Lowest GPA?

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pberg said:
What are some of the lowest overall and science GPA's that you've heard or know of which US dental schools have accepted?
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There's a pretty long thread with posters that have sub 3.0 GPA's who have gotten accepted. I'm not sure how those people would stack up as applicants in this years cycle though.
 
armorshell said:
And they're right every year.
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Im going to have to disagree, because if you look at the national average, its around 3.3-3.4. The OP is asking the lowest GPA, so statistically if there is someone with a 3.7 then there is probably someone with a 3.0. Grant it that the student with the 3.0 probably has great DATs or something that sticks out well in his application.
 
pudge123 said:
Im going to have to disagree, because if you look at the national average, its around 3.3-3.4. The OP is asking the lowest GPA, so statistically if there is someone with a 3.7 then there is probably someone with a 3.0. Grant it that the student with the 3.0 probably has great DATs or something that sticks out well in his application.
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It is pretty tough this yr to get in with a low 3.0. They told me that the entering class at Nova last yr was above a 3.6 and this yr they have many more well qualified applicants. They actually told me they felt bad for all the potentially great dentists who are just not going to get through bec of DATs and GPA. I would say you need a mid 3 and decent DATs to get an interview. But 3.0 and anything below a 23............not much of a chance. I know a lot of pple getting rejected even with solid DATs bec of low GPAs (22s and 3.1s.....and guess what, it doesnt matter if it was from a great school).
 
Ething said:
It is pretty tough this yr to get in with a low 3.0. They told me that the entering class at Nova last yr was above a 3.6 and this yr they have many more well qualified applicants. They actually told me they felt bad for all the potentially great dentists who are just not going to get through bec of DATs and GPA. I would say you need a mid 3 and decent DATs to get an interview. But 3.0 and anything below a 23............not much of a chance. I know a lot of pple getting rejected even with solid DATs bec of low GPAs (22s and 3.1s.....and guess what, it doesnt matter if it was from a great school).
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Then i hope i get in..
 
when people say "GPA" are they talking about science GPA or over all GPA ? I ask this because I obtained my bachlors in computer science in 2004 with an over all 3.0 GPA (only classes that were good for my pre-dents were physics I and II)

Right now, Im trying to apply as a 2nd bachelors at a another university, Im thinking this time around, I am actually going to study for my classes and try to get the best grades ever. The classes I am going to take will be all the pre-dents along with some biochem / phyc / etc (the once that help your chances)...... Im hoping to get a 3.5+ science GPA when Im done and maybe have a 3.2-3.3 over all (if you include my first undergrade GPA)
 
Hey Nasem.. Dont expect your GPA to go up by that much even if you got a 4.0 in your postbac/2nd degree.. it will go up by a point... maybe a point and a half...
But dont be discouraged.. I have a lower GPA than you.. but have a 3.93 in my postbac. and 21 on my dat...

now, Im not trying to count my chickens before they're hatched or anything but i have interviews to BU, UNLV, Columbia and Meharry. Good luck yo you!😀
 
4thQtrDreams said:
Hey Nasem.. Dont expect your GPA to go up by that much even if you got a 4.0 in your postbac/2nd degree.. it will go up by a point... maybe a point and a half...
But dont be discouraged.. I have a lower GPA than you.. but have a 3.93 in my postbac. and 21 on my dat...

now, Im not trying to count my chickens before they're hatched or anything but i have interviews to BU, UNLV, Columbia and Meharry. Good luck yo you!😀
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I appreciate what your telling me and I would also like to add that, In my opinion, I don't think grades mean anything AT ALL. I work for the State of Michigan in lansing and I am an application manager, I have over 16-20 programmers under me at all times and sometimes, I am told to hire some kids with computer science degrees with VERY HIGH GPAs from MSU (Michigan state Univ) for entry level positions, so simply following the rules they give me, I hire kids that have 3.8+ GPA, I mean these guys are the cream of the crops when it comes to grades. But some of them (not all but some), man they turn out dumber than a box of rocks, you just can't teach them anything, everything you teach them to do today, they forget it in 2 weeks and they have the worst problem solving skills. and they end up getting laid off 6-months after we hire them.

