Do I even qualify for dental school?

[jphan]

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previously had a degree in Bussiness Computer Information System, but i had decided to go back to school and get a Biochem degree to go to dental school. However, when i first started taking science courses again, it was very hard to get back in the game because it was a long time since i had any science classes since high school. Therefore right now my science GPA is only about 3.2 while my overall GPA is 3.54. I took the DAT 2 times and my lastest score was 18 in science, 17 in pat, 18 in math, 22 in reading and 18 overall. However, i have gotten 2 rejections for this cycle already saying that i was not competitive enough. My question to all of you if you could answer me is, do i even have a chance in dental school? Should i be thinking of some alternates? because i had called the universities that have not rejected me and they all told me that i need at least a since GPA of 3.8 and a DAT of 19 or higher. So appreciated because i have been so down, since dentistry is my passion, but i have not followed my dreams the first time, i do not want to make the same mistakes. Thank you you guys

 

[BuckeyeDent]

jphan,

I had a business economics degree when I was an undergrad and ended up getting a minor in natural science and got accepted to dental school. My GPA was higher than yours, but my DAT scores were lower.

It really depends on what schools you are trying to get in to. If you are from a state that has an in-state dental school, I would say your chances are pretty good to get in (around 90%). If you are out of state, you should have applied for numerous schools and I'm sure you will get a few interviews. Your grades aren't that bad. If you get rejected from all of your schools, go back and take some upper level science classes to raise your GPA. You'll be sure to get in somewhere. If it's REALLY what you want to do, go establish residency somewhere with a state with a public school.

 

[jphan]

well, i am from minnesota, and i have tried to apply, but recently got rejected saying that i was not competitive enough.
I have also applied to other schools in the surrounding areas like
Iowa- putting my application on hold
Michigan-rejected
Indiana-rejected
Missouri-kansas city told me that i needed a DAT of 20 to even be considered for an interview because i am out of state

i have not heard from
Marquette
Ohio
Nebraska
North Carolina

this is my second time applying already, and i just get so disappointed since school is costing too much and i am running out of time 🙂
thank you for your response

 

[electron]

your GPA is not bad at all. The nations average GPA of acceptance sits around a 3.3. Your DAT is not horrible but it wouldn't be a bad idea to retake it again and really focus on the sciences this time. Schools love the sciences, not to mention it should raise that AA of yours as well. Also I would suggest you apply to more schools then the ones youve listed. How are your EC's? Let them know your passionate about the field and as long as your strive for it youll definately be in dental school. Check out www.predents.com and look at last years cycle to see who got into what school. Its also a great resource to check out what percentage of out of staters schools accept as well. If you got the passion, youll be there man!

good luck to ya

 

[Rube]

well, i am from minnesota, and i have tried to apply, but recently got rejected saying that i was not competitive enough.
I have also applied to other schools in the surrounding areas like
Iowa- putting my application on hold
Michigan-rejected
Indiana-rejected
Missouri-kansas city told me that i needed a DAT of 20 to even be considered for an interview because i am out of state

i have not heard from
Marquette
Ohio
Nebraska
North Carolina

this is my second time applying already, and i just get so disappointed since school is costing too much and i am running out of time 🙂
thank you for your response

My advice: Go and make a sit down appt with the dean of admissions at MN. Ask him/her point blank to review your file, what YOU need to do to gain admission. Be honest and straightforward and complete. Be friendly and heed the advice. Then f/u with the dean throughout the year via e-mail to let him/her know your progress in what she's instructed you to do. Personal contacts are huge. You sound like you need a friend. Make one at MN.

Volunteer in your community. I've said this before and I'll say it again. The purpose of a state school is to provide a cheaper education to residents of that state who will serve the residents of that state. That is their mandate from the legislature. They are not looking to take a bunch of selfish future cosmetic beauty-parlor dentists who won't look out for regular people. Show them that you'll appreciate your discounted education, that you'll help them achieve their goal by taking care of Minnesotans. Show them by your actions of volunteering for the everyday people of MN. Work in a low income dental clinic. Volunteer as an EMT or figherfighter.

Secondly, don't blinding go taking a bunch of classes to move your gpa up 1/10 of a point. That's expensive and not that effective. Rely on the information from the dean to guide you.

Third, kick butt on the DAT. Spend the money on a course.

 

[nvpremolar]

We have students in our school that couldn't get into dental school in their state. They were told to move to Vegas to establish residency for 1 year and they were accepted. We even have a couple Minnesota students that did it. Your GPA and DAT's look just fine--I wouldn't give up.

