Bad Organic 2 Grade....Is It A Big Factor!!??

[Bman1047]

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Okay, so I am pretty much scared out of my mind at this point, because the last year or so my science classes haven't been too great. I have a "C" in 4 of my science classes which one of them being Organic Chemistry I, and then the worst that could happen, happened last semester...I recieved a "D" in Organic Chemistry II. Now, I know there is really no room for exuses, but I had the worst teacher in the world for I & II (same person). I feel I know the subject well due to my intense studying, but when it came to his test, he went bizurk!
I am a junior and I want to apply to dental school for fall 2009. I dont have the funds nor the time to retake the course(s), not even during the summer due to the fact that I will already be taking summer courses just to gradute in 2009 with my degree(Biology) on time. I fear that this "D" on my transcript and not to mention the few other "C"s in my other science classes won't be a good look when it comes to applying. My overall GPA is pretty much shot also, with it being slightly below a 3.00 now...so I am just looking for some advice and some tips...and please be real, because I refuse to fall back on anything else and not become a dentist. I plan on taking the DAT in May, and some tell me that, that may be my last resort. I just need some feedback.

 

[toothfairy85]

To my knowledge, you have to have a C or above in all pre-requisite courses for dental school. So, yes, making a D in Organic II hurts a lot, unless you retake it. And if you do decide to retake it, you need to really shoot for an A, no less than a B, to off-set the D.

 

[kcdentist]

If you know that dentistry is what you want to do, you should stick with it. It wouldn't be the end of the world if you had to retake a few of those classes to boost your GPA and go in a year or two late (quite a few in my class have). It also depends on the schools you are applying to, your DAT score, and how impressive your application is.

 

[wigglytooth]

moving to the pre-dent forum

 

[Dentalguy08]

I think your best bet is to retake some classes. The D1 class at my school this year had a cumulative GPA around 3.7, and their science GPA was around 3.6. Even if you do well on the DAT, the admissions committee will question your ability to perform in the classroom with a full course load. If I were you, I'd retake some of your science classes in a full semester to proove that you're capable of the rigorous dental curiculum. If you think getting above C's and D's is difficult in undergrand, you will never make it through grad school level biochem, physiology, ect. I think the largest course load at our school is 32 credit hours in one semester. Good luck to you.

 

[SanOnofre2002]

That D in Ochem won't just hurt you, it will completely stop you from getting in. It's a failing grade so it might as well be an F. You have to retake that course and probably a few others to get your GPA well above 3.0. Otherwise, even with good DAT scores, you'll be a longshot for acceptance at any school.
Your not a lost cause though, just might take longer until your ready to get in.

 

[jigabodo]

What about other classes beside those you mentioned? Are they competitive? Do you still have an overall GPA above 3.2?

 

[Bman1047]

My other classes are failry decent. Last semester I got all A's and B's with the exception of that D. My overall GPA is not above a 3.2 though, it is actully under a 3.0. My grades are getting better, but as I am pretty sure you know, it is quite difficult to pull your GPA back up. I did well in Organic Lab with a B, and also did well in Physics I with another B (just mentioning my latest science classes). I know one person mentioned an overall good application, I feel I will posses one by having participated in SMDEP, volunteering at the dental school of my undergrad university with various events and functions, being on Eboards in clubs and organizations on campus. Don't get it wrong, I'm not this lazy student that wants big things to come easy....I am an extremly hard worker in everything that I do. Just when it comes to my grades, many people are stunned when they learn that I have these grades, because they dont match with who I am as a person.

 

[PCrooks]

You're not totally out the game. However, you might not be able to enter dental school as early as you want. Retake the orgo. This time with a different professor! Take it at another university if you have to. Since Ochem II builds off of Ochem I you should be able to earn a grade higher in the second semester if you truly understand the first semester. Sometimes you have to pick and choose certain semesters to take certain classes. So many students do it! It's called protecting your gpa. If you know that a certain professor is "bizurk" don't enroll in their class. Find out what other professors teach the class and when.

Also, fix the other C's in your sciences. An admission advisor from the University of Southern California College of Dentistry, once told me that if you felt like you were going to get a C in a science course then drop the class. She said that it was better to get a W than a C. That's how heavily gpa's are weighed in the selection process. Since USC gets so many applications, they first flip through the thousands of apps searching for the highest gpa's. Then they look at LOR, statement letters, and EC. Basically, in order for the admission boards (at USC) to even peek at your EC's and statement letter to find out how great of a person you are, your gpa must first warrant the response.

 

[bbakersc]

Okay, so I am pretty much scared out of my mind at this point, because the last year or so my science classes haven't been too great. I have a "C" in 4 of my science classes which one of them being Organic Chemistry I, and then the worst that could happen, happened last semester...I recieved a "D" in Organic Chemistry II. Now, I know there is really no room for exuses, but I had the worst teacher in the world for I & II (same person). I feel I know the subject well due to my intense studying, but when it came to his test, he went bizurk!
I am a junior and I want to apply to dental school for fall 2009. I dont have the funds nor the time to retake the course(s), not even during the summer due to the fact that I will already be taking summer courses just to gradute in 2009 with my degree(Biology) on time. I fear that this "D" on my transcript and not to mention the few other "C"s in my other science classes won't be a good look when it comes to applying. My overall GPA is pretty much shot also, with it being slightly below a 3.00 now...so I am just looking for some advice and some tips...and please be real, because I refuse to fall back on anything else and not become a dentist. I plan on taking the DAT in May, and some tell me that, that may be my last resort. I just need some feedback.

if it was a fluke grade... no, but you have a trend and dental schools look at trends. Turn it around... retake classes. If you really want to be a dentist then right the ship, but it will take a time and $ investment. Retake Ochem II and at least 2 of your recent c's. Then rock the DAT and you'll be okay.

 

[qwerty86]

Got C in both ORG I & II
Those were my slack off days in college. But anyways I have had 2 interviews so far.