confused

[jazzyjaz]

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hey guys im new to this forum but i have been reading for a long time now and found this everyones post invaluable to my predental career. i have applied to the 2006 cycle and...no luck thus far. i guess i will be be reapplying next year 🙁 since i have basically nothing to do for a year i thought i would look into a postbacc program- i came across harvard exension school and wanted to know if anyone could give any feedback on the program. i read that many premeds enroll in it but i havent heard anything from the predents- anyone else interested in it? i am planning on reapplying in june but i wanted to know how that would work since i wouldnt be starting the program at HES by the time i applied...is it a waste if i decided to go to HES since it really wouldnt help me much? how does the whole post bacc thing work anyway? i mean am i supposed to wait and not this june but next june?? so confused!! 😕

 

[polarnut]

what are you stats, what have you done outside of class, and when did you apply? cant really give you solid advice without knowing those basic facts 🙂

 

[jazzyjaz]

what are you stats, what have you done outside of class, and when did you apply? cant really give you solid advice without knowing those basic facts 🙂

I have a 3.2 gpa...did poorly on my DAT 17/14 retaking in April. i have three years of volunteer experience at a dental clinic- solid letters of rec and three years of research experience i have been president of perdental club on campus as well as a board member for a few other clubs- i hope that helps and thanks for the reply polarnut 🙂

 

[teefRcool]

you definitely have great extra currics then, more than most people so you have that luggage there. Your gpa isn't great but it isn't bad either. All you need is some descent DAT scores 20+ and you will get into somwhere.

 

[Thoreau]

you definitely have great extra currics then, more than most people so you have that luggage there. Your gpa isn't great but it isn't bad either. All you need is some descent DAT scores 20+ and you will get into somwhere.

I second that DAT scores of 20+ would definetly help you get in somewhere. Raising your GPA would probably give you more leverage to attend a place you'd like. Best of luck. 👍

 

[geckel]

you definitely have great extra currics then, more than most people so you have that luggage there. Your gpa isn't great but it isn't bad either. All you need is some descent DAT scores 20+ and you will get into somwhere.

Agreed..........a 3.2 won't make you stand out but your EC's do! I was an officer in my pre-dent club at UT and also had a 3.2 GPA, but was denied last year because my DAT's were a 17/16/17. I brought those up to a 21/21/23 and I just found out that I got accepted today!

My advice to you is to dedicate this summer to the DAT. Sign up for kaplan online and follow their instructional syllabus in the order it is presented.....I feel that this is key to maximal preparation. Referance textbooks and any other supplemental material that you can get your hands on as you go. Do not cloud your mind with other info that is not on the DAT(aka....don't take classes when studying for the DAT). After you have finished the DAT(aka......followed my advice and kicked it's ass!) take classes in the fall that will benifit you the most(aka......all science classes so that your overall and science GPA will increase together). As for a specific post-bacc program, I was under the impression that those are granted with priority to under privledged individuals. My plan was to just take upper level science classes as a non-degree seeking student. In fact, even though I am accepted now I am still stuck in a hellish semester because of this(aka.....I don't have time to do anything fun until this summer 😡 ) but it would have worked if I had to reapply.
I hope that you find my advice helpfull........but when it comes down to it only you know what is right for you. The fact that you are posting SDN tells me that you are motivated and I'm sure that you will land a spot in dental school soon enough. Best of luck to you.

 

[DIRTIE]

hey guys im new to this forum but i have been reading for a long time now and found this everyones post invaluable to my predental career. i have applied to the 2006 cycle and...no luck thus far. i guess i will be be reapplying next year 🙁 since i have basically nothing to do for a year i thought i would look into a postbacc program- i came across harvard exension school and wanted to know if anyone could give any feedback on the program. i read that many premeds enroll in it but i havent heard anything from the predents- anyone else interested in it? i am planning on reapplying in june but i wanted to know how that would work since i wouldnt be starting the program at HES by the time i applied...is it a waste if i decided to go to HES since it really wouldnt help me much? how does the whole post bacc thing work anyway? i mean am i supposed to wait and not this june but next june?? so confused!! 😕

I would not do any more schooling, save your money, so you can afford all of your interviews next year.
Look your GPA is not that bad, but your DAT stinks.
Since you have been reading this forum for a while you should know this but I will help you out anyways.

The criteria in general that an admissions commitee looks at is like this, with many exceptions, but as far as getting interviews, which are the only way to get accepted

GPA: 40%
DAT: 30%
all ECs: 10%
Interview: 20%

Something like that. So as you can see at least for getting an interview about 90% of the criteria is your GPA and your DAT. You need to get a 20 on the AA of your DAT with your GPA if you want to be sitting fine this time next year, now you will hear all sorts of different opininions and garbage from numerous people, but this is it, listen to me and you will get in to multiple schools.

 

[jazzyjaz]

I would not do any more schooling, save your money, so you can afford all of your interviews next year.
Look your GPA is not that bad, but your DAT stinks.
Since you have been reading this forum for a while you should know this but I will help you out anyways.

The criteria in general that an admissions commitee looks at is like this, with many exceptions, but as far as getting interviews, which are the only way to get accepted

GPA: 40%
DAT: 30%
all ECs: 10%
Interview: 20%

Something like that. So as you can see at least for getting an interview about 90% of the criteria is your GPA and your DAT. You need to get a 20 on the AA of your DAT with your GPA if you want to be sitting fine this time next year, now you will hear all sorts of different opininions and garbage from numerous people, but this is it, listen to me and you will get in to multiple schools.

Thanks for all your advice! I have decided not to take part in a formal post bacc program and I may or may not take more classes (I have a year to do nothing so it depends on how bored I get...yes I do work full time but I am used to working and going to school at the same time)- but I will definitely rock the DAT this summer- thanks for the motivation.

For all those interested in post baccs and think that they are only for minorities/under privledge you need to check out Harvard Extension School- its not competitve and it welcomes individuals from all backgrounds.

Again thanks for the advice! Much appreciated 🙂

 

[jazzyjaz]

Agreed..........a 3.2 won't make you stand out but your EC's do! I was an officer in my pre-dent club at UT and also had a 3.2 GPA, but was denied last year because my DAT's were a 17/16/17. I brought those up to a 21/21/23 and I just found out that I got accepted today!

My advice to you is to dedicate this summer to the DAT. Sign up for kaplan online and follow their instructional syllabus in the order it is presented.....I feel that this is key to maximal preparation. Referance textbooks and any other supplemental material that you can get your hands on as you go. Do not cloud your mind with other info that is not on the DAT(aka....don't take classes when studying for the DAT). After you have finished the DAT(aka......followed my advice and kicked it's ass!) take classes in the fall that will benifit you the most(aka......all science classes so that your overall and science GPA will increase together). As for a specific post-bacc program, I was under the impression that those are granted with priority to under privledged individuals. My plan was to just take upper level science classes as a non-degree seeking student. In fact, even though I am accepted now I am still stuck in a hellish semester because of this(aka.....I don't have time to do anything fun until this summer 😡 ) but it would have worked if I had to reapply.
I hope that you find my advice helpfull........but when it comes down to it only you know what is right for you. The fact that you are posting SDN tells me that you are motivated and I'm sure that you will land a spot in dental school soon enough. Best of luck to you.

Congrats on the acceptance! Thanks for the advice on how to study for the DAT- did following Kaplan's schedule really work sometimes I get nervous and think that its not enough and I need to do more-I guess I just have some trust issues- but I will take your advice and follow their plan....anything is better than getting a 17/14. I'll let you know how I did after I kick its ass 😉