- Some applicants choose to take time between undergraduate studies and starting dental school. That is often a good idea if you need more time to strengthen your application, and UFCD will appreciate your maturity in making that decision. A growth year will NOT be held against you in the application review, providing you have been productive in preparing for dental school during the year.
- What you do during the growth year should depend on your individual situation. First, you must identify your strengths and weaknesses as a dental school applicant.
- Go to the websites of dental schools of interest to you. Many schools, including UFCD, publish their entering class stats. This should give you an idea of what your goal should be as far as GPA and DAT scores.
- Once you have a goal, develop a plan to strengthen your weak areas, but do not neglect to dedicate time and effort to areas where you are strong. The admissions committee needs to have evidence that you can manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously, just like you will need to do while in dental school.
- If your academics are not competitive, you may need to improve your basic science foundation by completing a master’s program with concentration in a field of science.
- IMPORTANT: For UFCD, you will need to complete at least two semesters of your master’s coursework, with grades on a transcript received by ADEA AADSAS, so that the admissions committee can assess the potential for handling the intense rigors of the dental school curriculum.
- If your undergraduate GPA is below the average of entering class stats, it is important that your master’s GPA is very strong. A master’s program GPA that is the same or lower than your undergraduate GPA, will not be a clear indication that you can easily handle a difficult dental school curriculum.
- During the growth year, make strategic decisions about money management. You will probably need to work and save money for dental school. If your dental experiences are low, you might consider employment in a dental practice or laboratory so that you can achieve two goals with the same effort.
- Applying to dental school is expensive. Expenses to consider are:
- Application Fees (ADEA AADSAS and supplemental)
- DAT Fee
- Transportation/lodging/meals/attire for interviews
- Criminal background check
- Immunizations/eye examinations/health insurance
- Final Transcripts
- Tuition deposits
- Scrubs/computer/other dental school expenses
- Housing and utility deposits, etc.
- See section on Financial Aid.
Advice for re-applicants:
- If you have already applied to dental school, did not receive an offer and need to reapply, the advice for growth year will apply to you as well.