Advice needed on my situation!

[DentalDawg55]

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[blankguy]

At this point it may be too late since it is going to take you 2 or 3 months to fill out the application, get recommendations which will probably push you back to november or december at the earliest. Try to get additional course work in to boost your GPA, maybe additional upper level biology courses if you haven't taken those courses or maybe a GPA boosting post bacc. Even if you did well on your DAT the fact that is late will hurt your application. An extra year won't kill you. AT least your GPA is above a 3.0👍

As a guideline try to get all the applications to the schools by august/september, meaning processed by AADSAS and mailed to the schools by then. A lot of schools tend to fill up by january/february so a lot of spots are taken from the initial batch of applicants that they get. Submit to AADSAS by mid/late june. Aim for these artificial deadlines for the next cycle and you will be all set.

 

[Optimism Smiles]

I dont know what I should do. I just graduated from UC Berkeley with a 3.1 and have yet to take my DAT (I am registered for the end of August to take it - i think i will score around a 18-19 based on practice exams). I am not quite comfortable in how I will do on it. Should I try to apply this year? or should i focus on a post-bac?

I know it is late in the application cycle to apply in september. And with my stats I just dont know. Does anyone have some good info on the post bac route?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

As silly as it sounds, I think you just need to follow your heart and do what is right for you. I had to make that decision earlier this summer when June 1st rolled around. I was scheduled for my DAT in early July, but I was also taking 13 week science courses all summer long. I didn't think I'd be able to give the DAT and the application process the time and care it needed. One dental school visited our university a few months ago and they basically said that if you can first submit your application at 8 am on June 1st, then "at 9 am you are too late". This of course is grossly exaggerated, but the time you submit your application does affect your chances. Basically it means that there are a lot of qualified applicants, but just not enough seats and the only way to have a real chance is to apply early. I have a friend that scored a 24 on their DATs and applied in September last year to a few schools and didn't get in. This person has a great GPA and everything else, but I think the late factor did them in. I think this whole process is about trusting your instincts because only you know for sure if you're ready. If you're having a lot of doubts, I think that might be a red flag and the year in between cycles can be put to good use. I don't know much about post-bac programs, except that they show you care about becoming a better applicant. Good luck, I know you'll make the right decision! 🙂

 

[Mackchops]

There's no skin off your back by applying -- unless money is a tight issue (but when is it not?). I would submit to a couple schools and who knows? You might get in! You've just saved yourself a year. Awesome.

Worst case scenario, you don't get in and you have an intimate understanding of the application process. You even have your rec letters collected and your DAT complete so you should have no problem submitting on May 15th next year!

I applied this year expecting to have to reapply. I aced the DATs and got into one of my top choices with a scholarship. My overall gpa is below a 3.1. Good luck!