lots of withdrawals

[momododo]

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Hi everyone!
I have 12 w's on my transcript (personal reasons). I was reading old post ….. people worry about 2 and 3 w’s on their transcript but I have 12……… Right now I still have many classes to take and re-take. I am scared that that 12w will kill me later when I apply to dental school. I am currently junior standing majoring science and public health. I have low gpa around 2.7.. I talked to my adviser and asked her if I should just graduate and finish my pre-req. as post-bac but she told me not to because of tuition and FAFSA. I still have long way to go but I’m not sure If I should just give up... Dentist is my dream job. I REALLY REALLY want to become a dentist but feel lost and extremely scared. I don’t know what I should do. If I do finish all the pre-req with decent grade from now on Do I still have chance of getting in?

 

[ncide]

Then get your act together.

 

[rolltide15]

If I were in your position I would look at post-bacc programs. I have no idea what the admissions committees look at more but I think if you can show you do a lot better in your classes in your post-bacc vs. undergraduate and do well on your DAT then you have a decent chance. If there were any discrepancies on my application that I wanted to address I would also put them in your personal statement as a way to tie in why you want to be a dentist with the obstacles that you had to overcome or whatever the case may be. The only thing that W's would show the committee is that you can't handle the course load so thats why a lot of people get nervous about having W's on their transcript. So with that being said I would definitely recommend doing a graduate program.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

You need a redo. Finish your program and then do one or two of the following:

1) Take postbacc courses that DO NOT lead to a MS
2) Take postbacc courses that leads to an MS (make sure it's a thesis)
3) Do a 1 year Biomedical MS that is linked to a Dental School (they guarantee interview but not admission and I know someone who went this route with a 4.0 and did not get in so be careful)

These are your options. Do not waste time trying to raise a low GPA and postpone your graduation.

Edit: For a better analysis, take your credits, quality points, credits left and predicted quality points and see where you end up. If you can end up with a 3.7 or higher then don't do anything.

 

[workofshart]

I had 9 (I think) W's on my transcript but once I went back to school I completed every class I registered for with a ~3.86 or so and currently have 4 pre-December interviews. So there is hope if you grind really hard NOW up until you apply because I think adcoms actually like to see people get their act together and end with a strong upward trend. It shows that you overcame some adversity which you can write about in your PS and also expect to talk about with interviewers. Good luck!

edit: So I read your post again, figure out what the rules are on getting aid once you've graduated. For example I've delayed finishing my degree so that I can keep receiving FAFSA money and finish my prereqs up until 180 credits. Make sure you understand what all your options are before you risk losing finaid.

 

[Tooth Ferry]

You need a redo. Finish your program and then do one or two of the following:

1) Take postbacc courses that DO NOT lead to a MS
2) Take postbacc courses that leads to an MS (make sure it's a thesis)
3) Do a 1 year Biomedical MS that is linked to a Dental School (they guarantee interview but not admission and I know someone who went this route with a 4.0 and did not get in so be careful)

These are your options. Do not waste time trying to raise a low GPA and postpone your graduation.

Edit: For a better analysis, take your credits, quality points, credits left and predicted quality points and see where you end up. If you can end up with a 3.7 or higher then don't do anything.

Do exactly what this person says. Evaluate if you are comfortable paying almost $100,000 on top of what will probably be over $500,000 in loans.

I suggest you find another career unless you will be miserable doing anything else.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

Do exactly what this person says. Evaluate if you are comfortable paying almost $100,000 on top of what will probably be over $500,000 in loans.

I suggest you find another career unless you will be miserable doing anything else.

You can do a Masters program on a scholarship and pay $0. In fact, there are many programs that will pay you a nominal stipend and waive your tuition in return for research or teaching or both. So you don't need to spend $100,000 and in no way am I telling someone to do that. This person has options. Telling this person to look for another career isn't beneficial to this person's request for help. In fact, it's pretty negative and is not what the person was looking for.

