Honors College

Guaranteed Admission Program for Dentistry Requirements

In order to retain membership in the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program for Dentistry, all Guaranteed Admission students MUST

  • Graduate with University Honors. 
  • Submit their Honors dossier by the stated deadline (January 1 for May graduation, July 15 for August graduation and August 15 for December graduation).
  • Maintain a 3.5 GPA in prerequisite science courses taken at VCU (calculus, general biology w/lab, general chemistry w/lab, organic chemistry w/lab, and physics w/lab); transfer, AP/IB and repeat course grades are not used in the GPA calculation.
  • Present a cumulative 3.5 GPA (based on all coursework attempted) at the end of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh semesters at VCU.
  • Complete all prerequisites for admission to dental school.
  • Complete the following core courses:

BIOL 402 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIOL 411 Physiology
BIOL 310 Genetics
BIOL 303 and BIOZ 303L Microbiology and lab

And one of the following courses*:

BIOL 455 Immunology
BIOL 524 Endocrinology

*Very occasionally, students majoring in disciplines other than biology may obtain permission from the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs to substitute a course for one of the above five courses. Permission must be obtained prior to enrolling in a substitute course.

  • Obtain advance permission from the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs to take required coursework from either an institution other than VCU or in summer session at VCU. This includes the summer session between high school and college.
  • Complete a minimum of 90 hours of approved healthcare-related experience during each of the four undergraduate years, between July 1 and June 30. Senior-year hours are due May 1. We appreciate your early introduction in a dental office is likely to include working at the front desk, however, your healthcare-related experience should focus on dental shadowing through observing or aiding the dentist in a clinical setting. Students may not earn healthcare-related hours under the supervision of professionals in their family. If engaged in clinical or benchtop research, the number of hours should remain separate from your chairside shadowing.
  • Complete a minimum of 10 hours each semester of non-healthcare community service.
  • Engage in professional behavior at all times. Any institutional or legal sanction will result in dismissal from the Guaranteed Admission Program.
  • Monitor your vcu.edu email daily during your entire undergraduate program, including summer sessions and breaks. If you will be (or anticipate being) without email access for more than seven (7) consecutive days, you must notify the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs of alternate ways of communication and provide the date when you will again have email access.
  • Complete the Dental Aptitude Test with no component score below 18 by July 1 of the year prior to enrollment in dental school.
  • Complete an application from the American Association of Dental Schools Application Service and submit it by July 15 of the year prior to the year you plan to begin dental school.
  • Meet with the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs every semester for academic advising. Students who fail to receive advising from the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs prior to the beginning of Honors registration will be placed on hold for registration until they secure such advising. 
  • Attend all meetings of Guaranteed Admission students as directed by the Director of Guaranteed Admission Programs, and meet with the Director upon request.
  • Meet with the School of Dentistry Guaranteed Admission Program Faculty Liaison at least once a semester.
  • Present a letter from the associate dean of student affairs at the end of your final semester stating that you have incurred no institutional sanctions.

Student records will be reviewed every semester to determine compliance with the requirements. If a student fails to complete the requirements of the Guaranteed Admission Program for Dentistry, this will result in dismissal from the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program for Dentistry.