Does undergrad school matter

[birdman12345]

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I was wondering if the school you attend undergrad has any influence on getting into dental school. I've noticed many people have 4.0 gpa's from a community college. How does that compare to someone with a 3.5 from a really good school? Dont dental schools recognize what the good undergrad schools are and which ones are micky mouse schools.

 

[crazy_sherm]

From what i've observed, the name of the undergrad doesn't matter so much for admission purposes. What will matter later on is whether your undergrad has prepared you well enough. Getting a 4.0 at a mickey mouse school might not have been hard as getting a 3.0 at a really tough school and it'll reflect on your DAT or amount of time you'll need to put in during dental school.

 

[Richnator]

I was wondering if the school you attend undergrad has any influence on getting into dental school. I've noticed many people have 4.0 gpa's from a community college. How does that compare to someone with a 3.5 from a really good school? Dont dental schools recognize what the good undergrad schools are and which ones are micky mouse schools.

Decent GPA and a good DAT score will get you anywhere. If you score a 24 on the DAT, I am sure you will able to get into 99 percent of the dental schools out there because DAT is standardized. That means it is a consistent benchmark of a person's potential. However, if you have a 3.6 gpa and score a 16 DAT, that is a big indication to admissions that you went to a joke school for undergrad.

Hope this helps,
Rich

 

[JavadiCavity]

From what i've observed, the name of the undergrad doesn't matter so much for admission purposes. What will matter later on is whether your undergrad has prepared you well enough. Getting a 4.0 at a mickey mouse school might not have been hard as getting a 3.0 at a really tough school and it'll reflect on your DAT or amount of time you'll need to put in during dental school.

Amen brotha!

 

[3rdMolarRoller]

Yes undergrad matters. Admin's know that grade inflation is rampant and they have a list of schools that have a % of A's given, B's....etc. Believe it or not this info is out there (among regional and national accrediation agencies); even the amount of students admitted and those that drop out. Hell even the ADA keeps tab on this among dental schools.

Now does that mean that you go to Ivy you are safe, think again. Those are among the top of the list of grade inflation.

I talk with admins all the time. If you have a 3.7 and a 18 dat, something is funky. The DAT is the thing that standardizes applicants.

 

[syn_apse]

i can't speak for anybody else, but i know that my undergraduate/graduate school definitely helped me gain acceptances. some dental schools will even scale your GPA with respect to the academic reputation of your institution.

that being said, not going to a top tier school isn't the end of the world because there are only a few of them anyways. if you get good grades and rock your dat then your undergraduate school (among other things) is moot.

 

[howui3]

I don't think the name of the school matters that much, if you do well in school it will reflect accorsingly on your DAT.

Some schools, Tufts especially, will not take pre-dent classes (ie bio, chem, physics, etc) at a community college. So call the school to make sure you are ok if you have taken courses at CC.

 

[Mustt Mustt]

I don't think the name of the school matters that much, if you do well in school it will reflect accorsingly on your DAT.

Some schools, Tufts especially, will not take pre-dent classes (ie bio, chem, physics, etc) at a community college. So call the school to make sure you are ok if you have taken courses at CC.

Tufts sucks. I can't believe I wasted my $50 for them. I receieved an Interview but I won't be going due to the fact that they don't accept CC credits. Now are they stupid or just ignorant. I mean they know I have CC pre-req and they don't accept it so why even give me an interview and waste my money for the interview. I will never get schools like this.

 

[Mustt Mustt]

I was wondering if the school you attend undergrad has any influence on getting into dental school. I've noticed many people have 4.0 gpa's from a community college. How does that compare to someone with a 3.5 from a really good school? Dont dental schools recognize what the good undergrad schools are and which ones are micky mouse schools.

No it does not matter if you do well in your DAT and last two years at University. it didn't matter in my case and I had no problem what so ever gaining an admission. I was offered 8 interviews out of 13 I applied. I only went to 4 of them and I have 3 acceptaces. It is definitely possible. However, this CC classes may give you some problem with the big name schools but if you are willing to go to any school you will get accepted given you do well in last two years. There are some big name universities out there who have classes that are JOKE so there is no way to compare them by just name. Good Luck

 

[Darksunshine]

I was wondering if the school you attend undergrad has any influence on getting into dental school. I've noticed many people have 4.0 gpa's from a community college. How does that compare to someone with a 3.5 from a really good school? Dont dental schools recognize what the good undergrad schools are and which ones are micky mouse schools.

It has been my experience that is does NOT matter. As someone pointed out in an earlier post, how well prepared you will be once you get in will sort out the "mickey mouse" colleges from the anal retentive ones.

