Any chances?

[qdent]

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I'll be applying in August. My stats 3.29o, 3.14s, 2.66bcp and I haven't taken the DAT yet. I have solid extracurric's just not very much volunteering. My letters will be from 2 professors and a dentist I know well and I expect these to definitely help my chances. If I get over a 20AA on the dat do I have any chances with my gpa?

 

[yappy]

With a BCP of 2.66 you just have two chances:

Slim and none.

 

[Seahawk]

People get in regularly with your sGPA/cGPA but that BCP is incredibly low.

If it was me, I would save my money, spend a year getting the GPA better and get some volunteering.

 

[deleted323428]

With a BCP of 2.66 you just have two chances:

Slim and none.

👍

 

[qdent]

I'll be a senior so if I don't apply then I'll have a gap year and I have no idea what I would do. I have the ADEA book and made a list of 20 schools that are oos friendly and have averages <3.6. I know applying to that many schools will cost a few grand so what are your suggestions to do this cycle? Would any DAT score make up for the bcp?

- Would it be wise to take my transcripts to an admissions counselor and just ask if I stand a chance?

 

[molar3]

I'll be a senior so if I don't apply then I'll have a gap year and I have no idea what I would do. I have the ADEA book and made a list of 20 schools that are oos friendly and have averages <3.6. I know applying to that many schools will cost a few grand so what are your suggestions to do this cycle? Would any DAT score make up for the bcp?

- Would it be wise to take my transcripts to an admissions counselor and just ask if I stand a chance?

no chance unless u are a minority. dont apply this year, just dont do it.....i mean do it if u want to blow some g's but otherwise dont. with a 2.6 bcp, regardless of a 20+aa, theres really no way any school will take u.......
if ure a senior now, take the next year off, and do like 35-40 credits of upper level science postbacc. and/or get a masters. u need to fix ur bcp before any ds even looks at u. your app will probably be tossed if u apply this year.

 

[TwentyTwelve]

no chance unless u are a minority. dont apply this year, just dont do it.....i mean do it if u want to blow some g's but otherwise dont. with a 2.6 bcp, regardless of a 20+aa, theres really no way any school will take u.......
if ure a senior now, take the next year off, and do like 35-40 credits of upper level science postbacc. and/or get a masters. u need to fix ur bcp before any ds even looks at u. your app will probably be tossed if u apply this year.

+1....literally this post is spot on

 

[2PacClone23]

Rock that dat!

 

[yappy]

I also want to throw this out there:

D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) schools will calculate your GPA by replacing grades rather than averaging them.

So if you took chem 101 and got an F. Then did a retake and got an A. That would be calculated as a 4.0. This is NOT true for dental (DDS) and allopathic (MD) medical schools which would average the two resulting in a 2.0 GPA.

You want to consider medicine (D.O.) as a career because you can do a quick GPA repair by retaking all the classes you did poorly in that resulted in a 2.66 GPA. It's a very viable career option; however, only if you're interested in medicine rather than dentistry.

Something to think about...

 

[asdfray]

I think a master program would be a good idea and kick ass in that - just to show that you're capable.
also go ahead and take your DAT and just wait apply next year. In case you don't do too well (not saying that you will), there's time to retake you know?

I'm not an expert or anything and I'm in no position to provide advice, but it's just what I would do, if I were in your shoes.

best of luck!

 

[Frank22]

Couldn't he take a few of the prerequisite science courses?

EDIT: Never mind, question answered above.

 

[Tirekicker]

no chance unless u are a minority. dont apply this year, just dont do it.....i mean do it if u want to blow some g's but otherwise dont. with a 2.6 bcp, regardless of a 20+aa, theres really no way any school will take u.......
if ure a senior now, take the next year off, and do like 35-40 credits of upper level science postbacc. and/or get a masters. u need to fix ur bcp before any ds even looks at u. your app will probably be tossed if u apply this year.

Don't waste your money. If you really want to get into dentistry then you need more preparation, such as a post-bacc or masters (you'll need to knock it out of the park!). You've got to get your GPA up. What's your major? If you've only taken prereqs then it won't take as long to get your science GPA up. Check out the under 3.0 threads for some inspiration. It's possible (I'm proof), but you've got a long, hard road ahead my friend. Good luck!

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

I'll be a senior so if I don't apply then I'll have a gap year and I have no idea what I would do. I have the ADEA book and made a list of 20 schools that are oos friendly and have averages <3.6. I know applying to that many schools will cost a few grand so what are your suggestions to do this cycle? Would any DAT score make up for the bcp?

- Would it be wise to take my transcripts to an admissions counselor and just ask if I stand a chance?

You have a 2.66 BCP. You need to do a special master's programs. Don't apply this year. We're telling you right now, you don't have much of a chance. Unless you just feel like making charitable donations.

 

[qdent]

I'll be a senior in August, so I have 3 bcp classes left to take, but 10 classes left to graduate. If my senior year goes well and I apply then would I still need the masters? I'd have everything ready to submit when the cycle opens next year, so dental schools won't even get to see my grades if I'm doing a Masters. So I'm not sure if that's the best move unless I'm waiting to apply in 2014.

Should I not even bother applying to in-state schools + surrounding states? I was initially thinking to apply to 20, but I'm not going to do that now. If I apply to 5 schools I don't think that will cost too much. Applying to 5 just to see what happens, you guys think I should at least do that?

