Any suggestions from my current stats?

[Quickfast RP]

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Hey guys so I am a third year and I wanted to apply to dental schools in this upcoming cycle for 2010. Here are my stats, i appreciate constructive criticism but dont be an @ss, and yes i know my GPA is lower than the average lowest. I just have been dealing with alot of stuff since day 1 in college and everything just always being a disaaster with me uptil now.

G.P.A 2.62
TS - 21
AA - 23
PAT - 24

-Over 300 hours shadowing/working with a dentist
-Board member for the biggest multicultural student ran group on campus for 3 years
-80 hours for working at the corners office as an assitant to pathologists.
-Captain for a competetive intercollegiate dance team for 2 years
-Excellent LoR's from faculty and dentists

Thanks, again constructive criticism please i know my big weaknesses and you dont need to be rude to point them out and comment on them.

 

[klutzy1987]

Hey guys so I am a third year and I wanted to apply to dental schools in this upcoming cycle for 2010. Here are my stats, i appreciate constructive criticism but dont be an @ss, and yes i know my GPA is lower than the average lowest. I just have been dealing with alot of stuff since day 1 in college and everything just always being a disaaster with me uptil now.

G.P.A 2.62
TS - 21
AA - 23
PAT - 24

-Over 300 hours shadowing/working with a dentist
-Board member for the biggest multicultural student ran group on campus for 3 years
-80 hours for working at the corners office as an assitant to pathologists.
-Captain for a competetive intercollegiate dance team for 2 years
-Excellent LoR's from faculty and dentists

Thanks, again constructive criticism please i know my big weaknesses and you dont need to be rude to point them out and comment on them.

I would do a 1 year masters or something so that you can have a graduate GPA and make sure that is a 4.00. The DAT scores are great so you dont have to worry about that. remember though that they are only valid for 3 years so make sure that you apply to school before the 3 years after your DAT test date.

 

[Istr8nthem]

Here is my perspective on your situation. You MUST get your GPA above 3.0 cumulative and science. You also MUST show a general upward trend in your grades. You have a nice DAT score, but admins will not be able to overlook your GPA unless you are able to show that you have grown up, moved past hard times, and learned to be a "good" student able to succeed in dental school. They will not take a chance on a student if they are worried they will get to dental school and have those same problems they had in undergrad and end up being dismissed.... big $$ loss for dental school and for you. That being said, if/when you get an interview, you must demonstrate in your personal statement and interview that you are a different person than you were in your undergrad years and you are ABLE to handle the demands of a dental student. You can discover the cure for AIDS, but if they feel you are not going to be able to handle the demanding schedule and multidisciplinary course load of a dental student, they will simply pass on you even with the DAT scores. You have demonstrated that you are an intelligent person by doing well on your DAT's, but you still need to demonstrate that you will be successful on a daily basis once in dental school and the only way to do that is by killing the rest of undergrad and owning up for a sub-par start.

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. I have served on dental school and specialty admissions committees and have some insight into what can help you.

 

[wodehouse]

Where did you go to school? Is there some event that explains the low gpa?

 

[CountinCavities]

I think you know the answer, you HAVE to improve that GPA. Either get a masters or take a crap load of undergrad sciences to boost that GPA at least to a low 3.0.

Wow, I'm really impressed with your DAT. how did you do so well on the DAT? I really need tips from you b/c you are a very extreme case. How did you study?

 

[CountinCavities]

Also, it might be a good idea to lay off the EC's. You have plenty and they may be poorly affecting your GPA?

 

[Dentista08]

Hey guys so I am a third year and I wanted to apply to dental schools in this upcoming cycle for 2010. Here are my stats, i appreciate constructive criticism but dont be an @ss, and yes i know my GPA is lower than the average lowest. I just have been dealing with alot of stuff since day 1 in college and everything just always being a disaaster with me uptil now.

G.P.A 2.62
TS - 21
AA - 23
PAT - 24

-Over 300 hours shadowing/working with a dentist
-Board member for the biggest multicultural student ran group on campus for 3 years
-80 hours for working at the corners office as an assitant to pathologists.
-Captain for a competetive intercollegiate dance team for 2 years
-Excellent LoR's from faculty and dentists

Thanks, again constructive criticism please i know my big weaknesses and you dont need to be rude to point them out and comment on them.

whats ur sci gpa?
apply to uop.. ur dats are awesome, i know that they are very lenient with the gpa, but not with the dats. make sure to explain in your ps why its low. maybe call them and talk to Cathy. Good luck!!

