Chance Me

[LightAtTheEnd]

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Hi guys,

I recently talked with one of my professors, and the conversation made me really nervous about my chances at getting in. My overall GPA is a 3.57, and my science GPA is 3.27. I'm an English major and I have a REALLY crazy strong upward trend... like nothing below a 3.7 for the past 4 semesters. I have done really well (got an A) in all my advanced science courses including Organic Chem 1 & 2, Microbiology, Genetics, and Physiology.

I have tons of extracurricular activities, Photography, graphic design artist, saturday school teacher, caterer and almost every single one of my hobbies (henna tattoo design, sewing, jewelry making, calligraphy) are dexterous.

I have been shadowing an oral surgeon for about a month now (it's 50 hours thus far and planning on doing 100) but he said that's not enough and I should have been shadowing him "long term."

So I was asking him for a LOR, and he said he doesn't know me well enough to write anything other than "she got an A in my class." One other LOR is from another science professor (which is decent, and from an English professor, which is amazing). Oh and I know for a fact that the oral surgeon's letter is really good too.

Do you think my GPA is too low to even consider applying?? The way he was telling me to "look at other options" is making me worried. Are my LORS good enough or should I take another science class in the upcoming semester to try to get a better LOR and apply next year?

 

[KineticFlow603]

nothing to worry about imo. Just do well on your dat and you will be fine.

 

[Daneosaurus]

LOL. My boss also thought you couldn't apply to med school with anything less than a 4.0 (We were discussing med school because I work in a hospital. My boss is clearly NOT a physician). People have no idea what they are talking about. Your GPA is above average for dental school acceptance (and average also means people have to get in with scores below it). Study for and take the DAT, you have just as good a shot as many of us.

 

[ModifiedBass]

Your overall GPA is slightly above but your science GPA is below, which is more important. Have you taken the DAT yet? You should be fine if you do well on the DAT and apply broadly. HOWEVER, most schools require you to shadow a general dentist. 50 hours at an oral surgeon is plenty, but you need a good amount in general dentistry to be considered at a decent amount of schools, so look into doing that.

 

[physicalfitness]

On paper, you look good.
But you're applying this cycle and you didn't mention your dat? Its more important than your lors

I had an experience with a professor that reminds me of that. I stopped by and chatted with this professor in his office multiple times a week over a couple semesters. We talked about cars, his cats, etc. But when I asked him to write me a recommendation letter, he said because I didnt do research for him, he could only write me a 'good' letter. But he wanted me to have a 'spectacular' letter, so he said that I should ask someone else...but if I couldnt find an alternate I could resort to him.

 

[LightAtTheEnd]

I haven't taken the DAT yet, it's on July 17th. I moved it to a later date because I didn't feel like I'd be prepared by the beginning of July. I've been studying for it for about 2 weeks so hopefully, after 8 weeks, I'll get the best grade I can get. I know it's not only about numbers but what score do you think will offset my low sGPA?

I truly thought that although I didn't do too hot in Gen Chem 1 and Physics, etc, but I did well in advanced science courses, this would be looked at favorably. How big of a role do upward trends play when adcoms are looking at a GPA, especially an extreme case like mine?