Confused! post bac or masters for 3.2bcp (CA resident)?

[millennialdentist]

Ok so here's where my confusion comes from. I will be graduating with a 3.2 bcp and projected 22DAT, from a Top 20 school with an upward trend. If I get my bcp gpa up to a 3.5 with 1 year of post bac classes from a state school is that more than enough to increase my likely hood of getting into at least one or two good dental schools? Or should I just enroll myself in a masters program like BU OHS and prove that I can handle the coursework of Dental School?

I guess I'm just not sure if its worth it to go through the extra stress of a masters program/if it looks bad to do classes at a state school after going to a relatively more difficult undergraduate school?

I'm also from CA and it seems that the east coast masters and formal post bac programs are only well known on the east coast? Does anyone know if its better to just stay local in CA since my top choices would be CA schools?

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[DC206R]

3.2 isn't terrible if you can do well on the DAT. Where you went to undergraduate won't matter much. Since I assume you took a ton of science classes already, not sure how much a year of post-bacc science classes will increase your sGPA.

 

[millennialdentist]

3.2 isn't terrible if you can do well on the DAT. Where you went to undergraduate won't matter much. Since I assume you took a ton of science classes already, not sure how much a year of post-bacc science classes will increase your sGPA.

So the thing is I did not do well in any of the pre-req classes like mostly B's B-'s and some C's in them. But Im doing really well in my upper division courses so im not sure if they will want to see more improvement? I calculated using the point system and it seems that with a whole year of classes (around 24 units) I could raise my 3.2 to a 3.5 bcp. And im assuming this would make me a lot more competitive for the CA schools?

 

[dyesht]

a MS and a 21 and over DAT would seal the deal for you

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Ok so here's where my confusion comes from. I will be graduating with a 3.2 bcp and projected 22DAT, from a Top 20 school with an upward trend. If I get my bcp gpa up to a 3.5 with 1 year of post bac classes from a state school is that more than enough to increase my likely hood of getting into at least one or two good dental schools? Or should I just enroll myself in a masters program like BU OHS and prove that I can handle the coursework of Dental School?

I guess I'm just not sure if its worth it to go through the extra stress of a masters program/if it looks bad to do classes at a state school after going to a relatively more difficult undergraduate school?

I'm also from CA and it seems that the east coast masters and formal post bac programs are only well known on the east coast? Does anyone know if its better to just stay local in CA since my top choices would be CA schools?

What are your other GPAS? A 3.2 BCP is fine to get accepted. Just get a good DAT score is all

 

[dyesht]

What are your other GPAS? A 3.2 BCP is fine to get accepted. Just get a good DAT score is all

Advice like this will get you applying cycle after cycle with no luck. Of course the GPA is fine to get accepted, and so is a 2.8, but both have lower chances than someone with a 3.2 or 2.8 with a MS and high DAT. Generally, to make a low GPA applicant competitive with the other high GPA applicants is acquiring an advanced degree on top of a high DAT score. This is "finer" to get accepted.

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Advice like this will get you applying cycle after cycle with no luck. Of course the GPA is fine to get accepted, and so is a 2.8, but both have lower chances than someone with a 3.2 or 2.8 with a MS and high DAT. Generally, to make a low GPA applicant competitive with the other high GPA applicants is acquiring an advanced degree on top of a high DAT score. This is "finer" to get accepted.

And advice like yours is going to get someone wasting money on a masters when their current stats, coupled with a solid DAT, solid LORs, and solid ECs is plenty fine to get in. Yeah OBVIOUSLY a masters will make anyone look better and help anybody out... We all know that... You realize the avg overall GPA for accepted dental students is around a 3.5 with a 3.4 of science and 3.3 for BCP? Soooooo yeah a 3.2 is fine... But yes obviously more degrees equates to a better chance. Thats obvious for anybody whether its a 2.8, a 3.2, or a 3.6....


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[buckeye4lyfe]

And advice like yours is going to get someone wasting money on a masters when their current stats, coupled with a solid DAT, solid LORs, and solid ECs is plenty fine to get in. Yeah OBVIOUSLY a masters will make anyone look better and help anybody out... We all know that... You realize the avg overall GPA for accepted dental students is around a 3.5 with a 3.4 of science and 3.3 for BCP? Soooooo yeah a 3.2 is fine... But yes obviously more degrees equates to a better chance. Thats obvious for anybody whether its a 2.8, a 3.2, or a 3.6....


