application advice

[rue]

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hello everybody....
I am getting ready to make my application this summer for dental school. i have just completed my masters in bio with a 3.4 gpa. I have a poor undergrad record and that is why i did a masters. i am targetting west coast schools as my boyfriend is there. I will be doing my dat's soon and i am trying to shoot for the 20's. I was wondering if anyone has any advice for my application, to be more direct does anyone have any advice on how to do my personal statement, especially how to explain my undergrad grades. I have always worked 2 jobs at a time to pay for my tuition (i don't know if that matters). I was able to go to dental assisting school while i was still working on my undergrad degree and so i have about 3-4yrs of dental assisting experience. By the way i had one rough semester during my grad school and got a couple of C's should i try to explain that in my statement too? or is my final gpa satisfactory? My other question is does anyones know of any schools i should probably concentrate on? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[Rajan247]

Rue,

You have alot you can use in personal statement

I would talk about how your early years as a frosh having so many choices available to you was overwhelming and how you found more direction and focus in your latter undergrad years (d-assisting school turned you on to dentistry) and post-grad school gave you a greater opportunity to mature and focus on your academic abilities. Talk about your grad experience (succe ssful admission to Grad school is an accomplishment) and how it helped you develop time management, academic skills. You can also develop it with while working hard and efficently(2 jobs to pay for tution) you maintained a competitive status.

(I wouldnt id your weakness in terms of getting C's as this brings attention to something you dont want, rather, talk about you maintained being competitive while multi-tasking)

Don't discount your abilities, you have experience in the d-assisting which is huge especially seeing that you did it for 3-4yrs and would focus on how it honed your manual dexterity made your realize the skills of the dentists and expand this with teamwork and patient care and other things you saw. As a d-assistant you hungered for more, etc.

Schools to concerntrate on, i cant provide any help there. Thats just research and preference.

knock out a good DAT score and i think you'll be ok.

I hope this helps get you started.

Raj

 

[Papa_Smurf]

I think this is excellent advice. I would include if possible, any leadership positions held in you two jobs, and any research opportunities you had during you masters or undergrad. For instance if you did a dissertation for you masters by all means include that. I agree that you should not draw attention to any perceived weaknesses. What can not be stressed enough is to apply early. Let me say that again apply early. Good luck!

 

[rue]

thanks to both of you for the great advice, i will definetly try to ace the DAT's and will let you know how my application process goes.