For those who need hope

[drgurl]

Hello guys, now that I am finally accepted into my #1 choice of dental school I would like to give everyone a lot of hope.

I am not going to pretend I was always smart and had a 4.0 gpa. As you can probably see from my previous posts it took me a long time to finally be accepted. When I first decided to pursue dentistry every advisor I talked to pretty much discouraged me with their same lines "it is very competitive" "you should pursue a different career" this was mostly due to my horrible gpa at the time. I was discouraged but I did not want to give up.

I began my college career with an attempt to major in biology but after failing physics, getting C's in chemistry and biology I decided to change my major to anthropology and just graduate. After graduation I somehow had the courage to enroll in full time biology courses and give it another shot. I completed 30+ hours of upper level biology and ended up with a 3.6 GPA. I applied to 14 dental schools but did not receive any interviews.

I then decided to pursue a masters degree and graduated in one year with a 3.5 gpa. When I applied after my masters degree I received two interviews but no acceptances.

Round three. Just re-applied received three interviews and two acceptances! yay! never give up!

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[2THDDS]

wow.. perseverance pays off !
congrats.

 

[RamsFan1991]

Congrats that is awesome!

What did you do differently the third time? Re-take DAT or more EC's/Experience in Dentistry?

 

[SXCoronado]

.

 

[Dentalogist]

Texas ftw

 

[superluminal]

Hello guys, now that I am finally accepted into my #1 choice of dental school I would like to give everyone a lot of hope.

I am not going to pretend I was always smart and had a 4.0 gpa. As you can probably see from my previous posts it took me a long time to finally be accepted. When I first decided to pursue dentistry every advisor I talked to pretty much discouraged me with their same lines "it is very competitive" "you should pursue a different career" this was mostly due to my horrible gpa at the time. I was discouraged but I did not want to give up.

I began my college career with an attempt to major in biology but after failing physics, getting C's in chemistry and biology I decided to change my major to anthropology and just graduate. After graduation I somehow had the courage to enroll in full time biology courses and give it another shot. I completed 30+ hours of upper level biology and ended up with a 3.6 GPA. I applied to 14 dental schools but did not receive any interviews.

I then decided to pursue a masters degree and graduated in one year with a 3.5 gpa. When I applied after my masters degree I received two interviews but no acceptances.

Round three. Just re-applied received three interviews and two acceptances! yay! never give up!

Good job. God bless.

 

[drgurl]

Congrats that is awesome!

What did you do differently the third time? Re-take DAT or more EC's/Experience in Dentistry?

By the third time I had taken DAT for the 4th time ( I had to retake because of Dr.Sutton's scammed class and money wasted on it, I studied on my own and knew I could not completely rely on a study course, but driving 45 minutes to his class which would usually be cancelled threw my schedule off, therefore I finally took it for the 4th time with a 20/20/18 and a 26 in Biology. I think that really stood out to schools. By the third time my masters was now showing as completed, and I volunteered at a few local places (non-dental). I also did a paid research job at the preventive medicine department of my graduate school so I made sure I had the research manager write a letter of recommendation for me for the third time I re-applied.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

You deserve a Texas sized high five. Congrats!!!

 

[drgurl]

You deserve a Texas sized high five. Congrats!!!

And you deserve a Texas sized thanks!

 

[drgurl]

Congratulations on your acceptances! I'm glad your persistence finally paid off!

Thank you so much!

 

[jmcunnin]

Congrats and best of luck to you

 

[qwerty934]

do you mind telling me which master's program you did?

 

[drgurl]

do you mind telling me which master's program you did?

I attended Rutgers graduate school of bio-medical sciences (previously known as UMDNJ)

 

[Hopeandpray]

Hello guys, now that I am finally accepted into my #1 choice of dental school I would like to give everyone a lot of hope.