 

[jphan]

thank you for your suggestion, can i ask you how's life in las vegas? I am from a very small town in minnesota, i did not select a lot of schools because i was so afraid that i would not fit in and las vegas was one of them.
Is it right in the heart of las vegas? and is the standards of living high? it seems to me like a city that would be high to live in through. I am also on my own, so besides from working to pay my undergrad education right now i do not have a lot, so that's why i am so afraid to move to a big city.
any infor is appreciated, thanks so much

 

[purduephigam]

First off, the majority of the schools you applied to are state schools (Michigan technically is private), with the exception of Marquette. Being from Minnesota you should really only apply to Minnesota and other private schools (Tufts, Boston, NYU, Nova, Arizona, etc). I agree with what's been said by taking more upper level courses to raise your numbers as well as prove your dedication. I would also suggest you retake the DAT. Study hard for it until June or so and take it. Just keep in mind that there is a new rule in effect to where you're only allowed to take the DAT three times. Being that you've taken it twice, I would really buckle down and make this last one count. Good luck.

 

[12YearOldKid]

Expand your list of schools. It's OK to apply to those state schools you have listed, but your chances are weak. Look at NOVA, NYU, UOP, UNLV, Case, Penn, and some of the other private schools. If you apply to all those schools I have listed you will almost certainly get accepted somewhere.

 

[12YearOldKid]

Oops, looks like someone already posted the same thing. Consider yourself doubly advised.

 

[MaxAnn]

You will be fine. A lot of getting into dental school is knowing the right person. You will also find that this trend will continue after dental school if you choose to specialize. No sh**

 

[jphan]

thank you everybody for your valuable advise.
however, my big question to you all is, i seem to do every well in O chem and also inorganic chem, but i cannot do well on my bio part because i had very very bad professors, cannot seem to retain anything from those bio classes. I bought the kaplan book, but i get to overwhelmed when reading it then when i take the test nothing seems to come out. I guess i am very bad at taking long tests. But i will buckle down and think of some other ways
and another question, besides from being expensive, are there any other differences between private and state schools?

 

[Rube]

but i cannot do well on my bio part because i had very very bad professors, cannot seem to retain anything from those bio classes. I bought the kaplan book, but i get to overwhelmed when reading it then when i take the test nothing seems to come out. I guess i am very bad at taking long tests. But i will buckle down and think of some other ways
and another question, besides from being expensive, are there any other differences between private and state schools?

May I suggest to stop worrying about your old professors or classes and go and get a biology text book at your local library or perhaps you have some from undergrad biology. Read the subject matter on questions you keep missing on DAT practice exams. This helped me a lot and it should help you too.

May I ask, what is your experience with dentistry or pt care? I am not try to be accusatory, I genuinely would like to see you successful, but I am struck by the fact that you've never mentioned a little about who you are to us. (could this be why you're not presenting a successful application? ) You've presented yourself as 2 statistics, GPA and DAT scores. I'm sure there is more to you, for example. Pt care? work experience (paid or volunteer), are you a parent? military? hobbies? ect.

 

[jphan]

May I suggest to stop worrying about your old professors or classes and go and get a biology text book at your local library or perhaps you have some from undergrad biology. Read the subject matter on questions you keep missing on DAT practice exams. This helped me a lot and it should help you too.

May I ask, what is your experience with dentistry or pt care? I am not try to be accusatory, I genuinely would like to see you successful, but I am struck by the fact that you've never mentioned a little about who you are to us. (could this be why you're not presenting a successful application? ) You've presented yourself as 2 statistics, GPA and DAT scores. I'm sure there is more to you, for example. Pt care? work experience (paid or volunteer), are you a parent? military? hobbies? ect.

I have not had a lot of dentistry experience aside from shadowing two dentists in my area, one was a general dentist for around 20 hours and the other one was a pediatic dentist for 20 hours. I am not sure if dental offices like volunteers so i never asked, i only shadowed them as they permitted me to.
i am volunteering at my local hospital on the oncology dept, and also do catholic charities whenever time permitted. It is hard for me to do a lot of volunteering because i have already got an undergrad degree and i need to work almost full time to pay my tuition and living expenses. I have been working as a waitress since i started to go back to school because the hours are more flexible. I am working on my thesis right now to get a biochem degree in the spring of 07, so i am thinking of working at a dental lab if i am not accepted to dental school this year.

Anybody in here volunteered for a dental office before? Do they let you? i would like to but have no idea how to approach them. thanks

 

[jphan]

May I suggest to stop worrying about your old professors or classes and go and get a biology text book at your local library or perhaps you have some from undergrad biology. Read the subject matter on questions you keep missing on DAT practice exams. This helped me a lot and it should help you too.

