CSU CSU Dentistry: Q&A and General Discussion

[Sktz]

Thank you for your speedy reply. That's great, will do. Thanks again!

 

[defraggle]

Good luck to everyone applying this year and thanks to everyone currently at CSU putting their 2 cents in. It's certainly made putting the application together (which is now) far less daunting.

Just a question for 1st years as it's likely that my wife and I will spend some time apart in the first 12 months : What's the semester like time wise and how do people work out travelling back to Sydney (if you're from there) on the weekends/semester breaks? Am I right in saying that 1 year is largely a standard academic timeline? (So you still get regular semester breaks/stuvac etc). I'm only aware of the 1 week early start in Feb.

Cheers

 

[mighty]

First sem was pretty cruisy for us. We had uni 4 days a week (Monday-Thursday). If you skip all the non-compulsory lectures you can get away with uni about ~15hours a week.

Its certainly possible to go back to Sydney often, I know people that went back almost every weekend (certainly first semester it was very easy to do, leave on Thursday after class and come back Sunday evening). Generally it's very easy to get a lift back to Sydney with someone. I don't have a car/license so any time I went back I got a lift with someone.

Yep it's a fairly standard academic timeline, we get 2 weeks for midsem break (but no stuvac) and 3 weeks for winter break. The terms are about 7-8 weeks in sem 1, 6 weeks in sem 2.

Sem 3 our compulsory contact hours go up to about 20, total contact hours is about 32. Unfortunately this sem we don't have Friday off and so it's a bit harder to go back to Sydney as we finish at about 4 on Fridays. Still possible of course but not as nice as first sem On the plus side we finish October 22 this year so we've only really spent less than 7 months at uni.

I hope that helped. Let me know if you have any more questions. If you're interested I can also send you our timetable for sem 1 and 2.

 

[iBoLt]

Unfortunately, due to my procrastination (like Hamlet), i did not sit UMAT (very stupid.... i know.... i regret it)
If i am unsuccessfull in gaining entry in CSU dental for 2013 admission.... would you recommend me doing another course like oral health/clinical science (or other science related course) and then try to change to dentistry after first year OR take a gap year and sit the UMAT, where I will have no school distractions and try to get into Uni of adelaide/la trobe/melbourne uni dentistry???? what would you recommend???

I am very nervous.... aahhhgghh.... now that HSC is approaching like a lethal rollercoaster...... also struggling with personal response as i am having difficulty answering the questions concisely and exact to point..... for e.g. i Have 'such and such skills' but how do i relate it to how i could utilise those skillls to succeeed in dentistry without waffling.....???? I want my response to be unique and 'stand out from the rest' of the applicants ( it's a very difficult feat to achieve)....
i shall go seek asylum tomorrow from my careers advisors tomorrow ....they better help me out with my 'onshore' processing or else i'll be sent to detention centre (aka school library if there is an abundance of people asking for help with applications)....

thanks

 

[miss_universe]

Unfortunately, due to my procrastination (like Hamlet), i did not sit UMAT (very stupid.... i know.... i regret it)
If i am unsuccessfull in gaining entry in CSU dental for 2013 admission.... would you recommend me doing another course like oral health/clinical science (or other science related course) and then try to change to dentistry after first year OR take a gap year and sit the UMAT, where I will have no school distractions and try to get into Uni of adelaide/la trobe/melbourne uni dentistry???? what would you recommend???

I am very nervous.... aahhhgghh.... now that HSC is approaching like a lethal rollercoaster...... also struggling with personal response as i am having difficulty answering the questions concisely and exact to point..... for e.g. i Have 'such and such skills' but how do i relate it to how i could utilise those skillls to succeeed in dentistry without waffling.....???? I want my response to be unique and 'stand out from the rest' of the applicants ( it's a very difficult feat to achieve)....
i shall go seek asylum tomorrow from my careers advisors tomorrow ....they better help me out with my 'onshore' processing or else i'll be sent to detention centre (aka school library if there is an abundance of people asking for help with applications)....

thanks

Read the Back Up Plan thread for ideas about what to do if you dont get in.

Oral health is an option, but its in no way a pathway into dent. It doesnt give you any advantages over other applicants in the process. It may be harder to get a good GPA to transfer in dent as it requires technical skills, which are marked harshly, whilst a science degree (or otherwise), is almost purely academic, so you have more control over your grades (and may get better marks). On the other hand, oral health is more relevant to the field of dentistry, and you may learn some basic things for when you get into dent, however, you must realise you will learn these things in first year dent anyway, so its not a big advantage. Oral health may give you some idea about what dentistry is about, so it might be a good chance to see if dentistry is the thing for you, but then again, its a different course Lastly, B. Science gives you more freedom in what you study, so you could try other areas (eg even literature studies or a language) so you can cater it to suit what you are good at or enjoy (= more likely to get good marks as well).


