I've never been this depressed in my life. I'm here to seek advice on where to go from here.

[PreDentalNeedingAdvice]

First off I do apologize on this being a "first post" on a new account. I'm actually a regular member on here, but I chose to use a new account for anonymity as I'm going through a pretty difficult time in my life and didn't want to post under my regular username. I hope you understand.

So I recently started a masters in biomedical science to repair a poor undergrad transcript riddled with withdrawals with repeated attempts. All in all I graduated undergrad with a 3.4 oGPA and a 3.2 sGPA. I elected to do a one-year masters in biomedical science because of the vast amount of withdrawals I had associated with my undergrad science courses. I wanted to show I could handle a rigorous science curriculum. The problem is, I'm a week into the masters program and I've realized that I can't handle it. I've never taken a microbiology or cell biology course up to this point, and both are part of the program at a masters level (500 and 600 level). I feel as though others are picking up on the material whereas I don't have a foundation to build on. I feel so lost in those classes and it's making me question whether I can handle dental school or not. I guess I expected to be taught micro and cell from the ground up in this program, but they jumped straight into the material like everyone already had it before.

Over the past week I've been overly emotional, getting upset every day after class driving home. I've spent 4-5 hours per day studying the material and I just spent ~15 hours worth of studying over the last two days attempting to grasp the first week's worth of material. The problem is I just can't understand it. I'm contemplating withdrawing from the masters program and working for a while. I'm here to ask that if I were to withdraw from the program, would it completely shoot my chances of getting into dental school down the drain? What if I eventually entered another masters program down the road and performed well in it? Right now I just feel as though I don't have a sufficient foundation to build on. I'm considering working while taking micro and cell biology at a community college to build some sort of foundation. Then maybe I can attempt another masters degree in a year or two.

I'm hopeful that someone out there can provide some guidance as to what the optimal route to take from here would be. I do feel as though if I stay in this program that I will perform poorly due to not having a foundation to build on. That was my mistake and I realize that. I just thought from everything I was told about the program that they'd be teaching us the material from the ground up. I was wrong and was led to believe wrongly. Anyway, any help and advice would be very much appreciated. I'm at a really bad place in my life at the moment, and I feel as though I can't do anything right. I'm questioning a lot of things including the past six years of my life.

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[schmoob]

Chances are you are not the only one feeling this way. Talk to your classmates. Find out what resources the school has to help you. Maybe there are peer tutoring groups.
Do not stress yourself out. Communicate, and ask for help. Don't do this alone.

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

I'm really sorry you feel this way. I know the decision to pull the plug on this Master's program may seem tempting when under great emotional stress, but I think the best course of action for you is to seek help from your professor if you haven't already done so. Tell him/her how you feel and what you could do to better yourself and catch up with the material. Hopefully they will be understanding enough to guide you in the right direction. Emotions can lead to making impulsive decisions, and I just want you to consider all options before quitting because you might regret leaving, and I'm not so sure how dental schools will view your departure. Have you even had your first exam yet? I would see how well you do first. Once you've sought help from professors, classmates, counselors, outside educational resources, and maxed out your best efforts with all of the above, then perhaps you could consider at that point to leave to mitigate the stress and save your happiness. Just please don't be so quick to walk away without putting up a good fight.

 

[Mason91]

First off I do apologize on this being a "first post" on a new account. I'm actually a regular member on here, but I chose to use a new account for anonymity as I'm going through a pretty difficult time in my life and didn't want to post under my regular username. I hope you understand.

So I recently started a masters in biomedical science to repair a poor undergrad transcript riddled with withdrawals with repeated attempts. All in all I graduated undergrad with a 3.4 oGPA and a 3.2 sGPA. I elected to do a one-year masters in biomedical science because of the vast amount of withdrawals I had associated with my undergrad science courses. I wanted to show I could handle a rigorous science curriculum. The problem is, I'm a week into the masters program and I've realized that I can't handle it. I've never taken a microbiology or cell biology course up to this point, and both are part of the program at a masters level (500 and 600 level). I feel as though others are picking up on the material whereas I don't have a foundation to build on. I feel so lost in those classes and it's making me question whether I can handle dental school or not. I guess I expected to be taught micro and cell from the ground up in this program, but they jumped straight into the material like everyone already had it before.

