Engineering and GPA

[Docplaque]

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So I have a below that average GPA and wish to apply to dental school in next summer after I complete my Masters program in biotechnology. My DAT scores are a little bit above above average TS 23 and PAT 20. Since I majored in engineering is it fair to say that I could be admitted with a lower GPA than someone who graduated with a bachelors in biology?

 

[lippy104]

So I have a below that average GPA and wish to apply to dental school in next summer after I complete my Masters program in biotechnology. My DAT scores are a little bit above above average TS 23 and PAT 20. Since I majored in engineering is it fair to say that I could be admitted with a lower GPA than someone who graduated with a bachelors in biology?

I'm a chem engineer so I know where your coming from. There's been quarters where I have taken four classes at a time and the easiest one is biochem, and in that class people would always talk about how that class was so hard and took up so much of their time. Not saying their not as smart or anything, but the course loads don't even compare.

As for your question it really depends on how much lower your GPA is than the average. If it is close then I bet the admission committees would be able to look past it or it could even be an advantage for you. However I wouldn't bank on it.

Your DAT scores are great and should definitely make up for a slightly below average GPA. Also, a 23TS is not "a little bit above average", its way above average lol.

 

[yappy]

From what I understand they dont care what you majored in as it relates to GPA. But if your above 3.2 and have a solid DAT and received good marks in your masters - you are not in a bad place.
To me the best possible situation would be to major in somthing easy like a general business admin at an easy 4 year (therefore gpa greater than 3.75) and then ace the prereqs - while pulling an average score on the dat. If only I had known this going into this process lol.

 

[Charmm]

They don't care about your major at all , be ready to get sad news from Penn, stony, ucla ..... Bank on schools that care less about gpa

 

[aelian]

From what I understand they dont care what you majored in as it relates to GPA. But if your above 3.2 and have a solid DAT and received good marks in your masters - you are not in a bad place.
To me the best possible situation would be to major in somthing easy like a general business admin at an easy 4 year (therefore gpa greater than 3.75) and then ace the prereqs - while pulling an average score on the dat. If only I had known this going into this process lol.

No, they'll definitely factor in what you were. A 3.5 biology major will be weighed more than a 3.5 nutrition major. And yes, they understand that engineering is hard and they'll make note of that. A 3.2 engineering gpa is as good as a 3.5 bio, in my book. And a business major wouldn't really help because they'll see how well you did in your sciences beside the prereqs.

 

[shiftypoptart]

although engineering is hard (90% of my friends were engineers) they will not care. A bachelors in biology is actually most preferable judging by the fact that a huge percentage of accepted dental students have a BS in bio. Unless you scored A's in all of the dental prereqs they will probably not give you a break unfortunately. In dental school all you do is Bio for the didactic portion so I would I assume they want someone with a strong background in this.

 

[aelian]

although engineering is hard (90% of my friends were engineers) they will not care. A bachelors in biology is actually most preferable judging by the fact that a huge percentage of accepted dental students have a BS in bio. Unless you scored A's in all of the dental prereqs they will probably not give you a break unfortunately. In dental school all you do is Bio for the didactic portion so I would I assume they want someone with a strong background in this.

I disagree. Dental schools will see the difference between a liberal arts major with a 3.6 and an engineering major with a 3.2. Your major is considered.

 

[DrDDSman]

No, they'll definitely factor in what you were. A 3.5 biology major will be weighed more than a 3.5 nutrition major. And yes, they understand that engineering is hard and they'll make note of that. A 3.2 engineering gpa is as good as a 3.5 bio, in my book. And a business major wouldn't really help because they'll see how well you did in your sciences beside the prereqs.

I wish more schools had the same reasoning as you, but the truth is that a 3.2 in bio=3.2 in biomedical engineering=3.2 in history.

 

[Medwell]

Absolutely not. From my undergrad's ChemE page:

"It is important to dispel the myth that engineering premeds have an advantage that displaces a high GPA and high MCAT score. In recent years admission to medical school has become very competitive. Consequently, medical school applicants have a low probability of acceptance without a reputable GPA, even if they opted for a more difficult undergraduate major. Do not expect admissions committees to utilize another academic standard because of the relative difficulty of Chemical Engineering curricula. In fact, most schools clearly state the indifference in undergraduate majors as a selection factor."

Key words here: "dispel the myth".
I realize that this paragraph discusses medical school specifically, but later on in the page:

Dental School
Much of the information above about medical schools also applies to dental schools.

So basically, your major doesn't matter - only your grades.

the truth is that a 3.2 in bio=3.2 in biomedical engineering=3.2 in history.