On the gap year, its really a big risk. ie, if you take a year off, you have more time to prepare for the UMAT, can rely on your year 12 marks only (not GPA), can work and travel before starting a 5 year degree etc. However, if you do not get in again, you effectively just 'wasted' (I use it loosely) a year of your life in which you could have further developed your uni degree (ie you will have to start one eventually..or not, but it sounds like you are in a position in which you are planning to), and you will be a year behind your peers.

 

[iBoLt]

[MENTION=5617]miss_universe[/MENTION] thanks for the assistance and recommendations....it has helped me think clearer about what my back up plan if unsuccessful at csu dent
ttfn

 

[miss_universe]

Not a prob. I went through the same thing.

 

[YuOminae]

Just received an email from Sydney Dental Hospital, they said no! I may just have to use my overseas work experience but i really want to gain some in aus =(

 

[miss_universe]

Honestly, its weird to me they wont allow someone to do some work experience. Maybe just clarify you mean observation?

 

[iBoLt]

Hi again!!!

When i attach my reference letter from dentist on work experience page, am i allowed to attach a copy of my reference letter that is 'certified' by a jp??? I ask this because if i am unsuccessful in csu dent in 2013, i would like to attach the same reference letter again and for other universities? So is it legit in attaching certified copy of reference letter???? Or should have to ask my dentist a year later, who may not recall who i am, to make another letter???

Hope you can help me out!!
thanks ttfn

 

[miss_universe]

A certified copy is fine.

 

[iBoLt]

@miss_universe thanks soo much!!! Had an argument regarding this issue with my parents and in the end they were right. Almost ready to send in my csu application, just waiting for my yr 12 final report i will get this thursday at final assembly. Sooo scared that 13 yrs if schooling is going to end and scared about upcoming hsc!!! I wish all yr 12 students good luck in hsc!!!!!


I don't think i will be on here for a while... Ttfn

 

[beul]

Alright, I submitted my app a week ago and just realized that I made one very very small spelling error in the written app. Nothing I can do at this point?

 

[miss_universe]

Alright, I submitted my app a week ago and just realized that I made one very very small spelling error in the written app. Nothing I can do at this point?

Is it an important error, ie Name? Then call up CSU. If you think they can process it fine without changing it, leave it.

 

[beul]

Is it an important error, ie Name? Then call up CSU. If you think they can process it fine without changing it, leave it.

Nope, it was in the written essay. I misspelt a word by using one too few "s's" (for example, mispelt instead of misspelt). Ah well

 

[miss_universe]

Nope, it was in the written essay. I misspelt a word by using one too few "s's" (for example, mispelt instead of misspelt). Ah well

Pfft. How odd if you were CSU and you rang up to explain you misspelt a word.

In conclusion, dont worry about it.

 

[wingofhope]

Hi guys, on the topic of having an error on the application and already sending it...

I decided to write my letter all the way to the border of the page rather than making it in-line with the margin that "Dear Professor Wilson" sets for you.
Will that still be okay? Or will CSU shoot me for being too desperate to fit as much as I can :S. Because there wasn't a box to write in like the 2012 application last yr

 

[caitlinnoob]

Hi guys, on the topic of having an error on the application and already sending it...

I decided to write my letter all the way to the border of the page rather than making it in-line with the margin that "Dear Professor Wilson" sets for you.
Will that still be okay? Or will CSU shoot me for being too desperate to fit as much as I can :S. Because there wasn't a box to write in like the 2012 application last yr

I did the same thing and wrote super tiny to fit in everything

Hopefully they'll be lenient because they took away a page for this year? idk

 

[mighty]

It should be fine. Personally I think if they give you the space and you need to use it then use it. It would be unfair of them to expect you to not write to the borders if you weren't given a clear directive on where you could and couldn't write. Don't stress and good luck to all applicants - hopefully I'll be seeing some of you here next year woo!

 

[gant]

Does anyone know what they use the year 12 reports for?

I'm going to hope they don't bother reading the summaries that my subject teachers have wrote about me, otherwise it won't look good

First line for Chemistry: "Gant never committed himself to Chemistry."

SMH..