Should I still apply?

[mitrieD]

Even though I worked hard in university (UCSD) I was only about to pull off a 3.0 gpa as a biology major. Its really discouraging because I studied more than a lot of people I know and I still got a very low gpa. Does this mean I'm not cut out for dental school? Its not like I messed around a lot and got a 3.0. I hardly had a social life at all.

Also I've been studying for the DAT for almost a year and I'm still not able to get my practice DAT score to 20+. Most people just have to study 3 months max for the DAT to get good scores...I know for sure that if I don't get at least a 20 on the DAT I won't get accepted with the GPA that I have.

I have a suspicion that I'm one of those types of people that no matter how much they study they still can't get good scores.

Any advice? I'm willing to hear the truth.

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[customx]

It's not impossible, but you will really have to get an exceptional score on the DAT to get some interviews. I'm talking 23+, which is definitely doable, provided you put the necessary time into studying. I'm talking 6-8 hours a day, 6 days a week for maybe 2 months. Some people are just extremely intelligent and pull off a 22+ without much studying, but for the rest of us, you need to devote a serious amount of time to this exam. Ideally you will only take it once and your app will be submitted and complete by the the 2nd or 3rd batch to maximize the chances of getting an interview. What resources are you using? I would say that Chads videos, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, DAT Bootcamp, Feralis notes and Cliff Notes Bio 3rd edition are all you need for a score of 23+

 

[asusundevilll]

I was getting 15's and 16's on my practice tests the week I was supposed to take mine and managed a 20aa on the real thing!

 

[deleted659902]

Even though I worked hard in university (UCSD) I was only about to pull off a 3.0 gpa as a biology major. Its really discouraging because I studied more than a lot of people I know and I still got a very low gpa. Does this mean I'm not cut out for dental school? Its not like I messed around a lot and got a 3.0. I hardly had a social life at all.

Also I've been studying for the DAT for almost a year and I'm still not able to get my practice DAT score to 20+. Most people just have to study 3 months max for the DAT to get good scores...I know for sure that if I don't get at least a 20 on the DAT I won't get accepted with the GPA that I have.

I have a suspicion that I'm one of those types of people that no matter how much they study they still can't get good scores.

Any advice? I'm willing to hear the truth.

Either A) your intelligence is below average or B) there's something wrong with the way you study. If it's the former, then I don't think dental school is the right path for you. If it's the latter, then you really need to ask yourself why the way you've been studying doesn't work and try to find more effective ways to study for exams.

For me, reviewing notes several times and doing lots of practice problems have worked great in almost every class. Is this what you've been doing?

Either way, you will face an up-hill battle. If you want to proceed nonetheless, then I suggest you bring up that GPA first by doing either a non-thesis Master's program or a post-bacc, followed by acing the DAT. Good luck.

 

[Faux]

what study sources are you using? For each subject

 

[Digitalangel]

19AA/3.0 here, did 2 semesters of a 4.0 masters and got in! its possible. i completely changed the way i studied and actually focused on getting As. if you want it bad enough you can do it

 

[Doctorman45342]

Based on your academic performance in undergraduate level biology courses and the amount of time/effort you said you put into it, you may not be cut out for dental.

I'm really not trying to put you down or anything but it just seems like you do not have enough of an aptitude academically to make it in a dental program based on the current system (sorry if it seems like I am trying to put you down, just want to give my honest opinion.)

 

[Incis0r]

Even though I worked hard in university (UCSD) I was only about to pull off a 3.0 gpa as a biology major. Its really discouraging because I studied more than a lot of people I know and I still got a very low gpa. Does this mean I'm not cut out for dental school? Its not like I messed around a lot and got a 3.0. I hardly had a social life at all.

Also I've been studying for the DAT for almost a year and I'm still not able to get my practice DAT score to 20+. Most people just have to study 3 months max for the DAT to get good scores...I know for sure that if I don't get at least a 20 on the DAT I won't get accepted with the GPA that I have.

