HPSP Timing

[BioForLife]

Hey, all. I'm sorry if this question has been asked before. I looked around and couldn't find a post that answered this question exactly. Anyway, I'll be starting dental school in about 4 months. I haven't applied for HPSP. However, if I were to apply by April/May of 2017, before starting my second year, would I:

-Be able to apply for HPSP at all?
-If so, would I be able to receive the scholarship for 2 years or 3 years?

It's mainly the timing of this that has me confused, as most people accept this loan prior to starting dental or med school. Thanks.

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[distressstudent]

Too late for the four year scholarship if you're just starting
If you're interested in the 3 year scholarship, I wouldn't wait any longer and would try contacting a HPSP recruiter now.

 

[BioForLife]

Too late for the four year scholarship if you're just starting
If you're interested in the 3 year scholarship, I wouldn't wait any longer and would try contacting a HPSP recruiter now.

Thanks!

 

[chill45]

Yeah, go ahead and start now on your application. Also sometimes you can still get the 4 year once the new fiscal year starts, which is Oct 1. Someone in my class did it this way. You will get reimbursed for tuition and supplies and the signing bonus, just not the stipend from the start of school till Oct 1. If that doesn't work then you should have a decent shot at the 3 year, but again go ahead and start it now.

 

[w4nt2baDDS]

Just a heads up. You should order an official DAT score report ASAP and have official copies of your transcript on the ready. Those are a few documents you'll need early on. You're going to also need to get 3 LORs for the scholarship too, they should be tailored for the scholarship but some recruiters will accept the LORs you used when applying for dental school. I believe they have to be dated within the last 6 months to be valid.

 

[CabbageKid]

Yeah, go ahead and start now on your application. Also sometimes you can still get the 4 year once the new fiscal year starts, which is Oct 1. Someone in my class did it this way. You will get reimbursed for tuition and supplies and the signing bonus, just not the stipend from the start of school till Oct 1. If that doesn't work then you should have a decent shot at the 3 year, but again go ahead and start it now.

Hey, I'm currently on the alternate list for this cycle. My recruiter said that in my worse case scenario, I would automatically be placed in the running for the 3 year. Do you mind elaborating on how your friend received the 4 year scholarship?

 

[BioForLife]

Just a heads up. You should order an official DAT score report ASAP and have official copies of your transcript on the ready. Those are a few documents you'll need early on. You're going to also need to get 3 LORs for the scholarship too, they should be tailored for the scholarship but some recruiters will accept the LORs you used when applying for dental school. I believe they have to be dated within the last 6 months to be valid.

Thanks for the advice. I'm still looking through all my options, but that's good to know.

 

[chill45]

Hey, I'm currently on the alternate list for this cycle. My recruiter said that in my worse case scenario, I would automatically be placed in the running for the 3 year. Do you mind elaborating on how your friend received the 4 year scholarship?

Not sure exactly. She didn't start applying for it until school first started but maybe not everybody ended up signing at first. So once the budget came out on Oct 1 she somehow got it. I'd just ask you recruiter about that but I wouldn't be surprised if he or she doesn't know anything about that.

 

[distressstudent]

Not sure exactly. She didn't start applying for it until school first started but maybe not everybody ended up signing at first. So once the budget came out on Oct 1 she somehow got it. I'd just ask you recruiter about that but I wouldn't be surprised if he or she doesn't know anything about that.

Was this back in the good old days?

The army scholarship is so competitive now that some recruiters don't even bother with new applicants. This is because there were already so many applicants on the OML.
My local recruiter wouldn't take applications. A recruiter from another state he said was willing to work with me but said he won't be able to submit my kit unless enough people drop out of the OML

 

[chill45]

Was this back in the good old days?

The army scholarship is so competitive now that some recruiters don't even bother with new applicants. This is because there were already so many applicants on the OML.
My local recruiter wouldn't take applications. A recruiter from another state he said was willing to work with me but said he won't be able to submit my kit unless enough people drop out of the OML

This was a year and a half ago, I'm just a second year student now lol. It was also with the Navy, but that probably doesn't matter. That's why I said it wouldn't surprise me if the OPs recruiter said that wasn't an option. I'm not exactly sure how it got through, I just know she applied once school started and they wouldn't accept her officially until the new budget was released. Could be one of those 1 in 100 kind of deals.

 

[ArmyDocLife]

Yeah, you can apply and get a 3 year scholarship. You can also try to join after you graduate, but you would lose out on a large chunk of cash. Army is also waaaaaaaay overcapacity for dentists and there's been talk about HPSP cuts in the future (as in offering less)