Need Serious Help DOnt Know What To do?

[Mcard02]

Hi Im a senior at FIU majoring in Biology. OK I have messed up thru my college career and I have a 2.1 GPA im about to graduate and only need nine more credits. I really want to get into dental school and become a dentist but I know that my dreams seem impossible now. I don't know how I got to this but I know it was my fault. I have been searching for post-bacc. programs but every one needs at least a 2.5 GPA. Now my question is what can I do to fulfill my dreams or should I give up and need to think about another major. My dad is a Dentist and I have worked with him for over 6 yrs. so I have more than enough experience however, I lack the grades. I have not taken my DAT and I'm about to take it next year. However, I would like to know if I should even waste my time. If anyone know what I can do or what they think is the best thing I could do or if they know off any programs I should look at please let me know.

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[djktennis]

Hi Im a senior at FIU majoring in Biology. OK I have messed up thru my college career and I have a 2.1 GPA im about to graduate and only need nine more credits. I really want to get into dental school and become a dentist but I know that my dreams seem impossible now. I don't know how I got to this but I know it was my fault. I have been searching for post-bacc. programs but every one needs at least a 2.5 GPA. Now my question is what can I do to fulfill my dreams or should I give up and need to think about another major. My dad is a Dentist and I have worked with him for over 6 yrs. so I have more than enough experience however, I lack the grades. I have not taken my DAT and I'm about to take it next year. However, I would like to know if I should even waste my time. If anyone know what I can do or what they think is the best thing I could do or if they know off any programs I should look at please let me know.

Dental school is as competitive as it has ever been right now. Having a parent who is a dentist is usually a significant plus, but in your case it doesn't sound like it will help much. I wish I had better news, but I don't think your gpa will even qualify you for an interview let alone a spot in a class. It is hard to tell you to give up, but at this point it doesn't look like professional school is an option.

 

[Unemployed]

sad, yet true. I wish I can be more hopeful, but that 2.1 really hurts my eyes if I was an Adcom. You can try and hope that someone understands you. Best of luck!

 

[sunphish]

If this is your only goal, it can always be an option, but you are going to have to work very hard, none of the goofing around, or whatever you were doing to earn a 2.1 in the first place.
My advice would be to not graduate. Take an extra year or year and a half and retake some of the core science courses that hold a large amount of credit weight - pull each of them up to at LEAST a B+. You obviously need to get your GPA to at least a 2.5 to find some sort of Master's program that will take you, so after you pull up your undergraduate grades you will have a clean slate in a Master's program. Make a 4.0 in it. Total, this might not take you more than 2 years, and if dentistry is your dream, then this should not be a big deal. If you can show a SIGNIFICANT improvement, then you have as good a shot as anyone. I remember shadowing a dental student years ago who told me that his GPA was a 1.9, but he stayed in college longer, brought it up, did research and got his Masters and by the time he applied his application was steller in comparison. You just have to figure out if you have the drive, that's the only thing that's going to help you out here.

 

[saycheese]

since you have some time, how about talking with someone from the admissions? if there's a school you REALLY want to go to, contact them and get their feedback. I'm pretty sure they'd be honest about it. wouldn't hurt. :0)

 

[djktennis]

Hi Im a senior at FIU majoring in Biology. OK I have messed up thru my college career and I have a 2.1 GPA im about to graduate and only need nine more credits. I really want to get into dental school and become a dentist but I know that my dreams seem impossible now. I don't know how I got to this but I know it was my fault. I have been searching for post-bacc. programs but every one needs at least a 2.5 GPA. Now my question is what can I do to fulfill my dreams or should I give up and need to think about another major. My dad is a Dentist and I have worked with him for over 6 yrs. so I have more than enough experience however, I lack the grades. I have not taken my DAT and I'm about to take it next year. However, I would like to know if I should even waste my time. If anyone know what I can do or what they think is the best thing I could do or if they know off any programs I should look at please let me know.

I agree with the others other than the fact that you will need an A, and not a B+, in your future science courses. Yes, Adcoms like someone who is dedicated to doing well and willing to retake something and do better to achieve their goals. However, getting a 2.1 to a reasonable GPA will be more than difficult. A competitive dental GPA is 3.8

 

[briansle]

1) Forget about the DAT, don't waste your time. For now just concentrate on raising your GPA. Unlikely that you'll get in a masters program, so search hard and long for a post-bacc.

2) I'd go for the double major, and this time do it right. Major in something you're actually interested in. Raise that GPA, and then go for the postbacc. This is perhaps the long but most logical choice.

3) After you do this, and get your GPA around 3.0. Then ace the DAT. The DAT is not hard, and is probably what will determine your fate.

4) You seem to have all the extracurriculars so shadowing your father at this point is a waste of time. Spend that time studying.

5) This entire process should take you 4 years. Finish the 2nd major in 2-3 years then postbacc in 1-2. By that time, competition for D-school will cool off, and you'll have a shot.