I have a suspicion that I'm one of those types of people that no matter how much they study they still can't get good scores.

Any advice? I'm willing to hear the truth.

You want the truth? You're your worst enemy. The bolded are extremely self-limiting thoughts. If you can muster up the discipline to study as hard as you have been, you can cut it through dental school. I can understand why you're worried, but there are plenty of people with lower GPAs than you who have made it because they worked for it, just like you are right now.

One thing I've learned about undergraduate is: you get graded on performance, not on how hard you work. While hard work is important, it's even more important to study smarter. If you're studying passively (re-reading notes, etc.), then stop and start studying actively (construct new study guides, construct question papers and answer, etc.)

I believe in you, OP. Good luck.

 

[irishmom]

I had a 3.o5 GPA and got a 20 on the DAT (That is higher than I was getting on my practice DAT's). I got into my number one choice. It is doable. You just have to believe in yourself...If you don't, why should anyone else?

 

[mitrieD]

I had a 3.o5 GPA and got a 20 on the DAT (That is higher than I was getting on my practice DAT's). I got into my number one choice. It is doable. You just have to believe in yourself...If you don't, why should anyone else?

Wow! You must have amazing extra curricular's. How many schools did you apply to?

 

[mitrieD]

I don't agree with the above. OP is a hard-worker (which is 90% of the fight). The UCs are known to be rigorous schools. OP just needs to channel his/her studying methods in the right way, and then s/he will become unstoppable.



You want the truth? You're your worst enemy. The bolded are extremely self-limiting thoughts. If you can muster up the discipline to study as hard as you have been, you can cut it through dental school. I can understand why you're worried, but there are plenty of people with lower GPAs than you who have made it because they worked for it, just like you are right now.

One thing I've learned about undergraduate is: you get graded on performance, not on how hard you work. While hard work is important, it's even more important to study smarter. If you're studying passively (re-reading notes, etc.), then stop and start studying actively (construct new study guides, construct question papers and answer, etc.)

I believe in you, OP. Good luck.

Thanks I guess. I've tried studying more and more to solve my problem. Maybe changing my study habits will help. But I've taken a really hard look at myself when I was in my last couple of quarters/semesters, and I think it may just be my lack of cognitive ability. It takes me much longer than average to memorize things and I have to review much more often than average in order to properly regurgitate for exams. I'm not the only one like this. There are plenty of people who study their butts off and still not get good enough scores for dental/med school. Some people just don't have the standard of ability. I guess I'll keep my hopes up, but you can only give so much energy.

 

[superluminal]

Use this forum for motivation. Dig deep and really put an effort into your DAT. Try to supplement your application with great extracurriculars and email admissions for their ideas as to how you can make improvements.

 

[Weakfart]

I was averaging about a 19 on my DAT prep and I scored way above my average. I can't say that everyone is going to do better than there average because obviously not everyone does. But take each exam as a learning experience. As a standardized exam, there are certain gimmicks and strategies that you can apply to that you can't do with normal exams. Once you learn these little nuisances, you just have to tackle your nerves.

 

[irishmom]

Wow! You must have amazing extra curricular's. How many schools did you apply to?

I applied to 9 schools. I interviewed at 2. I got into tOSU ( my state school). I was declined to the other school I interviewed at. My EC's are pretty good, I've been a dental hygienist for 10 years.

 

[youraverageasia]

19AA/3.0 here, did 2 semesters of a 4.0 masters and got in! its possible. i completely changed the way i studied and actually focused on getting As. if you want it bad enough you can do it

Hey Angel I'm also doing a Master's right now and I'm on track to getting a 4.0 as well. I got a 20 AA/ 18TS and I've been debating whether or not to retake it, but seeing you got in with your score gives me hope! Do you mind sharing which Masters it was (I'm at Rutgers) and how many interviews/acceptances you received?

