hypothetical question

[seanjohn]

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Let me present you with a hypothetical situation. Would it be possible for a student to get accepted to any dental school, either private or state schools if they had a 3.7 overall GPA, and a 2.7 science GPA? Let's just assume it would be possible to have such a low science GPA, and still have such a high overall GPA.

In your opinion, who would have a better chance at being accepted: a student with a 3.7 overall and a 2.7 science, or a 3.3 overall and 3.2 science GPA?

 

[Mo007]

The student with 3.3/3.2 - We are talking Science here People!

 

[seanjohn]

How about the first question?

 

[busdriver]

i'm sure there's always an exception so i think it's possible for the 3.7/2.7 student to get in, but i would agree with Mo007 that the 3.3/3.2 student has a better chance...

 

[xkurkox]

You do realize that science is basically all you?ll be studying in dental school. If your getting C?s in bio or biochem you?ll drown later on.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by xkurkox
You do realize that science is basically all you?ll be studying in dental school. If your getting C?s in bio or biochem you?ll drown later on.

Hard to argue with that.

 

[seanjohn]

Yes, yes, understandably so, but what if the person with a 2.7 science got A's in Biology courses, including biochem, but got C's, D's, and F's in chemistry, organic chem, physics, and took lots of chem and physics courses. I know it would be impossible, but in this hypothethical situation, I would think that the admission committee may overlook the 2.7 in this case because it was brought down by physics and chemistry. Clearly, all the A's the student gets in Bio would get him somewhere, agree?

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by seanjohn
Yes, yes, understandably so, but what if the person with a 2.7 science got A's in Biology courses, including biochem, but got C's, D's, and F's in chemistry, organic chem, physics, and took lots of chem and physics courses. I know it would be impossible, but in this hypothethical situation, I would think that the admission committee may overlook the 2.7 in this case because it was brought down by physics and chemistry. Clearly, all the A's the student gets in Bio would get him somewhere, agree?

Possibly. The rigorous classload in undergrad isn't just to demonstrate you understand biology; it's also to show you're capable of handling a lot of work at once, in whatever discipline. Tough call either way.

 

[politicallyRite]

What's the point here?

Originally posted by seanjohn
Yes, yes, understandably so, but what if the person with a 2.7 science got A's in Biology courses, including biochem, but got C's, D's, and F's in chemistry, organic chem, physics, and took lots of chem and physics courses. I know it would be impossible, but in this hypothethical situation, I would think that the admission committee may overlook the 2.7 in this case because it was brought down by physics and chemistry. Clearly, all the A's the student gets in Bio would get him somewhere, agree?

 

[Woodsy]

if you did poorly on the sciences, but make up for it on the DAT, the person with the 3.7 should be favoured.

 

[seanjohn]

polticallyRite, there doesn't have to be a point to discuss something. It's just intrinsically rewarding to discuss hypothetical situations and then adding new dimensions to the situation once a conclusive agreement is made, so that it can be discussed further. If I asked you what the meaning of life was, you may ask, what's the point of asking, no matter how much we argue we can never reach a conclusive and definitive answer. However, if that's your outlook then that would be foolish, because discussing such issues are intrinsically rewarding and if you can't see that then you're missing out on a lot.

 

[politicallyRite]

But your hypothetical question is absurd and nonsensical.😀

 

[3rdMolarRoller]

how is it possible to get a 3.7 overall GPA and have 2.7 science???

Simple math tells you this can't work unless they only took very few sciences classes. If you took all your dental school pre-reqs and got a 2.7 science, you would have a 3.4-3.5 at the most overall.


Not many dumb questions but this might be at the top of the list

 

[RaiderNation]

If you geniuses would READ THE POST you would see that the original poster said he knew it w-a-s-n-'t p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e...

 

[seanjohn]

Thank you raidernation! If they actually read before commenting then they wouldn't say that. Yes I know it would be impossible to have a 2.7 science, and a 3.7 overall, I said it was, and I also said, here's the key part, it's a HYPOTHETHICAL situation, which means this situation does not exist in reality. I asked for you to consider it hypothethically... sweet jesus.

 

[seanjohn]

By the way Brocnizer, I just have to point out that your math skills are borderline preschool level at most. If you can't perform a simple calculation that I am about to do, then how can you perform complex dental procedures in the future? An A+ is given a GPA value of 4.33, so if you took the minimum required science courses of bio,chem, organic chem and physics, and took 120 credits, or four full years receiving an A+ in all courses except for those four courses in which you received a 2.7 GPA your GPA would in fact be a 4.00. Similarly, if you got all A's instead of A+'s, where each A is given a 4.0 score, and a 2.7 in those four science courses then you would receive a 3.74 GPA. You should improve your math skills brocnizer and your "Simple Math" principles. Not so absurd anymore is it?