Over the past week I've been overly emotional, getting upset every day after class driving home. I've spent 4-5 hours per day studying the material and I just spent ~15 hours worth of studying over the last two days attempting to grasp the first week's worth of material. The problem is I just can't understand it. I'm contemplating withdrawing from the masters program and working for a while. I'm here to ask that if I were to withdraw from the program, would it completely shoot my chances of getting into dental school down the drain? What if I eventually entered another masters program down the road and performed well in it? Right now I just feel as though I don't have a sufficient foundation to build on. I'm considering working while taking micro and cell biology at a community college to build some sort of foundation. Then maybe I can attempt another masters degree in a year or two.

I'm hopeful that someone out there can provide some guidance as to what the optimal route to take from here would be. I do feel as though if I stay in this program that I will perform poorly due to not having a foundation to build on. That was my mistake and I realize that. I just thought from everything I was told about the program that they'd be teaching us the material from the ground up. I was wrong and was led to believe wrongly. Anyway, any help and advice would be very much appreciated. I'm at a really bad place in my life at the moment, and I feel as though I can't do anything right. I'm questioning a lot of things including the past six years of my life.

I'm sorry OP. That must really suck. Just like okiedokeartichoke said, you need to consult with your professors first. Since you don't have much option other than withdrawing from the program, you need to tell your professors what you just wrote here and be completely honest. If they can come up with some options for you, you can go from there.
But one thing I was curious is, does your master's program show up on your transcript even if you withdraw out of it within the first week or two? Isn't there a period during which you can drop (I guess it might be different with grad school but) out of a course (in this case, the program) and not be charged any tuition/fees, thus, no record? I haven't done grad school so if that's not how it works, sorry.

 

[PreDentalNeedingAdvice]

I'm really sorry you feel this way. I know the decision to pull the plug on this Master's program may seem tempting when under great emotional stress, but I think the best course of action for you is to seek help from your professor if you haven't already done so. Tell him/her how you feel and what you could do to better yourself and catch up with the material. Hopefully they will be understanding enough to guide you in the right direction. Emotions can lead to making impulsive decisions, and I just want you to consider all options before quitting because you might regret leaving, and I'm not so sure how dental schools will view your departure. Have you even had your first exam yet? I would see how well you do first. Once you've sought help from professors, classmates, counselors, outside educational resources, and maxed out your best efforts with all of the above, then perhaps you could consider at that point to leave to mitigate the stress and save your happiness. Just please don't be so quick to walk away without putting up a good fight.

I have not had my first exam. It would be on Sept 6th, so next Tuesday. However, this coming Friday is the last day to withdraw and receive 75% of my tuition refunded. 75% of $12,000 is a lot of money, especially when it's a student loan. It just seems as though most in my classes have already had a cell biology or microbiology class before so they'd on cruise control. Whereas I'm having it go over my head. I've attempted to get with people and try to study together, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen on their end. So if I want to get any sort of refund on the student loan, I'll have to do it by this Friday. It's a tight spot. I just want to make the best decision for me and not ruin my chances at dental school forever.

 

[PreDentalNeedingAdvice]

I'm sorry OP. That must really suck. Just like okiedokeartichoke said, you need to consult with your professors first. Since you don't have much option other than withdrawing from the program, you need to tell your professors what you just wrote here and be completely honest. If they can come up with some options for you, you can go from there.
But one thing I was curious is, does your master's program show up on your transcript? Isn't there a period during which you can drop (I guess it might be different with grad school but) out of a course (in this case, the program) and not be charged any tuition/fees, thus, no record? I haven't done grad school so if that's not how it works, sorry.

