DentG_XO
Full Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2020
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Hello everyone! This is my first thread so please forgive me if someone has posted a similar thread on this page.
I’m a senior about to graduate and wanting to take a gap year before dental school (planning to apply this upcoming cycle and/or the following cycle). Unfortunately, I struggled with some mental health issues during my time at my university due to the competitive nature of my university I was in and ended up with a 3.22 gpa (I was on track to have around 2.9 so I did improve immensely the last year). My science gpa is lower at a 2.95.
The issue with my GPA is almost entirely my chemistry courses. My biology courses average around a 3.5 but my chemistry grades are much lower. Received C+ in Inorganic Chem I and II and a C in Organic 1 and a D+ in Organic II (also B- in biochem but I'm honestly pretty happy with that). The unfortunately aggravating part is I reached out to student tutors, went to office hours, and studied several hours a day on my own for these organic classes. I kind of wish the problem was that I was just being lazy but, in reality, I put as much work as I could in the courses so that was pretty demotivating.
I felt the best thing to do during my gap year (or years) would be to raise those chemistry grades and my overall GPA. Would the best route be to complete a Special Masters program (I’ve applied to a masters at U of South Florida so far)? If so, are there any programs still accepting applications this late in the year?
The other option and one I would prefer is simply retaking those chemistry courses (most importantly Organic since those were low) at my local state school as a non-degree seeking student. This would be cheaper and would give me some time to focus on shadowing hours, volunteering, etc. The issue is I wasn’t sure, since I would be taking this after receiving my Bachelor’s, if this would count towards my GPA. Does anyone know if this is a valid option? I haven't heard of many students doing this.
Other stats and facts: I didn’t perform as well as I wanted on the DAT with an 18 but I plan on retaking the DAT in July after some heavy preparations I’ve done with my Kaplan book and practice problems my old Organic professor gave to me. The 18 was my first attempt which I prematurely did in December.
Volunteer Hours: 60+
Shadowing Hours: 120+ (and planning to continue during gap year)
Writing tutor and writing minor (with a 3.92 gpa in that haha perhaps writing would've been a better path for me)
Social media intern at university's Office of Environmental Science
President of the university's library student leaders
TL;DR: About to graduate with around a 3.22 gpa with mainly chemistry bringing that down. Should I just do a Special Masters Program or would it even be possible to just retake those chemistry courses as a non-degree seeking student and have it count towards my GPA?
I’m a senior about to graduate and wanting to take a gap year before dental school (planning to apply this upcoming cycle and/or the following cycle). Unfortunately, I struggled with some mental health issues during my time at my university due to the competitive nature of my university I was in and ended up with a 3.22 gpa (I was on track to have around 2.9 so I did improve immensely the last year). My science gpa is lower at a 2.95.
The issue with my GPA is almost entirely my chemistry courses. My biology courses average around a 3.5 but my chemistry grades are much lower. Received C+ in Inorganic Chem I and II and a C in Organic 1 and a D+ in Organic II (also B- in biochem but I'm honestly pretty happy with that). The unfortunately aggravating part is I reached out to student tutors, went to office hours, and studied several hours a day on my own for these organic classes. I kind of wish the problem was that I was just being lazy but, in reality, I put as much work as I could in the courses so that was pretty demotivating.
I felt the best thing to do during my gap year (or years) would be to raise those chemistry grades and my overall GPA. Would the best route be to complete a Special Masters program (I’ve applied to a masters at U of South Florida so far)? If so, are there any programs still accepting applications this late in the year?
The other option and one I would prefer is simply retaking those chemistry courses (most importantly Organic since those were low) at my local state school as a non-degree seeking student. This would be cheaper and would give me some time to focus on shadowing hours, volunteering, etc. The issue is I wasn’t sure, since I would be taking this after receiving my Bachelor’s, if this would count towards my GPA. Does anyone know if this is a valid option? I haven't heard of many students doing this.
Other stats and facts: I didn’t perform as well as I wanted on the DAT with an 18 but I plan on retaking the DAT in July after some heavy preparations I’ve done with my Kaplan book and practice problems my old Organic professor gave to me. The 18 was my first attempt which I prematurely did in December.
Volunteer Hours: 60+
Shadowing Hours: 120+ (and planning to continue during gap year)
Writing tutor and writing minor (with a 3.92 gpa in that haha perhaps writing would've been a better path for me)
Social media intern at university's Office of Environmental Science
President of the university's library student leaders
TL;DR: About to graduate with around a 3.22 gpa with mainly chemistry bringing that down. Should I just do a Special Masters Program or would it even be possible to just retake those chemistry courses as a non-degree seeking student and have it count towards my GPA?
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