Need honest suggestion!

[Grace777]

Hi, guys! I graduated in 2016 with a very low GPA ( 2.3 comprehensive and 3.4 best GPA). During my dental school, I had to go through many personal and financial issues and online bullying as well as political instability in the country with frequent strikes and lockdown. I was in such a bad place that my studies suffered. To fast forward I came to the US in 2017, in 2018 started working as DA for almost 8 months( volunteer). The dentist I worked for had no intension to hire me. I passed my nbde part1 on the second attempt and nbde 2 going for the third attempt. With my part 1 I applied on the 2019 cycle but as expected didn't hear from any of them. I worked in a dental startup for a few months too( they closed down the project).

I need some honest suggestions from you guys if I should carry on, that someone like me has any chance to even get an interview. With such a low GPA and attempts in NBDE will I even be considered? Should I prepare for INBDE instead? Should I just leave dentistry and start looking for other options? What would you do if you were me?

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[idp2020]

The thing is you're saying you have a reason for the low GPA and that's fine but that would mean you have to make up for those hardships by showing you are capable.. multiple attempts on not one but both NBDEs will make the school not take the hardships regarding your low GPA seriously since you had a chance to show you could do it again but didn't.

Not trying to be negative or say you cannot do it, by all means if you want it you can but you have to do A LOT to compensate now in my opinion.

 

[Grace777]

The thing is you're saying you have a reason for the low GPA and that's fine but that would mean you have to make up for those hardships by showing you are capable.. multiple attempts on not one but both NBDEs will make the school not take the hardships regarding your low GPA seriously since you had a chance to show you could do it again but didn't.

Not trying to be negative or say you cannot do it, by all means if you want it you can but you have to do A LOT to compensate now in my opinion.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

But, how do I compensate?

 

[idp2020]

Personally I would do a masters and absolutely kill it get a 3.8+ then I would take the ADAT and try to get a really high score (which may be hard to do if you're having trouble with the NBDE as that's just a pass vs a high score). Also take up research opportunities/volunteer/DA anything and everything.

 

[Grace777]

Personally I would do a masters and absolutely kill it get a 3.8+ then I would take the ADAT and try to get a really high score (which may be hard to do if you're having trouble with the NBDE as that's just a pass vs a high score). Also take up research opportunities/volunteer/DA anything and everything.

Thanks for your helpful suggestion.

 

[_balzac_]

What about going back to your country and take a postgraduate programme there? Your CV shall be better now that it was back then. It may help you in your country to secure courses that you can't take (at the moment) in the USA. Then, after that, keep applying to American Programmes. Unless you prefer to stay as a blue-collar worker, like forever.
No offence mate, it is just that I don't see any worthy opportunities coming up for you; at least for now.

 

[chuckler]

Agree with the gentleman above. In U.S. you are likely to be a DA for a foreseeable at least 15 years. Why don't you just go back and be a REAL dentist? Not everywhere else suits you, buddy.