It will show up on my permanent record, but if I withdraw by Friday I get 75% of my tuition refunded.

 

[Mason91]

It will show up on my permanent record, but if I withdraw by Friday I get 75% of my tuition refunded.

Ouch. Only 75%?
Well, I sincerely hope everything works out for you, OP.

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

I have not had my first exam. It would be on Sept 6th, so next Tuesday. However, this coming Friday is the last day to withdraw and receive 75% of my tuition refunded. 75% of $12,000 is a lot of money, especially when it's a student loan. It just seems as though most in my classes have already had a cell biology or microbiology class before so they'd on cruise control. Whereas I'm having it go over my head. I've attempted to get with people and try to study together, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen on their end. So if I want to get any sort of refund on the student loan, I'll have to do it by this Friday. It's a tight spot. I just want to make the best decision for me and not ruin my chances at dental school forever.

Yikes, I now see your dilemma :\ That is a tight spot indeed. I don't know if this would be weird, but have you tried calling dental schools to see how they would view a situation like this? Doesn't hurt to try as long as you stay anonymous. You have a little over a week to study though. You can do it!

 

[CareerNumTwo]

It will show up on my permanent record, but if I withdraw by Friday I get 75% of my tuition refunded.

Obviously, you need to do what is best for you. If I were in your position, I would withdraw. It would hurt your chances a lot more to achieve crappy grades and hurt your GPA rather than withdrawing. It sounds like you've identified part of the problem, that you don't have a strong enough background in some of those science classes in order to have a basis for understanding. Again, if I were you, I would enroll in my local state college as a non-degree seeking student, and do an informal post-bacc. As long as you do well, this will help out your undergrad GPA and you'll probably feel less intimidated about the difficulty of the classes. If taking a break and working is something that would help you clear your mind and give you a fresh start, it's always an option. Pursuing dentistry is a marathon, not a sprint. There's no rush.

Lastly, I work at a state university and I'm pretty sure this option is available at most schools: if you are truly depressed or dealing with anxiety (and from your post it does sound that way), you should go talk to the people in the Dean of Students office. Their sole purpose in life is to support students. There are various types of withdrawals that are available to you that will NOT show up on your transcript (ex: a medical withdrawal due to depression). Just take a look at it before you make any rash decisions. But please, do talk to someone. Like @schmoob mentioned, there are probably other students feeling the same way you are. You're not alone.

 

[Mason91]

Lastly, I work at a state university and I'm pretty sure this option is available at most schools: if you are truly depressed or dealing with anxiety (and from your post it does sound that way), you can go talk to the people in the Dean of Students office. Their sole purpose in life is to support students. There are various types of withdrawals that are available to you that will NOT show up on your transcript (ex: a medical withdrawal due to depression). Just take a look at it before you make any rash decisions. But please, do talk to someone. Like @schmoob mentioned, there are probably other students feeling the same way you are. You're not alone.

Oh yeah. Try this, OP I've seen my friends making impossible possible by speaking to the dean. Try to reason your way out of the course and explain your situation/dilemma. Tell the dean how microbiology and cell biology weren't listed as pre-req for the program and how you're suffering from the lack of information (in a polite, professional way and evoke his/her sympathy!)

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Worse comes to worse, your GPA isn't terrible. As long you have decent DAT scores you have a great chance at being accepted. If you think you won't be able to handle the course load and it won't affect your application too much, drop while you can. But I believe in you!

 

[Meeza]

I found its good to begin with transparency with your professors. I am taking 3 grad courses in my undergrad senior year now and told my profs that I feel like an idiot because I'm so bad at analyzing papers. They were very cool and offered some guidance and everything is going really well. In your case, since you don't have as strong of a foundation as I had in my courses, maybe ask for some supplemental material they can recommend.

Depression is a very serious issue, and many of us go through it. I used to cry every single day without rhyme or reason. I began talking to a counselor at my schools CAPS, so if there is a mental health department at your school, I really recommend making an appointment. Talking and coping mechanisms eventually do help.

