Help! Need advice on alternatives for the year

[kayden28]

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Hey everyone,

Firstly, good luck to everyone applying this cycle. I can't believe it's happening so soon! Secondly, I'm sorry for the long post and thanks so much for reading it!

I'm confused on what I should do for the next year until dental school (assuming I get in). I'm fortunate enough to have a few different options available, but I'm not sure what would be the best path.

I've been working full-time as a consultant with a large firm for a month now. They hired me full-time right after I completed undergrad this past April. At the time, I had Masters applications pending which I didn't hear back from until after the job began. I got rejected from 1 but got into a one-year course-based Masters of Public Health program. I'm confused about which route would be the best for my future.

Since I'm applying for dental school early, I figure the grades from the Masters program won't really contribute to my application anyways. Even though dentistry is private, I could also see myself potentially working in dental public health in the future so it would be great to have an MPH if I go that route. The downside is tuition is killer and my province's student assistant plan (I'm in Canada) doesn't cover this program.

On the other hand, if I kept working as a consultant until dental school, that's 16 months of pay. While it would only cover a fraction of dental school costs, it would still help quite a bit! Plus I'd be commuting from home to my office so I save money on rent. The firm pays for 100% of my travel costs, whether just going to and from the office or traveling internationally.

I know it's silly to think about the tuition for the MPH since dental school is gonna cost a lot anyways, but I'm just wondering if there's a point of putting myself deeper in debt (by about $30k), and foregoing more than double that in income if it's not going to add value to my application or future. I've been debating this over the past few weeks and still can't decide. It would amazing to talk through it with you guys.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this! 🙂

 

[I want to go to there]

What's your GPA and DAT score?

 

[kayden28]

What's your GPA and DAT score?

cGPA: 3.7
sGPA: 3.3
TS: 20
AA: 21
PAT: 21 (23 on my first DAT attempt, so hopefully some schools will take that into consideration)
RC: 24

I know I'm not an outstanding candidate. I'm hoping other aspects of my application will really make up for it. I was in a co-op program in undergrad so I've worked in a lot of different industries. I've accumulated 160+ shadow hours under two general dentists and an orthodontist. I also have two research experiences without publication though. I've done a lot of community work too in dental care and also outside of it. I was an RA for a year, and I dealt with a lot of mental health cases as well as personal conflicts. I talk about all of this in my PS and how I've gained tons of valuable skills to contribute to dentistry from varied experiences. I feel like I have a pretty strong PS and have had it reviewed a few times by other dental students, professors, and dentists. Lastly, I think I'll be getting pretty good LORs from professors I've known for 3+ years and a dentist I've been shadowing for a year who also let me assist occasionally as long as the patient was comfortable with it. I really hope all this stuff makes up my average GPA/DAT. I messed up quite a bit in my first year from dealing with deaths of family members, a bad break-up and just overall lack of motivation. I'm not trying to make up excuses.. I know I messed up but since then, I've shown a really strong upward trend. If I could've somehow wiped away first year, my cGPA would've be 3.9, but there's no point in dwelling on that since I can't change it.

EDIT: flipped my cGPA and sGPA in my initial post... fixed it now!

 

[I want to go to there]

sGPA: 3.7
cGPA: 3.3
TS: 20
AA: 21
PAT: 21
RC: 24

I know I'm not an outstanding candidate. I'm hoping other aspects of my application will really make up for it. I was in a co-op program in undergrad so I've worked in a lot of different industries. I've accumulated 160+ shadow hours under two general dentists and an orthodontist. I also have two research experiences without publication though. I've done a lot of community work too in dental care and also outside of it. I was an RA for a year, and I dealt with a lot of mental health cases as well as personal conflicts. I talk about all of this in my PS and how I've gained tons of valuable skills to contribute to dentistry from varied experiences. I feel like I have a pretty strong PS and have had it reviewed a few times by other dental students, professors, and dentists. Lastly, I think I'll be getting pretty good LORs from professors I've known for 3+ years and a dentist I've been shadowing for a year who also let me assist occasionally as long as the patient was comfortable with it. I really hope all this stuff makes up my average GPA/DAT.

Your sGPA is low and DAT score is meh for Canadian standard. Competition is much more fierce than that U.S. students face since there are far few spots available for Canadians. I don't think your experience will offset your academics. Many people have high shadowing hours, good EC, community service, research, and good letters/PS, so your experience doesn't really make you stand out.

I suggest retaking the DAT and starting masters.

 

[kayden28]

Your cGPA is low and DAT score is meh for Canadian standard. Competition is much more fierce than that U.S. students face since there are far few spots available for Canadians. I don't think your experience will offset your academics. Many people have high shadowing hours, good EC, community service, research, and good letters/PS, so your experience doesn't really make you stand out.

I suggest retaking the DAT and starting masters.

I realized after I posted that I accidentally switched my cGPA and sGPA. They're corrected now so my cGPA is 3.7 and sGPA is 3.3. Does that make a difference?

 

[I want to go to there]

I realized after I posted that I accidentally switched my cGPA and sGPA. They're corrected now so my cGPA is 3.7 and sGPA is 3.3. Does that make a difference?

Perhaps, definitely retake the DAT, but I'm not sure if you should do masters now.

 

[kayden28]

[QUOTE="I suggest retaking the DAT and starting masters.[/QUOTE]

I was really hoping not to have to retake the DAT 🙁 I've done it twice already. As for the advice on the Masters, do you think it would make a difference when it comes to ADEA calculating my GPA? I was hoping to submit my application in mid-June and the MPH doesn't start until Sept. Wouldn't those grades not be included in my GPA calculation when presented to dental schools?

