Question about incomplete degree

[teething]

I am interested in pursuing dentistry and have already completed several degrees, with good GPAs in each. However, a few years ago I went to law school, hated the subject matter and quit after first year. My first year grades were very high (for law school that is!) but I'm worried that an incomplete law degree will look bad on my applications.

 

The degrees I've completed are all related to each other so the 1 year of law school really stands out as an aberration in an otherwise clear progression of studies and work.

 

Will my year of law school be held against me? If so, the only solution would be for me to return and finish the degree (a miserable prospect but I could do this) just to show the admissions people that I'm not a flake or a quitter. However, two more years of law school could severely diminish my GPA.

 

Does anyone have a similar situation where they left a professional program and then got into law or medicine? Was your incomplete degree held against you?

 

Thanks!

[dentene]

I am interested in pursuing dentistry and have already completed several degrees, with good GPAs in each. However, a few years ago I went to law school, hated the subject matter and quit after first year. My first year grades were very high (for law school that is!) but I'm worried that an incomplete law degree will look bad on my applications.

 

The degrees I've completed are all related to each other so the 1 year of law school really stands out as an aberration in an otherwise clear progression of studies and work.

 

Will my year of law school be held against me? If so, the only solution would be for me to return and finish the degree (a miserable prospect but I could do this) just to show the admissions people that I'm not a flake or a quitter. However, two more years of law school could severely diminish my GPA.

 

Does anyone have a similar situation where they left a professional program and then got into law or medicine? Was your incomplete degree held against you?

 

Thanks!

 

My friend's brother went through something similar. He was in Pharmacy school but then decided to apply to Dentistry because he didn't like pharmacy after first year. He did get in to Dentistry.

 

I don't think you need to finish your law degree. That would be too much. If you have a good reason to quit law and apply to Dentistry, I don't see why the admissions committee should have a problem.

 

Have you written the DAT yet? I think you should focus on that first to see how you do on it. If you have a high gpa and if you do well on the DAT, why not apply...it won't hurt.

[future_doc]

Don't sweat it. Just be prepared to explain if asked.

[teething]

My friend's brother went through something similar. He was in Pharmacy school but then decided to apply to Dentistry because he didn't like pharmacy after first year. He did get in to Dentistry.

 

I don't think you need to finish your law degree. That would be too much. If you have a good reason to quit law and apply to Dentistry, I don't see why the admissions committee should have a problem.

 

Have you written the DAT yet? I think you should focus on that first to see how you do on it. If you have a high gpa and if you do well on the DAT, why not apply...it won't hurt.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I haven't written the DAT yet and I still need to take the prereq courses. Dentistry is more of a long term goal (I'm currently in a career) and I envision applying in about 3 years from now.

 

In addition to Canadian schools I would consider US and Australia, so I'm not sure if that changes anything. My undergrad cGPA is good but not great (3.7), however my Masters and B.Ed. are all A/A+, so hopefully that will be to my advantage if US schools look at everything. (I gather these degrees won't do much for me in Canada though)

[raneflight]

You need to tell us which school you're interested in applying to. Uoft, UWO won't care... but for schools like McGill, you'll have to do some explaining in the personal statement.

 

I dont think McGill cares either, I applied to McGill while still doing a Masters and I got in. I ended up not finishing my Masters. My friend also did a year of Master's and then quit. She got into McGill as well.

 

Good Luck

[dentene]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I haven't written the DAT yet and I still need to take the prereq courses. Dentistry is more of a long term goal (I'm currently in a career) and I envision applying in about 3 years from now.

 

In addition to Canadian schools I would consider US and Australia, so I'm not sure if that changes anything. My undergrad cGPA is good but not great (3.7), however my Masters and B.Ed. are all A/A+, so hopefully that will be to my advantage if US schools look at everything. (I gather these degrees won't do much for me in Canada though)

 

I think you should be good for getting in Canada and especially in the States. You have so much experience. They want people like you as well. If you look at the profile of the students accepted in to dentistry programs at Universities, they usually have many masters and even phd students who got in. I remember seeing something like that on UWO's website.

[teething]

I think you should be good for getting in Canada and especially in the States. You have so much experience. They want people like you as well. If you look at the profile of the students accepted in to dentistry programs at Universities, they usually have many masters and even phd students who got in. I remember seeing something like that on UWO's website.

 

Thank you for your encouragement!