Need some guidance on increasing sGPA

[monkchant]

Hi everyone,

I graduated UC Riverside in 2017 with a bachelor's in psychology and am attempting to pursue a career in dentistry. The issue is my dental prereq's that I took at UCR were mostly C's with a few B's and A's, though I got all A's in my psychology classes. I graduated with a 3.3 gpa and a 2.6 science gpa.

Since then, I've been working mostly full time as a computer technician to save up money for an eventual application to dental school. I was looking for advice on how to boost my sGPA as I've taken most of the upper science courses available at my community college and received high A's in all of them (Cypress Community College) such as genetics, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and I took biochemistry online from Colorado State University. I talked to the recruiter at WesternU (one of my dream schools) and he said that I should retake the general prereqs at the community college also, but I am not sure if I would be wasting my time retaking those prereqs.

Any advice on how to improve my science gpa would be greatly appreciated!

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[2thDoc11]

You can either 1. retake the prerequisites that you got Cs in and get As as well as take additional science courses and do well in those. 2. do a post bacc. 3. Do a masters program (maybe the biomedical science program). Option 3 would probably be the best option but it all depends on your preference and situation.

 

[DMD12345]

My advice is to either take the prereqs at a university, not community college (surprised the recruiter told you to do this), or do a masters program if you can get accepted (probably the better option). Or, probably the best option, combine them and do a masters program and in the mean time before the program retake as many of the prereqs as possible at a uni an ace them

 

[monkchant]

Thanks for the responses. A masters program is a little too costly for my budget considering it doesn't offer any guarantees. If I take classes at a 4year college would you recommend taking replacement classes for my prerequisites or just attempt to take upper division sciences?

 

[DMD12345]

Thanks for the responses. A masters program is a little too costly for my budget considering it doesn't offer any guarantees. If I take classes at a 4year college would you recommend taking replacement classes for my prerequisites or just attempt to take upper division sciences?

Retake the prereqs you got Cs in, then if you can handle more you can retake the Bs if you think you can get As. Fill the other credits with easy science classes (don’t have to be upper level) that’ll bring your sgpa up so you can get to 3.0 quicker

 

[doc toothache]

There is no point in repeating pre requisite courses, unless one is inadequately prepared in the basic science courses. "Upper" science courses at a CC verges on being an oxymoron. A master degree would be a better alternative.

 

[norootcanalspls]

Hey!

I was in a very similar position as you! I graduated with a Sociology degree and took prerequisites for dental school at UCLA and CC. I didn’t do well and I believe I had the same sGPA as you or even lower.

I retook both gen chem 1 and 2 and calculus 1 at a community college. I also took for the first time physics 1&2 and A&P 1&2 and genetics at the same community college. It was worth retaking these classes for me because one of the schools I was applying to only counted the better grade and not the average.

I made sure to even out the classes I took at a community college and at a university (you can probably go to Cal state to save money). I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 and many upper division biology courses that I could afford (~7) at a university. (This is the main difference- you took upper division bio courses at CC but there isn’t many options. Highly recommend taking it at UC or Cal State) It’s really important to get all As to show a strong upward trend. I also didn’t want them to believe I only got better grades because I went to CC so I did really well in my upper division classes and worked as a tutor and a TA.

Most importantly, when I interviewed at Western, they care more than just about grades. I would keep volunteering once you manage your time better!

Good luck!!!!

 

[monkchant]

Hey!

I was in a very similar position as you! I graduated with a Sociology degree and took prerequisites for dental school at UCLA and CC. I didn’t do well and I believe I had the same sGPA as you or even lower.

I retook both gen chem 1 and 2 and calculus 1 at a community college. I also took for the first time physics 1&2 and A&P 1&2 and genetics at the same community college. It was worth retaking these classes for me because one of the schools I was applying to only counted the better grade and not the average.