6) You messed-up - and that's okay. What is not okay is that fact you keep repeating your mistakes. Unless you have no aptitude for science, you've obviously misplaced your priorities. Devote your entire life to the library. Cut-off your friends and social life for 4 years. 4 years in isolation is not that much, for the rewards of being a dentist-4-life. You chose immediate pleasure over delayed satisfaction. Now you must pay the price.

 

[Aero047]

Welcome to the SDN forum!

First thing I'd like to say is not to give up and not to lose hope. Losing hope is the worst thing you can do right now, especially since you are a senior. There is no reason to put yourself down any further; you must look towards the future.

There are 40-year-olds in other careers who later decide they want to become doctors and go back to school to work on becoming doctors. They didn't give up and neither should you.

I think the best thing for you to do is not to graduate but to retake the core science courses that you did poorly in (biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, etc.) and get high grades in them. Just get an overall GPA of at least 3.2 and do some research. Your main problem is your GPA which you can improve.

Just a question to anyone who knows the answer:
Is it necessary to get a Master's if you had a poor undergraduate career? Or can you extend your undergrad, improve your grades, and then reapply to Dental school when your GPA has increased?

 

[Rezdawg]

You need to get your grades up high enough to get into a post-bac program. When you get into the post-bac program, you need to rip it up.

If dentistry is what you want to do, you can get there. This time around though, you need to bust your ass. If you do it, you will be fine. Good luck.

 

[syn_apse]

I really want to become a dentist but I know that my dreams seem impossible now. I don't know how I got to this but I know it was my fault.

if becoming a dentist has been your dream throughout college and you only have a 2.1 to show for the last 4 years, it might be time to throw in the towel...

on the other hand, if you just decided now you want to go for it, follow rezdawg's advice. but remember, AADSAS counts all of your grades and if you get interviews, adcoms will surely ask what happened during your 4 years of college...

 

[teefRcool]

1) Forget about the DAT, don't waste your time. For now just concentrate on raising your GPA. Unlikely that you'll get in a masters program, so search hard and long for a post-bacc.

2) I'd go for the double major, and this time do it right. Major in something you're actually interested in. Raise that GPA, and then go for the postbacc. This is perhaps the long but most logical choice.

3) After you do this, and get your GPA around 3.0. Then ace the DAT. The DAT is not hard, and is probably what will determine your fate.

4) You seem to have all the extracurriculars so shadowing your father at this point is a waste of time. Spend that time studying.

5) This entire process should take you 4 years. Finish the 2nd major in 2-3 years then postbacc in 1-2. By that time, competition for D-school will cool off, and you'll have a shot.

6) You messed-up - and that's okay. What is not okay is that fact you keep repeating your mistakes. Unless you have no aptitude for science, you've obviously misplaced your priorities. Devote your entire life to the library. Cut-off your friends and social life for 4 years. 4 years in isolation is not that much, for the rewards of being a dentist-4-life. You chose immediate pleasure over delayed satisfaction. Now you must pay the price.

Why do you think the competition will cool off in a few years, i'd say it would get much harder.

 

[VegasBabyVegas]

A competitive dental GPA is 3.8

....yup, so is a 4.0....(who is this guy?)

 

[drengineer]

....yup, so is a 4.0....(who is this guy?)

A 3.8 is a very good GPA for a dental school.
A competitive GPA is about a 3.4 i would say.

 

[TimR]

If you're a senior and you have a 2.1, that means roughly 115-130 credits let's say. To raise that to a 3.0 you would need an equal amount of credits of 4.0. This is illogical. the best you can do is just get that gpa over 2.5 to get into a post bacc program, then do extremely well in that program, meanwhile spending every waking extra minute serving the community. And shoot for a 22+ on the DAT. That is really your only hope. I have a friend here at school on his second year of applications with a 21/23 DAt, and a 2.4 gpa.... still getting no love.

 

[djktennis]

....yup, so is a 4.0....(who is this guy?)

You're right. A 4.0 is a competitive gpa. Glad I have one.

 

[adr12]

....yup, so is a 4.0....(who is this guy?)

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[rambo2006]

You're right. A 4.0 is a competitive gpa. Glad I have one.

Ok, 3.8 and 4.0 are pretty competitive but lets not forget that GPA alone wont get you anything. Although they care about how well we performed compared to out peers, they dont know how hard our school is or how hard our profs are compared to other schools are. That is part of the reason why DAT scores are useful when comparing candidates. Dental schools also dont want book smart people who are not involved in thier community and what have you. The list goes on when it comes to what schools consider. Dont be so quick to fool your self it you think GPA is everything. I didnt even mention Letters of recomendation..thats another topic right there.

good luck every1 and see you in dental school.

 

[groundhog]

I'll be honest. All of the above advice of hope is touchy feely tripe. I'll give you real hope. What you need is a season of maturity. By that I mean something like you enlist in the Marines, go the officer candidate school, pack off to Iraq as a young 2nd Lieut and then make a name for yourself. If you live you can come back with new credibility and then go back to college to get those grades up.