Getting into DDS: My Chances

[CyanMoss]

Hi, I don't know if this is a good spot to post this question so please let me know if i'm in the right spot. I am a City College student (Santa Barbara City College) and I have made a little boo-boo. I have a 3.18 GPA as an overall but I messed up my Science GPA to a lower than 2.7 GPA in my general bio (animal, plant, and cell) + my general chemistry (this is what ruined it). I now have difficult choice to make, I can switch my major and apply to a 4 year near me (UCSB) or I can go to a different UC with a bio major. I know I can do better since I had many issues while taking those classes (although I hate blaming it on that). Can you let me know what chances I have to get into a Dental School. I was looking into UCSF DDS and have kept contact with the admissions staff for now. I'm trying to get some sort of idea of what to do next. My dentist has agreed to help me out by letting me shadow him and writing a letter of rec. I haven't taken the DAT but I'm more than positive I can do fairly well on it. Please ask me anything else you need to know. I already have a lot of work in computer science and will be taking on Accounting in the meantime, but I have had a passion for dentistry since I was 11. I expect to have a 3.5-3.6 by the time i transfer to a UC since I am taking an extra year at the CC. Also should I apply after after a bachelors or just give it a go after City College
?

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[sobertiger]

Since you didn't do so well on the prereqs, you need to make that up by doing really well in upper div science courses. You should try to take them at a four year institution instead of CC.

It's still early so you still have a chance to improve your GPA. Protect your GPA at all costs. I wouldn't apply right after CC. Maybe after your junior year depending on how well you do on your classes and the DAT.

 

[CyanMoss]

Since you didn't do so well on the prereqs, you need to make that up by doing really well in upper div science courses. You should try to take them at a four year institution instead of CC.

It's still early so you still have a chance to improve your GPA. Protect your GPA at all costs. I wouldn't apply right after CC. Maybe after your junior year depending on how well you do on your classes and the DAT.

thanks for the input! I'll do so. I had a feeling this would be the case. I'll just take various UC transferable courses then? would Anatomy count as an upper division class?

 

[sobertiger]

thanks for the input! I'll do so. I had a feeling this would be the case. I'll just take various UC transferable courses then? would Anatomy count as an upper division class?

Yes just take the classes required for transferring, or some other easier science courses that may help boost your sGPA.

Anatomy is an upper div class and one of the more important electives that they look at along with biochem, microbio, physio, etc. I would definitely take it at your 4 year school.

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[Its_Me_G]

Since your GPA is currently so low, you’d have a hard time bringing that up to a 3.5, unless you get a 4.0 from now on. That being said, make sure to take the rest of your prereqs at a 4 year university and retake chemistry if you got lower than a C+. Also, consider applying broadly to out of state schools because California schools are tough to get into and you probably won’t have a shot with your current GPA.

 

[CyanMoss]

Since your GPA is currently so low, you’d have a hard time bringing that up to a 3.5, unless you get a 4.0 from now on. That being said, make sure to take the rest of your prereqs at a 4 year university and retake chemistry if you got lower than a C+. Also, consider applying broadly to out of state schools because California schools are tough to get into and you probably won’t have a shot with your current GPA.

Thanks for the reply! Yes I realized that there is a TAG (transfer admissions guarantee) program in affect which I can use to transfer to a 4 year such as Santa Cruz. Ideally I'll be trying to go into UCSB although I realize the chances are fairly low. I have finished all the pre reqs to transfer with a bio major but the application period has ended. I will have to seek to apply either during spring to certain schools or next fall unfortunately. Meanwhile I was planning to take various classes including computer programming (which I found I am quite superb in) and accounting as an alternate major. Should I continue with this plan or is taking classes in a different field frowned upon at this point in time? Should I take basic biology classes instead? I'm just finishing my second year in CC. Thanks a lot guys and gals, I'm very stressed about my future right now. I realize my mistakes and I'm trying my best to fix them. I received a C in the chem classes unfortunately. This is lower than a C+ but my counselor said that I'm not allowed to retake the class?if I could retake either one of those classes and get a B I'd have the necessary requirements to get into UCSB as a guarantee. Feels terrible missing by that much :/

 

[Its_Me_G]

Thanks for the reply! Yes I realized that there is a TAG (transfer admissions guarantee) program in affect which I can use to transfer to a 4 year such as Santa Cruz. Ideally I'll be trying to go into UCSB although I realize the chances are fairly low. I have finished all the pre reqs to transfer with a bio major but the application period has ended. I will have to seek to apply either during spring to certain schools or next fall unfortunately. Meanwhile I was planning to take various classes including computer programming (which I found I am quite superb in) and accounting as an alternate major. Should I continue with this plan or is taking classes in a different field frowned upon at this point in time? Should I take basic biology classes instead? I'm just finishing my second year in CC. Thanks a lot guys and gals, I'm very stressed about my future right now. I realize my mistakes and I'm trying my best to fix them. I received a C in the chem classes unfortunately. This is lower than a C+ but my counselor said that I'm not allowed to retake the class?if I could retake either one of those classes and get a B I'd have the necessary requirements to get into UCSB as a guarantee. Feels terrible missing by that much :/

I think you misunderstood, I was saying that cali dental schools are tough to get into. So once you’re getting ready to apply to dental schools, apply broadly since you may have to go out of state. Also, you can take whatever classes you’d like, but dental schools prefer that your prerequisites are taken at a 4 year university. I would retake chem when you transfer to UCSB or wherever you’re planning on going.