- Joined
- Aug 5, 2015
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Hello, I've been reading SDN for months but just created an account. I'm applying this cycle for the 1st time and feeling extremely nervous because of my low GPA so thought I'd reached out to people who are in the same boat. 
Truthfully, I've been feeling a bit hopeless after reading tons of posts about similar situations
, but before I go into my melodramatic mood again, let me describe my situation...
I started out a Bio major because I love science subjects but wasn't sure what I wanted to do. So for awhile, I tried different things and lacked the necessary focus and direction to do well. I thought to myself maybe science wasn't for me so I ended up changing my major to Business and graduated with honor (but my cGPA was 2.7 because of previous coursework) and found an IT job in a large corporate. I worked there for 2 years, having 2 promotions but felt that the job lacked the long-term fulfillment so I made a bold decision to quit my job in 2013 and re-enroll at my undergrad university to get a post-bac/second degree in Biochem. Long story short, a few months after going back to school, I started to explore different options in science and healthcare and decided to pursue dentistry.
It's been 2 years since I quit my job. I completed 60+ science credit hours in upper level Bio/Biochem courses and a few pre-reqs I needed to retake. I just graduated again last semester with a 3.75 post-bac GPA but could only pulled both of my cGPA and sGPA up to exactly 3.0 so far (because I already had like 200+ credit hours in undergrad so every A earned only increased my GPA ~0.005 or something). My bcpGPA is 3.33
I also worked 20-40 hours a week at the IT department at my school to support myself, volunteered in one of my professors' cancer research lab as an undergraduate research assistant for ~350 hours, completed 300+ dental volunteering/shadowing. I recently just got a job as a dental assistant at one of the dental clinics that I did shadowing. All these professors/mentors that I asked for recommendations were very responsive and I believed they wrote great ones.
After about 2 months studying 4 to 12+ hours a day (I have work 3 days a week at the dental clinic), I took the DAT on Aug. 3rd for the first time and scored high (thought I was dreaming when the test result popped up on the screen, almost came to tears!)
PAT-24; QR-22; RC-26; Bio-28; GChem-27; Ochem-23; TS-25; AA-25
I finished my application back in the last week of June and a lot of schools on my list (26 schools! I have FAP waiver but it's still ALOT of money) have gotten my AADSAS application and requested the supplemental materials. I'm completing them as fast as I can. Some of them are just waiting for the official DAT report.
I heard many said a high DAT wouldn't compensate for a low GPA but I'm still clinging onto the hope that adcoms will look at my application as a whole and see other positive aspects and the genuine efforts I have put forth in the past 2 years. If I don't get in this cycle, I would consider some more post-bac classes or perhaps a 1-year master's. I would be a little devastated and disheartened to be honest but I've heard so many stories where people tried so hard but didn't make it. I know I'm not alone. Just hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, crossing my fingers for myself and all of those who are in the same boat!
If you come across this post, feel free to leave any advice/thoughts/constructive criticism...and thanks for reading my long long story!
Truthfully, I've been feeling a bit hopeless after reading tons of posts about similar situations
, but before I go into my melodramatic mood again, let me describe my situation...I started out a Bio major because I love science subjects but wasn't sure what I wanted to do. So for awhile, I tried different things and lacked the necessary focus and direction to do well. I thought to myself maybe science wasn't for me so I ended up changing my major to Business and graduated with honor (but my cGPA was 2.7 because of previous coursework) and found an IT job in a large corporate. I worked there for 2 years, having 2 promotions but felt that the job lacked the long-term fulfillment so I made a bold decision to quit my job in 2013 and re-enroll at my undergrad university to get a post-bac/second degree in Biochem. Long story short, a few months after going back to school, I started to explore different options in science and healthcare and decided to pursue dentistry.
It's been 2 years since I quit my job. I completed 60+ science credit hours in upper level Bio/Biochem courses and a few pre-reqs I needed to retake. I just graduated again last semester with a 3.75 post-bac GPA but could only pulled both of my cGPA and sGPA up to exactly 3.0 so far (because I already had like 200+ credit hours in undergrad so every A earned only increased my GPA ~0.005 or something
). My bcpGPA is 3.33I also worked 20-40 hours a week at the IT department at my school to support myself, volunteered in one of my professors' cancer research lab as an undergraduate research assistant for ~350 hours, completed 300+ dental volunteering/shadowing. I recently just got a job as a dental assistant at one of the dental clinics that I did shadowing. All these professors/mentors that I asked for recommendations were very responsive and I believed they wrote great ones.
After about 2 months studying 4 to 12+ hours a day (I have work 3 days a week at the dental clinic), I took the DAT on Aug. 3rd for the first time and scored high (thought I was dreaming when the test result popped up on the screen, almost came to tears!
)PAT-24; QR-22; RC-26; Bio-28; GChem-27; Ochem-23; TS-25; AA-25
I finished my application back in the last week of June and a lot of schools on my list (26 schools! I have FAP waiver but it's still ALOT of money
) have gotten my AADSAS application and requested the supplemental materials. I'm completing them as fast as I can. Some of them are just waiting for the official DAT report.I heard many said a high DAT wouldn't compensate for a low GPA but I'm still clinging onto the hope that adcoms will look at my application as a whole and see other positive aspects and the genuine efforts I have put forth in the past 2 years. If I don't get in this cycle, I would consider some more post-bac classes or perhaps a 1-year master's. I would be a little devastated and disheartened to be honest but I've heard so many stories where people tried so hard but didn't make it. I know I'm not alone. Just hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, crossing my fingers for myself and all of those who are in the same boat!
If you come across this post, feel free to leave any advice/thoughts/constructive criticism...and thanks for reading my long long story!
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