 

[cowsgomoo]

I was wondering if the school you attend undergrad has any influence on getting into dental school. I've noticed many people have 4.0 gpa's from a community college. How does that compare to someone with a 3.5 from a really good school? Dont dental schools recognize what the good undergrad schools are and which ones are micky mouse schools.

From my experience it does not matter. I am a good example of this. I don’t go to the greatest university (GSU if you want to look it up). My school may be considered a borderline mickey mouse school if compared to the other state schools such as UGA and GA Tech. I however have a good GPA and DAT score which got me into the school I wanted to go. I would not worry too much about the school you attend (good or bad) but instead concentrate on getting a good GPA and good DAT score. Hope this helps.

 

[BuckyBoy_DDS]

What school you went to SHOULD matter..

I'm paying for the extra cost to go to a top 10 university, so it should matter somewhat more..

Its just that at a harder school like mine, my grades are curved up against a bunch of National Merit scholars and is much harder to get A's then at a smaller, little known school..

The DAT is just a test, the more you study for it, the better your grade..Ao you just basically memorize a bunch of info and probably will forget it later..And its not like its a hard exam, either..

 

[Richnator]

What school you went to SHOULD matter..

I'm paying for the extra cost to go to a top 10 university, so it should matter somewhat more..

Its just that at a harder school like mine, my grades are curved up against a bunch of National Merit scholars and is much harder to get A's then at a smaller, little known school..

The DAT is just a test, the more you study for it, the better your grade..Ao you just basically memorize a bunch of info and probably will forget it later..And its not like its a hard exam, either..

It is your choice to pay a premium to go to an IVY league. However, everyone doesnt have the luxury of having an excess amount of money to spend on their undergraduate education. I personally think the DAT is a good standardized exam because many people who were prepared did decently well. So, if your IVY league is deserving of a GPA boost as you claim because it is harder than most undergrads, that extra education you received should reflect upon your DAT score as being significantly higher than a normal applicant.

 

[bwa102]

I was accepted this year with a sub 3.0 GPA from Northwestern and a 22 DAT. I highly doubt I would have gotten in had I not come from a presitgious undergraduate institution. The fact of the matter is it is harder to get good grades at top schools, and some dental schools take it into account. All in all, it's still better to get a 4.0 at Asstown State then a 3.0 at Harvard.

 

[Joeybag]

I was accepted this year with a sub 3.0 GPA from Northwestern and a 22 DAT. I highly doubt I would have gotten in had I not come from a presitgious undergraduate institution. The fact of the matter is it is harder to get good grades at top schools, and some dental schools take it into account. All in all, it's still better to get a 4.0 at Asstown State then a 3.0 at Harvard.

I have to agree with you, although Asstown state does sound like a place crawling w/ debaucherous women, which is always cool w/ me. Case in point, I bust my ass to the point of probably doing so so in my other classes in order to make a B+ in orgo 1 at University of Blank. I then take orgo 2 at University of Blank State where I sleep my way to an A+. Take the DAT and make a perfect score on the orgo section. Meanwhile I hear at interviews well your sci gpa is a little lower than our avg, at a 3.2, but Jimmy from Asstown has a 3.8, i think we'll accept him instead. Although I do think the DAT is somewhat of an equalizer Jimmy from asstown will get accepted at more places w/ his 3.8 sci gpa and 19 from University of Blank State, while I won't get in w/ my 3.2 sci gpa and 23 from the University of Blank.

 

[Dr.Pain]

It is your choice to pay a premium to go to an IVY league. However, everyone doesnt have the luxury of having an excess amount of money to spend on their undergraduate education. I personally think the DAT is a good standardized exam because many people who were prepared did decently well. So, if your IVY league is deserving of a GPA boost as you claim because it is harder than most undergrads, that extra education you received should reflect upon your DAT score as being significantly higher than a normal applicant.

He's not talking ivy league, he's talking Wisconsin-Madison baby!! If you go to a high ranked undergrad school it will be condsidered. Adcoms know that if you are used to an insane amount of competition for A's, you won't have a problem with d-school. You do, however, need to back it up with good DAT scores.

 

[syn_apse]

Joebag, you know Jimmy from Asstown too? Where did you go to high school?! Go cougers!!

 

[Joeybag]

Joebag, you know Jimmy from Asstown too? Where did you go to high school?! Go cougers!!

yeah we used to play pogs together and collect trolls.... ahh yes those were the good days.

 

[ItsGavinC]

There comes a point, when a great pre-dental education begins to hurt applicants, because schools can only accept so many applicants from a certain undergrad. See: BYU. Edit: Most (95%+) BYU applicants still matriculate, but that doesn't mean they are going to their first choice school.

