Materials For The Class Of 2017 College Planning Packet: Fill & Download for Free

A2A, Thank You.WARNING: EXTREMELY LONG ANSWER…grab some popcorn?Being a non-traditional student can actually be a benefit in and of itself; however, as Dentistry is not my area, take everything with a grain of salt.First, Don't be overly concerned if you have some grades from earlier in your academic career when you may have been a traditional student that are not top-notch.I will tell a little of my story/journey to grad school, and then loop around to tie in to more directly answer your question.TIMEWARP: DISTANT PASTI went straight into college from high school(back in nineteen-ninety-*COUGH COUGH COUGH* umm excuse me(that was a bad one).Anyway where was I…oh yes, I was a pre-med triple major(bio/chem/phys)…that was a mistake, I should've taken a gap year. I was burned out and not ready for college(I never had to study in school previously and I couldn’t fathom why just listening to the lectures wasn’t enough to ace all of my tests, college was a rude awakening).I had some extremely poor grades. I dropped out of college. I went back a few years later and though I did better, I had a few medical issues pop up from time to time that eventually drove me back into dropping out again. I left and came back several times, including a brief stint in mortuary school.During this time I switched majors a multitude of times, almost always sticking with STEM majors (except I was also collecting psychology courses because I found the information engaging and I found the material to be extremely easy for me).TIMEWARP: FIRE HAD JUST BEEN DISCOVERED, AND ANIMAL PELTS WERE IN VOGUE.In my much younger years of primary and secondary school, I did well in EVEYRTHING with almost zero effort…except Maths. I struggled and studied but could not get the information to click. I was virtually told I could do anything I wanted in life…but mathematics.(this lack of belief in my ability stuck with me).TIMEWARP: A few years ago(around age 33).I needed to take Calculus I and II. I was dreading it. The very idea sent waves of terror through my body. I decided to hang back and take College Algebra and Trigonometry (separately, rather than as a single pre-calculus course). Everything made sense. I breezed through, understanding everything the professors could throw at me. My confidence grew. I tackled Calculus I…and got a B. I was very unhappy, but decided to continue on. I took Calculus II …and AGAIN got a B. This lit a fire under me. Not only was I finding my love for mathematics, but I considered it a challenging mountain to climb…one that I REFUSED to let defeat me. I ignored coursework in my then major(which I don’t even remember what it was at that time anymore). I progressed through the calculus series, and diff eq, threw in some computer science courses(I had dabbled with programming since I was a child using my Texas instrument computer, and later the good old Commodore 64). I began tutoring other students in maths…where I had made B’s in Calculus I and II…I have tutored several students to A’s in those same courses.I was becoming more and more consumed with math, and while I did notice I was now the “old dude” in class…ASIDE: I felt just as young as my traditional academic peers. Nearly all of them treated me as equal and didn’t make me feel like I was the old guy. I was even invited out many times to get-togethers, bars, and social events with many of them.Anyway, I then found that I excelled at pure maths, even to the point where in an Abstract Algebra course that was being taught using a modified “Moore Method” I had perfect scores, so by then end of the semester I was assigned problems for the graduate level. One of my proofs even caused the professor to stop me, stare at my work on the projector for a couple of minutes and then state he had never seen this problem proved in this fashion and he was making sure it was logically correct and I had made no error. When he was satisfied that I had indeed proven the conjecture in a unique way, he and the rest of the class literally applauded my work.I had found my new major, a couple semesters later I realized I had completed all requirements and I had enough psych courses for my minor and graduated in the Fall of 2016. I obtained letters of recommendation from previous professors, including the Mathematics Department Chair, took the GRE, and applied in earnest to the PhD program in Computational Science. I was immediately accepted, and began following my degree plan Spring of 2017. I am now in my second year of my program at the age of 39. Do I wish I had begun sooner? Yes. Do I think I would have found this path? A path in which I find extreme joy? No. My timing may not have been ideal for what is expected of us as adults…but Had I floated through doing simply what I was supposed to do, I would have remained a mediocre college student, still terrified of the thought of Calculus I.Sorry for the long story there, but it helps to understand where I came from academically, what I did, and that I was still able to get straight into a program I though I would be rejected from on first attempt.NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE DIRECTLY:I must apologize for my long-winded response when you are asking about Dental school, but to understand my reasoning, you must understand my journey. I never thought I would be working on my Doctorate, especially one that in my case is the intersection of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics.What will make you stand out?THE USUALS:Good grades in your pre-dental program.Becoming acquaintances with your professors and advisors.An excellent cover letter and statement of purpose.A documented history of shadowing dentists.Scoring well on the Dental Admission Test.THE USUALS PLUS:If you have any low marks on your transcript, address them in your personal statement. Don’t hide from them, make it known you are aware there is a blemish, and explain what you believe led to that mark, and what you did to correct it and bring your scores up in following coursework.Rely on those relationships you have built with professors and shadowed dentists to obtain letters of recommendations. Don’t ask a professor you had a class for and never spoke with. Make sure the professor knows who you are, knows your quality of work, and you are certain is going to write a positive letter(better yet, a glowing letter).BE ORIGINAL in your cover letter/statement of purpose. This is difficult, everyone tries to be original, but few accomplish it because their attempts at being clever wind up being the same thing that the committee has already read 100 times. Don’t gush over how being a dentist is ALL YOU EVER wanted in your life…they hear that in SO many letters already.Use your non-traditional status to your ADVANTAGE. Your story is yours and yours alone. That is one way you can be original. Don’t make things up, but definitely talk about why you want to become a dentist, some of the hardships that you have faced that have made it necessary for you to apply a little later in life as a non-traditional student. Discuss how overcoming these hardships have not only prepared you for the work ahead of you, but how you are now more determined to follow what you believe is your calling.Address any shortcomings, and spin them as positives.do NOT try to be funny UNLESS you know for certain the humor will land. English may not be the first language of the committee member initially reviewing your application packet, and if you try to be funny but use colloquialisms unfamiliar to the reader, then you have already lost major points. Don’t think your jokes are original…they’ve read it all. It’s best to stick with sincerity.Be Yourself. And if the school you are applying to is the one you really want in…make it clear that should you be accepted, that you fully intend on attending their fine institution(this can be the difference between full accept and being waitlisted). Don’t use this in all letters, but only the one or two that you truly TRULY mean it.I am terribly sorry for the length of this reply, and I do hope that the information I have provided helps. Don’t give up, if you don’t get accepted the first time around, maybe take the DAT for a higher score, tweak your letter, and find better sources for letters of recommendation. Some schools may let you reach out and even ask why you were rejected, this can help you repair the issue and try again.DISCLAIMER:I am not a dental student, I am simply a non-traditional PhD student. The information I have provided applies to my field, and I hope is of benefit to you as well. So make adjustments and tweaks to fit your application process.I wish you the best of luck in your journey!