3.5 science gpa to 3.0 (can I get into dental school?)

[dr.ei]

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Freshman year my life was dedicated solely to my academics, and I maintained a science gpa that should have been good enough for applying to dental school.

Sophomore year, I decided to add a lot to my plate, and I think I was unrealistic about whether or not I was able to balance it all. I worked as an undergraduate researcher at a neuroscience lab 5 days a week, added a second major in studio art (so I was taking 3 hour long art classes on top of my 3 hour labs), and I joined a fraternity (first semester sophomore year I pledged, and second semester I worked on the executive board).

Second semester sophomore year I was taking gen chem II and gen chem II lab, organismal biology III, and molecular genetics as my science courses. I was actually not supposed to take molecular genetics as it is a 400 level upper level class, but my advisor was new and didn't know anything about advising a science major so she made me take it. All of my peers only had gen chem and biology to worry about, while I was using all that time to study for those classes cramming for molecular genetics.

In the end, sophomore year I got 6 C's, all in science courses, and my gpa has plummeted to a around a 3.0 gpa.

Do I still have hope for dental school if I work my butt off and get good grades junior year?

 

[8th]

Usually students do what you did during their freshmen year. Either way you still have a lot of credits you need to complete. Get Straight A's or close to it from here on out, and you should be fine. Also blaming your adviser shouldn't be an excuse. During dental school you will be taking much more than 3 science courses, buckle down, and study like your life depends on it, because your career options sure do. Good luck! Study Hard!

 

[PocketRocket]

I want to say yes, but only if you really get the grades up your Junior and Senior year. If I were you I would take a year off so that if you do well in your last year it would count towards the GPA. That's what I did but it really depends on where you're at. Also I would think that if you kill the sciences on the DAT it could make for a really good argument that you know your stuff. Good luck! This is just a bump in the road and with perseverance you will get to where you want to go. If anything you can also do a post-bac program. I know a kid who got a 19 on his DAT with a 3.2 gpa by the end of senior year and now he's doing the post-bac program. He's taking classes with other dental students and staying on top of his game with grades. I have no doubt he'll get into the dental program.

 

[richardsgray]

A couple of things. I have a good friend in school with me that didn't have the strongest GPA out there in the early rounds, but he murdered the DAT. Speaks volumes to dental schools about one's humility and determination.

I would really encourage you to get something dental related on your resume. With a 3.0 through two years of school, even a 4.0 3rd year may not be enough to make you stand out academically. Research is great. Double majors are great. Frat leadership is cool too, but you need to show an admissions team that you are all-in and locked-in to becoming a dentist. Do some serious shadowing or volunteering at a dental clinic and get yourself a couple big time recommendation letters from practicing dentists. Volunteer at a Give Kids a Smile event or another free dental care day type program. Consider dental assisting part-time if you know a provider and your state allows it. Participate in a dental service organization/pre-dental club trip abroad where you can get some service experience. Something. You need your resume to say "hey, I'll be the first person to admit that I spread myself too thin in the early going, but now I can prove to you my ABSOLUTE commitment to dentistry because of XYZ."

So I'm going to assume you beat the pants off the next couple semesters, but you go to work in proving to a dental school how much you want this. I've spent enough time helping the admissions team at my school to know that yeah.. grades are awesome and you need some solid stats, but (at least here) the faculty are more interested in being shown that you bleed dentistry, care about people, and can make the necessary sacrifices in your life to become an excellent and trusted practitioner. I've seen (no jokes) 4.0 undergrads with DAT scores that are off the charts be turned away because they lacked what counted.

Lastly, keep up with the studio! The artists in my class are lights out. So good.

You can do it. Good luck to you.

 

[darknightzzz]

You're going to want to get something dental related on your resume. A 3.0 through two years of school, even with a 4.0 3rd year isn't likely to make you stand out academically. Research is great. Double majors are great. Frat leadership is cool too, but you need to show an admissions team that you are all-in and locked-in to becoming a dentist. Do some serious shadowing or volunteering at a dental clinic and get yourself a couple big time recommendation letters from practicing dentists. Volunteer at a Give Kids a Smile event or another free dental care day type program. Go to Guatemala and pull some teeth. Something. You need your resume to say "hey, I'll be the first person to admit that I spread myself too thin in the early going, but now I can prove to you my ABSOLUTE commitment to dentistry because of XYZ."


You can do it. Good luck to you.

is this even ethical? considering no training or short on site training is possible?

 

[richardsgray]

I actually have a number of colleagues who participated in such through foreign dental service organizations or through their undergraduate institutions. Not exactly sure how that works out in foreign countries.. just passing on word of mouth. Best of luck to OP, sorry to cause a distraction with an uninformed addition.

