Help! What are my chances?

[hjp501]

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Hey guys, i'm new to this network. I love how helpful all of you here are, so i just need a little bit of input from you guys out there. here is my situation:

3rd yr in undergrad: Political Science major/ minor in Chemistry

DAT score 18

I've had 2 C's in Physics I and II (so not my thing, no matter how hard i study for it), 1 C in Orgo I.

My science GPA is 2.6

Overall undergrad GPA is 3.3

I'm taking all higher level science courses for my last 3 semesters and I am hoping to get all A's on them. I hope that would raise my science gpa.
I am planning to retake the DATs this summer and aiming for 20s at least! (any advice on studying for DATs would be greatly appreciated)

My friends and family have VERYY! high expectations from me about going to dental school and it would absolutely ruin me if i had to disappoint them. What can I do to improve my app? Overall, I need all the help/advice i can get from all of you!

 

[nydds25]

You are looking at a SMP or other post-bac program. Getting A's for the rest of your 3 semesters, plus in the 20's for your DAT is not an easy feat. Your poor orgo grade and physics grades are not good.

Think of how an admissions committee would think of your application. There needs to be proof that you can be successful in dental school.

But try hard and you can do it. Good luck

 

[GNF8300]

Here's my personal evaluation. To have a legitimate shot, you'll probably need to get your sGPA up to about 3.3 or 3.4, at least. By taking upper level science classes and making A's, you should be able to do this. Since you're a Poli Sci major, I assume that you don't have an overwhelming number of science courses, so any A's you make will have a big impact. Couple this with the fact that A's will raise your overall GPA also (shoot for 3.6 or so), and there's certainly a chance if you do well in your other classes. Now all you have to do is make A's in those classes, and I wish you good luck in that. Be aware, though, that any negative grades will blunt the effects of any A's. In addition, check the websites of the dental schools you're thinking about for their individual pre-reqs. because these vary from school to school. In addition, different undergrad schools have "interesting" schedules for when they offer certain classes (mine only offered some classes every other year).

DAT numbers around 19-20 on each section will do. If you do better, then great, but if you don't get those 21's, 22's and 23's, don't worry too much about it. I used the Kaplan online course, but you'll need MUCH more math prep than Kaplan offers. If you get a bad mark on one section, don't sweat it too much (I got a 17 on QR myself).

Beyond the academics, what kind of community service do you do? I would try to get involved with a local dental clinic if possbile, but I'm a little biased because that's what I did. I would go ahead and contact your family dentist and see about setting up some shadowing experience as soon as possible. Check the schools' websites to see if they have a requirement for shadowing (sometimes 30hrs, but up to 100hrs).

As you probably know, apply early. Early means submitting your application anytime from the middle of May to the first week or two of June. Also, be thinking about who you want to (and who the school requires you to) get recommendation letters from. Professors don't usually turn around a letter of recommendation very quickly, so plan accordingly.

Again, this is just a personal evaluation. It's possbile, but it'll require work (go figure). If you have any specific questions, PM me. I don't speak for everyone, just for myself. Good luck to you though.

 

[hjp501]

I have done 30 hours of shadowing a dental clinic and I couldn't picture myself as anything else besides a Dentist.

 

[GNF8300]

Any kind of volunteer work?

 

[nydds25]

Are you also under represented or non-Asian minority?

 

[hjp501]

I am actively involved in AED - so we do alot of community services. I am a minority - Asian American (Indian).

 

[ramforte]

I have done 30 hours of shadowing a dental clinic and I couldn't picture myself as anything else besides a Dentist.

I'm gone be honest your status currently are not good, and with what you have now your chances are very very low, and 30 hours of shadowing is not even close to enough, you need at least 100 hours of shadowing to look good compared to other applicants, (people have 300-500 hours of shadowing, multiple research projects, 20's and above in the DAT and 3.4 and above GPAs) Make sure to get 20's and over in most of the DAT sections specially the science sections. Do a master or a post bac program and get your GPA to at leat a 3.4, and do either a research project or some volunteer work so that you can put on your essay and talk about in your interviews.


For the DAT what I did was I studied for 10 weeks straight 8-10 hours per day and did 12 complete DAT tests before my actual test. I studied my textbooks (BIO and Chem), did Kaplan, Destroyer, top score and achiever. My score AA= 20 TS=21 PAT=22

 

[NyCzPeter]

Hmm sorry to break it to you. Unless you are of minority status your chances are effectively zero at this point. Even if you get a 25 dats the adcom would just think youre lazy and didnt put in effort so you reallyyyy need to get all straight As to have any chance.

 

[huk1985]

I am actively involved in AED - so we do alot of community services. I am a minority - Asian American (Indian).

Sorry to break it to ya, but Indians are not minorities when it comes to dental schools.

 

[nydds25]

Sorry to break it to ya, but Indians are not minorities when it comes to dental schools.

Some would say it's actually a disadvantage when it comes to applying to dental/medical school to be Asian/Indian

 

[hjp501]

Some would say it's actually a disadvantage when it comes to applying to dental/medical school to be Asian/Indian

I don't think that is very accurate. I know about 30 Indian people who are into med/dent/pharm schools.

 

[huk1985]

I don't think that is very accurate. I know about 30 Indian people who are into med/dent/pharm schools.

That's what makes it a disadvantage. Schools would not want to have their class consisting of 50% Asian. That's not really "diverse" which every school seems to want these days.