How can I increase my chances of getting an acceptance?

[ValentineD]

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[743291]

Just a little background about myself:

I was on the pre-health track until I got very sick my Junior year (severe digestive issues, could barely get out of bed) and had to withdraw from the semester in the Fall, before that happened I had about a ~3.8 oGPA. I come from a poorer background, so I was facing a lot of family pressure to pick a "successful" career path. You know the "follow your dreams" type of thing, as long as those dreams involve you being a doctor or engineer. Switched to Computer Science because that was the only "engineering" option available to me, hated it, bombed literally everything. Had the realization that this wasn't what I wanted for myself, to be a mediocre programmer forever, and changed it up my 5th year. Finally was able to see a physician, get medicated, get a health plan, and since then I have been back in business. Picked up a job to pay the bills, will finish in a full 6th year of undergrad.

Right now I have 8 W's, 4 C's, and a D (plus!). The C's and D's are in the programming courses; 6 of the W's are from the semester I got sick and the remaining 2 are Calculus 2 twice (ay lmaooooo) during "the programming years." I might cop a last C in my fourth semester of French because of I never established a solid foundation when I was sick all of the time.

I am projected to probably have around around a 3.3 oGPA / 3.2 sGPA / and potentially a 3.9 bcpGPA.

I'm doing a double Neuroscience / Biochem Lite major; I could probably just pick one and get out a semester earlier but at this point it is an issue of pride to finish what I started (those were my majors before the switch).

My ECs are:
- Professional Fraternity ~5 years. Held two positions; one for 0.5 years and the other for 1.5 years.
- ~2000 hours of research in a Human Genetics lab. Full time for two Summers, paid. Received a national research fellowship from a private foundation for one of the Summers.
- ~600 hours interning for a local biotech company developing software to manage production.
- ~500 IT technician for the University (where I work now)
- ~100 hours volunteering for a local volunteer organization
- ~25 hours at a local homeless shelter (now that it's warm I will continue this, I like it a lot)
- ~25 hours shadowing

This Summer I will continue doing the IT work (it's not quite science related but I earn good money and it pays the rent), positions in the Human Genetics department are opening up so I will be searching for a new research job, and studying for the DAT. I will also be shadowing / volunteering.

Basically what I am wondering is how I can shore up my application to hopefully get adcoms to look past my rocky academic history. Also something that worries me is I don't really have the financial means to carpet bomb the application cycle, so I will have to tailor a pretty small list of schools (maybe like 8?). It's been hard to place myself in relation to other pre-dentals because my GPA scores don't follow the typical trend, so I am not sure what schools I should shoot for based on GPA alone. If anyone has any advice or anecdotes that would be very helpful.

Thanks! Sorry for the longwinded monologue about my life.

 

[i D M D]

Do more dental related EC (at least 100 hours shadowing/assisting), ace DAT, aim for A's in your remaining classes, get good recomm letters, write a unique personal statement, you'll be fine. Remember if you have a weakness in one category you should focus on other factors to make up for it.

 

[JLT223]

Make sure your personal statement really shows all the struggles you've been through and specifically state WHY dentistry and how it fits well with your personality/your combined life experiences. As iDMD said, also make sure you get at least 100 shadowing hours and crush the dat to offset your gpa.

 

[ValentineD]

Do more dental related EC (at least 100 hours shadowing/assisting), ace DAT, aim for A's in your remaining classes, get good recomm letters, write a unique personal statement, you'll be fine. Remember if you have a weakness in one category you should focus on other factors to make up for it.

Make sure your personal statement really shows all the struggles you've been through and specifically state WHY dentistry and how it fits well with your personality/your combined life experiences. As iDMD said, also make sure you get at least 100 shadowing hours and crush the dat to offset your gpa.

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[nateriver]

Maybe do a post bacc and get your gpa up, you don't wanna be back here next year after wasting 2000-3000 or more on applying and not get in because of a GPA issue, plenty of people who ace the dat don't get interviews cause the schools automatic system denies their app from just the GPA, which is messed up but it happens, and then some people do get in with lower GPAs so it is possible I suppose, but do you really wanna take that chance? Id just strengthen my GPA and go through the app cycle once, clearly if you had 3.8 , you're a strong student, so Im sure you could raise your GPA again, and it does deff suck to have to go through with more prereqs and predental stuff, but it might be the road you have to take, best of luck ! 🙂

 

[ValentineD]

Maybe do a post bacc and get your gpa up, you don't wanna be back here next year after wasting 2000-3000 or more on applying and not get in because of a GPA issue, plenty of people who ace the dat don't get interviews cause the schools automatic system denies their app from just the GPA, which is messed up but it happens, and then some people do get in with lower GPAs so it is possible I suppose, but do you really wanna take that chance? Id just strengthen my GPA and go through the app cycle once, clearly if you had 3.8 , you're a strong student, so Im sure you could raise your GPA again, and it does deff suck to have to go through with more prereqs and predental stuff, but it might be the road you have to take, best of luck ! 🙂

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[Scumbag_Steve]

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