Chances of acceptance based on my GPA and DAT?

[hky4320]

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Greetings all
I am 2014 cycle applicant.
please read my info carefully and project my chances

DAT Score (took it on Sept 2013)

PAT 20
RC 20
OC 28
GC 25
Bio 21
QR 23

TS 23
AA 23 (99.7 %)

majored in Biochemistry and I plan to graduate this summer.
My overall GPA is 3.36 and science GPA around 3.3
I performed horrible during my freshman year and first semester of sophomore (GPA ~2.8) but I worked my way up and raised it.

My GPA is below little competitive range but I hope my DAT score would back it up.
~200 hours of volunteer at church summer school (but this is during high school years)
100 hours of volunteer in hospital
~40 hours of dental shadowing
3 letters of ref. (which I don't think would be very helpful) and 1 committee letter.
Little bit weak on extracurricular activities

These are some of my list of choices

Temple Kornberg school of Dentistry
Pittsburg
University of Pennsylvania
Boston University
Rutger school of Dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University

I am worried about relatively low GPA and weak extracurr. actv.
Honest opinion about my chances on these schools please.

 

[ghn3922]

Your DAT is stellar. Although your GPA may not be all that great, it's still good. And you said you showed an upward trend. You should be fine.

 

[Jungerr]

Im in the the same situation with lower DAT and slightly higher GPA.
Bombed first year and first semester of second year, roughly the same amount of volunteer/shadowing...

I'll be applying to eleven schools and hopefully one will accept me. Good luck!

 

[JAWSSS]

I think you will get in somewhere. I DO think it will be difficult for you. You have a great DAT and a poor GPA (comparatively) and schools will see that. Dental school is a marathon, not a race. You have proven that you will do well in a race.

Also, considering you said the first 200 hours of community service were during high school, those wont count. The application is clear that all activities must take place during your undergraduate/graduate. Leaving you with 100 hours.

This is what my interviewer at Iowa told me: "100 hours [of community service from an applicant] is hard for us... because nobody dedicated 30 minutes a week for 4 years.... This person probably participated in 3-7 hour activities a FEW times during their career and thats it... thats all... The rest was spent studying and what? If that was the case we would expect a 4.0 GPA and tons of research and multiple extracurriculars, which you never see."

(This was in response to me asking her how the other parts of the application are looked at in the decision making process... then she started to rant, haha).

Again, I think you will get in somewhere because your DAT is up redeeming, just don't expect schools to come busting down doors with an interview invitation at first.