A question from a lowly freshman pre-dental prospect

[GmanR55]

Hello everyone. I'm going to be a freshman at the university of connecticut in the fall and I just have a couple questions. What GPA should I aim for (I know as high as possible is what people say, but would a 3.4-3.5 get me in?). Also, what is a good DAT test score, and how the hell am I going to pass organic chem?


-thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dexadental]

You should aim for the best GPA you can do of course. Don't settle for a 3.5, the GPA will definitely be raised higher for future applicants. As far as organic goes, it isn't hard, but time consuming. Take a light load when you take it, because an A looks better with a lighter load than a B. That is my opinion. You'll be fine, just work hard, and enjoy your college experience.

 

[klfb80]

Hello everyone. I'm going to be a freshman at the university of connecticut in the fall and I just have a couple questions. What GPA should I aim for (I know as high as possible is what people say, but would a 3.4-3.5 get me in?). Also, what is a good DAT test score, and how the hell am I going to pass organic chem?


-thanks

I would settle for somewhere in the 2.9 range.

 

[INFNITE]

don't set a goal, just do the best you can. What's wrong with aiming for a 4.0? it's unlikely you'll get that high of GPA, but at least it serves as a motivation. As far as orgo, it isn't hard, but it's F'N HARD! I studied my @$$ off and I barely pulled a B and B-. There are people who are naturally good at it, but I'm not one of them. Try memorizing like dozens of complex reactions and apply them to some weird synthesis problems. My professor was so evil, he forced us to memorize stuff like rxn intermediates for like every single reaction...which was not fun. The DAT orgo section is much easier though, and I pulled a 25 on that section. Not too shabby. As far as a good DAT score, 20+ is respectable

 

[organichemistry]

I would settle for somewhere in the 2.9 range.

why do people on this site think they are god's gift to comedy by posting sarcastic replies?

part of the reason so many questions are repeated is because of the confusion that sarcastic posts create.

as a grizzled veteran, i can detect the sarcasm... but as a new pre-dent, i couldn't distinguish the sincere from the trash some of the time and it led to me posting the same questions over and over because i was still confused at times.


to the original poster... "Aim as high as possible"

a 3.4-3.5 along with a strong DAT (20+) is pretty competitive at a lot of schools now. keep in mind that stats have been trending upward and this may continue... or they may level off... or even regress between now and when you apply (2-3 years away!).

if you can manage a 3.5, a strong DAT score, and are genuinely interested in dentistry and this comes across in shadowing experience and in interviews... you will certainly be accepted somewhere!

 

[Mackchops]

why do people on this site think they are god's gift to comedy by posting sarcastic replies?

part of the reason so many questions are repeated is because of the confusion that sarcastic posts create.

as a grizzled veteran, i can detect the sarcasm... but as a new pre-dent, i couldn't distinguish the sincere from the trash some of the time and it led to me posting the same questions over and over because i was still confused at times.

Then again, if someone is slow enough to think that a 2.9 is actually something to shoot for, then maybe, for them, a 2.9 would be a realistic goal.

Agreed that stupid posts suck though. Sarcasm is the fool's wit.

Mack

 

[EyeAmCommi]

Sarcasm is the fool's wit.

Seinfeld is the king of sarcasm. We live in a world of fools.

 

[deejay]

3.0+, 20+

 

[fightingspirit]

Hello everyone. I'm going to be a freshman at the university of connecticut in the fall and I just have a couple questions. What GPA should I aim for (I know as high as possible is what people say, but would a 3.4-3.5 get me in?). Also, what is a good DAT test score, and how the hell am I going to pass organic chem?


-thanks

the higher the better, like you said, but 3.4 - 3.5 is acceptable. as far as passing orgo, well, you can not only pass but do well also if you 1-try to love it 2-try to understand reaction mechanisms as opposed to just memorization 3-repetition, 4-keeping up with the course. our bodies are all about chemistry; think of it that way so that you 'd appreciate the importance of orgo as a continuation of gen chem and a prelude to biochem.

as far as DAT, 19 and 20 for most schools but for the top 10 (no official rankings but according to predents.com), one needs 20+