Dental School PreparationFreshman Year· Study! Dental schools appreciate good grades. Search for a major compatible with your interests, but be sure to fulfill the minimum requirements for each dental school. Strive for a broad education within the framework of your selected major. Become acquainted with the Pre-Dental Honor Society. Talk with upper class pre-dental students; they may help you avoid problems that they have encountered. Learn all you can about the dental profession before committing yourself to it. Get acquainted with your professors, lab instructors, and advisors - your learning atmosphere will be improved and you will later have a valuable source of recommendations. Sophomore Year· Study!!! You may still be able to overcome a weak start from your freshman year. Select a major. Choose one which may lead to alternate careers; remember that not everyone is accepted to dental school. Seek membership in the Pre-Dental Honor Society. Engage in extracurricular activities in moderation. Interest in appropriate extracurricular activities may help in your admission to a professional school (but only if your grades do not suffer). Begin to investigate specific dental schools. Junior Year· Seriously think about specific schools. Factors to consider include: location, quality of training programs, grants, faculty rosters, and information in the Admission Requirements of American Associates of Dental Schools. Secure recommendations for dental school. Take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) in the spring or early summer. The best preparation for this test is consistently doing well in your undergraduate courses. Also obtain a DAT review manual. Ask an upperclassman about which manual is the best for that particular year. Between Junior and Senior Year· Submit an application online through the American Association of Dental School Application Service (AADSAS). Note: this service is sponsored by the American Association of Dental Schools, which has recently changed its name to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Look for a change in the name of the application service in the near future. Also note that most dental schools use this service, but some do not. Consult your advisor for details. Senior Year· Your application should already be submitted by the time your senior year begins. If you are seriously being considered for admission at a dental school, you will be invited to a personal interview. During your interview, pay close attention to your appearance, get a good night's sleep, and be yourself. Take the opportunity to tour the facilities and talk with students while you are at the school. |