Where Are The Normals?

well jeff what are your stas? what do u consider average?

well i have about a 3.4 and a 17 aa and 15 pat but an insane amount of experience (5 years worth)

I do have to agree, the majority of people that post on this board regularly get in somewhere. I am guessing that by "average" you mean people that aren't virtually accepted already. Most people with a 3.2+ G.P.A. and at least a 19/19 are going to get in somewhere if they can give a good interview and have decent answers on thier application. However, they still post on this board and ask if there's a chance that they'll get accepted. Please forgive as since I am average I am jaded!

I would also like to think that someone with solid extracurriculars,some shadowing,the 3.10+ (IMO anything below a 3.0-3.10 gets a little bit sketchy..) GPA and the 18 or better AA on the DATs will get in somewhere.

One thing I am not sure about though. Would someone with a bunch of upper level science courses be given a bit more leeway in their GPA and science GPA? In my case my non-science GPA is 3.83 while my overall is 3.22 (some C's in tough science courses brought me down). I'd like to think that Adcoms would keep that in mind when comparing me to someone who got a Bachelor of Arts with a 3.6 overall. Let's be honest..it's gotta be tougher to maintain a high GPA doing upper level science courses..with all due respect to those psychology,english and arts majors out there of course...

I think adcoms look at our major's in order to gauge our G.P.A.'s within reason. My wifes major (Mechanical Engineering) was much more difficult than mine (Biology). Although, I have to admit that I am no artist and a major in art would've been tougher for me

We are all freaks. I personally passed the national board exams this summer, but I still have to attend dental school as a formality. Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter SDN!

I'm definately normal...pretty average stats

I agree with pbure and 2thdk. Major is extremely important. Many of my friends applying to dental school are psychology majors which only requires about 32 credits. However I am a getting a B.S. in Biology which requires about 65 credits of most of which are upper level biology and chemistry courses. ADCOMS should dfeinetly look at that. I have a 3.4 and some of my friend's have 3.7's but the difference between us is that I took about 7 more advanced bio classes which are taught in dental school and they didn't.

2thDk said:

I think adcoms look at our major's in order to gauge our G.P.A.'s within reason. My wifes major (Mechanical Engineering) was much more difficult than mine (Biology). Although, I have to admit that I am no artist and a major in art would've been tougher for me

Click to expand...

Has anyone ever talked with someone on an adcom about this? I really wonder if they do. I've struggled through a couple of classes due to working 40 hours a week and I always thought that I could excuse the bad grades to an adcom by saying I worked AND did school. But now I don't really feel like such an explanation would do much good. I feel like they just see the numbers (GPA/DAT).

Well hey, I'm a wierdo. 3.05 GPA (with a 2.55 science GPA - now that's bad), but a 20/21 DAT.

I guess if you average me out I'm average. Hopefully they'll let me in with my science GPA.

Sorry, but a bit off topic. . .

msf41, where are you from in KS? I'm from Oklahoma, but I went to school at Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS - it's a little town about 45 mins. north of Wichita. I also lived in Wichita for a summer during school.

Just curious. Maybe we know some of the same places.

msf41 said:

Has anyone ever talked with someone on an adcom about this? I really wonder if they do.

Click to expand...

I *rarely* think adcoms take major into consideration. Honestly, I think they expect you to do well in whatever you majored in. I was never given any junk about my English major, and I've never seen any special consideration given to any applicants at my school simply because of their major.

A difficult major isn't an excuse for a 2.8 GPA, because DENTAL SCHOOL IS DIFFICULT.

ItsGavinC said:

I *rarely* think adcoms take major into consideration. Honestly, I think they expect you to do well in whatever you majored in. I was never given any junk about my English major, and I've never seen any special consideration given to any applicants at my school simply because of their major.

A difficult major isn't an excuse for a 2.8 GPA, because DENTAL SCHOOL IS DIFFICULT.

Click to expand...

How can you even compare English Major with something liek Comp Sci or Engineering? Maybe you've never taken any upper level computer sci courses? I'm sorry if I don't have 15 hours a week PER CLASS of just sitting around programming AND taking organic chemistry at the same time? I took English as a prereq for dental. It was such a joke. I had probably the highest grade in the entire class and I only get about B's in my upper level comp sci courses after spending much, much more time in those classes. You haven't lived until you've taken some of these engineering courses, they ARE NOT like organic chemistry where HARD work equals a good grade.