Switching grad programs will not be the end of the world. It is a grueling process within itself sometimes, but your advisor gets paid to help you. Therefore, sitting down and finding a degree program that better aligns with your academic history may be in your favor. You will survive and succeed!

Edit: I wouldn't drop grad school altogether though. They want to see candidates that can make it through hard times. And even claiming that it's for your financial situation may not work, since dental school is vastly more expensive. I don't mean to be negative, and this is just my own opinion, of course!

And since you'll have had open communication with your profs, failing first exams also won't be the end of the world. They will understand why you had a bad start. I got back to back Ds on my first TWO physics II exams and pulled out that class with a B.

 

[zombieboi1]

You are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you quit now i think your chance is pretty slim getting into dental school. If you cant handle a master program, you probably cant handle dental school in adcom eyes. Master programs are generally easier compare to undergrad because of grade inflation. That why undergrad gpa is separated from master gpa and there more emphasis put on undergrad. I think if i was in your situation i tough it out and do the best i can. Even if you failed, you would only be wasting 12k instead of 100k if you got into dental school and realize you cant handle their physiology class because you never took it before. There probably a bunch of classes in dental school that you never took before, so your excuse you never had those classes before will only hurt your chance if they ask why you drop your master program at an interview.

 

[qwertydoggy]

I will reiterate what most have said here-you need to contact your professor asap. You may feel intimidated, but I want you to know, especially as a graduate student, your professors want to see you succeed. They already know you are there because you are interested in the subject matter so just be honest with them and usually they are more than happy to sit down and explain things to you (or have their doctoral/masters students do it). They would rather you go for help than to risk getting a bad grade and dropping out of the program. Also, many people get off to a bad start, but if you are upfront about your problems, they will most likely work with you and help you out. If you are having trouble contacting your professor, try the admin. coordinator and explain your situation and they will most likely have a better shot at getting a meeting scheduled.

I think it may be less stressful for you to focus on your masters degree first and then worry about dental school. One step at a time-you will get there, but everyone has their own routes and in the end an admissions committee will value your unique endeavors.

Edit: What helps me if I don't understand something, going on Youtube and looking up videos taught by others-sometimes other people just explain things better or present information in a way that clicks. Also, specifically for micro/cell bio, the publisher, McGraw Hill, has a lot of very basic but effective videos that explain things step by step.

 

[PreDentalNeedingAdvice]

I found its good to begin with transparency with your professors. I am taking 3 grad courses in my undergrad senior year now and told my profs that I feel like an idiot because I'm so bad at analyzing papers. They were very cool and offered some guidance and everything is going really well. In your case, since you don't have as strong of a foundation as I had in my courses, maybe ask for some supplemental material they can recommend.

Depression is a very serious issue, and many of us go through it. I used to cry every single day without rhyme or reason. I began talking to a counselor at my schools CAPS, so if there is a mental health department at your school, I really recommend making an appointment. Talking and coping mechanisms eventually do help.

Switching grad programs will not be the end of the world. It is a grueling process within itself sometimes, but your advisor gets paid to help you. Therefore, sitting down and finding a degree program that better aligns with your academic history may be in your favor. You will survive and succeed!

Edit: I wouldn't drop grad school altogether though. They want to see candidates that can make it through hard times. And even claiming that it's for your financial situation may not work, since dental school is vastly more expensive. I don't mean to be negative, and this is just my own opinion, of course!

And since you'll have had open communication with your profs, failing first exams also won't be the end of the world. They will understand why you had a bad start. I got back to back Ds on my first TWO physics II exams and pulled out that class with a B.

