<p>I like the flexibility of being a dentist. Did any of you have similar problems deciding. How did you make your decision. </p>
<p>You don’t have to make this decision anytime soon. The prerequisites are pretty much the same as far as I know so you have plenty of time. Do a few job shadows or internships to figure out what you like and if you still can not decide apply to both! I’m only a sophomore in high school though so really I don’t know that much it…</p>
<p>You may very well change career goals and majors during college. You don’t even have to do a premed or predental undergrad program (and there aren’t many). English and philosophy majors can make great doctors or dentists, and med school admissions love music majors, for instance. </p>
<p>Try to go to college with an open attitude that is not strictly related to career and see what happens.</p>
<p>Why exactly do you want to be a doctor or dentist? Sometimes these kinds of goals reflect inexperience with the work world, and you can expect to mature in that regard in the next few years.</p>
<p>Both of these advices are good. I only have one disagreement. “Try to go to college with an open attitude that is not strictly related to career and see what happens.” This is just not acceptable for out kids. Now if we were loaded with money then I would agree with this statement. The cost of college is soooo high these days we are being very strict with our kids in terms of college and/or career selection. We are pressuring them to do their research upfront. Now if they change their mind later that’s fine but we want proof that major effort has been put in for research on careers now before going to college. I think it’s very important to go to college with a direction in mind. Besides if you want to do well in college to go to med or dental school you will be engrossed in your studies. Sometimes students forget to stop and reflect back on what they like or not. They just go with what the next step is. We are very serious for our kids to do that work - do your shadowing, read articles about it, talk to people, visit colleges to have an idea of what you want to do.</p>
<p>compmom has a point in that there are many careers that even with research upfront you just won’t get exposed to. If your studies lead you that way even after you made a decision, that’s ok. Just don’t go with no idea in mind at all. Whatever research you plan on doing later, you can do some of it now. Get out there and talk to people.
Good luck!</p>