 

[SHOEBOX]

Amen brotha!

see this guys posts!

 

[Mustt Mustt]

see this guys posts!

Hi Hot pickel/apple baby or should I call you TRACKMASTER. How is going. You just registered and seem to know a lot about Javedi. I am positive that you will be banned in less than 2 days.

 

[adr12]

i can't speak for anybody else, but i know that my undergraduate/graduate school definitely helped me gain acceptances. some dental schools will even scale your GPA with respect to the academic reputation of your institution.

that being said, not going to a top tier school isn't the end of the world because there are only a few of them anyways. if you get good grades and rock your dat then your undergraduate school (among other things) is moot.

I agree 100%. I didn't have the best GPA, 3.01 overall, but still got in. I feel it was mainly due to my undergrad school, extracurricular experiences, and a good DAT score (22). If you have a weaker GPA from a good school you still have a good chance, but better do well on the DAT.

 

[beredsox2]

I think it only matters if your grades don't matchup with your DAT scores. For instance, if you go to a top notch university and struggle to get a B on prereqs and then get over 20s on the DAT...then that shows the strength of your school and its students. However, if you go to Cupcake U and get a 4.0 and then get 16s,17s, and 18s, then it will shows that your school doesn't challenge their students and is more likely to be a weaker school. There are exceptions of course, but I think that is the general rule of thumb as far as reputation of undergrad education goes. However if you go to Cupcake U and get a 4.0 and 20s on DAT, no one will deny you just because of your undergrad school.

 

[r0entgen]

What school you went to SHOULD matter..

I'm paying for the extra cost to go to a top 10 university, so it should matter somewhat more..

Its just that at a harder school like mine, my grades are curved up against a bunch of National Merit scholars and is much harder to get A's then at a smaller, little known school..

The DAT is just a test, the more you study for it, the better your grade..Ao you just basically memorize a bunch of info and probably will forget it later..And its not like its a hard exam, either..

i completely agree with you. i suspect a lot of people won't understand the rigor of some of the top 10 schools though...unless they went to one. and by the way, not all top 10 schools are ivies...nor do they all participate in grade inflation.

i likewise agree with your DAT comment, and have posted similar comments in the past. anyone who scores poorly on that exam either 1. didn't put enough time into studying for it, or 2. is simply an idiot. i find it hard to believe that anyone who studies everyday for it, and continues this habit for a year, is unable to score high on the DAT...

 

[Mustt Mustt]

I don't think it should matter. There are many many great students who decide to go to public school in their state becasue they can't afford it or don't want to move. I know people who really don't care about where they go to school becasue they belive that school has bothing to with their ability to be succesful.
I really don't care where I go to school as long as it is the cheapest option I have because for one reason I don't have money to go to well known schools and pay extra for virtually nothing. I know if I have it in me I will be succesfull and if I don't have it no school in this world can help me. 95% is you what matters and may be 5% where you go to school in real life.

 

[r0entgen]

I don't think it should matter. There are many many great students who decide to go to public school in their state becasue they can't afford it or don't want to move. I know people who really don't care about where they go to school becasue they belive that school has bothing to with their ability to be succesful.
I really don't care where I go to school as long as it is the cheapest option I have because for one reason I don't have money to go to well known schools and pay extra for virtually nothing. I know if I have it in me I will be succesfull and if I don't have it no school in this world can help me. 95% is you what matters and may be 5% where you go to school in real life.

well that's what you would like to think. but i would like to argue that the school you go to (whether undergrad or dental) would matter. our genes and environment are what define our essence. since every school is different (and hence different student body, opportunities, etc), the experience we obtain from each school will be different. how is it possible that we will come out of our undergrad and be the SAME PERSON no matter what school we attended? for one, the student body at a top 10 university is likely to be a lot more intelligent than some other crappier school. how are you going to say that being around an intelligent student body v. being around a bunch of idiots for 4 years is going to have NO impact on your development?

we've all seen it. when we take a very challenging course, we bust ass and work harder to do well in it. when we take a super easy class, we become unmotivated because we feel that we'll dominate anyway (and possibly because of this arrogance and overconfidence, we contribute little-to-no effort and end up screwing the course over). if we don't become accustomed to being challenged, then when dental school comes around, it'll be a lot more difficult for us.

yes, if we don't have it in us, then no matter what school we go to, it won't make a damn bit of difference. if we have it in us, and our environment doesn't enable us to actualise our potential, then likewise, we're still not likely to succeed.