Future looks bleak-er (a really long entry)

[ForkInTheRoad]

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Wow.

I'm about to cry.

Reading all these posts, makes me feel completely incompetent and dumb.

My aspirations of becoming a dental student are dwindling with every second I read on.

My stats are ridiculously & embarrasingly low (probably the lowest):
cGPA: 2.5
sGPA: 2.3 (& that's rounding up)

I have to be honest here.
My parents (both dentists) had chosen dentistry as a career path for me ever since I was little & during college, I started to resent that expectation & was recondsidering BIG TIME of what was planned for me. Obviously from my GPA, I slacked off & made the wrong decisions about a lot of classes.

I just graduated & recently started assisting/learning the ropes around a family friend's dental office & I love it. I really do. I love the smell of the office, the sound of the drill, talking to the patients, learning how to perform an x-ray...

I realized that it's late for me to actually start loving the field, but I do now & am willing to do what it takes, however I know my stats are against me. I thought that there were certain paths I could do take help my chances at getting in at least one dental school, but that sort of thinking was very naive. Post bacc programs or maybe try becoming a dental hygenist first...

I don't know what I can do anymore... Honestly I feel embarrased, lost, scared & discouraged...

If you wouldn't mind giving your honest opinion, I would like to hear it. The truth is preferrable (no false hopes please) because I'm tired of lying to myself. Any advice is surely most welcomed.

Thank you for your time.

----------------------------
Even if there is a 1% chance, I would take it & surpass expectations

 

[failedmagician]

If I were you, I would do post bacc while constantly studying for the DAT (everysection). If you get a 4.0 masters and a really awesome DAT score, it will be good for your application. You have options, you just have to completely change your outloook.

 

[Shingo123]

Well, here is the good news. It is not over. 🙂

If you really want it as bad as it sounds, you can do it. This is not just a motivational response, it is 100% true. You will have to go a Post-bacc and get a high GPA to balance out your poor GPA. Work hard for about 2 years and you will have an amazing turn around.

Shoot for a 4.0, if you work very hard you will surely surprise yourself. You are a cornered cat, now is when you become the most fearsome. 😡

It might not be hard for you to get a 4.0 or it might take you working like a mad man, either way, you can do it.

If you complete this and explain your story in your PS as emotionally as you did this post, I am sure you can get in somewhere.

Do some good EC's and what not.

Oh, and the DAT, study hard and you can also get a very high score.

 

[somethinpositiv]

Wow.

I'm about to cry.

Reading all these posts, makes me feel completely incompetent and dumb.

My aspirations of becoming a dental student are dwindling with every second I read on.

My stats are ridiculously & embarrasingly low (probably the lowest):
cGPA: 2.5
sGPA: 2.3 (& that's rounding up)

I have to be honest here.
My parents (both dentists) had chosen dentistry as a career path for me ever since I was little & during college, I started to resent that expectation & was recondsidering BIG TIME of what was planned for me. Obviously from my GPA, I slacked off & made the wrong decisions about a lot of classes.

I just graduated & recently started assisting/learning the ropes around a family friend's dental office & I love it. I really do. I love the smell of the office, the sound of the drill, talking to the patients, learning how to perform an x-ray...

I realized that it's late for me to actually start loving the field, but I do now & am willing to do what it takes, however I know my stats are against me. I thought that there were certain paths I could do take help my chances at getting in at least one dental school, but that sort of thinking was very naive. Post bacc programs or maybe try becoming a dental hygenist first...

I don't know what I can do anymore... Honestly I feel embarrased, lost, scared & discouraged...

If you wouldn't mind giving your honest opinion, I would like to hear it. The truth is preferrable (no false hopes please) because I'm tired of lying to myself. Any advice is surely most welcomed.

Thank you for your time.

----------------------------
Even if there is a 1% chance, I would take it & surpass expectations

Well a Masters degree would help; an SMP with 4.0 as well as a 21+ DAT might give you a chance. But if you love the dental office, consider becoming a dental hygienist (which is no walk in the park either, but certainly easier than getting into dental school).

 

[sfrice80]

Yeah I mean kind of reiterating what other people have said but its just going to take some time. At this stage, your application isnt strong enough to apply and get a serious consideration. If I were in your exact shoes, I dont know what you got your bachelors in but I would take the GRE and apply to a science masters degree program and try to get a masters in science and knock your grades out of the park for 2 years and then study like hell for the DAT and knock that out of the park as well, if you can do that, I think you just drastically increased your chances of getting in somewhere in the future. Unfortunately for you, there is no quick fix, which is what most people want, its going to take a little time and a lot of hard work to turn this ship in the right direction. What did you get your bachelors in? Have you thought about a masters? Also, becoming a dental hygenist will not help you, maybe on the experience side but thats not what you're lacking in, you need to absolutely work on getting that GPA back up to a respectable level.

