#guidmii

Whether you are an upcoming freshmen or a graduating senior, conversations always seem to revert back to this question: “What are your plans after high school?” Although planning your future may sound like a daunting task, there are several resources available to you that can help (including guidmii). U.S. News recently published a list of The Best Jobs for 2015. To help you figure out what career path you might be interested in, we’ll be taking an inside look on each of these careers!

Interested in a career in dentistry? The path to becoming a dentist begins in high school!

High School: Students interested should ideally take Advanced Placement courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics. Majority of dental schools require a bachelor’s degree. So, during your junior year, begin researching colleges, ace your AP exams, and do well on your SAT and/or ACT!

Undergraduate Studies: Research dental schools you are interested in and find out their requirements so that you can stay on track throughout your undergrad. Each dental school has their own list of pre-requisites, but pre-med courses (biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, etc.) are commonly listed. By your junior year, you should take your DAT (Dental Admission Test). Dental school is highly competitive - stellar grades, good letters of recommendation, and a high DAT test score are very important!

Dental School: There are two types of general dental degrees: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM). Coursework includes practical and technical training, as well as clinical courses. There are nine different dental specialties that would require additional training, including a residency program.

License Exam: In order to practice dentistry, you have to complete a state and/or national license exam. These exams include real dental procedures on patients.

With almost 5,000 2 to 4-year college institutions in the United States and several thousands more around the world, how do you determine the college that is the best fit for you? While the options can seem nearly limitless, you can quickly narrow your college list by evaluating the following factors and their importance in your college decision process.

Type of college institution: Do you want to go to a 4-year college? Or maybe you’re interested in starting out at a 2-year college and then transferring to a 4-year college? How important is it to you if the institution is private or public?

Location: Do you want to be close to home or far from home? Are you interested in a completely new setting? How important is it if the college is in-state or out-of-state? (Note: Sometimes out-of-state colleges can be less expensive.)

Campus setting: Do you want to go to a school in a small college town or a big city? How important is the size of the campus? Are you interested in a small, medium or large student body?

Small – less than 2,000 students

Medium – 2,000 – 5,000 students

Large – more than 15,000 students

Cost: How important is the cost of tuition and the cost of living in your college search? Do you qualify for financial aid? What about scholarships?

Programs of study: Do you already know exactly what you want to study? If so, narrow your college search by focusing on colleges that offer the majors you’re interested in.

Learning environment: What sort of balance do you want between your social life and study life?  Are you looking for a college that’s academically rigorous or academically comfortable? Do you prefer learning through interactive, small-group discussions or lectures from the professor? Do you want the freedom to choose your own courses or do you prefer to follow a structured program of study?

We are excited to announce that we have hired Pablo Godel as our new COO.

Godel is an established expert in the field of PHP development. In 2005, he founded ServerGrove, a PHP Hosting Company used by the likes of Discovery Channel, Pew Charitable Trusts and the University of Pennsylvania.

An active and recognized expert in the PHP & Symfony community, Godel travels around the world speaking at industry conferences. He also volunteers his time to co-organize the South Florida PHP users group and the SunshinePHP developer conference held in Miami every year.

Godel is an advocate for developing improved software to better the world we live in. He believes in using his skills and expertise to promote open source movement with the goal of creating a brighter future.