 

[molar3]

I'll be a senior in August, so I have 3 bcp classes left to take, but 10 classes left to graduate. If my senior year goes well and I apply then would I still need the masters? I'd have everything ready to submit when the cycle opens next year, so dental schools won't even get to see my grades if I'm doing a Masters. So I'm not sure if that's the best move unless I'm waiting to apply in 2014.

Should I not even bother applying to in-state schools + surrounding states? I was initially thinking to apply to 20, but I'm not going to do that now. If I apply to 5 schools I don't think that will cost too much. Applying to 5 just to see what happens, you guys think I should at least do that?

i feel like youre being young and almost stubborn trying to force something to happen that is kind of unlikley at this point. no one here is an adcom by ANY means we are all just other predents but im sure were telling u by expirience, your bcp is too low.
if u do not want to do a masters or a postbacc like many predents have suggested, and u want to apply out of undergrad after your senior year, then i would suggest you take .......alot of science classes your senior year and 4.0 them. more then 3 classes. id say......take 20 credits of sciences? i dont know. but point is, you do not have good science grades (2.6--altho this is an average of like a B- which isnt bad, but for ds purposes .....its low). dental school is about science......it seems youre missing the point that dental schools want to see committment and that u can perform well in your sciences. getting into ds isnt about beating the system or sliding by and trying to get in that way....unfortunatley it doesnt work like that...as i said before , hope it works out for u 👍

 

[yappy]

So you're going into your senior year?

Here is what I would do if I were you. I would not get a masters, yet.

I would study all summer and get a great DAT score. Then I would aim for as close to a 4.0 next year as I could. Meaning maybe a few A- but avoid any B's like the plague because you cannot afford them.

Ideally you could take 3 sciences and 2 non-sciences as a schedule per semester for fall and spring. Be strategic about this so you don't take them from the hardest teachers or too many of the hardest classes.

If you can put off graduating for a year, by purposefully not fulfilling all your degree requirements next year, then repeat 3 sci + 2 non sci / semester @ 4.0 the next year too. Then apply with a solid DAT, an upward trend, and a BCP hopefully above 3.0.

If you're able to get the BCP above 3.0 prior to this and really do well on the DAT I can see applying after your 1st senior year.

If you did this successfully I think you could avoid a masters; but, it wont be easy to achieve and is no assurance of success.


***EDIT: also really focus on why you've been getting such low marks. You'll need to address that in order to move forward. Most likely it will mean a drastically different approach to how you study and how much time you spend studying.

I'll be a senior in August, so I have 3 bcp classes left to take, but 10 classes left to graduate. If my senior year goes well and I apply then would I still need the masters? I'd have everything ready to submit when the cycle opens next year, so dental schools won't even get to see my grades if I'm doing a Masters. So I'm not sure if that's the best move unless I'm waiting to apply in 2014.

Should I not even bother applying to in-state schools + surrounding states? I was initially thinking to apply to 20, but I'm not going to do that now. If I apply to 5 schools I don't think that will cost too much. Applying to 5 just to see what happens, you guys think I should at least do that?

 

[qdent]

I appreciate everyone's posts. I'm not trying to be stubborn, I just hate to delay starting ds. I'm just trying to figure out the quickest route to get in. My senior will be 3 bcp, but 6 total sci classes. I believe with 3 A's in bcp classes it will be right under/around a 3.0. Assuming I get straight A's my senior year (a big IF i know), then will a 3.5o/3.3s/3bcp brighten my prospects any?

I think I finally figured out good study methods, I didn't get a C this past semester. I figured it out so late that now be having chances to get accepted is being delayed that's why I wish there was just an easier method than having to get a masters.

 

[Seahawk]

I appreciate everyone's posts. I'm not trying to be stubborn, I just hate to delay starting ds. I'm just trying to figure out the quickest route to get in. My senior will be 3 bcp, but 6 total sci classes. I believe with 3 A's in bcp classes it will be right under/around a 3.0. Assuming I get straight A's my senior year (a big IF i know), then will a 3.5o/3.3s/3bcp brighten my prospects any?

I think I finally figured out good study methods, I didn't get a C this past semester. I figured it out so late that now be having chances to get accepted is being delayed that's why I wish there was just an easier method than having to get a masters.

A 3.0 BCP would give you a chance.

A masters isn't required. People are just saying that would really help you. I'm sure there are other routes you could take.

Not getting C's isn't going to cut it (It's a step in the right direction though). You need to start not getting B's if you want to get in ASAP.

 

[Tirekicker]

So you're going into your senior year?

Here is what I would do if I were you. I would not get a masters, yet.

I would study all summer and get a great DAT score. Then I would aim for as close to a 4.0 next year as I could. Meaning maybe a few A- but avoid any B's like the plague because you cannot afford them.

Ideally you could take 3 sciences and 2 non-sciences as a schedule per semester for fall and spring. Be strategic about this so you don't take them from the hardest teachers or too many of the hardest classes.

If you can put off graduating for a year, by purposefully not fulfilling all your degree requirements next year, then repeat 3 sci + 2 non sci / semester @ 4.0 the next year too. Then apply with a solid DAT, an upward trend, and a BCP hopefully above 3.0.

If you're able to get the BCP above 3.0 prior to this and really do well on the DAT I can see applying after your 1st senior year.

If you did this successfully I think you could avoid a masters; but, it wont be easy to achieve and is no assurance of success.


***EDIT: also really focus on why you've been getting such low marks. You'll need to address that in order to move forward. Most likely it will mean a drastically different approach to how you study and how much time you spend studying.

+1

This is basically what I did (delay graduation to bring up my gpa) and I'm starting this fall at Western. Good luck!