I have well above a 2.8. But not as high as i awnt because i didn't origianlly want to do dental. If I HAD been perhaps an english major, my gpa would probably be well over a 3.8 with the same amount of studying or less! How can you compare that?

If you dont' take majors into consideration, the best course is to take the easiest major possible in the easiest possible school! Is that *really* the course that you want pre dentals to take? it IS the smartest! In fact, that's the advice i give all my younger friends thinking of pre health. this could possibly be averted by taking the major into heavy consideration?

My friend was a PRE comp sci major but he coudln't hack it and dropped to bus admin! Now his gpa is higher than mine! He graduated magna cum laude or something like that and always brags about his 3.7+ or what not gpa! His last term he got a 4.0 and he told me he never went to class and did less than 1 hour of work a week! I wanna smack him in the face when he tells me about his gpa! he's a COMP SCI drop who couldn't even hack the entry level comp sci course!

I try not to think about stuff like that but it's hard when there's so much pressure about the what if's!. Time to study for the DAT that i'm taking in january!

Completely agree. A friend of mine was a communications major and in his final semester took all upper level communications classes and aced them. He told me he studied about 2 hrs a week and never went to class. I would love to have put him in one of my analytical or pchem classes. I would say Bio is the easiest science, then Chem, then Physics. Computer science somewhere in the mix.

I agree with both Gavin and SDNMember. Gavin is correct in that you shouldn't make excuses for difficult majors. However, SDNMember is correct in that some majors are definetly much more harder than others. For example, I'm a biology major and my friend is an english major i have a 3.4 and she has a 3.7. Our science grades are relatively the same but if we compare only the courses for our major. She pretty much has all A's. She studies not even a third of the amount of time that I do.

My other friend went on an interview to NYU and even the interviewer told her that she did very well for a difficult major like hers (biology). He said most people that apply to dental school are not biology/chemistry majors. Instead they are language or english or business majors.

Hurray for that then! Because I feel like my biology degree is useless I tell ya....me need a job.

atx look at the thread re: jobs...i answered ur question about where you can get a job

As harsh as that sounds, its true.

HD

I don't agree. I saw some people in there with pretty poor stats. I think people who are average are definetly granted interviews and even some people below average that show extreme potential through community service, extracurriculars and volunteer work (1000+ hours) are interviewed as well. Then there's always the category of people who's parents or family are dentists, or people who have family that's alumni at the school to which they are applying. Those people get interviews as well.

Dentist 2 be said:

I agree with both Gavin and SDNMember. Gavin is correct in that you shouldn't make excuses for difficult majors. However, SDNMember is correct in that some majors are definetly much more harder than others. For example, I'm a biology major and my friend is an english major i have a 3.4 and she has a 3.7. Our science grades are relatively the same but if we compare only the courses for our major. She pretty much has all A's. She studies not even a third of the amount of time that I do.

My other friend went on an interview to NYU and even the interviewer told her that she did very well for a difficult major like hers (biology). He said most people that apply to dental school are not biology/chemistry majors. Instead they are language or english or business majors.

Click to expand...

While there is no doubt that the majority of people find biology more difficult than engilsh classes, you can't compare majors because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, I have a friend who majored in Physics, and graduated cum laude last year, but can't read and write for ****. Sorry to break it to you, but different subjects (majors) require different forms of thinking. Just because you are good at analytical thinkning, doesn't mean you are good at creative thinking... and so on.

How can you even compare English Major with something liek Comp Sci or Engineering?

Click to expand...

I totally agree. Maybe adcom's don't care, but I could've gotten a 4.0 in Philosophy if I was stoned everyday I went to class. As a matter of fact, I know guys that did.

Makes sense:

busupshot83 said:

While there is no doubt that the majority of people find biology more difficult than engilsh classes, you can't compare majors because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, I have a friend who majored in Physics, and graduated cum laude last year, but can't read and write for ****. Sorry to break it to you, but different subjects (majors) require different forms of thinking. Just because you are good at analytical thinkning, doesn't mean you are good at creative thinking... and so on.