 

[DariaMo]

I had 9 (I think) W's on my transcript but once I went back to school I completed every class I registered for with a ~3.86 or so and currently have 4 pre-December interviews. So there is hope if you grind really hard NOW up until you apply because I think adcoms actually like to see people get their act together and end with a strong upward trend. It shows that you overcame some adversity which you can write about in your PS and also expect to talk about with interviewers. Good luck!

edit: So I read your post again, figure out what the rules are on getting aid once you've graduated. For example I've delayed finishing my degree so that I can keep receiving FAFSA money and finish my prereqs up until 180 credits. Make sure you understand what all your options are before you risk losing finaid.

Hey were you doing any extracurriculars?at the interviews,did they ask you about those 9 w's?

 

[Roogbyman]

Agreed with what everyone above is saying, but want to add one thing. What exactly about the way you study/the way you organize your day is causing you to do poorly in your classes? For me, I had to take a step back and completely overhaul my approach to learning new material. We all learn differently and it would suit you to figure out your learning style now; it will make your post-bacc and eventual dental school experiences that much more manageable. Also, use the study skills and knowledge you acquire from your post-bacc to really crush the DAT the summer after. If you put in the time now you will reap the rewards later; good luck!!

 

[amariesa]

I had 12Ws. But a high GPA and above average DAT, you need to show that your personal reasons don't affect your studies. So go back to school with great marks or else you may really want to consider that maybe dentistry is not for you at this time.

 

[ChewyDrop]

May I asked what made you drop that many classes?

 

[LittleKay]

I know this is a professional forum but I would like to say one thing (please excuse my language)

Get your **** together

I wanted to be a dentist as an Undergrad. I let my emotional immaturity and internal strife ruin my ability to focus on the big picture. I graduated Undergrad with a ~2.6 (don't even ask what my sGPA was). I can't even tell you how many panic attacks, insomnia filled nights I had both during my Undergrad and even after I started my Post-Bacc because I thought no matter how hard I was working, and no matter how successful I was becoming as a Post-Bacc, I would never get in.

I decided I needed to be a dentist and got my act together. I did a post-bacc, SMP, improved my DAT score and continued working as a DA.

I finished my SMP with a 3.7 and my DAT at 21 across the board (not the best, but certainly acceptable).

I now have multiple interviews Pre-Dec.

Get your act together. I don't know how W's will look, I had 0 W's and mostly C's (no F's on record, no D's). Just C's and B's, some A's, and even then Schools didn't want to look at me pre-SMP.

Best of luck

 

[Dentalco2020]

Then get your act together.

wow, feisty enough?
pretty quick to judge that he was just a slacker, huh?

 

[ChewyDrop]

wow, feisty enough?
pretty quick to judge that he was just a slacker, huh?

huh? You serious?

 

[ncide]

wow, feisty enough?
pretty quick to judge that he was just a slacker, huh?

The post is over a year old, but if he didn't turn things around, then he wouldn't get in. If he is struggling in undergrad, then he wouldn't make it in dental school. Not everyone is cut out for the rigors of our education. That's fine if you think otherwise, but I've have plenty of fellow classmates fail out of dental school and I know firsthand how difficult things can be.

Sugar coating things doesn't help someone. The person needs to prioritize school if he wants to get in and succeed.

 

[Dentalco2020]

The post is over a year old, but if he didn't turn things around, then he wouldn't get in. If he is struggling in undergrad, then he wouldn't make it in dental school. Not everyone is cut out for the rigors of our education. That's fine if you think otherwise, but I've have plenty of fellow classmates fail out of dental school and I know firsthand how difficult things can be.

Sugar coating things doesn't help someone. The person needs to prioritize school if he wants to get in and succeed.

way to toot your own horn!
yeah, maybe dental students are smarter than a lot of people who don't go to dental school, but I wouldn't say it takes a genius to get in and succeed.
You make it sound like if you make a mistake, you are not smart enough. Not necessarily true. Smart people make mistake too, maybe even more so because they think they can get away with it.?

A mistake is a mistake. If he can turn it around, good, if not, maybe he's not motivated enough.
But you were quick to judge that this had to have been from his lack of academic endeavor.
It may as well have been, but who knows? Maybe he had a cancer, family crisis, or whatever life-altering event it could be.


I didn't necessarily bring this back from dead. It was already bumped up, which is why I thought it was recently asked.
I hope he got this turned around and made some progress. It's no fun being in the hole for too long. Been there done that.

 

[Dentalco2020]

huh? You serious?

I was, what makes you think I wasn't?