 

[I want to go to there]

You answer really promptly and I tend to edit often. Read my edit. Can you study your ass off and get 22+ on it for certain?[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

 

[kayden28]

Perhaps, definitely retake the DAT, but I'm not sure if you should do masters now.

If I take classes, I'll have to reject the MPH offer AND resign from the job so I'm not splitting my time or taking a lighter courseload. I feel like that's probs not going to help as much in the long run, academically or financially. This is so confusing 🙁

EDIT: I think I quoted this to reply as soon as you edited it haha. I replied based on your initial post about taking more science classes.

 

[I want to go to there]

If I take classes, I'll have to reject the MPH offer AND resign from the job so I'm not splitting my time or taking a lighter courseload. I feel like that's probs not going to help as much in the long run, academically or financially. This is so confusing 🙁

Then, I suggest studying your ass off for the DAT and make sure you get 23+ and continue working at your current job.

 

[kayden28]

Then, I suggest studying your ass off for the DAT and make sure you get 23+ and continue working at your current job.

Okay so I've been considering re-taking the DAT. I don't think I can do that now. I took the Canadian DAT and am applying to Canadian friendly schools in the states. I don't see the point in studying to take the American DAT now. I'd need months to prepare and to re-learn OChem & study for QR since those parts aren't covered on the cDAT. Plus, my application would likely not be reviewed by schools as it'd be incomplete. I don't want to submit it after the DAT in a few months because I feel like that would be late for my avg GPA. If I re-took the Canadian DAT, I'd have to wait until November because it's only offered twice a year (Nov & Feb), which is definitely way too late. I also couldn't guarantee I'd get a 22+. I need to start paying off my undergrad debt so I have to work this job until at least the end of summer which is 40+ hours per week when I factor in travel time and the demand of the job. I'd be more worried about my score getting lower which would look terrible as my most recent score. So basically, re-taking the DAT is not an option. I'm just gonna have to submit with those DAT scores and GPA. The issue is what I'm going to do for the next year and what would be better in the long-run financially and as a dentist.. the MPH vs. the job.

I'm not sure which one would make a stronger candidate either... the MPH is great because it's a masters and could be related to dentistry. While the job is a business job in consulting, I'm helping consult in the healthcare sector which adds to my application too. I just don't know which one is stronger or more unique.

Thanks again for taking the time to read everything & talking me through it 🙂

 

[kayden28]

.

 

[chikonan]

You know, the best thing to do is ask the schools you are interested in. Give them your DAT and GPA, or even just ask them directly if they would expect different GPA/DAT from international students compare to American.
Studentdoctor is a good source but sometimes they get a little too extreme about these things. Ask schools because they should know the answer.
Best of luck 😉

 

[rev_rend]

I'm not sure which one would make a stronger candidate either... the MPH is great because it's a masters and could be related to dentistry. While the job is a business job in consulting, I'm helping consult in the healthcare sector which adds to my application too. I just don't know which one is stronger or more unique.

Thanks again for taking the time to read everything & talking me through it 🙂

FWIW, I don't think you need to retake the DAT. What's the worst that could happen? You don't get in. If you don't, well then maybe retake the DAT.

I also think you should take the job over the MPH. While you won't have the experience in the job to really talk about it that much in your PS, you should have enough to talk about it in your interviews. That experience will almost certainly be more valuable to you than another degree and is almost certainly a bit more unique.

 

[kayden28]

You know, the best thing to do is ask the schools you are interested in. Give them your DAT and GPA, or even just ask them directly if they would expect different GPA/DAT from international students compare to American.
Studentdoctor is a good source but sometimes they get a little too extreme about these things. Ask schools because they should know the answer.
Best of luck 😉

That's a great idea. I'll defs try that. It'll be a good reason to get in touch with schools and let them know I'm interested in their school as well 🙂

 

[kayden28]

FWIW, I don't think you need to retake the DAT. What's the worst that could happen? You don't get in. If you don't, well then maybe retake the DAT.

I also think you should take the job over the MPH. While you won't have the experience in the job to really talk about it that much in your PS, you should have enough to talk about it in your interviews. That experience will almost certainly be more valuable to you than another degree and is almost certainly a bit more unique.

Yeah that's kind of what I've been leaning on. It'll help quite a bit with paying off my current debt and with paying for a small fraction of dental school costs. I really do hope I get in this cycle... I'm not looking forward to re-writing the DAT if I don't and paying to re-apply as well. What's your opinion on my scores? Do you think I've got a good shot? Or would you recommend re-writing as well like the previous poster? Although I wouldn't be able to write any time soon (for the reasons mentioned in my last post), maybe I'd rethink applying this cycle if my scores seem too low.

 

[rev_rend]

Yeah that's kind of what I've been leaning on. It'll help quite a bit with paying off my current debt and with paying for a small fraction of dental school costs. I really do hope I get in this cycle... I'm not looking forward to re-writing the DAT if I don't and paying to re-apply as well. What's your opinion on my scores? Do you think I've got a good shot? Or would you recommend re-writing as well like the previous poster? Although I wouldn't be able to write any time soon (for the reasons mentioned in my last post), maybe I'd rethink applying this cycle if my scores seem too low.

I think your scores are fine. It can sometimes seem from reading SDN that you MUST have 22+ to even have a dream of a hope. But you're above averages for plenty of schools.

I got a 20AA with low scores of 16 and 17 and high scores of 23 and 25. I can't remember what my sGPA was at application. I think it was a bit above average but it represented a smaller number of science classes compared to many other applicants. What helped me probably more than anything was that I have a lot of really good work experience and leadership (that has nothing to do with health care whatsoever). Those things are tough to quantify, but plenty of schools like them. So that's why I think the work experience probably helps you. Even if you had to reapply and didn't take the DAT, I think another year of work experience would be a big plus.