I am not going to pretend I was always smart and had a 4.0 gpa. As you can probably see from my previous posts it took me a long time to finally be accepted. When I first decided to pursue dentistry every advisor I talked to pretty much discouraged me with their same lines "it is very competitive" "you should pursue a different career" this was mostly due to my horrible gpa at the time. I was discouraged but I did not want to give up.

I began my college career with an attempt to major in biology but after failing physics, getting C's in chemistry and biology I decided to change my major to anthropology and just graduate. After graduation I somehow had the courage to enroll in full time biology courses and give it another shot. I completed 30+ hours of upper level biology and ended up with a 3.6 GPA. I applied to 14 dental schools but did not receive any interviews.

I then decided to pursue a masters degree and graduated in one year with a 3.5 gpa. When I applied after my masters degree I received two interviews but no acceptances.

Round three. Just re-applied received three interviews and two acceptances! yay! never give up!

Where ever you are heading to Dental School they are lucky to have you! You will probably end up being a great Dentist! Congrats!!

 

[drgurl]

Where ever you are heading to Dental School they are lucky to have you! You will probably end up being a great Dentist! Congrats!!

Thank you so much for the sweetest reply!

 

[Hopeandpray]

Thank you so much for the sweetest reply!

Now can you sprinkle some of your tooth fairy dust on the rest of that are still painfully waiting ?

 

[qwerty934]

I attended Rutgers graduate school of bio-medical sciences (previously known as UMDNJ)

I'm pursuing a post-bacc/master's to reapply. Im having trouble deciding between BU OHS vs VCU CERT.
My main concern is the cost. OHS is about twice more expensive than CERT, but other than that I would love to go to BU OHS.
Any tips that might help me decide between the two?
My girlfriend is also in Boston and even before I met her, I've always fantasized about living in Boston.
Help me out!

 

[drgurl]

I'm pursuing a post-bacc/master's to reapply. Im having trouble deciding between BU OHS vs VCU CERT.
My main concern is the cost. OHS is about twice more expensive than CERT, but other than that I would love to go to BU OHS.
Any tips that might help me decide between the two?
My girlfriend is also in Boston and even before I met her, I've always fantasized about living in Boston.
Help me out!

I would say try not to go to a very expensive school for a masters. I wish I had done a masters in Texas and saved on the living expenses etc. But I had heard Rutgers helped many students get accepted into dental schools and also it was starting in spring so I just decided to go there. Don't take on too many loans, you will have plenty of time to do that in dental school lol

 

[Ollivander]

Congrats! I am genuinely happy for you and this thread is an inspiration that no matter how poorly you did in undergrad, there is hope and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This thread inspired me. I do have a question. Did you take out loans for your masters? I don't really see a way around it. I'm currently looking at a masters at Tulane if I don't get into dental school the first time around and it's ~$25,000-30,000 for the full year. Although the cost of living in New Orleans wouldn't be that bad.

 

[Jbrowndds]

Congratulations. Hard work and faith pays off.

 

[drgurl]

Did you take out loans for your masters? I don't really see a way around it. I'm currently looking at a masters at Tulane if I don't get into dental school the first time around and it's ~$25,000-30,000 for the full year. Although the cost of living in New Orleans wouldn't be that bad.

Thank you so much!! and yes I had to take out loan for masters :/

 

[Ollivander]

Thank you so much!! and yes I had to take out loan for masters :/

Good to know! I appreciate the response. Good luck in dental school!

 

[drgurl]

Good to know! I appreciate the response. Good luck in dental school


Hahaha thanks again

 

[Justdoit90]

Hello guys, now that I am finally accepted into my #1 choice of dental school I would like to give everyone a lot of hope.

I am not going to pretend I was always smart and had a 4.0 gpa. As you can probably see from my previous posts it took me a long time to finally be accepted. When I first decided to pursue dentistry every advisor I talked to pretty much discouraged me with their same lines "it is very competitive" "you should pursue a different career" this was mostly due to my horrible gpa at the time. I was discouraged but I did not want to give up.