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This guy is right. I have two good friends that applied last cycle with a 3.2bcp and solid otherwise stats and they both got into out of state schools.. They got few interviews, but they did so well at the interviews! You don't need a Masters. Apply this cycle. The first lesson of being on here is not to make big decisions based on what the people on here say. Most of them lie about their stats anyway. Dental schools will legit tell you that haha


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[dyesht]

@smurfeyD @buckeye4lyfe Honestly, good luck to both of you applying. It's great to be staying positive, even with lower stats, but I'm just giving you this advice because I was in your shoes with lower stats and had to boost my application in multiple ways in order to be competitive against the 4.0, 25+ DAT Asian pianists that build shelters for the homeless.

 

[DC206R]

@smurfeyD @buckeye4lyfe Honestly, good luck to both of you applying. It's great to be staying positive, even with lower stats, but I'm just giving you this advice because I was in your shoes with lower stats and had to boost my application in multiple ways in order to be competitive against the 4.0, 25+ DAT Asian pianists that build shelters for the homeless.

I lol'ed. Don't forget that they published papers too.

 

[buckeye4lyfe]

@smurfeyD @buckeye4lyfe Honestly, good luck to both of you applying. It's great to be staying positive, even with lower stats, but I'm just giving you this advice because I was in your shoes with lower stats and had to boost my application in multiple ways in order to be competitive against the 4.0, 25+ DAT Asian pianists that build shelters for the homeless.

My BCP is 3.6 and I have gotten several interviews so I wouldn't assume I have low stats. I'm just giving this person a little hope because my best friends went through the cycle with low stats. Dental schools look at everything clearly because they both got 3 acceptances. A masters would help them be more confident, but it's not impossible for them to get in this cycle. Plus we don't know about the rest of their application. But thanks for the advice!


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[buckeye4lyfe]

Good luck to you!


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[Cranjis McBasketball]

@smurfeyD @buckeye4lyfe Honestly, good luck to both of you applying. It's great to be staying positive, even with lower stats, but I'm just giving you this advice because I was in your shoes with lower stats and had to boost my application in multiple ways in order to be competitive against the 4.0, 25+ DAT Asian pianists that build shelters for the homeless.

It all depends on their other stats. A 3.2 bcp with an overall gpa of a 3.0-3.3 wont get them in. But if their overall gpa is a 3.5 or above with a 20 or so on the DAT they should be ok. I have a few friends with these type of stats and have a few interviews. Just gotta make sure the other stuff is good.


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[buckeye4lyfe]

It all depends on their other stats. A 3.2 bcp with an overall gpa of a 3.0-3.3 wont get them in. But if their overall gpa is a 3.5 or above with a 20 or so on the DAT they should be ok. I have a few friends with these type of stats and have a few interviews. Just gotta make sure the other stuff is good.


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Exactly!


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[Expithian14]

I had a 3.2 science gpa from UCLA, and got into a school. But I applied to 20 schools and got accepted to one school.. thankfully in CA.

 

[millennialdentist]

Haha I'm laughing at my post now because I realized I've read so many of these things on SDN and they always turn into the same discussion of one person saying a masters is totally necessary and other people telling you that the $$ involved + over inflated states on SDN are things to take into account when getting advice from this site. My overall GPA is a 3.5 and I think my EC's are quite good. I have also heard of plenty of people getting in with 3.2 gpas, but also know a few that have not gotten in. I think based on everything you all said and what i've heard from people outside of this forum another year of classes with an upward trend will probably be just as good as a masters. I think it really does come down to personal preference and taking into account many different factors. But out of curiosity @dyesht what were your stats before you did whatever you did to improve them and what were they after? I'm interested in hearing about what path you took

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

It's not impossible to get in with a 3.5 ogpa 3.2 sgpa. Kill your DAT and you'll probably get some interviews. If you think you can get a 22+ I don't think you need to boost grades because some place should want you : O. I'm in a similar situation with my subpar gpas but strong upwards trend the last year lol.