 

[postpitadh]

um, don't touch people in foreign countries without training even if they allow it because that is unethical. do join dental clubs and volunteer abroad dental assisting at most to experience things you can't here in the states.

Freshman year my life was dedicated solely to my academics, and I maintained a science gpa that should have been good enough for applying to dental school.

Sophomore year, I decided to add a lot to my plate, and I think I was unrealistic about whether or not I was able to balance it all. I worked as an undergraduate researcher at a neuroscience lab 5 days a week, added a second major in studio art (so I was taking 3 hour long art classes on top of my 3 hour labs), and I joined a fraternity (first semester sophomore year I pledged, and second semester I worked on the executive board).

Second semester sophomore year I was taking gen chem II and gen chem II lab, organismal biology III, and molecular genetics as my science courses. I was actually not supposed to take molecular genetics as it is a 400 level upper level class, but my advisor was new and didn't know anything about advising a science major so she made me take it. All of my peers only had gen chem and biology to worry about, while I was using all that time to study for those classes cramming for molecular genetics.

In the end, sophomore year I got 6 C's, all in science courses, and my gpa has plummeted to a around a 3.0 gpa.

Do I still have hope for dental school if I work my butt off and get good grades junior year?

You can do it though. Prioritize your time. You may need to make some sacrifices. Shadow a dentist and explore dentistry to see if it's worth it to you. My gpa tanked at the end of junior year (below 3.0), but I turned it around and will be applying this cycle. You've got two years to turn it around!

 

[LaughingGas]

is this even ethical? considering no training or short on site training is possible?

Pretty sure that is illegal. Obviously, these predents that do this type of stuff, wouldn't know the damage that might cause on patients.

 

[darknightzzz]

I actually have a number of colleagues who participated in foreign dental service organizations or through their undergraduate institutions where they were trained to perform emergency procedures such as extractions. Not exactly sure how that works out in foreign countries.. just passing on word of mouth.

Pretty sure that is illegal. Obviously, these predents that do this type of stuff, wouldn't know the damage that might cause on patients.

exactly. Before shadowing, extraction comes very simple to me. However, after a while, infections and other complications may kick in.

I have read an article on here negatively criticizing pre-dent students volunteering abroad and performing irreversible procedures (filling and extraction)

 

[dr.ei]

A couple of things. I have a good friend in school with me that didn't have the strongest GPA out there in the early rounds, but he murdered the DAT. Speaks volumes to dental schools about one's humility and determination.

I would really encourage you to get something dental related on your resume. With a 3.0 through two years of school, even a 4.0 3rd year may not be enough to make you stand out academically. Research is great. Double majors are great. Frat leadership is cool too, but you need to show an admissions team that you are all-in and locked-in to becoming a dentist. Do some serious shadowing or volunteering at a dental clinic and get yourself a couple big time recommendation letters from practicing dentists. Volunteer at a Give Kids a Smile event or another free dental care day type program. Consider dental assisting part-time if you know a provider and your state allows it. Participate in a dental service organization/pre-dental club trip abroad where you can get some service experience (I have friends who went to Guatemala and under supervision did extractions among other procedures). Something. You need your resume to say "hey, I'll be the first person to admit that I spread myself too thin in the early going, but now I can prove to you my ABSOLUTE commitment to dentistry because of XYZ."

So I'm going to assume you beat the pants off the next couple semesters, but you go to work in proving to a dental school how much you want this. I've spent enough time helping the admissions team at my school to know that yeah.. grades are awesome and you need some solid stats, but (at least here) the faculty are more interested in being shown that you bleed dentistry, care about people, and can make the necessary sacrifices in your life to become an excellent and trusted practitioner. I've seen (no jokes) 4.0 undergrads with DAT scores that are off the charts be turned away because they lacked what counted.

Lastly, keep up with the studio! The artists in my class are lights out. So good.

You can do it. Good luck to you.

I've applied to go on a trip to Honduras in a Dental Brigades program at my school this coming winter if that's what you mean. I should also mention that one of my grades ended up being a C-, and I'll have to retake it this summer. I just feel like I really messed up sophomore year and I don't know how likely I will be able to have a chance at getting into dental school now because of my grades.

 

[dr.ei]

Is it possible to take the DAT summer after junior year and apply after senior year?

 

[I want to go to there]

is this even ethical? considering no training or short on site training is possible?

It's not ethical and you will screw yourself over if you mention it in your application or during interview.

 

[TheEpicFruitCake]

The admissions that come talk to us at my school actually warn us about going out of the country on the "trips"