3.0 under acceptance list!

[Thaxil]

I have not started a new tread in a long time, but feel this one is appropriate.

Please give brief stats description and a reason (s) why you feel you were admitted. Also if possible how many and what schools gave you interviews and acceptances.

I will start:

Overall GPA: 2.7, Sci GPA: 2.9, Non Sci: 2.4 and BPC: 3.3.
DAT AA/TS/PAT: 21/24/19

I think it was both my BPC GPA of 3.3 in a biochemistry major and my high TS score that got me the interview with UDM, Indiana, Boston and LLU. But for LLU, my secondary and personal statement seem also very important; they want to see possession of certain values.
I feel the interview is always important for us; UDM was looking for determination and resourcefulness, and understanding of the challenges of completing a dental school education and wiliness met them.

So far, I completed two interviews (LLU and UDM) and so far one acceptance at UDM.

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[Thaxil]

This is not much of a list. I guess I was being a bit hopeful. I am sure there are some 3.0> out there. Just make a quick statement. At the least, I am interested to know who else has been accepted.

 

[thomasratkin]

I got accepted to Case, Temple, and UNLV, alternate at NOVA

stats GPA 2.9
DAT 23/24/20

reason I feel I got in...... tons of dedication, experience, and one hell of a personality.... the interviews were my best feature.


Tom

 

[blankguy]

thomasratkin,
what type of experience do you have?

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

I felt that my dedication and my experience made me stand out. I shadowed two dentists, one in Toronto and one in a public health clinic in Mexico City. I also was the president of my University Chem Society and I founded a Pre-dental society...I think that is what got me through the door....but like thomas, I think the interview was the biggest plus for me...I think I have a great personality and great communication skills, and I felt that I really portrayed it during my interviews. Also, I really convinced the interviewers that I am very dedicated to a career in public health and that I felt I was a non-traditional applicant.

But also, I tried to show the interviewer that I was well rounded. I did a degree with a double major in Chem/Political Science in one of the top universities in Canada because I wanted to have both scientific and social scientific skills, was president of two clubs, did a student exchange in England, and was able to travel the world (25 countries) all in 4 years by the age of 22. I think that by telling the interviewer that I did all of this, it proved maturity and it compensated for my low GPA, but thats only my take on it.

Unfortunately, Canada wouldnt care for this stuff, but thats ok. They only want those 4.0 students who locked themselves up for their youth studying....I dont care, I felt that I lived my life so far to the fullest, and I am not ashamed of my GPA at all, and no one under 3.0 should feel the same... I have more things to show than just a friggin number...this is why I value the American applications, because they care for well rounded individuals. Everyone knows there are two kinds of smarts...street and book smarts. I am confident I possess both and MOST over-achievers only possess the latter.

Oh yah...one other thing, I also tried Yah-E's advice of trying to establish a relationship with the adcoms....it worked for some and not for others....I honestly think that is a major reason why I got interviews at NYU and Tufts, cause the dean of admissions knew me by name.

Overall, I got 5 interviews with NYU, Tufts, Temple, BU, and Case Western and have been accepted to NYU so far, but I think I nailed the Temple interview and so far Temple is my #1 choice (but Tufts looks promising as well).....Tufts, BU, and Case interviews are in the new year and I look forward to learning more about each school!

If you look at the Under 3.0 Club for acceptences in previous years, you will see one thing in common from the people who made it and the people who didnt. THe people who made it proved their dedication and did everything they could to stand out. I believe this is the key! Take this advice like I did, and Im sure you will be successful! Good Luck!

