The Marquette Pre-Dental Scholars Program is an accelerated program for students to receive the benefits of a liberal arts education while enjoying conditional acceptance to Marquette’s School of Dentistry.

Two NDA seniors–Maya Filon and Claire Kini–recently learned they had been chosen for the Pre-Dental Scholars Program.  Fellow senior Sophie LeMieux is an alternate.

“This program is highly selective,” explained College Counselor Becky Bain. “There were over 140 applicants this year, and only 10 are chosen. Applicants are national and international students. The Marquette rep to our school said it is quite an honor for NDA to have two  acceptances and one alternate coming from one high school alone!”

To be accepted into this program, students first have to be accepted into Marquette University.  After getting in, they start the process of the Pre-Dental Scholars Program.  

They had to send in an application, complete an essay about why they want to do dentistry, secure recommendation letters, and explain their accomplishments and shadowing experiences.  After that, they were interviewed.

Filon said she has always been interested in dentistry and when her dentist told her about the program, she became even more interested.  

“The program is amazing and saves me a lot of time in the future. I now won’t have to apply to dental/grad school and get to graduate dental school a year early if all goes well,” she said.

Kini has been interested in dentistry since she was in the fourth grade.  

“This program is amazing because as a senior in high school I am now directly admitted into dental school,” said Kini.  The process is seven years versus eight years, which saves the recipient a lot of money.

“I will never have to go through the stressful process of applying to multiple dental schools since I am already into Marquette’s dental school, which is a pretty amazing opportunity,” said Kini.

The hardest part of the whole process for Kini and Filon was the interviews.  They had to talk to a panel of four different people and answer questions about why they would like to be considered for the program.  

After the interviews, ten people, including Kini and Filon, were selected.  

Filon and Kini found out they made it into the program on February 26, and now they have until May 1 to make their decision.