May I ask, what is your experience with dentistry or pt care? I am not try to be accusatory, I genuinely would like to see you successful, but I am struck by the fact that you've never mentioned a little about who you are to us. (could this be why you're not presenting a successful application? ) You've presented yourself as 2 statistics, GPA and DAT scores. I'm sure there is more to you, for example. Pt care? work experience (paid or volunteer), are you a parent? military? hobbies? ect.

I have not had a lot of dentistry experience aside from shadowing two dentists in my area, one was a general dentist for around 20 hours and the other one was a pediatic dentist for 20 hours. I am not sure if dental offices like volunteers so i never asked, i only shadowed them as they permitted me to.
i am volunteering at my local hospital on the oncology dept, and also do catholic charities whenever time permitted. It is hard for me to do a lot of volunteering because i have already got an undergrad degree and i need to work almost full time to pay my tuition and living expenses. I have been working as a waitress since i started to go back to school because the hours are more flexible. I am working on my thesis right now to get a biochem degree in the spring of 07, so i am thinking of working at a dental lab if i am not accepted to dental school this year.

Anybody in here volunteered for a dental office before? Do they let you? i would like to but have no idea how to approach them. thanks

 

[HuyetKiem]

a dental assistant's job on the weekend may help your application. You should retake your DAT and apply as many schools as possible next cycle.

 

[Rube]

Glad to hear more about your application. I sent you a PM.

 

[wireless_doc]

well, i am from minnesota, and i have tried to apply, but recently got rejected saying that i was not competitive enough.
I have also applied to other schools in the surrounding areas like
Iowa- putting my application on hold
Michigan-rejected
Indiana-rejected
Missouri-kansas city told me that i needed a DAT of 20 to even be considered for an interview because i am out of state

i have not heard from
Marquette
Ohio
Nebraska
North Carolina

this is my second time applying already, and i just get so disappointed since school is costing too much and i am running out of time 🙂
thank you for your response

Although your numbers are not great, they are not bad overall. I think the issue here is that you applied to wrong schools. Most state schools on your list take very few students from other states. There's a link under link of interest that shows stats and number of applicants (applied/accepted/in/outstate). You should look over it. It may be too late to add now, but you should call schools and see if you still can add. Predents is good, but only represents a small population, most of them are SDNers. Most of the ones that posted there and here most likely are way above average students. Good luck with the process!

 

[jphan]

thank you wireless_doc, that sure helped boost my confidence 🙂
i was just wondering what website you are talking about? I know about the predents, but i am not sure about the other one you are talking about. can you please give me the website? I have learned so much since i found this website, for sure next cycle i will be a smarter applicant 🙂

 

[nvpremolar]

thank you for your suggestion, can i ask you how's life in las vegas? I am from a very small town in minnesota, i did not select a lot of schools because i was so afraid that i would not fit in and las vegas was one of them.
Is it right in the heart of las vegas? and is the standards of living high? it seems to me like a city that would be high to live in through. I am also on my own, so besides from working to pay my undergrad education right now i do not have a lot, so that's why i am so afraid to move to a big city.
any infor is appreciated, thanks so much

I was also apprehensive about moving to a big town but I got used to it very quick. Honestly, you are in class from 8-5 and studying the rest so you don't really have to worry about occupying yourself. Traffic is bad here but you get used to it. The school is centrally located in kind of a rough neighborhood so its not a good ideas to live close to the school. As far as the people here, you will spend most of your time with dental students both in and out of class. I can't say that I love Vegas but I do like the school, the students, and the night life. I definitley don't regret my decision.

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

My advice: Go and make a sit down appt with the dean of admissions at MN. Ask him/her point blank to review your file, what YOU need to do to gain admission. Be honest and straightforward and complete. Be friendly and heed the advice. Then f/u with the dean throughout the year via e-mail to let him/her know your progress in what she's instructed you to do. Personal contacts are huge. You sound like you need a friend. Make one at MN.

Volunteer in your community. I've said this before and I'll say it again. The purpose of a state school is to provide a cheaper education to residents of that state who will serve the residents of that state. That is their mandate from the legislature. They are not looking to take a bunch of selfish future cosmetic beauty-parlor dentists who won't look out for regular people. Show them that you'll appreciate your discounted education, that you'll help them achieve their goal by taking care of Minnesotans. Show them by your actions of volunteering for the everyday people of MN. Work in a low income dental clinic. Volunteer as an EMT or figherfighter.

Secondly, don't blinding go taking a bunch of classes to move your gpa up 1/10 of a point. That's expensive and not that effective. Rely on the information from the dean to guide you.

Third, kick butt on the DAT. Spend the money on a course.

Also don't forget to send him a copy of "Fargo" too. Make sure it is the special edition! DP