A little story

[turtmd]

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Hello--

I just wanted to share a little story and get some opinions about it. Ok, so I applied to NOVA not for dental school but to finish my undergraduate degree... and talked to one of the advisors...he asked "what is your GPA, and I said 3.33...then he asked what degree are you looking to pursue; and I said that I wanted to finish my degree there and then apply to dental school...and he said "well...I don't know.... they are very competitive and they are looking for a 3.4 gpa".

I've heard that people want to discourage you and that you'll find negative people along the way, but always keep the eyes on the prize, but I think he was kind of ridiculous; I know my gpa isn't stellar but I have time to raise it; before I said that I wanted to go to dental school he was telling me how good my gpa was.

 

[Kniles5]

Do really good on the DATs, shadow and get really good LORs and you should have a chance. I would get the ADEA book on dental schools. It will indicate which schools are more lenient about GPAs

 

[superchris147]

Hello--

I just wanted to share a little story and get some opinions about it. Ok, so I applied to NOVA not for dental school but to finish my undergraduate degree... and talked to one of the advisors...he asked "what is your GPA, and I said 3.33...then he asked what degree are you looking to pursue; and I said that I wanted to finish my degree there and then apply to dental school...and he said "well...I don't know.... they are very competitive and they are looking for a 3.4 gpa".

I've heard that people want to discourage you and that you'll find negative people along the way, but always keep the eyes on the prize, but I think he was kind of ridiculous; I know my gpa isn't stellar but I have time to raise it; before I said that I wanted to go to dental school he was telling me how good my gpa was.

3.3 isn't that bad holmes, besides if you have to finish your degree then you can get good grades and raise it

 

[howui3]

Hello--

I just wanted to share a little story and get some opinions about it. Ok, so I applied to NOVA not for dental school but to finish my undergraduate degree... and talked to one of the advisors...he asked "what is your GPA, and I said 3.33...then he asked what degree are you looking to pursue; and I said that I wanted to finish my degree there and then apply to dental school...and he said "well...I don't know.... they are very competitive and they are looking for a 3.4 gpa".

I've heard that people want to discourage you and that you'll find negative people along the way, but always keep the eyes on the prize, but I think he was kind of ridiculous; I know my gpa isn't stellar but I have time to raise it; before I said that I wanted to go to dental school he was telling me how good my gpa was.

Don't pay any attention to this crazy advise. You have time to improve your GPA and if you do well on the DAT you will be fine. Many of these advisors focus on premed and know very little about the dental school application process. It is great that you are getting involved early, the SND is a great resource. Many people here will offer great advise and share their personal experiences.

Look at the "3.0 and under club" post, you will see that many students with gpa less then 3.4 that get into dental schools. There is no such thing as a magic GPA or DAT that will guarantee you admission.

Plus check out Yah-E's thread, he went from below a 3.0 GPA when applying to dental schools to getting into his #1 choice for OMFS residency.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=206263

Good luck to you.

 

[BigBottomGirl]

No real difference between a 3.3 and 3.4. Stay in that range and score well on the DAT and you will be fine.

 

[polarnut]

dont worry man! you got plenty time to make up yout gpa and then some! just work your ass off and everything else will just fall into place. like i always say to my fellow jittery predents, if you got skillz to drillz, chillz

 

[eapleitez]

don't listen to him. I got into 5 schools so far with my gpa, including Nova. Just keep up your grades and do well on the DAT.

 

[Gargamel]

Don’t underestimate the DAT. Best guess eapleitez DAT puts him in the 95+percentile. Study and do well +20 if possible. I had an Adcom tell me that he considers the DAT the great equalizer. I know some people are thinking how can a test given on one day compare to a track record of good grades, and this is true it does not. His reasoning was that at some schools it’s difficult not to get a 3.6 and above and some schools it’s all too easy to get a 3.2 and below. But the DAT is the same for everyone. Now I also know others are thinking I don’t take standardized tests well but look at my great GPA. Well tough, the NDBEs are standardized tests and schools love people who can do well in them. Why? It’s an absolutely quantitative ranking of the quality of the school. So bottom line keep working you ass of to pull up/keep up your gpa and at the same time do whatever you have to have DAT scores in the 95 plus percentile.