I didn't want to use this as an excuse, but I just recently found out my dad has cancer as well. It was just before the program began that I found out, but I didn't really want to use that as the excuse for dropping out of it. I go to school 800 miles away from my family, so I am not able to see them. That's a separate issue from the rigor and difficulty of the program though, and me not having the necessary foundation in place to build off of. Although between that and having breakdowns over feeling like it was a massive mistake doing this without a prior foundation in microbiology, cell biology, and biochemistry to build off of, I've been pretty stressed out. I just don't want to get halfway through the program and be $12,000 in debt from one semester, or $24,000 in debt for the year and have poor grades to show for it. An ideal situation at this point would be moving home, working for a short while, taking necessary courses like micro, cell, and biochem to build a foundation at my local state school, and then reattempt the masters next year or the year after. I also believe my home state's med/dental school is starting a masters program similar to this one I'm in now 2017/18, and that would save me $10,000 or so in tuition and even more in living expenses. The problem is I just don't know how dental schools would look at this situation.

 

[zombieboi1]

I didn't want to use this as an excuse, but I just recently found out my dad has cancer as well. It was just before the program began that I found out, but I didn't really want to use that as the excuse for dropping out of it. I go to school 800 miles away from my family, so I am not able to see them. That's a separate issue from the rigor and difficulty of the program though, and me not having the necessary foundation in place to build off of. Although between that and having breakdowns over feeling like it was a massive mistake doing this without a prior foundation in microbiology, cell biology, and biochemistry to build off of, I've been pretty stressed out. I just don't want to get halfway through the program and be $12,000 in debt from one semester, or $24,000 in debt for the year and have poor grades to show for it. An ideal situation at this point would be moving home, working for a short while, taking necessary courses like micro, cell, and biochem to build a foundation at my local state school, and then reattempt the masters next year or the year after. I also believe my home state's med/dental school is starting a masters program similar to this one I'm in now 2017/18, and that would save me $10,000 or so in tuition and even more in living expenses. The problem is I just don't know how dental schools would look at this situation.

since you put it this way i would just drop it and be with my dad. that is a legitimate reason to drop and be with your family during this difficult times. plus it sound like your heart is not into this anyway, so why waste time and money if you not 100% committed. i'm pretty sure some dental schools will look down upon your decision to drop the master program, but in the end all it take is one school to believe in you anyway.

 

[Meeza]

I didn't want to use this as an excuse, but I just recently found out my dad has cancer as well. It was just before the program began that I found out, but I didn't really want to use that as the excuse for dropping out of it. I go to school 800 miles away from my family, so I am not able to see them. That's a separate issue from the rigor and difficulty of the program though, and me not having the necessary foundation in place to build off of. Although between that and having breakdowns over feeling like it was a massive mistake doing this without a prior foundation in microbiology, cell biology, and biochemistry to build off of, I've been pretty stressed out. I just don't want to get halfway through the program and be $12,000 in debt from one semester, or $24,000 in debt for the year and have poor grades to show for it. An ideal situation at this point would be moving home, working for a short while, taking necessary courses like micro, cell, and biochem to build a foundation at my local state school, and then reattempt the masters next year or the year after. I also believe my home state's med/dental school is starting a masters program similar to this one I'm in now 2017/18, and that would save me $10,000 or so in tuition and even more in living expenses. The problem is I just don't know how dental schools would look at this situation.

I think the family emergency excuse will actually be favored over dropping due to rigor. Adcoms are humans, they might understand moving back home to help your father through cancer and Entering a program there, because that's important. It's a very reasonable excuse, actually. I told adcoms I ended up at a local engineering school instead of a solid pre-health school for certain reasons and it was seen favorably. iMO, it would be a hit against you to say you're dropping solely because the coursework is overwhelming, etc.
Either way, you truly should seek counseling for depression and guidance, as it can only help from here. Your mental health is the most important thing right now and grades will improve with it. hang in there, it gets better.

 

[CareerNumTwo]

The problem is I just don't know how dental schools would look at this situation.

Go and explain everything you just wrote to your Dean of Students. Seriously. Best case scenario: you won't have to worry how D Schools will look at it because they'll never know. Worst case scenario: the D of S will have some advice for you and you'll have something to add to your DS application. The more I call dental schools and speak with admission committee members, the more I realize that many schools truly view this as a holistic process. You are more than your academic record. Just make sure you reach out to schools before you apply so that they know to look for your app when it comes time for your cycle.