 

[12345a]

you could go abroad, get you dds/dmd equivalent, come back, and get into an international program

someone correct me if that isn't a realistic option

 

[Lurchdubious]

...Also, becoming a dental hygenist will not help you, maybe on the experience side but thats not what you're lacking in, you need to absolutely work on getting that GPA back up to a respectable level.

I believe somethinpositiv was talking about becoming a hygienist instead of a dentist, as it would be easier to get into school, yet allow the OP to work in an environment he/she loves, not just as a means of one day becoming a dentist.

Really, just as the others have said, dentistry is not out of reach, but it will take a whole lot of work to get there. Good luck!

 

[BaylorDDS]

Since your gpa is so low you would need to do at least a two year masters program and get a 4.0. But if I were you I would get a second undergrad degree in something you would like to do if you didn't become a dentist. It would give you more hours to bring up that low gpa and not be as hard as a masters program. Whatever you do, be serious. Get a 4.0. It takes work not genius. Also rape the dat, but worry about that when you get there. Good luck.

 

[Tsrshorty]

i think if you just want to do it no matter what, going to an international dental school and coming back for the 2 year US program is the way to go. Thats (basically) guaranteed, where as if you spend the next 2 years taking classes to raise your GPA, you're still not guaranteed to get in cause your numbers are so low. Plus, it will be shorter time. International programs are usually 3 years, then 2 years in the US, 5 years total. If you take classes here for 2 years, then apply which takes a year, then you still have 4 years of dental school, thats 7 years total.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I believe somethinpositiv was talking about becoming a hygienist instead of a dentist, as it would be easier to get into school, yet allow the OP to work in an environment he/she loves, not just as a means of one day becoming a dentist.

Really, just as the others have said, dentistry is not out of reach, but it will take a whole lot of work to get there. Good luck!

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant 👍

 

[Lurchdubious]

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant 👍

Hey, I gotchyer back 😉.

 

[219122]

you could go abroad, get you dds/dmd equivalent, come back, and get into an international program

someone correct me if that isn't a realistic option

i think if you just want to do it no matter what, going to an international dental school and coming back for the 2 year US program is the way to go. Thats (basically) guaranteed, where as if you spend the next 2 years taking classes to raise your GPA, you're still not guaranteed to get in cause your numbers are so low. Plus, it will be shorter time. International programs are usually 3 years, then 2 years in the US, 5 years total. If you take classes here for 2 years, then apply which takes a year, then you still have 4 years of dental school, thats 7 years total.

This is false, it is not guaranteed that you will get into a dental school in the states (go on over to the international dentistry forum and see how hard it is to get in as a foreign grad) and honestly you probably wouldn't get into a international program with a 2.5 either. The number spots for international graduates trying to get an equivalent degree in the states is much smaller than the spots for first time dentists and the competition is fierce.

Your best bet (like others have said) is to get a masters and get a very very high GPA and DAT score. If you really were just slacking off then it shouldn't be to hard to make a drastic change in your numbers with some hard work 👍

 

[sunshine222]

Since your gpa is so low you would need to do at least a two year masters program and get a 4.0. But if I were you I would get a second undergrad degree in something you would like to do if you didn't become a dentist. It would give you more hours to bring up that low gpa and not be as hard as a masters program. Whatever you do, be serious. Get a 4.0. It takes work not genius. Also rape the dat, but worry about that when you get there. Good luck.

Unnecessary.

 

[Shingo123]

Unnecessary.

It is quite necessary for him to rape the dat. 😛


Wow, you raped the DAT 0_0

 

[longhornpride]

If it's really your dream, then don't stop working for it. Look into all your options and figure out the best plan to get you in. If you don't get in... then try again... if you still don't get in... then damn well try again. You aren't the only one in your situation (take it from me). Good things in life don't come easy. I'm not going to let anything get in my way of accomplishing my goals. I suggest that you do the same and start focusing.

good luck.

 

[somethinpositiv]

It is quite necessary for him to rape the dat. 😛


Wow, you raped the DAT 0_0

She meant unnecessary word choice... 🙄

 

[sweeteepy]

holy cow, sunshine222, any tips on scoring that high on the DATs? What books/materials did you use? =P