<p>I've been thinking about what I want to "be" and I've narrowed down my choices to:</p>
<p>a) dentist (my main option)
b) veterinarian
c) marine biologist </p>
<p>I was thinking of applying to multiple colleges for these three different occupations, but the problem is, don't future dentists first have to take four years of general science to get into a dental school? I'm a bit confused on that, because then I couldn't really apply to be a vet or a marine biologist. Honestly, I'm all over the place and Im not sure what I want to be. Can dental students/dentists tell me more about schooling and how to become one? For instance, what kind of grades they want you to have/test scores/GPA?</p>
<p>After high school, you go to undergrad for four years. You could try to graduate in three years and go to dental school quicker but its fine if you don’t want to do that. You can major in whatever you want. It’s easier to major in biology because you fulfill all the pre-requisites and more. However, as long as you take the pre-requisites, you can apply to dental school. When it comes to GPA, you generally want to have a 3.5 or greater. Also, you need to take the DAT (Dental Admissions Test) before you apply to dental school. When it comes to the DAT, you generally want to have a score above a 20. The DAT is out of 30 points. I hope I answered your questions.</p>
<p>I’m a bit confused on how this works (although you did clear up a lot: thanks). When do you take the DAT (what year in high school)? Do you do undergraduate and then apply to dental school, or do you apply to dental school and then if you get accepted, you go and get your major? If it’s the former, it seems like kind of a gamble: get the major then see if you get accepted. Also, do you do undergraduate at the same school as where you’ll go and learn about dentistry? I’m kind of confused on how this works.</p>
<p>Ok let me clarify the questions you have.</p>
<ul>
<li>When do you take the DAT?</li>
</ul>
<p>You DO NOT take the DAT in high school. The DAT is to dental school as the MCAT is to medical school. Generally, you take the DAT between junior and senior year. However, you can take it between the summer between sophomore and junior year if you trying to graduate earlier. </p>
<p>-Do you do undergraduate then apply to dental school or do you apply to dental school and then if you get accepted you go and get your major?</p>
<p>You go to undergrad first. While your finishing up your undergrad, around junior and senior year, that’s when you apply to dental school. That is if you want to go to straight into dental school after undergrad.</p>
<p>-Do you do undergrad at the same school as where you’ll go and learn about?</p>
<p>You can but it is not necessary. While your applying for dental school in undergrad, you can apply to any dental school in the US. Preferably, the dental school in your state because that option may be the cheapest one.</p>
<p>Thank you for helping me figure that out. I’m going to be a junior in high school this year and I thought that I had to take the DAT. <em>whew</em></p>