 

[Meeza]

Go and explain everything you just wrote to your Dean of Students. Seriously. Best case scenario: you won't have to worry how D Schools will look at it because they'll never know. Worst case scenario: the D of S will have some advice for you and you'll have something to add to your DS application. The more I call dental schools and speak with admission committee members, the more I realize that many schools truly view this as a holistic process. You are more than your academic record. Just make sure you reach out to schools before you apply so that they know to look for your app when it comes time for your cycle.

This.

 

[okiedokeartichoke]

In light of the new information you've revealed here recently ... Forget everything I said yesterday. Go be with your dad! You know your situation better than any of us do here, and I think your ideal plan sounds solid. Do what's most comfortable for you and what's best for your family. If I was in your shoes, I think I would decide to withdraw from the program too. Good luck, OP.

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

Don't put yourself through the stress of this new and confounding environment especially when you have so much to deal with in your personal life. Dropping the masters is probably the best idea; you have a very legitimate reason.

 

[PreDentalNeedingAdvice]

Go and explain everything you just wrote to your Dean of Students. Seriously. Best case scenario: you won't have to worry how D Schools will look at it because they'll never know. Worst case scenario: the D of S will have some advice for you and you'll have something to add to your DS application. The more I call dental schools and speak with admission committee members, the more I realize that many schools truly view this as a holistic process. You are more than your academic record. Just make sure you reach out to schools before you apply so that they know to look for your app when it comes time for your cycle.

This was great advice. Thank you so much for this. Sorry for going dark for a week, but the person over the graduate college and all graduate students ended up cancelling my classes and issuing me a full refund thanks to this advice even after the date had passed! It now will not show up on my academic record which is wonderful news.

Right now I'm really struggling with not only my personal life, but my thoughts on my career outlook. I've bounced around the idea of switching career paths altogether due to this setback for the last week or two. However, now I'm considering just moving home, finding a dental related job, and taking a couple of classes including micro, biochem, and statistics at my local state university. I'll also take the DAT and possibly apply with a 3.4 oGPA and 3.25 sGPA. Not sure if it's enough to get in though. I do have a lot of major volunteer hours and extra curriculars but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for a school to accept me. Even then I'm afraid of what may come if I hit a wall like this in dental school. I don't want to be 200K in debt and hit a similar wall. It's just a lot to think about.

Regardless, I appreciate your advice so much because it did help me a tremendous amount. Thank you so much for that!

 

[T14dan]

This was great advice. Thank you so much for this. Sorry for going dark for a week, but the person over the graduate college and all graduate students ended up cancelling my classes and issuing me a full refund thanks to this advice even after the date had passed! It now will not show up on my academic record which is wonderful news.

Right now I'm really struggling with not only my personal life, but my thoughts on my career outlook. I've bounced around the idea of switching career paths altogether due to this setback for the last week or two. However, now I'm considering just moving home, finding a dental related job, and taking a couple of classes including micro, biochem, and statistics at my local state university. I'll also take the DAT and possibly apply with a 3.4 oGPA and 3.25 sGPA. Not sure if it's enough to get in though. I do have a lot of major volunteer hours and extra curriculars but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for a school to accept me. Even then I'm afraid of what may come if I hit a wall like this in dental school. I don't want to be 200K in debt and hit a similar wall. It's just a lot to think about.

Regardless, I appreciate your advice so much because it did help me a tremendous amount. Thank you so much for that!

