Honest Opinion Needed ! :(

[Psejo355]

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Hey guys.
I am very nervous. I finally sat down and calculated my science GPA today ...something i have been pushing for the past year or so for the following reason:
My first year in college was a disaster. I was "young and stupid" and happened to take Intro to Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology 1 with the worst professors ever. I was not serious about what i wanted to do and i simply stopped going to class (the option of withdrawing never occurred to me, being from a foreign country, i didnt know how things worked out with colleges in the US..it's the truth!). So i got a plain F on both of these classes. Retook them again ( was still in the crazy, unfocused freshman year) and got a B in intro to chem and a C in A&P1. Again, because of underestimating their importance.

Since then, i have grown a lot as a person and as a student. I have received nothing lower then an A in all of my classes (except for a B in precalc) and am very focused and determined to get all As in the upcoming semesters. My coarse load has been crazy, taking 5 classes each semester(even in the summer), sort of punishing myself to make up for the performance of my 1st year. I also got As in chem 1,2 orgo 1,2. and A in A&P 2.

Even with that, my science GPA turned out to be around 3.4. Very Very disappointing. I have done great in my upper level courses but those F-s are still there, haunting me down and depressing me every time i think of them.

So I need an honest opinion...what are my chances of getting into dental school with an academic record like this? (Assuming i get 20 and above on each section of the DAT which i plan on taking this summer)

(I also have about 400 volunteer hours, 100 shadowing hours, and am the founder/president of the pre-dental club at my university).

 

[Maygyver]

I think your chances are good. The Fs are early in your career, and a 3.4 really isn't that bad compared to some people. Your extracurricular activities seem to be solid as well. Assuming DAT scores really do nothing for me though. Take it and see what you get. The other aspects of your application look alright though. Good luck, and keep working hard and show a positive grade trend.

 

[iamgosu]

3.4 sci GPA is not bad at all dude...
I have a 3.06 or something and I've never failed any courses, just gotten lots of A's, B's, and C's haha

 

[ah1989]

I'm only slightly above a 3.4 sGPA and I've been getting interviews at most of the schools I really want.. you can check out my pre-dents profile. I wouldnt' sweat it too much, they may ask you about it.. but since you've basically been getting A's since, I think they'll see that you did something to change and improve. Maybe this could be something you include in your personal statement and how you learned from the experience. Keep your grades up there and I think you should be okay.👍

 

[amcmahon]

I think your chances are good. The Fs are early in your career, and a 3.4 really isn't that bad compared to some people. Your extracurricular activities seem to be solid as well. Assuming DAT scores really do nothing for me though. Take it and see what you get. The other aspects of your application look alright though. Good luck, and keep working hard and show a positive grade trend.

I agree. That positive trend is a big thing for schools. Its better to look like you got serious as you got older vs. the opposite where it looks like you got lazy your senior year.

Some secondary apps ask if there is anything about your academic record you would like to explain and I would utilize that space to just mention that there was a culture shock and the transition from high school to college was really overwhelming.

 

[ImolaZHP]

Seriously? Your worried about a sGPA of 3.4?

🙄

 

[dentalWorks]

..."my science GPA turned out to be around 3.4. Very Very disappointing."...

..."what are my chances of getting into dental school with an academic record like this?"

3.4 science is pretty good bud. Nothing to be ashamed about. Especially since you've done very well in your upper level sciences.

 

[duycuonggg]

I have a 3.2 sGPA and I already interviewed at two schools. In my freshman year I got a 0.8 in calculus and a 2.7 the second time I took it and finally a 3.7 the third time around. In my sophomore year I went all out much like you are doing right now and shaped up. The adcomms saw that and never asked anything about those classes. I even went overtime in my interview becase the interviewer had a similar experience in his freshman year of college!

Take home message - learn from your mistakes and the adcomm won't see failure but maturity.

 

[PreD]

For every happy stroy here from people with 3.3 and 3.4 GPA, I can give you one that a person with a master and 3.3 did not get an interview.

If you have a 3.3 or 3.3, then Shoot for DAT of 21+ and this will significantly increase your chanses.

Best of Luck