Im currently in my sophomore year undergrad and my dream is to go to dental school. Thing is I'm always and I mean always under the fear of not possibly getting in, my gpa is around 3.5 but my Sgpa is about 3.2 and i haven't gotten a single A in any of the science courses and i don't think i will which makes me terrified. I'm just overall depressed and sad because of this. The possibility of me not getting into dental school despite all the work and effort i put in eats me alive everyday. I am beyond stressed before every science exam and feel like throwing up from pressure. I don't do sports or do any fun activities or hang with friends like i used to because of this. Please help me deal with this or at least make me feel better. my main schools are tufts, BU, UNE, NYU and willing to apply anywhere where i have a good chance. I already shadowed last summer and planning on doing more this winter break and to do community service during summer break so this is looking good, but the uncertainty of my future drives me crazy.
i feel hopeless and depressed because of this
- Thread starter HM-boss
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A 3.2 isn't bad and you have 2 years + to help pull it a bit higher. Why are you stressing? Study hard kill the DAT and become a dentist
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Honestly, feeling sad and depressed is just counterproductive!
What sadness ever did to people, you'll get sick and age while you are still young.
With your current gpa, you can go to dental schools if you have good dat 22 and up!
keep up the good gpa of 3.5 and try your best to improve the science gpa.
and write a good personal statement
also volunteering and shadowing will matter, but don't do it while in school because that will mess up your studying!
It's not hard to get an A, it just requires dedication and devotion.
For example, watch a video about the topic before going to class, read before going to class.
if you work full time, make it half time.
Study on weekends, in the library, instead of going out with friends. Those friends will vanish from your life once you all graduate anyway! But don't be anti social, go out with friends when you don't have a test or something important.
Get a tutor, go to si sessions, go to the professor's office hours don't take more than 12 credits during the semester. You really don't have to take 15 or 18 credits if you are struggling now?
Take your sweet time.
Get a study partner! This is very very helpful!
Find someone who shares the same dreams as you, and partner up with him/her!
Exercise regularly, this will make you more relaxed, fit, and smarter!
Best of luck!
What sadness ever did to people, you'll get sick and age while you are still young.
With your current gpa, you can go to dental schools if you have good dat 22 and up!
keep up the good gpa of 3.5 and try your best to improve the science gpa.
and write a good personal statement
also volunteering and shadowing will matter, but don't do it while in school because that will mess up your studying!
It's not hard to get an A, it just requires dedication and devotion.
For example, watch a video about the topic before going to class, read before going to class.
if you work full time, make it half time.
Study on weekends, in the library, instead of going out with friends. Those friends will vanish from your life once you all graduate anyway! But don't be anti social, go out with friends when you don't have a test or something important.
Get a tutor, go to si sessions, go to the professor's office hours don't take more than 12 credits during the semester. You really don't have to take 15 or 18 credits if you are struggling now?
Take your sweet time.
Get a study partner! This is very very helpful!
Find someone who shares the same dreams as you, and partner up with him/her!
Exercise regularly, this will make you more relaxed, fit, and smarter!
Best of luck!
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I know someone with a 3.2 overall, 2.9 science GPA with 3 interviews. Keep your head up! 
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Your GPA isn't bad at all, and you have plenty of time to improve. No reason to be hopeless or depressed. Browse through the forums a bit and you will find that numerous people with your GPA or lower have gotten interviews and acceptances.
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Like others have said .... you have time. Stay focused and you will realize your dream. Don't think too far ahead. Stay focused on the present task.
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Study hard but also Ive come to learn that dental school applications are a game where GPA and DAT isn't everything. Missing strong science grades?
Take 1 or 2 summer courses and ONLY concentrate on them - Im talking notes for class, rewritten for midterms, review textbook tests, know every little thing inside and out. Its an easy A.
If your grades aren't strong do something interesting. Seriously trips to Africa and being a dental school committee member is lame. Do something cool like taking care of falcons and falconry. Skydive instructor that volunteers at HIV clinics on the weekend. Something to make people go... oh... I want to meet him, lets invite him over.
Take 1 or 2 summer courses and ONLY concentrate on them - Im talking notes for class, rewritten for midterms, review textbook tests, know every little thing inside and out. Its an easy A.
If your grades aren't strong do something interesting. Seriously trips to Africa and being a dental school committee member is lame. Do something cool like taking care of falcons and falconry. Skydive instructor that volunteers at HIV clinics on the weekend. Something to make people go... oh... I want to meet him, lets invite him over.
I graduated UG with a 2.56 oGPA, 2.4 sGPA. Did a post bacc, SMP and improved my DAT scores.
I still have a 2.9 oGPA, 2.8 sGPA, 3.75 SMP GPA, 3.5 Post Bacc GPA, 21 DAT across the board, 3000 paid work as a DA, lots of volunteer experience
and I have 3 interviews.
Never give up if it's something you need in your life.
I still have a 2.9 oGPA, 2.8 sGPA, 3.75 SMP GPA, 3.5 Post Bacc GPA, 21 DAT across the board, 3000 paid work as a DA, lots of volunteer experience
and I have 3 interviews.
Never give up if it's something you need in your life.
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many of us have been where you are at now. keep at it
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Alright, I'm going to weigh in on this because I was exactly in your situation before.