 

[playa2652]

Honestly, I would do a master's program to boost your GPA. I know that UoP is leniently with GPA, but a 2.6 is not competitive enough even with really good DAT scores. Congrats on those scores though. Your EC's are pretty solid, but with the current economic recession, dental schools are raising their standards in all categories. Good luck.

 

[Quickfast RP]

Well i go to school at UC Davis (very prestigous nationally from what i hear), in terms of things that went wrong i mean, my parents were about to get separated so that was something that was affecting me for about a year since its something really unique for my culture/heritage thus it having a great impact, nothing something common so i didnt know how to deal with it. Also I am an international student so i mean finanical concerns and status requirement were constantly haunting me, in addition honestly i go to a public school, no one gives a crap about you here, no one is willing to help, professors are not wanting to make an extra hour or so for office hours so you can come, its really brutal here. I dont want my hand held and dragged but little support from the faculty is absent here, something i totally dont agree and like.

In terms of DAT's i just cracked down, did my stuff, i have a knack for PAT so thats that, and other wise i just really strugguled and studied for the TS, QR, and RC part.

Also the bad thing about myGPA is that MOST grad schools wont even touch me because I am not at a 3.0. Just feels like like life's expereinces and struggles really have put me back. I understand alot of EC's but im trying to be well rounded whether socially, academically, or in a workplace, seem like I am just failing with my academic parts. School has just been a drag and its really hard to get the motivation to begin improvement especially when im a $hit**le already.

Also my Sci Gpa is around a 2.6 as well.


Please let me know what you guys think, your input is such a motivation/support/help to me and the more the better!

 

[printer21]

You're still in your junior year so you have one more year to go. I would say wait a extra year and then apply. You can get your GPA up pretty fast to 3.0+ if you get a few A's in science classes. Mess around with your science GPA and what you need to get to get 3.0+ with this... http://wesleying.blogspot.com/2006/12/gpa-calculator.html . (It's an excel sheet.)

By the way, when did you take the DAT and when did you study for it? I have a relatively low GPA myself and haven't taken the DAT yet but its encouraging to see scores like yours. 🙂

 

[CountinCavities]

By the way, when did you take the DAT and when did you study for it? I have a relatively low GPA myself and haven't taken the DAT yet but its encouraging to see scores like yours. 🙂

These low GPA/high DAT scores make me so motivated to study really hard! I am always so interested in the study methods.

 

[Waitlisted2009]

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[Quickfast RP]

Well basically I took the kaplan classes, and then I worked very hard and a week before the test i did nothing but online kaplan review stuff, and practice tests that i made them get for me (like 10+) in their archives. so yea a week before i did not do anything but DAT like 14 hours a day, thats about it.

Yea i also think I might just do a masters for 2 years with a thesis so that I get a masters in something research specific while getting better grades and mid-way thru my masters i will apply when i have my 1st year master grades and my 4th year of college to show for it.

Any ideas on that pathway as well?

 

[NyCzPeter]

Ouch, nice dee ats but I think its fair to say that the only way to have a shot is with a masters. Good Luck

 

[chund]

Can you try and pick up a second major or a minor that is science bases and maybe go for a fifth year in order to really raise your GPA. This way you don't have to worry about being accepted into a masters program and you can save some time.. If you are serious and think you can nail it, i would look at this possiblity. When asked why you went the fifth year, just tell the truth. You needed to raise your GPA so you picked up a minor because you were very intent on becoming a dentist. You may want to ask around, but i went for 4 1/2 years and it never even came up.. But i did have a minor and 153 credit hours, with none coming from HS...

 

[MowgliR]

Can you try and pick up a second major or a minor that is science bases and maybe go for a fifth year in order to really raise your GPA. This way you don't have to worry about being accepted into a masters program and you can save some time.. If you are serious and think you can nail it, i would look at this possiblity. When asked why you went the fifth year, just tell the truth. You needed to raise your GPA so you picked up a minor because you were very intent on becoming a dentist. You may want to ask around, but i went for 4 1/2 years and it never even came up.. But i did have a minor and 153 credit hours, with none coming from HS...

Im going to have that many too. No AP credits coming in. When they look at my transcript its gna be so packed.