With regards to academics: I'd suggest making notecards on each point. Something about making notecards and coming up with ways to explain the information in my own words, even forming it into a question, helps me internalize complex information. Use Quizlet or Studyblue. Don't try to read this stuff like you would read a book. Take one point at a time, understand it, feel confident that your notecard will let you recall the information in a way you understand, then move on to the next concept. You can do it

With regards to stress:
1. Go get some exercise. Sports, a run, even a walk.
2. Use a guided meditation. You would be looking for a mindfulness meditation right now. The concept is to focus on your breath and just observe sensations in your body while laying down or sitting. Notice thoughts, especially negative ones as they creep into your mind and distract you from your breath. These thoughts are not reality, they are a meaningless stress response. Realize that they can float away, just as they can come. Right now, your mind is spinning; anxiety is sending you into a spiral of recursive negative thoughts, but you have control of this. I've dealt with and overcome similar issues. The future is just a thought in your head, like the past. The only true reality of your life is this moment, and you can control your outlook on it.

I sincerely wish you the best.

 

[nebuchadnezzar90]

This was great advice. Thank you so much for this. Sorry for going dark for a week, but the person over the graduate college and all graduate students ended up cancelling my classes and issuing me a full refund thanks to this advice even after the date had passed! It now will not show up on my academic record which is wonderful news.

Right now I'm really struggling with not only my personal life, but my thoughts on my career outlook. I've bounced around the idea of switching career paths altogether due to this setback for the last week or two. However, now I'm considering just moving home, finding a dental related job, and taking a couple of classes including micro, biochem, and statistics at my local state university. I'll also take the DAT and possibly apply with a 3.4 oGPA and 3.25 sGPA. Not sure if it's enough to get in though. I do have a lot of major volunteer hours and extra curriculars but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for a school to accept me. Even then I'm afraid of what may come if I hit a wall like this in dental school. I don't want to be 200K in debt and hit a similar wall. It's just a lot to think about.

Regardless, I appreciate your advice so much because it did help me a tremendous amount. Thank you so much for that!

I have a very similar GPA and have gotten 5+ interview invites, so I think you can get in with that GPA.

 

[CareerNumTwo]

This was great advice. Thank you so much for this. Sorry for going dark for a week, but the person over the graduate college and all graduate students ended up cancelling my classes and issuing me a full refund thanks to this advice even after the date had passed! It now will not show up on my academic record which is wonderful news.

Right now I'm really struggling with not only my personal life, but my thoughts on my career outlook. I've bounced around the idea of switching career paths altogether due to this setback for the last week or two. However, now I'm considering just moving home, finding a dental related job, and taking a couple of classes including micro, biochem, and statistics at my local state university. I'll also take the DAT and possibly apply with a 3.4 oGPA and 3.25 sGPA. Not sure if it's enough to get in though. I do have a lot of major volunteer hours and extra curriculars but I'm not sure if it'll be enough for a school to accept me. Even then I'm afraid of what may come if I hit a wall like this in dental school. I don't want to be 200K in debt and hit a similar wall. It's just a lot to think about.

Regardless, I appreciate your advice so much because it did help me a tremendous amount. Thank you so much for that!

I'm really glad it all worked out for you! It doesn't always work out so well, but the full refund and striking it from your record is huge.

As for your current struggle, since you're dealing with so many non-academic/non-career related stressors, I wouldn't make any huge life decisions. Most people make horrible decisions when they're stressed about life stuff. However, I think your current plan of action is awesome. Moving home brings you closer to a support system and to your dad, finding a dental related job will either solidify your decision to pursue dentistry or convince you otherwise, taking a couple of upper level science classes will keep you in academic mode and, when you're ready, you'll be able to knock the DAT out of the park.

Like some of the other posts have said, your GPA isn't bad. It's actually pretty decent. Combining that with your story (if you choose to share it) will make for a unique application - something ADCOMs love.

As for *possibly* hitting the wall in D school... from what I've experienced in visiting several schools and talking to a lot of dental students, dental schools is designed for you to pass. Of course it's going to be challenging, but more often than not they have tutors available, they pair you with a student from a class or two ahead of yours, they will work with you if you do need to retake a class/exam, and most have incredibly dedicated faculty who want to see their students succeed. I honestly wouldn't even worry about that now and just focus on the goal: becoming a dentist. Or not, if that's what'll make you happy.

Good luck with everything.