my BIOLOGY IS BAD AND MY GPA IS NOT SO HIGH, WHAT CAN I DO FOR DENTAL SCHOOL?

[lazyyangyang]

My GPA is not so high, about 3.19. i am a student at stony brook university. i just fininshed my second year. i took general chem 1 and 2 with l2 abs(my grade is b+, b, b+,b), organic chem 1 and 2 with a lab(b, b+,b), math 1 and 2 (A, A-), English writing 1 b+, biology 150(praparation for biology 1 and2 ,but it is not required for dental schools, biology 1 and 2, but i did very bad, i got C+ in biology 150,b in biology 1 and c in biology 2, do i need to retake it? what do you think about my grade when i apply for dental schools? when is best time for me to take the DAt, i plan to take the dat in January 2007, do u think it is late? if i won't do well , i will take another one in July, is it possible? also when do i begin to apply for dental school if i attend dental schools in 2008?. also i have a serious medical problems insomnia in my first two years, i can ask my doctor to prove that. For me the insomnia really affects my grade special the biology because it not just requires understanding but also memorizing. I don’t know if it is a good reason to explain why I did badly in biology. Maybe people think this is an excuse, but for me this is a really big problem. Do I need to let the dental school administration committee and my school committee? I have been in USA for 5-6 years, when I was 18, I mover to usa. Comparing to people who was born here, My English level is not good enough, I think this is an disadvantage while take the verbal part in DAT. Thanks a lot!

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[duho.O]

My GPA is not so high, about 3.19. i am a student at stony brook university. i just fininshed my second year. i took general chem 1 and 2 with l2 abs(my grade is b+, b, b+,b), organic chem 1 and 2 with a lab(b, b+,b), math 1 and 2 (A, A-), English writing 1 b+, biology 150(praparation for biology 1 and2 ,but it is not required for dental schools, biology 1 and 2, but i did very bad, i got C+ in biology 150,b in biology 1 and c in biology 2, do i need to retake it? what do you think about my grade when i apply for dental schools? when is best time for me to take the DAt, i plan to take the dat in January 2007, do u think it is late? if i won't do well , i will take another one in July, is it possible? also when do i begin to apply for dental school if i attend dental schools in 2008?. also i have a serious medical problems insomnia in my first two years, i can ask my doctor to prove that. For me the insomnia really affects my grade special the biology because it not just requires understanding but also memorizing. I don’t know if it is a good reason to explain why I did badly in biology. Maybe people think this is an excuse, but for me this is a really big problem. Do I need to let the dental school administration committee and my school committee? I have been in USA for 5-6 years, when I was 18, I mover to usa. Comparing to people who was born here, My English level is not good enough, I think this is an disadvantage while take the verbal part in DAT. Thanks a lot!

i really have no clue what bio 1, 2, etc. stand for...unless you tell me what those courses are....you should at least wait until you have finished taking all the courses that are on the DAT (i.e. physiology and developmental, which are usually upper division classes)....however, if you can study the material on your own and understand everything....then i think you can take it anytime you are ready. just give yourself about 2 months of hardcore studying.

your gpa may not be high, but its not below a 3.0. so you still have some time to raise it....just try your best.

if you are planning to apply for 2008, you can start submitting your apps around may/ june 2007 as an earlier applicant.

and as for your insomia problem...you could mention it, but don't go overboard saying that your bad grades are solely b/c of insomia. it does look like its an excuse....so just briefly mention it.

good luck to you.

 

[tinman831]

i really have no clue what bio 1, 2, etc. stand for...unless you tell me what those courses are....you should at least wait until you have finished taking all the courses that are on the DAT (i.e. physiology and developmental, which are usually upper division classes)....however, if you can study the material on your own and understand everything....then i think you can take it anytime you are ready. just give yourself about 2 months of hardcore studying.

The DAT covers information that you should have learned in the introductory classes (biology, chemistry, and organic chemistry). Although taking upper level science courses will help reinforce the information you learned in your introductory classes, you do not need upper level courses to take the DAT.

