Advice on year off before applying?

[mitrieD]

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I have one more quarter left before I graduate, and I plan on taking a year off before I apply to dental school (if I can appropriately make better stats). In the mean time I'll be studying and taking the DAT 1-2 times.

My GPA is low. cGPA: ~3.0 sGPA: ~2.9 (After my last quarter I'll hopefully raise my GPA by: 3.1 and 3.0, respectively).

EC's so far: volunteering (~50 hours), volunteering in dental lab (~60 hours), shadowing (66 hours).
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My question is, what would be the best way to spend my time in the off year? (other than increasing my volunteering and shadowing hours).

Since my stats are so low, would it be wise for me to not apply to dental school and instead apply for a post bacc or masters? Please be realistic with me. From what I see on SDN, my stats EC's don't even compare to many of you accomplished applicants...

 

[sgv]

I have one more quarter left before I graduate, and I plan on taking a year off before I apply to dental school (if I can appropriately make better stats). In the mean time I'll be studying and taking the DAT 1-2 times.

My GPA is low. cGPA: ~3.0 sGPA: ~2.9 (After my last quarter I'll hopefully raise my GPA by: 3.1 and 3.0, respectively).

EC's so far: volunteering (~50 hours), volunteering in dental lab (~60 hours), shadowing (66 hours).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My question is, what would be the best way to spend my time in the off year? (other than increasing my volunteering and shadowing hours).

Since my stats are so low, would it be wise for me to not apply to dental school and instead apply for a post bacc or masters? Please be realistic with me. From what I see on SDN, my stats EC's don't even compare to many of you accomplished applicants...

Some people get in with 3.0 but a lot of people don't. It really depends on what you've done to make up for the hole you've dug yourself in, where you apply, and what school you're okay with going to. The newly opened schools are a lot easier to get into but they're screwing your wallet.

 

[fatham878]

If you are taking a year off and don't want to pay for a post bacc or masters, I would suggest taking high-level science courses and making stellar grades. Your GPA is not abysmal but at the same time it is not amazing. It would save you tens of thousands of dollars. Also make sure you study well for the DAT. High scores on the DAT can do wonders to offset your lower GPA. It costs around $400 to take the test too, so aim to do well enough on your first attemkpt to save your some $$$!

Also, I would take what you see here on SDN with a grain of salt. Many (most) of the members here are high achieving go-getters, which is why they are on these forums. They are very active in their pursuit of their goals, and that is reflected in the stats that you see posted. I don't think the average applicant comes anywhere close to the average SDNer, but that's just my opinion. However, I've noticed that many members are also way too caught up in the numbers game. I have seen many posts from people with AMAZING stats who don't even get any interviews. Your stats aren't everything! It is also about who you are as a person. Don't forget that!

 

[sgv]

I have seen many posts from people with AMAZING stats who don't even get any interviews.

Point em' out to me or I'm going to call you a liar. You have 24 hours. And by "amazing", I'm talking about well above accepted average. Well over 3.65 and 20 AA.

 

[fatham878]

Point em' out to me or I'm going to call you a liar. You have 24 hours. And by "amazing", I'm talking about well above accepted average. Well over 3.65 and 20 AA.

You caught me. 😛 I got a little too overexcited trying to motivate OP. I hyperbole'd a little bit there. While I do remember creeping through the forums before I joined and reading posts thinking to myself "man, those are great stats, how did they not even get an interview at this specific school?," you are right in suspecting that I haven't seen any posts from anybody with those stats that didn't receive ANY interviews at all. Though I'm sure it has happened sometime in the history of dental school admissions.

But, I said what I said, and I am now on the mission to save myself from being called a liar 🙂

 

[sgv]

.

 

[fatham878]

Get er' butt out of here liar...you make us look bad...so hypocritical that you caution op to take this forum as a grain of salt and here you go spewing lies...expect heaps of hot coal in your stockings tomorrow....Santa aint happy

 

[y3nd0]

I have seen many posts from people with AMAZING stats who don't even get interviews at schools where their stats are above the average. Your stats aren't everything! It is also about who you are as a person. Don't forget that!

FTFY.