 

[thomasratkin]

my experience consists of:

volunteering for dental clinics for homeless and low income people in both phoenix, AZ, and Salt lake city, utah, I assisted in both clinics, full time in the SLC clinic, which I still do. I also developed a prosthetics program for the SLC clinic, which is to say I got labs to donate crowns/bridges (as it is a tax write off), so we dont have to pull everything, or do amalgam crowns. this is what separates us from medicare clinics who only pull teeth, we actually do EVERYTHING but implants, endo, some ortho, dentures, composites, SSC, porcelin veneers, crazy stuff.. all for free... . I am able to do this full time because on the weekends I build cars for $$ (my own Co.), and dont need/want a normal punch-a-clock job.

so my exp. is all dental, i dont have anything thats not, and i did it for 2 reasons, first to see if i can handle the **** that people do to their teeth, and the blood, the black soft rotten molars, people superglueing teeth lost to perio like some wack bridge, the rough stuff, and to see if i can do it 8hrs per day and not get a dollar for my work, just the gratitude of the people was enough, so i figured i can hack the real deal, especially considering i wont always work for free.


i think the admissions folks see that stuff above, and figure, ya this kid is dumb as a rock with a 2.9, but he will probably cut off his left testicle before he quits this bitch.


for those of ya applyin next year, and in the future.... every major city in the US has one or more clinics for the homeless................



just a thought.

Tom

 

[Thaxil]

Thanx to thomasratkin and avingupta for sharing your experiences and your thoughts.

 

[blankguy]

How did you find out about it ratkin?

 

[Qwest]

Hi guys-

I'm looking for advice for my brother. He is finishing up his bachelor's and has a very low GPA (3.0) and will be taking the DAT this April.

I'm very conerned since he is just starting to study for the DAT in addition to his classes (light load though) next quarter. He's no rocket scientist, but I know he is very determined.

Since some of you who also have similar GPAs have been accepted, is there any advice you could give me to pass along?

Does he have to ace the DAT? Or will average suffice?

Any particular schools he should apply to?

Thanks-

 

[Thaxil]

Qwest,

As you can see from the last three posters from the 3.0> acceptance tread, average DAT?s will not work for you. Our DAT scores will be what makes us or break us. Being under 3.0 is not as bad as it seems. It depend on the way it was achieved. What is your average GPA for your last five quarter? If it is above 3.4, then you may not be in that bad of a situation. There are a lot of factors that are considered for admission. If you get an interview, you have to shine. I would suggest taking the DAT in mid July because there is no advantage in taking it before you submit you AADSAS. It take about 4 or more week for the schools to receive the application and three weeks for the DAT to be receive by schools.

However, this is an acceptance tread. Anyone else been accepted? Larry: Case Western?

 

[blankguy]

I'm curious to see if there are any members of the under 3.0 who did not officially enroll in post-bacc but took courses on their own and ended up getting admitted to D-School.

 

[honestpredent]

I know people that have below a 3.0 that don't do post bac and got into NYU and Pitt.

 

[larryt]

Originally posted by blankguy
I'm curious to see if there are any members of the under 3.0 who did not officially enroll in post-bacc but took courses on their own and ended up getting admitted to D-School.

I am .... I took few more advance science classes on my free time (evening classes) to improve my GPA. Although I took classes in dental hygiene (My GPA was raised to more than 3.0), but I got accepted before the end of semester.

 

[thomasratkin]

i found out about dental clinics for low income and homeless simply because i knew there would be something like that out there in most cities, and I was thinking of applying to dental school, so i called a million city public health facilities that were in the phone book, like shelter hotlines, drug rehab places, and soup kitchens etc. and asked them what they do when someone has a toothache, which must happen often, as folks in those types of situations arent the best brushers, and eventually i finally got the dental clinics phone #, called them up, and they wanted to know what type of experience I had, which was none, but i told them I will mop the floors or whatever dirt jobs they have that they dont want to do. so i started doing that, clean instruments, mop...... eventually learned enough to become an assistant, pass the x-ray cert, got my hepatitis vacc, so i am a better assistant than most now, and its a very humble beginnin' and now i take it all with me to UNLV

Tom

 

[blankguy]

I just used this page www.yp.com to find dentists. It makes it so ridiculously easy. Just put in the city(or sudburbs) and category(or keyword).