 

[speedy3816]

Hello--

I just wanted to share a little story and get some opinions about it. Ok, so I applied to NOVA not for dental school but to finish my undergraduate degree... and talked to one of the advisors...he asked "what is your GPA, and I said 3.33...then he asked what degree are you looking to pursue; and I said that I wanted to finish my degree there and then apply to dental school...and he said "well...I don't know.... they are very competitive and they are looking for a 3.4 gpa".

I've heard that people want to discourage you and that you'll find negative people along the way, but always keep the eyes on the prize, but I think he was kind of ridiculous; I know my gpa isn't stellar but I have time to raise it; before I said that I wanted to go to dental school he was telling me how good my gpa was.

yea man... dont worry, there will be plenty of haters along the way: classmates, "advisors", professors, ect. like you said, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE! hey, i have a 3.26 right now and im not worried, just keep trying to improve your GPA as you finish up your degree, and of course do well on the DAT. 👍

 

[dentalguy]

yea man... dont worry, there will be plenty of haters along the way: classmates, "advisors", professors, ect. like you said, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE! hey, i have a 3.26 right now and im not worried, just keep trying to improve your GPA as you finish up your degree, and of course do well on the DAT. 👍

Here another story:

I had my genetics professor tell me I was never going to be a dentist. He told me and asked me if I ever considered something else. He was like how bout a paramedic, or nurse. While I have no problems with people who go into nursing I was completley appalled at him. If I wanted to be a medic I wouldn't have pursued a four year degree. Anyway, it gets more interesting. He told me this as an analogy. If you are flying a plane and it gets shot and is going down, are you going to eject or run that plane into the ground? And when I told him I'd eject he was like thats right, eject and find a new profession. THat was last year. Oh look now. I got into two schools. NO ONE CAN TELL ME I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. I made it and now im contemplating whether or not I take my acceptance letter to show him (or make 500 copies and paste them all over his office). If you want it you will get it. Don't let anyone tell you you won't make it. OSU DENTAL CLASS OF 2010.

 

[ianshaun]

Here another story:

I had my genetics professor tell me I was never going to be a dentist. He told me and asked me if I ever considered something else. He was like how bout a paramedic, or nurse. While I have no problems with people who go into nursing I was completley appalled at him. If I wanted to be a medic I wouldn't have pursued a four year degree. Anyway, it gets more interesting. He told me this as an analogy. If you are flying a plane and it gets shot and is going down, are you going to eject or run that plane into the ground? And when I told him I'd eject he was like thats right, eject and find a new profession. THat was last year. Oh look now. I got into two schools. NO ONE CAN TELL ME I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. I made it and now im contemplating whether or not I take my acceptance letter to show him (or make 500 copies and paste them all over his office). If you want it you will get it. Don't let anyone tell you you won't make it. OSU DENTAL CLASS OF 2010.

copy and post it everywhere. His car, office, EVERYWHERE

 

[Maygyver]

Upward trends make a difference too. 3.3 isn't too low to come back from. Work hard and show adcoms how much you want it.

 

[Huskk]

This thread is from four years ago

 

[321931]

This thread is from four years ago

I had a professor tell me students couldn't get into any professional school with a D, and if they thought they could, they were delusional. Ironically, he didn't know I had a D so that was awkward for me. 🙁

 

[shiftypoptart]

My bio counselor at UCI told me the exact same thing... "Yeah looking at your GPA I dunno if Dental School would be a good thing to pursue...". I was really depressed for a while but this actually motivated me to do well on my DAT's. Now I already have 2 interview invites to Loma Linda and VCU =D. Keep your head up anything is possible.

 

[hoylematt]

Lol I wonder if the guy that originally started this thread in 2006 is taking all this good advice to heart.