Moral of the story is: Grades are "nice" things to have, but they don't measure to success. I trully think that getting into dental schools should be measured (at least 70%) by your DAT scores and actual work experience, these 2 things show that your up to the challenge and whatever you learn in school, stays in your head. But this is just my opinion
 
Ething said:
I would say you need a mid 3 and decent DATs to get an interview. But 3.0 and anything below a 23............not much of a chance.
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I'm an example that can definitely call you out on that one. Low GPA and average DAT's here and quite a few interviews. I doubt I'm the only one. Keep your hopes up.
 
The Texas application service counted computer science and engineering classes into the science GPA. So, your lower CS grades will bring down the science GPA.
 
Ex_EE said:
The Texas application service counted computer science and engineering classes into the science GPA. So, your lower CS grades will bring down the science GPA.
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I asked around and alot told me that computer science courses and math / engineering courses do not count for Science GPA... however IF they do, Im in good shape, my major-gpa was about 3.2(the thing that brought my GPA down were those damn english / history / ethics / and other core courses that I never really paid much attention to)
 
I actually know someone with a gpa of 2.4 and DAT scores of 22 and 23 that got accepted. This was 4 years ago and now he's in one of the top OMFS programs in the country. He also went into a postbacc graduate enhancement program b/f he got accepted also.
 
2.3 Science
2.7 Overall
 
Nasem said:
I asked around and alot told me that computer science courses and math / engineering courses do not count for Science GPA... however IF they do, Im in good shape, my major-gpa was about 3.2(the thing that brought my GPA down were those damn english / history / ethics / and other core courses that I never really paid much attention to)
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Computer science courses do count to your overall science gpa.
 
Ething said:
3.0 and anything below a 23............not much of a chance.
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This is obviously not a well-thought out comment. You have to remember there are state schools that have less than half the number of applicants than those private schools with 3000+. Even a state school with 1500 applicants will have a handful of out of staters. Regardless of their scores, these people are at a huge disadvantage when compared to the in-staters. Fortunately for me I have two state schools and of the 150+ seats between the two entering classes, only 5 out of staters were accepted last year. My point is, do you honestly think all these Illinois residents had over a 3.5 and 22, 23+ DATs? Absolutely Not.

As for the private schools, maybe I am being optimistic, but I still feel people with subaverage GPA's and middle of the road DATs have a fighting chance. An uphill batte? Of course. But a chance nonetheless. It really bothers me when people on their high-scores horse immediately rule out the underdogs. Check out last year's cycle at predents.com. There are handfuls of people at all kinds of schools who not only had average numbers, but interviewed late. Some were even accepted several days after their interview.

You also need to realize that dental schools do not want a loaded class of flat out brains. There will be far too much competition and absolutley no diversity. Whoever posted that needs to seriously get in check with reality.
 
I am 41 years old....I can surely diversify a class! An old man among you young whiper-snappers.
 
I talked to admissions counselors before I applied and they said that I had a reasonable chance to get in even with my low GPA. Maybe they were just trying to get my money, and after reading of all these people with high GPA's and test scores there doesn't seem to be as much hope as I thought. I applied early and Im still waiting on several schools hopefully a couple will pan out. Id like to think i still have a shot, but also what else I could improve upon for next year if i dont get accepted...

gpa: 2.75
sgpa: 2.7
dat: TS:20 AA:20 PAT:19

Applied: asdoh, bu, uw, up, case, ul, temp, nyu, marq, nj
Interviews: uw
rejected: temp, case
 
Well, I got two interviews so far and I have a 3.0 on the nose.
Those avg. GPAs and avg. DATs are exactly that...averages!
I know D-1s at UF and Nova with 3.0s and avg DATs(17-20).
The Dean at UF told us that if UF was searching for high GPAs, then Class of 2010 should be 3.95, but it isn't. She said Class of 2010 avg. GPA is 3.6(above average, but you get my drift). She told us this in May of this year. The schools are looking at applicants "wholelistically".
3.0ers there is a chance but you must make up for the low GPA elsewhere.

___
AA/TS/PAT
20/22/17


Interviewed:BU
Invited for interview:Temple
 
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