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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