Informal Post-bacc or Master's?

[deleted667906]

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Hello all,
So with this last application cycle coming to an end I did not receive any interviews and looking forward I wanted to strengthen my application for the next time I apply. That being said I will give you guys some info on background.

My freshman year I attended my state school as a biology major and did not do well because I simply did not apply myself. I failed Gchem 1 and intro bio and at the end of my freshman year I was academically dismissed. I then enrolled at my local community college and after my first semester of the same issues I began doing better in class. After 2years w/ 3.0 a I transferred to a D3 school in my state, where I completed my bachelor's in biology w/ a minor in psych & chem, graduating in winter 2014 w/ a 3.0 cumCPA. Over this time I took all my prereqs because I had planned on dental school in the future. The only retake being in Gchem 1 from my freshman year. My prereq grades were as follows: Gchem 1 & 2 B, Orgo 1 B, Orgo 2 C, Biochem 1 C, Physics 1 & 2 A (took Physics 1 & 2 at my cc over the summer). I also took upper level science courses like micro, pathophysiology, anatomy & physio 1&2, mammalogy, genetic analysis and cell bio. After graduation began studying for the DAT while shadowing & volunteering at the ER (65hrs). I shadowed my general dentist (25hrs) and went through a rotation at a military hospital shadowing orthodontists, oral surgeons, prosthodontists and pediatric dentists (100+hrs). In July I took the DAT scoring 20AA 20 TS, Bio 21, Gchem 19, Orgo 21, RC 21, PAT 21, QR 17. I wasn't sure if I should retake it because of the low QR but I plan on doing so now. My BCP & sGPA this cycle were 2.5 due to subpar freshman year, but my nonscience GPA was a 3.1 (still low I know).

Currently, I have reenrolled at my state school part time as a post-bacc taking molecular genetics and biochem 2. I'm currently signed up for immunology in the summer and calculus, virology, physical chemistry in the fall. My question going forward was whether I should take the GRE and apply for a master's program in a science field or to continue taking upper level science courses and do well to raise my GPA.

 

[Ollivander]

I want to start out by saying that you should not go by strictly one person's advice from this forum because nobody can give you a guide to being accepted. It's such a complex process with many variables at play. Do research, and take into account various opinions and advice on this forum to formulate your own opinion on what you should do going forward. With that said I'll address your concerns.

I think you're wasting your time if you choose to do a post-bacc. Why? Because of the hefty amount of credits you've already taken in the sciences. I feel as though it's going to be extremely difficult to bring up that 2.5 sGPA and I almost fear that it puts you out of consideration for dental school as a whole. That's the whole point of a post-bacc -- to improve your undergrad GPA by taking additional classes. Once you take on so many credits it's virtually impossible to improve the GPA unless you just continue taking a massive amount of credits over 3+ years which is not worth it. Thus, I would completely rule out the post-bacc. What you need is a SMP. However, you really need to ask yourself if dentistry is really what you want to do. If you choose the SMP route and perform poorly in it (you need to maintain a 3.5+ GPA), then that's not really going to help you going forward while applying to dental schools. It's almost as if you put yourself $25,000-$40,000 in further debt for nothing. There are several other health professions such as pharmacy or podiatry that still do well financially speaking that accept students with your stats more often than dental schools do. What I mean to say is that they're more forgiving. However, I do think you probably need a SMP despite whatever you decide to go into in relation to health professions. You need to show dental schools you can handle the rigorous curriculum of classes and do well. That means no more C's.

I would advise enrolling in a SMP that's a year and a half to two years long. It will allow you to apply once to dental schools halfway through the SMP (which will mean you matriculate the Fall upon completion of the SMP), and again after you're completed if you get rejected the first time around (which will mean you matriculate after a gap year). I think you need to show dental schools that you can handle the rigorous curriculum that you're going to be asked to do during your first two years of dental school. Put yourself in an admissions committee's position. Would you take a risk on someone who has a 2.5 sGPA over the course of several years in courses that will be taught at a much quicker pace in dental school? I'm not trying to dissuade you at all. I'm just showing you how they're going to look at it as I'm in a similar position.