I made sure to even out the classes I took at a community college and at a university (you can probably go to Cal state to save money). I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 and many upper division biology courses that I could afford (~7) at a university. (This is the main difference- you took upper division bio courses at CC but there isn’t many options. Highly recommend taking it at UC or Cal State) It’s really important to get all As to show a strong upward trend. I also didn’t want them to believe I only got better grades because I went to CC so I did really well in my upper division classes and worked as a tutor and a TA.

Most importantly, when I interviewed at Western, they care more than just about grades. I would keep volunteering once you manage your time better!

Good luck!!!!

Thank you so much for the reply. It helps knowing some of the steps a person who was in my similar position took to become successful.

 

[tigerkinghalo]

Hey!

I was in a very similar position as you! I graduated with a Sociology degree and took prerequisites for dental school at UCLA and CC. I didn’t do well and I believe I had the same sGPA as you or even lower.

I retook both gen chem 1 and 2 and calculus 1 at a community college. I also took for the first time physics 1&2 and A&P 1&2 and genetics at the same community college. It was worth retaking these classes for me because one of the schools I was applying to only counted the better grade and not the average.

I made sure to even out the classes I took at a community college and at a university (you can probably go to Cal state to save money). I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 and many upper division biology courses that I could afford (~7) at a university. (This is the main difference- you took upper division bio courses at CC but there isn’t many options. Highly recommend taking it at UC or Cal State) It’s really important to get all As to show a strong upward trend. I also didn’t want them to believe I only got better grades because I went to CC so I did really well in my upper division classes and worked as a tutor and a TA.

Most importantly, when I interviewed at Western, they care more than just about grades. I would keep volunteering once you manage your time better!

Good luck!!!!

Hi, which dental schools count the better grade and not the average.

 

[norootcanalspls]

Hi, which dental schools count the better grade and not the average.

UMKC!

 

[tigerkinghalo]

UMKC!

which schools do you suggest I apply to with a 2.2 science gpa but 3.4 overall gpa

 

[macsak]

which schools do you suggest I apply to with a 2.2 science gpa but 3.4 overall gpa

earlier, you said 2.6 sGPA...

 

[tigerkinghalo]

earlier, you said 2.6 sGPA...

no, the owner of this thread has a 2.6. I am someone else, I have a 2.2

 

[Mao_Mao123]

Hey!

I was in a very similar position as you! I graduated with a Sociology degree and took prerequisites for dental school at UCLA and CC. I didn’t do well and I believe I had the same sGPA as you or even lower.

I retook both gen chem 1 and 2 and calculus 1 at a community college. I also took for the first time physics 1&2 and A&P 1&2 and genetics at the same community college. It was worth retaking these classes for me because one of the schools I was applying to only counted the better grade and not the average.

I made sure to even out the classes I took at a community college and at a university (you can probably go to Cal state to save money). I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 and many upper division biology courses that I could afford (~7) at a university. (This is the main difference- you took upper division bio courses at CC but there isn’t many options. Highly recommend taking it at UC or Cal State) It’s really important to get all As to show a strong upward trend. I also didn’t want them to believe I only got better grades because I went to CC so I did really well in my upper division classes and worked as a tutor and a TA.

Most importantly, when I interviewed at Western, they care more than just about grades. I would keep volunteering once you manage your time better!

Good luck!!!!

Hey @norootcanalspls ! Did any of the schools question your decision on re-taking your pre-reqs @ community colleges? I have similar stats as you (3.3 oGPA 3.0sGPA), and I did better in most of my advanced university level science classes, but got mostly B's and 1 C in my lower level pre-reqs (gen bio & gen chem). I don't see a lot of people in this situation, so I appreciate all of your advice!

 

[norootcanalspls]

Hey @norootcanalspls ! Did any of the schools question your decision on re-taking your pre-reqs @ community colleges? I have similar stats as you (3.3 oGPA 3.0sGPA), and I did better in most of my advanced university level science classes, but got mostly B's and 1 C in my lower level pre-reqs (gen bio & gen chem). I don't see a lot of people in this situation, so I appreciate all of your advice!

No schools asked me about my community college credits!

Feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to