 

[hockeydentist]

Its like asking how many licks does it take to get to the middle of a totsi pop. (the world may never know) my guess 6,000 licks of tootsi pop. just kid

If I were someone on the admission committee, I would look a many factors to why that person has such a high overall and then a really low science gpa. I think red flags would pop up seeing such a huge gap between gpa's. IF they had a really high DAT then that could make up for the low science Gpa. But otherwise a lot of C's and D's on a transcript can't help anyone.

The safest scienero for most ad committee would be the 3.2/3.2 this person knows how to maintain a consistent b average while in school. From many deans, the best student is the one who doesn't necessarily make the A's but knows how to stay afloat and keep up with the rigors of such a huge course load.

I guess you could say that the admission committee look at people as an investment.

The 3.7/2.9 is a high risk investment. Possiblity of no returns or net gain with this person. If we allow this person in, are they going to flunk out after the first semester. IF they do, they just lost long term money. But on the otherhand they could turn out to be high successful. highly marketable dentist with the school recieving alumni money in the future. So there is a 50/50 chance with this person hypothetically.

the 3.2/3.2 no risk, finacially sound for the long run.

 

[seanjohn]

Thanks for your reply hockeydentist, a well thought out answer, and I have to say I agree whole heartedly.

 

[Mudduck]

Okay, I'll bite here... Seanjohn said

An A+ is given a GPA value of 4.33, so if you took the minimum required science courses of bio,chem, organic chem and physics, and took 120 credits, or four full years receiving an A+ in all courses except for those four courses in which you received a 2.7 GPA your GPA would in fact be a 4.00. Similarly, if you got all A's instead of A+'s, where each A is given a 4.0 score, and a 2.7 in those four science courses then you would receive a 3.74 GPA.


Boy, I must have went to the wrong undergrad school, 'cause where I come from, an A+ doesn't exist, even if you get EVERY SINGLE POINT AVAILABLE in a course (that is 100% for any math-deficient dentists out there ). That makes for a 4.0 in that course, as does an A (usually 94% and higher). My undergrad university does the +/- system, so a 90-92.9% is an A-, equivilent to about a 3.7 I think.

What I am getting at is that as far as I know, it is absolutely impossible to get a gpa value of 4.33! Correct me if I have just been in the dark for four years, 'cause I would like to recalculate my AADSAS gpa if all my A+ grades are worth more than 4.0 on a 4.0 scale!!! Or perhaps this is another one of those Canadian school myths that actually have some truth to them? I am curious to know.

 

[RaiderNation]

I believe the way the ADA counts an A+ is 4.33. Usually at the universities they will just count is a 4.0, same as an A. But whne you do your dental school app the A+'s turn into 4.33's, which is kinda nice.

 

[Mudduck]

That is just it, though. I have gotten 94% and better in classes, but on my transcript my university does NOT assign A+ grades, even though it is an "A+", which I still contend don't exist. A letter B grade is a 3.0, not a 3.33. Also, the % grades do not show up on my transcript, so there is no way to show that any of my A grades were actually A+ grades. Again, is this just my university failing to assign A+ and a 4.33 on a 4.0 scale does exist, or is this all just a myth? The key here is that grades are base on a 4.0 scale!

BTW, if it is possible to earn a 4.33 on a 4.0 scale, why do you only hear of the 4.0 genious students and never hear of the 4.33, or 4.15, etc., students?

 

[Mudduck]

Okay, I just found the answer to my own ignorant question. Just a bit ago this was discussed in the Calculation thread. Yep, an A+ is a 4.33. That is crazy. My university sucks. They don't bother designating + on an A+. Oh well, I was accepted without them!

 

[Woodsy]

Originally posted by Mudduck
That is just it, though. I have gotten 94% and better in classes, but on my transcript my university does NOT assign A+ grades, even though it is an "A+", which I still contend don't exist. A letter B grade is a 3.0, not a 3.33. Also, the % grades do not show up on my transcript, so there is no way to show that any of my A grades were actually A+ grades. Again, is this just my university failing to assign A+ and a 4.33 on a 4.0 scale does exist, or is this all just a myth? The key here is that grades are base on a 4.0 scale!

BTW, if it is possible to earn a 4.33 on a 4.0 scale, why do you only hear of the 4.0 genious students and never hear of the 4.33, or 4.15, etc., students?

I have over a 4.1 on my non science GPA. The only reason that happens is that not a lot of Canadian students with a perfect average in Canada (all A+) will apply to dental school in the USA because most likely they will get in, in Canada so it saves them lots of money and because many of them don't go on this forum because they don't even know it exists.