Prepharm to Predental: Need a game plan!

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I’d really appreciate a little advice on how to approachthis application cycle. I am currently a junior at a small Baptist college andhave been pursuing pharmacy school for the past 4 years. Recently, I havedecided to change my career to dentistry. I don’t know much about how to applyto dental school but here is a little about me:

I currently have a 2.98 cumulative GPA and a 3.1biology/chemistry GPA. I haven’t taken the DAT yet but plan to this summer. Iwill also have 80 completed hours shadowing/working with a dentist and 20 hourswith an oral surgeon. I am also Secretary of Tri Beta Biological Honors Society at my university.

Important classes/grades:
Organic I –C lab – B-
Organic II –C+ lab – A-
General Chem– B+ lab – B
QuantitativeAnalytical Chem – B- lab – A-
Gross/CadaverAnatomy – A
MammalianPhysiology – B
Embryology –B
Genetics –B+
Cell andMolecular Bio – B
Pathology –A
Microbiology– B



Of coursethese are not all my grades or my GPA wouldn’t be so low. These are my upperlevel and pre-req classes. I only want to attend/apply to Tennessee School ofDentistry – which is in-state for me – so I will need at least a 20 DAT tosurvive. I will be taking Biochemistry and Histology this upcoming fall alongwith other university required courses to complete my degree in Biology. I havealso looked into a Masters in Biochemistry and Cell and Molecular Biology toenhance my GPA.



I guess whatI’m asking is, should I apply this year? If so, would applying in August be early enough?Or should I wait for my fall grades to improve my GPA? What should be my gameplan?


Thanks foryour help!

Applying in August is plenty early, but after fall grades is kind of late in the cycle.

If I were you, I would study my butt off for the DAT and take it in August with a plan to apply this cycle. If you get your 20 or whatever it is you're looking to make, then go ahead an apply. If you are not happy with your scores then bust your butt next year bringing your GPA up and apply next cycle.

Thanks, I plan on doing my best on the DAT this summer. If I'm not accepted, my parents want me to go on to pharmacy school - do you think a year in pharmacy school would be acceptable as a type of post bacc work?

Since when was August plenty early? Most people apply in the summer if they want a chance at pre-dec interviews. You want to apply early since your stats aren't exactly stellar.

And no, it wouldn't be a good idea to go to pharmacy school to make your parents happy. It'll be frowned upon by adcoms and you don't want a headache of going through pharm school. Decide what YOU want to do.

After reading your post more closely, you need to decide if you really want to do this because its going to required 100% commitment from you. A 3.0 overall and 3.1 science is not good. You're going to need to raise it as much as you can. Even a good DAT score might not offset that.

And why are you applying to only one school? How much do you really want to be a dentist? You're taking a HUGE risk by applying to only one place and hoping you get in. You need to think more about this if its what you really want.

Originally Posted by AwesomeTeeth

Since when was August plenty early? Most people apply in the summer if they want a chance at pre-dec interviews. You want to apply early since your stats aren't exactly stellar.
.

Dental schools offer the people with the best applications. They are not going to take a dumb a** that applied in June over someone with awesome stats that applied in September. I didn't apply until August and got into every school where I applied in the first round.

Since your DAT score is a huge part of your application I think you are better off studying hard and scoring really high as I did even if it is a little later than taking it in May only to submit mediocre scores.

Originally Posted by uthscsaalum

Dental schools offer the people with the best applications. They are not going to take a dumb a** that applied in June over someone with awesome stats that applied in September. I didn't apply until August and got into every school where I applied in the first round.

The OP does not have awesome stats... actually they are not even close to awesome and their EC's are mediocre at best.

Even if the OP blows the DAT out of the water, they will still want to apply as early as possible.

Originally Posted by uthscsaalum

Dental schools offer the people with the best applications. They are not going to take a dumb a** that applied in June over someone with awesome stats that applied in September. I didn't apply until August and got into every school where I applied in the first round.

The applicant with mediocre stats is going to look alot better in July competing against the early applicants then in September when they're trying to stand out against everyone. Especially since OP stats aren't stellar.

Look at all the people on here that applied with good stats but didn't get accepted anywhere. The most common trend is submitting late in the cycle. I wouldn't take the risk of applying in August even if I had amazing stats.

UTHSCSA alum? I'm not sure how many years you've been out but admissions is more competitive then when you applied. I hope you're not telling Texas dental applicants that its okay to apply in August......

Originally Posted by bkbaum

[SIZE=3] I only want to attend/apply to Tennessee School ofDentistry – which is in-state for me – so I will need at least a 20 DAT tosurvive. I will be taking Biochemistry and Histology this upcoming fall alongwith other university required courses to complete my degree in Biology. I havealso looked into a Masters in Biochemistry and Cell and Molecular Biology toenhance my GPA.

That pretty much limits whatever options you may have.

Originally Posted by AwesomeTeeth

Since when was August plenty early? Most people apply in the summer if they want a chance at pre-dec interviews. You want to apply early since your stats aren't exactly stellar.

And no, it wouldn't be a good idea to go to pharmacy school to make your parents happy. It'll be frowned upon by adcoms and you don't want a headache of going through pharm school. Decide what YOU want to do.

After reading your post more closely, you need to decide if you really want to do this because its going to required 100% commitment from you. A 3.0 overall and 3.1 science is not good. You're going to need to raise it as much as you can. Even a good DAT score might not offset that.

And why are you applying to only one school? How much do you really want to be a dentist? You're taking a HUGE risk by applying to only one place and hoping you get in. You need to think more about this if its what you really want.

I was only applying to that school because its in state and I thought it'd be a waste applying anywhere else. I figured my chances Were best applying in state.
I'm very aware that my stats are poor which is why I've looked into post bacc programs already.

Originally Posted by bkbaum

I was only applying to that school because its in state and I thought it'd be a waste applying anywhere else. I figured my chances Were best applying in state.
I'm very aware that my stats are poor which is why I've looked into post bacc programs already.

State schools are actually the hardest to get in. Private schools are more generous if you have lower stats. You really should apply to 10+ schools.

If I remember right, University of Tennessee School of Dentistry is one of the rare dental schools that doesn't participate in AADSAS. This significantly reduces the number of applications received by the school.

I think if OP raised his/her GPA a smidgen and gets a 21+ AA, he/she should be good.

Originally Posted by HoustonDAT

If I remember right, University of Tennessee School of Dentistry is one of the rare dental schools that doesn't participate in AADSAS. This significantly reduces the number of applications received by the school.

I think if OP raised his/her GPA a smidgen and gets a 21+ AA, he/she should be good.

2.98 overall and 3.1 science need more then a smidgen raising in my opinion.

And you're right about Tennessee. But I don't think it would matter for OP anyway since she's in state. The number of in state applicants would be the same and that's who he/she is really competing against.

Obviously my chances are not likely this year anyways. If I was to raise my gpa over my last year, would I still need to do post bacc? The only programs I can find for me to do is a masters in biochemistry and cell and molecular biology. Would it be frowned upon/hurt my chances next year if I did not do a masters program after I graduate?