 

[tinman831]

My GPA is not so high, about 3.19. i am a student at stony brook university. i just fininshed my second year. i took general chem 1 and 2 with l2 abs(my grade is b+, b, b+,b), organic chem 1 and 2 with a lab(b, b+,b), math 1 and 2 (A, A-), English writing 1 b+, biology 150(praparation for biology 1 and2 ,but it is not required for dental schools, biology 1 and 2, but i did very bad, i got C+ in biology 150,b in biology 1 and c in biology 2, do i need to retake it? what do you think about my grade when i apply for dental schools? when is best time for me to take the DAt, i plan to take the dat in January 2007, do u think it is late? if i won't do well , i will take another one in July, is it possible? also when do i begin to apply for dental school if i attend dental schools in 2008?. also i have a serious medical problems insomnia in my first two years, i can ask my doctor to prove that. For me the insomnia really affects my grade special the biology because it not just requires understanding but also memorizing. I don’t know if it is a good reason to explain why I did badly in biology. Maybe people think this is an excuse, but for me this is a really big problem. Do I need to let the dental school administration committee and my school committee? I have been in USA for 5-6 years, when I was 18, I mover to usa. Comparing to people who was born here, My English level is not good enough, I think this is an disadvantage while take the verbal part in DAT. Thanks a lot!

Your GPA is slightly under the average for an applicant, however, there are others out there with sub 3.0 GPA's that still manage to get accepted. You should try and put in a little more effort your last two years and try to raise your GPA.

Most people take around 2 months to study for the DAT and ideally, you want to take the exam sometime during your junior year (summer after your junior year being the latest you should take it to stay competitive). You will actually begin applying for dental school at the end of your junior year (in May). You then start interviews during your senior year, get acceptances in the middle/end of senior year, and then go straight into dental school the Fall after graduation.

Are you taking any medication for your insomnia? Your insomnia may be a possible explanation for your poor performance the past two years but you need to prove that you can handle the coursework in dental school. Sorry to say, but dental schools will not accept you if you have a health condition that will negatively affect your studies. If you can raise your GPA, and convince the admissions committees that you are capable of performing well in the classroom and have overcome your illness, they may overlook your poor performance in the past.

Are you an international student or a US citizen. Being able to communicate effectively is an important part of becoming a dentist. The DAT tests you on reading comprehension, not verbal skills, so this may or may not be a problem for you. However, you will be tested on your ability to talk during the interview. Take your time and try to convey your ideas coherently and be CONFIDENT. No one has a complete mastery over the english language. It's just people most people pretend like they do and no one notices.

Good luck with everything. SDN is a great resource. Be sure to check out some of the other posts on the forum for more information.

 

[maisuree]

in my opinion, all the grades are fine, except bio. you can take the upper division bio classes to prove that you can get good grades....

i took bio 325 animal development, bio 320 genetics, and bio ?? evolution, which i think helped me a little to understand some topics on DAT.... but that's just me...

good luck

 

[SayitIsntSO]

YOU CAN START BY TURNING OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.... sorry i just got this visual of someone submitting their personal statement in all caps.

 

[lazyyangyang]

biology 1 is Molecular & Cellular Biology(i got B) and biology 2 is Cellular and Organ Physiology(i got c). and biology150 living world(c). the first two are requirments for dental school. also i am going to take other biology classes which are the same level as the two biology classes in this coming fall. i will take anatomy and physiology.like if i do well in this class. can i show the dental school that i can improve my biology.

 

[Yeyyy]

i dont think you should even mention insomnia... i get insomnia too, that just means i have a few extra hours every night to study, it shouldnt really count too negatively against your grades. plus, i dont think there is any type of affirmative action or anything for people with disorders/disabilities like that. With 50-100 entering students per year, they choose the best fit to succeed.

just my opinion... but you can go ahead and mention it if you want

 

[Sprgrover]

i dont think you should even mention insomnia... i get insomnia too, that just means i have a few extra hours every night to study, it shouldnt really count too negatively against your grades. plus, i dont think there is any type of affirmative action or anything for people with disorders/disabilities like that. With 50-100 entering students per year, they choose the best fit to succeed.

just my opinion... but you can go ahead and mention it if you want

Agreed. I wouldn't bring up too many negatives, either. Unless it is something dire that will unquestionably hinder your performance in dental school, such as the lack of hands, don't make it an issue. If you have learned to deal with your issue then I see no need to bring it up.

 

[MoobDDS]

Are you Hmoob? lazyyangyang