University Students Dental Care
Dental/Medical school Admission…
Ok… I am a predental student at UCLA majoring in Biology. I am wondering, do you know if dental schools care about your major or which school you come from(as long as you take all the required classes)? I mean does matter if I go to UCLA and major in a Biology(which is freaking hard) or should I have had major in History or sociology (which are easier) and have gone to an easy university. Just wondering… ohhhh… Also if you know, how do you know??? Thnx
Hi
First off, congrats on pursing medicine/dentistry.
For the most part, you’re right. Your major doesn’t matter. However, there are two things about the courses you take that do matter (other than the grades you get, of course).
1. It matters how many science courses you’ve taken. The more, the merrier (shows that you are truly interested in science). This, of course, takes into consideration your major. Therefore, it’s much easier for a biology major to have taken biochem, physical chem, etc… than for an English major to have taken his English classes, Pre-med classes, AND biochem, physical chem, etc..
2. It matters why you chose your major. DO NOT under any circumstances tell the admissions folks (during interview or when you’re writing the essays) that you chose (insert major here) because you thought it’d give you a greater benefit toward admission. Many people assume that it looks better to have double major or to have been a history major because either option shows that you were willing to work extra hard. NOT TRUE. If you were willing to work extra hard, you’d have done more research internships or volunteered more hours.
Personally, I am a bio major. I chose it because I had interest in science. And I chose it before I had any intention of going pre-med.
Next, the school does matter a little, and it only does if conditions for comparison are perfect.
Would you rather take a 3.6 GPA candidate from an unknown school or a candidate with the same GPA from UCLA? Of course, you’d go for UCLA. The school is better, and the courses are presumably harder. So the student must have worked harder to get the grades (sarcasm).
However, the question “does it matter which school you come from” becomes much more difficult to answer as you factor in the fact that every applicant is different.
Ex: Hopkins student, 3.6 GPA, 30 MCAT, with intense research, and minimal volunteer, medium hospital exp.
UNLV student, 3.7 GPA, 31 MCAT, with medium research exp, medium volunteer, and minimal hospital exp.
NYU student with 3.1 GPA, 31 MCAT, minimal research, minimal volunteer, minimal hospital exp. Owns and runs successful VW/Audi dealership that serves major metropolitan district while attending school.
Tell me, honestly … can you choose one of the 3 candidates over another. If you answer in a reasonable, rationale manner, your answer should be “no” – at least until you’ve interviewed all three.
Best of luck with dental school!
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