Does it matter where you go undergrad?

[Brown10]

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Has anyone had experience with this? I'm wondering if admissions consider where someone is coming from. I have a 3.23 overall/ 3.25science/3.29 BCP, but went to an ivy, will I get any credit for this? I'm sure I could have pulled better numbers somewhere else, but chose the challenge. Do you think this is considered at all?

 

[dentstd]

oh oh, pandora's box...

 

[wigglytooth]

Has anyone had experience with this? I'm wondering if admissions consider where someone is coming from. I have a 3.23 overall/ 3.25science/3.29 BCP, but went to an ivy, will I get any credit for this? I'm sure I could have pulled better numbers somewhere else, but chose the challenge. Do you think this is considered at all?

do a thread search, this was discussed recently. the general consensus is that there is no consensus. do well on the DAT, show interest in the profession (shadowing, predent club, etc) and you'll be fine.

personally, i can't say that going to penn had completely wiped out my 3.25 sci gpa, but none of my interviewers seemed to have an issue with it--maybe just the c+ i had in genetics came up twice.

 

[colby27]

well, if you get average DAT scores 20 21 then the GPA will look bad... but if you know the material and get a 23 24 then the GPA will not matter much because adcoms will factor in tough classes/ competitive other students..

 

[boo18]

I don't think 20s and 21s are average Dat scores

 

[t man]

Twice during interviews I was complimented on my "good GPA from a good school."

But ask anyone who went to a state school... they'll tell you it doesn't matter.😀

 

[t man]

well, if you get average DAT scores 20 21 then the GPA will look bad... but if you know the material and get a 23 24 then the GPA will not matter much because adcoms will factor in tough classes/ competitive other students..

21 was 92nd percentile when I took the exam... putting it oh about 42 percentile points off average.

 

[colby27]

i am not talking about the "average" 50th percentile... i mean whats a normal score to actually get into a dental school..... with a 3.3 Gpa from a Ivy and a 19 on the DAT is not going to make dental school easy to get into..... it is the truth

 

[lildentista]

its not that hard. i have a 3.2 from a good school with a 19AA and i got 3 interviews and 2 acceptances so far.

 

[Mother Thersea]

the DAT is the equalizer. if you are the real deal, then your scores will reflect that on the DAT.

 

[ghammond19]

the DAT is the equalizer. if you are the real deal, then your scores will reflect that on the DAT.

There is no way you can definitively say the DAT score determines if you're the "real deal." There are probably people with lower DAT scores that do better in dental school than higher scores. However, you do need a solid DAT to even get considered at most schools, regardless of a good GPA.

 

[jackbauer!]

There is no way you can definitively say the DAT score determines if you're the "real deal." There are probably people with lower DAT scores that do better in dental school than higher scores. However, you do need a solid DAT to even get considered at most schools, regardless of a good GPA.

there is a correlation between RC score and dental school success. however, i did crappy on RC and am doing just fine..

jb!🙂

 

[colby27]

there is a correlation between RC score and dental school success. however, i did crappy on RC and am doing just fine..

jb!🙂

define "crappy"

 

[SHC1984]

Unless you attended Harvard, Yale or Princeton (higher end ivy) I do NOT think it will make a huge difference in where you went to undergrad.

Has anyone had experience with this? I'm wondering if admissions consider where someone is coming from. I have a 3.23 overall/ 3.25science/3.29 BCP, but went to an ivy, will I get any credit for this? I'm sure I could have pulled better numbers somewhere else, but chose the challenge. Do you think this is considered at all?

 

[domonas]

GPA is the most overrated stat in determining "quality" of a student. Everyone knows about grade inflation, so what does a 3.3 vs. 3.8 mean? That's why the DAT's help determine if you really learned anything during the class. I can guarentee that there are people with 3.5+ GPA's that have dookie DAT scores or a 2.8 GPA with 20+ DAT's on every section.

Unfortunately, the GPA's are a necessary evil for dental schools to weed out applicants due to their large volume of them. OP, your GPA is fine, just do well on the DAT's (along with writing a good letter and getting good recs), and I'm sure you'll be getting invites soon enough! Good luck!

 

[ibeflossin]

Unless you attended Harvard, Yale or Princeton (higher end ivy) I do NOT think it will make a huge difference in where you went to undergrad.

HAHA. Who decides what is "higher end." I mean, going to CALTECH and having class sizes of 12 isn't an IVY, yet very very very competitive! And I think a GPA from CALTECH is very different than a GPA anywhere else.

 

[wildcat03]

I go to a top 10 school and I have all 3 of my GPAs (BCP, science and overall) between a 3.2 and a 3.3, My DAT is 20/21/20 and I have had 4 interviews and from my experience of predents at my school, if you have over a 3.0 and a DAT over 20 (I dont know anyone from my school who has gotten under 20), then you will be absolutely fine and get in somewhere. The school doesnt seem to matter so much if you have anything less than a 3.0 GPA... PM me for more info