Something like Barry University's 18 month or two-year track SMP is something I would recommend. I think you need more than just a year's worth of work to show admissions committees. Two years of your life is a lot to sacrifice though and I realize that. There are other health-related professions that pay well, offer the ability to own your own practice, and autonomy in the hours you work during the week. You need to ask yourself how serious you are about this career path, as it's very difficult and competitive. If you decide you're serious, then start looking into SMPs. The only 18 month or more SMPs I know off the top of my head that I've heard good things about are Barry University, MWU (they apparently guarantee an interview), and Mississippi College. Other than that I don't know too much about SMPs. I plan on doing one, but it's a one-year SMP so I wouldn't recommend it for someone in your position. I think Tulane has a wide variety of options as well.

EDIT: I'm not doing it myself due to PBL and not having the option to specialize, but I'd highly recommend applying to LECOM. I think they're your best chance of being accepted if you're okay with not having the option to specialize.

 

[deleted667906]

First let me say thanks Ollivander for taking the time to respond to my post. My question about SMP is that with my stats is there a chance that I would get into any SMP? Most state that the require a minimum 3.0GPA so I am skeptical about taking the time to apply but at the same time I think its worth a shot.

 

[sumin5924]

Hey, I pm'ed you!

 

[aznriptide859]

First let me say thanks Ollivander for taking the time to respond to my post. My question about SMP is that with my stats is there a chance that I would get into any SMP? Most state that the require a minimum 3.0GPA so I am skeptical about taking the time to apply but at the same time I think its worth a shot.

Those are never hard-set numbers; as long as you provide an explanation in your personal statement and what you intend to do in the future, I think SMP adcom's will be willing to understand and give you a chance. My uGPA was 0.4 lower than the required one for my program, but I still finished the SMP and graduated in 1.5 years.

I will also agree with @Ollivander's suggestion in applying for an SMP.

 

[Ollivander]

First let me say thanks Ollivander for taking the time to respond to my post. My question about SMP is that with my stats is there a chance that I would get into any SMP? Most state that the require a minimum 3.0GPA so I am skeptical about taking the time to apply but at the same time I think its worth a shot.

Sorry about the late reply. I wasn't tagged until now so it took me a while to see it. There are several students who get accepted to SMPs with GPAs under 3.0 every year. The 3.0 is more of a cut off for dental schools than SMPs more often than not. However, I've seen a fair share of people from this forum that had under 3.0 oGPAs or sGPAs that went on to do a SMP and they did get accepted into dental schools. It's more rare, but it happens and mainly with private schools. In those scenarios the applicants always had oGPAs and sGPAs at the very least above 2.5 if not even 2.75, and I tend to believe they were weighed more heavily on what they did in their most recent two years versus the previous amount. Those people usually are in dire situations where they end up doing 18 month or two year SMPs and really work their asses off to maintain GPAs above 3.5 the entire way through their SMPs. Like @aznriptide859 already said, they probably explained themselves in their personal statements as well as knocking their interviews out of the park.

Bottomline: Your situation is salvageable if you work hard enough. At least I believe it is from seeing others doing it and being accepted. Buy the online versions of the ADEA Guides for the last two cycles and check out the schools which accepted applicants with undergrad GPAs under 3.0. I think that'd be worth your time so you know where to apply when the time comes. But as far as your question regarding if you can get into a SMP with your GPA the answer is yes. Just don't apply to the extremely competitive ones. Again SMPs I can recommend from doing my own research into SMPs would be Barry, MWU, and Tulane off the top of my head but there are several goods ones. Just go check out the interdisciplinary board and you'll find loads of information.

If you have any concerns or questions feel free to shoot me a message! I'm usually lurking around here on a weekly basis.

 

[darklordzz]

Take a year of straight up upper-division bio and chem classes, and there is no way around this but you need to ace those classes. You can probably bring your 2.5 sci GPA up to the 2.75+ cutoff for most dental schools. Then you'll be in perfect position to apply to an SMP. I saw some guy get into Rutgers SMP with a 2.68 science GPA which is surprising because that program is actually reputable.