I began my college career with an attempt to major in biology but after failing physics, getting C's in chemistry and biology I decided to change my major to anthropology and just graduate. After graduation I somehow had the courage to enroll in full time biology courses and give it another shot. I completed 30+ hours of upper level biology and ended up with a 3.6 GPA. I applied to 14 dental schools but did not receive any interviews.

I then decided to pursue a masters degree and graduated in one year with a 3.5 gpa. When I applied after my masters degree I received two interviews but no acceptances.

Round three. Just re-applied received three interviews and two acceptances! yay! never give up!

Do you know any other schools that provide masters program like the one at Rutgers graduate school of bio-medical sciences? Preferably closer to Buffalo?

 

[qwerty934]

Do you know any other schools that provide masters program like the one at Rutgers graduate school of bio-medical sciences? Preferably closer to Buffalo?

NYU - oral biology
Tufts - MBS
BU -OHS

 

[jmcunnin]

Congrats! I am genuinely happy for you and this thread is an inspiration that no matter how poorly you did in undergrad, there is hope and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This thread inspired me. I do have a question. Did you take out loans for your masters? I don't really see a way around it. I'm currently looking at a masters at Tulane if I don't get into dental school the first time around and it's ~$25,000-30,000 for the full year. Although the cost of living in New Orleans wouldn't be that bad.

Who told you the cost of living in New Orleans isn't bad??? Lol jk, I guess it's not THAT bad compared to other places haha. Are you planning on applying to LSU dental school?

 

[Ollivander]

Who told you the cost of living in New Orleans isn't bad??? Lol jk, I guess it's not THAT bad compared to other places haha. Are you planning on applying to LSU dental school?

Well I need to stay close to home for my masters (not necessarily dental school) and the cost of living in NOLA is cheaper than Florida and going to their masters programs. I'm not applying to LSU my first time applying, but if I don't get in the first time I plan to enroll in Tulane's masters program. On completion of that I would definitely apply to LSU because I figure going to Tulane will help a lot and I'll have more pull even though I'm an Alabama resident. But I'd go to UAB over LSU if I got accepted due to being a resident and the low tuition. LSU would be my second choice in that scenario though.

 

[jmcunnin]

Well I need to stay close to home for my masters (not necessarily dental school) and the cost of living in NOLA is cheaper than Florida and going to their masters programs. I'm not applying to LSU my first time applying, but if I don't get in the first time I plan to enroll in Tulane's masters program. On completion of that I would definitely apply to LSU because I figure going to Tulane will help a lot and I'll have more pull even though I'm an Alabama resident. But I'd go to UAB over LSU if I got accepted due to being a resident and the low tuition. LSU would be my second choice in that scenario though.

Cool sounds like a good plan. What would you get your master's in at Tulane if you went that route?

 

[Ollivander]

Cool sounds like a good plan. What would you get your master's in at Tulane if you went that route?

I haven't fully decided that Tulane is the route I would take, but that's definitely the way I'm leaning if I don't get in the first time around. Right now my oGPA is 3.3 and my sGPA is a 3.25 and that's what I foresee holding me back. I will take my DAT in June after I finish up the second part of organic chem.

Anyway to address your question, I would get a master of science in anatomy. It claims to have an 87% success rate at getting its students into medical or dental schools. Here's a link so you can take a look. You can also use Google to find a lot more information on it.

Link: http://anatomy.tulane.edu/masters/programoverview.html

Are you considering doing a masters as well?

EDIT: This was quoted from another thread on SDN pertaining to the master of science in anatomy at Tulane:

"The Anatomy M.S. is a new program that was spun out of ACP. It involves taking the first-year medical courses Anatomy, Histology, and Neuroscience, along with several journal-club type classes. I don't know much about it (it's quite recent), but it involves several medical courses so it will definitely bolster your application."

 

[hopefuldentistry]

@drgurl really cool story of hard work and perseverance. I hope you succeed in dental school. Good luck!

 

[drgurl]

Thank you! Stay hopeful