👍

 

[aelian]

Absolutely not. From my undergrad's ChemE page:

Key words here: "dispel the myth".
I realize that this paragraph discusses medical school specifically, but later on in the page:

So basically, your major doesn't matter - only your grades.


👍

Thank you for the information Medwell. I guess I just find it hard to believe an education major with a 3.8 has more push than a biology major with a 3.5. 🙁

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=640363

 

[Medwell]

Thank you for the information Medwell. I guess I just find it hard to believe an education major with a 3.8 has more push than a biology major with a 3.5. 🙁

I know it seems unfair, but the idea is that you majored in the thing that you personally enjoy the most (if you're not - you should be! 🙂) . Theoretically, this should be the major that you'll end up being the most successful in.

 

[lippy104]

although engineering is hard (90% of my friends were engineers) they will not care. A bachelors in biology is actually most preferable judging by the fact that a huge percentage of accepted dental students have a BS in bio. Unless you scored A's in all of the dental prereqs they will probably not give you a break unfortunately. In dental school all you do is Bio for the didactic portion so I would I assume they want someone with a strong background in this.

Lol theres so many things wrong on this thread that I don't even know where to start. They definitely do look at your major when considering your app and GPA. When they say they don't care about your major they mean that as long as you complete the pre reqs you can get in to dental school. But if you finished a rigorous major why wouldn't they factor that in to your app and GPA decisions. We all know they look favorably on taking a heavy course load every quarter, and that is exactly what engineering is.

As for the above post. Although a biology major may help you more in dental school, it doesn't in the application process so much. The only reason biology majors are the most accepted is because there are more of them applying than any other major. I can't find the data right now, but I remember seeing in an excel spreadsheet that the major with the highest percentage of acceptances was engineering.

In the end of the day though admissions is a numbers game. A 3.8 engineer will be better than a 3.8 bio, but a 3.7 engineer might not be.

 

[Medwell]

Lol theres so many things wrong on this thread that I don't even know where to start. They definitely do look at your major when considering your app and GPA.

I understand that you're a Chemical Engineering major, and that you'd like to believe this is true. But do you have an "official" source? Maybe a dental school website explicitly stating that they give engineers leeway with regards to GPA?

For example, above I cited my undergrad's ChemE page clearly warning their students to choose this major with caution, stating that it will not help them in any way whatsoever in professional school applications.

 

[lippy104]

I understand that you're a Chemical Engineering major, and that you'd like to believe this is true. But do you have an "official" source? Maybe a dental school website explicitly stating that they give engineers leeway with regards to GPA?

For example, above I cited my undergrad's ChemE page clearly warning their students to choose this major with caution, stating that it will not help them in any way whatsoever in professional school applications.

Yea I don't think I made my point very well, what I'm trying to say is that it's a pretty well known fact that they look at how tough your schedule is every quarter. And this is something that engineering definitely has. I don't have any sources though saying they give any leeway for engineers, although I suspect they might give a little. But if you go into engineering definitely don't bank on it.

 

[Docplaque]

Thanks for all the replies. I remember reading on the Tulane website that chemE was a preferred major for med school applicants. But I'm not sure about D school. It seems to me that the whole D school application process is hit or miss. It really just depends how many schools you can afford to apply to.

 

[FutureDent020]

Lol theres so many things wrong on this thread that I don't even know where to start. They definitely do look at your major when considering your app and GPA. When they say they don't care about your major they mean that as long as you complete the pre reqs you can get in to dental school. But if you finished a rigorous major why wouldn't they factor that in to your app and GPA decisions. We all know they look favorably on taking a heavy course load every quarter, and that is exactly what engineering is.

As for the above post. Although a biology major may help you more in dental school, it doesn't in the application process so much. The only reason biology majors are the most accepted is because there are more of them applying than any other major. I can't find the data right now, but I remember seeing in an excel spreadsheet that the major with the highest percentage of acceptances was engineering.

In the end of the day though admissions is a numbers game. A 3.8 engineer will be better than a 3.8 bio, but a 3.7 engineer might not be.

Your logic is there, but statistics are not too significant. Look at doc's spread sheet. Engineering majors showed an increase chance enrollment by around 10+%. And that percentage may likely be influenced by DAT score. You engineering majors seem to perform well on your DAT (just from what i've seen on predents and this forum). But you are correct, they do take into account course load and class difficulty per semester when reviewing your application. And that is stated on many school's websites.

 

[WarrenTheApe]

Your scores are awful and your major of engineering is a joke. You have no chance pal.