Click to expand...

What skill is it that you need for philosophy again? Oh yeah, memorization.

2thDk said:

What skill is it that you need for philosophy again? Oh yeah, memorization.

Click to expand...

You're right. But then again, what skill do you need for the majority of undergrad work (all majors)? Oh yeah, memorization.

I agree, but also application...or I hope.

busupshot83 said:

While there is no doubt that the majority of people find biology more difficult than engilsh classes, you can't compare majors because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, I have a friend who majored in Physics, and graduated cum laude last year, but can't read and write for ****. Sorry to break it to you, but different subjects (majors) require different forms of thinking. Just because you are good at analytical thinkning, doesn't mean you are good at creative thinking... and so on.

Click to expand...

But it doesn't mean you're *not* good at it, just to keep things nice and frustratingly indeterminate.

(However, I do have to admit that what you've said about physics majors is generally (although, I'd hope, not universally ) true.)

trypmo said:

But it doesn't mean you're *not* good at it, just to keep things nice and frustratingly indeterminate.

Click to expand...

Of course, T!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a 3.4 GPA IS about average. Those of you who think a 3.0-3.1 is average are deluding yourselves. There are plenty of schools who have 3.0 as the cutoff for interviews. If you have a low GPA there is still a good chance you can get into the school of your choice; your low GPA will be offset by someone with a 3.9. But you still need to seriously consider applying to the less competitive schools like NYU.

Just a little dose of reality, folks.

busupshot83 said:

You're right. But then again, what skill do you need for the majority of undergrad work (all majors)? Oh yeah, memorization.

Click to expand...

First two years of dental school = memorization

Believe me; you will be putting your brain in low gear for a while.

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a 3.4 GPA IS about average. Those of you who think a 3.0-3.1 is average are deluding yourselves. There are plenty of schools who have 3.0 as the cutoff for interviews. If you have a low GPA there is still a good chance you can get into the school of your choice; your low GPA will be offset by someone with a 3.9. But you still need to seriously consider applying to the less competitive schools like NYU.

Click to expand...

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

First two years of dental school = memorization

Believe me; you will be putting your brain in low gear for a while.

Click to expand...

Agreed on both points.

What school do you attend anyway, Spongie? Up until a few weeks ago I was under the impression you were either a D1 or an applicant this year. My bad.

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a 3.4 GPA IS about average.

Click to expand...

Ahh, sweet, sweet relief. That's what I've been saying for years now

I'm not saying the average college grad comes out of his program with a 3.4; I'm saying the average dental matriculant has a 3.4 GPA.

Not to be elitist, but the "average" college grad doesn't even bother applying to dental school.

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

I'm not saying the average college grad comes out of his program with a 3.4; I'm saying the average dental matriculant has a 3.4 GPA.

Click to expand...

If 3.4 is the average, that means schools may accept students with both higher and lower GPAs. For example: a school may accept a 3.8 and a 3.0 and still have a 3.4 average.

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

...Not to be elitist, but the "average" college grad doesn't even bother applying to dental school.

Click to expand...

'Elitist?'...that's the darn truth as the vast majority of graduates don't have dentistry on their career horizon. Well said, SpongeBob.

busupshot83 said:

If 3.4 is the average, that means schools may accept students with both higher and lower GPAs. For example: a school may accept a 3.8 and a 3.0 and still have a 3.4 average.

Click to expand...

Exactly. Just because you have a low GPA doesn't mean you're out of luck. In fact, through extensive research and hours and hours of calculation I have determined that approximately half of all accepted applicants are below average.

Dr.SpongeBobDDS said:

Exactly. Just because you have a low GPA doesn't mean you're out of luck. In fact, through extensive research and hours and hours of calculation I have determined that approximately half of all accepted applicants are below average.

Click to expand...

Sounds good to me .

In short: don't let the stats on SDN discourage you.

i agree with everyones point...LOL

2thDk said:

I totally agree. Maybe adcom's don't care, but I could've gotten a 4.0 in Philosophy if I was stoned everyday I went to class. As a matter of fact, I know guys that did.

Click to expand...

me too! my friend was always stoned before a philos. test! how wierd???

Normal is relative to the person making the determination.