 

[Digitalangel]

Hey Angel I'm also doing a Master's right now and I'm on track to getting a 4.0 as well. I got a 20 AA/ 18TS and I've been debating whether or not to retake it, but seeing you got in with your score gives me hope! Do you mind sharing which Masters it was (I'm at Rutgers) and how many interviews/acceptances you received?

2 interviews and 1 acceptance, im sure i think i would have got more if i had finished the masters but in only half way through. its at Barry university, but ive met a few students at nova who did rutgers program!

 

[TourdeTeeth]

Thanks I guess. I've tried studying more and more to solve my problem. Maybe changing my study habits will help. But I've taken a really hard look at myself when I was in my last couple of quarters/semesters, and I think it may just be my lack of cognitive ability. It takes me much longer than average to memorize things and I have to review much more often than average in order to properly regurgitate for exams. I'm not the only one like this. There are plenty of people who study their butts off and still not get good enough scores for dental/med school. Some people just don't have the standard of ability. I guess I'll keep my hopes up, but you can only give so much energy.

I had a severe brain injury when I was younger and the MD's told my family I'd never be able to learn again. But I worked my butt off, became a gifted student, and then struggled in college. I had a 3.05 sci-gpa and was still accepted to my #1 school. Plus my DAT was only a 19. Never ever say you aren't smart enough. Thinking those thoughts will make you your own worst enemy. If you truly want to be a dentist and nothing else then work your butt off, get a master's degree, start a charity event, become trained as a dental assistant (through a practicing dentist not through courses), and boost your shadowing and community service hours. That's what I did.

Never say you aren't smart enough. If I can get accepted, then you can get accepted. You just have to stay dedicated.

 

[foxtrot83]

Thanks I guess. I've tried studying more and more to solve my problem. Maybe changing my study habits will help. But I've taken a really hard look at myself when I was in my last couple of quarters/semesters, and I think it may just be my lack of cognitive ability. It takes me much longer than average to memorize things and I have to review much more often than average in order to properly regurgitate for exams. I'm not the only one like this. There are plenty of people who study their butts off and still not get good enough scores for dental/med school. Some people just don't have the standard of ability. I guess I'll keep my hopes up, but you can only give so much energy.

May I suggest you get a referral to be tested to see if you may need learning/testing accomodations? Many students I know have made it through a health professional program (med school/dental school) who were diagnosed with some form of learning difficulty that allowed for accomodations such as those. It doesn't hurt to find out, some people go a long time in their life not realizing this is why things seem 100x harder for them than others.

 

[gatorsmile]

Thanks I guess. I've tried studying more and more to solve my problem. Maybe changing my study habits will help. But I've taken a really hard look at myself when I was in my last couple of quarters/semesters, and I think it may just be my lack of cognitive ability. It takes me much longer than average to memorize things and I have to review much more often than average in order to properly regurgitate for exams. I'm not the only one like this. There are plenty of people who study their butts off and still not get good enough scores for dental/med school. Some people just don't have the standard of ability. I guess I'll keep my hopes up, but you can only give so much energy.

Are you not a good test taker? I had really bad anxiety before taking my exams at my university. I talked to one of my professors during office hours about it and I took the final exam in another room alone, and got 100% after averaging Bs-B+s the whole semester. I think it was a mind over matter thing. I find that for me, I need to first read the material. Then start to digest it. And then talk about it with someone else so that I am able to recall it better without looking at notes or having to refer to a textbook. I also had to learn to relax before taking my exams.

I want to offer this piece of encouragement to you. I was not a stellar student by any means in undergrad. I didn't take care of myself and kept getting sick. I squeaked by with a 3.1 oGPA, but get this...a 2.8 sGPA and a 2.6 BCP. I got a 19AA the first time I took the DAT, and then got a 21AA the next year when I retook the exam. I applied to 2 dental schools in November 2014...it was a last minute decision but it was the best decision I made because I got in to one of those schools.

If you want to be a dentist, don't give up. Keep trying. Don't let a system define what you can or cannot do.