Freshman year, I pulled a 3.0 both semesters in all my classes. No A's or C's, just straight Bs. First semester Sophomore year, I made it a goal to pull my grades up and really get it together. I don't really know what that meant at that time, because looking back I didn't really change anything with my study habits or my outlook on college. I took Chem 101 and Chem lab 101 along with a basic Biology course.. only to get a C+ in Chem lab and a B- in Chem 101. Another B in Biology.
By this point, I was at a 2.9 sGPA, 3.1oGPA, and a second semester sophomore who hasn't even taken Molecular, Chem 2, or even Orgo. Needless to say, I was pretty hopeless. During Christmas break, I realized that if I didn't get at least 1 A in my science courses, I was probably going to have to drop out of Dentistry and pursue something different. Rather than making the empty promise of "pulling it together" I took a long hard look at myself and asked myself the questions I didn't want to know the answer to. For example "How much quality time studying do you REALLY do?" "If you are diligent, why are you on your laptop during class?" I treated second semester sophomore year like it was my last one in college... and got a 3.7.
Flash forward to my senior year, I now have a 3.4/3.5 sGPA, a 3.5 oGPA, and have received multiple pre dec interviews. I'm not typing this story to buff myself up, as my case isn't particularly extraordinary. I'm letting you know that theres a way out.
One thing that relieved my exam stress was not cramming. Cramming killed my GPA, and it killed my happiness for those first 3 semesters. Study every day, even if its only for 30 minutes. Just like a competitive athlete doesn't train only before their event, why should you only study before the test? Once I started studying diligently 2-3 WEEKS out from an exam did I start to notice some tangible results. It doesn't have to be 4 hours every day for 3 weeks, but enough so that you're not feeling pressured to take the test once it gets there. I urge you to try it.
That being said, you won't be perfect right away once you figure it out. I still got plenty of B's in those subsequent semesters, and I still struggled a lot in some classes. It was a constant process of tweaking my strategies. What was important was that as the semesters went on, they were an improvement from the previous ones. That's what's important. Play it one semester at a time, and just try to 1 up the previous one. before you know it, you'll be pulling A's in everything and laughing at yourself for doubting your abilities.
Freshman year, I pulled a 3.0 both semesters in all my classes. No A's or C's, just straight Bs. First semester Sophomore year, I made it a goal to pull my grades up and really get it together. I don't really know what that meant at that time, because looking back I didn't really change anything with my study habits or my outlook on college. I took Chem 101 and Chem lab 101 along with a basic Biology course.. only to get a C+ in Chem lab and a B- in Chem 101. Another B in Biology.
By this point, I was at a 2.9 sGPA, 3.1oGPA, and a second semester sophomore who hasn't even taken Molecular, Chem 2, or even Orgo. Needless to say, I was pretty hopeless. During Christmas break, I realized that if I didn't get at least 1 A in my science courses, I was probably going to have to drop out of Dentistry and pursue something different. Rather than making the empty promise of "pulling it together" I took a long hard look at myself and asked myself the questions I didn't want to know the answer to. For example "How much quality time studying do you REALLY do?" "If you are diligent, why are you on your laptop during class?" I treated second semester sophomore year like it was my last one in college... and got a 3.7.
Flash forward to my senior year, I now have a 3.4/3.5 sGPA, a 3.5 oGPA, and have received multiple pre dec interviews. I'm not typing this story to buff myself up, as my case isn't particularly extraordinary. I'm letting you know that theres a way out.
One thing that relieved my exam stress was not cramming. Cramming killed my GPA, and it killed my happiness for those first 3 semesters. Study every day, even if its only for 30 minutes. Just like a competitive athlete doesn't train only before their event, why should you only study before the test? Once I started studying diligently 2-3 WEEKS out from an exam did I start to notice some tangible results. It doesn't have to be 4 hours every day for 3 weeks, but enough so that you're not feeling pressured to take the test once it gets there. I urge you to try it.
That being said, you won't be perfect right away once you figure it out. I still got plenty of B's in those subsequent semesters, and I still struggled a lot in some classes. It was a constant process of tweaking my strategies. What was important was that as the semesters went on, they were an improvement from the previous ones. That's what's important. Play it one semester at a time, and just try to 1 up the previous one. before you know it, you'll be pulling A's in everything and laughing at yourself for doubting your abilities.
Where?I know someone with a 3.2 overall, 2.9 science GPA with 3 interviews. Keep your head up!
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You will be in the game with your GPA. Just make sure you have an early application so that you compete for every open seat before they start being taken. Once your GPA and DAT meet standards, schools will seriously consider your dedication, as well as whether or not they think you are likely to attend if given an acceptance. That is why some applicants with super high stats don't get into certain schools, because those schools may think they will have "better" options anyway. Moral of the story is, it's not all about your stats. Yes, your stats have to meet certain standards, but they can only get you in the game. Showcasing your motivation for dentistry is the actual game.
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GPA and DAT are the first hurdle you have to clear but it's not just about those two. There was an SDNer by the name of shaqandkobe or something. I saw their post that said had like 4.0 and 25 and didn't get a interview at UT Houston or one of the Texas schools. Crazy right? Not sure what adcoms are looking for but a lot of schools look at your app holistically. Go kill the DAT and that will help land an interview. Once you get interviews, your personality and passion for dentistry can get score you a coveted acceptance. Also don't read any depressing threads here on SDN. Gotta be realistic about your chances but stay positive also.
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