Need some major advice! HELP!

[austinbe12]

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Hello all of you out there in the pre-dental world,

I am a Biology major at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston with intentions of applying to LSU Dental in New Orleans. I have a monstrous problem though: I currently have a 2.5 GPA OVERALL. This is a list of the following classes I have left before graduation in March '11:

Genetics 310 (Current)
Cell Bio 315 (Current)
Statistics 200 (Current)
Chem 102 (Current)
Org Chem 250, 251, 252, 253, 254
Med Ethics 470
Animal Physio 320/335
Ecology 313
Bio Seminar 480
BioChem 350, 351, 352, 353
Histology 407
Med Micro 341/343

And 6 hrs of Bio electives after that.

My advisor says that I am in good standing, and the dean of admissions at LSU dental says to focus on what I score on the DAT after I have completed all my organics. I'm just getting scared that I am wasting my time on a dream that's never going to get accomplished. I have dental assisted and have a nice network of dentists to turn to, but I just royally screwed up in college. I looked into the BioMedical Science grad program at Barry University, and it seems like it would help, but then again I do not want to go down there and waste my time on a grad program that would be useless if I just could not get in dental school. I would pursue a degree in dental hygiene after Tech, but the dental school does not take any of those hours into consideration! I would have a job with that degree. My main concern is, is am I wasting my time and money? What actions do I need to take in order to improve my chances of accomplishing acceptance? Thanks to all of you out there!

 

[razorback2009]

Hello all of you out there in the pre-dental world,

I am a Biology major at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston with intentions of applying to LSU Dental in New Orleans. I have a monstrous problem though: I currently have a 2.5 GPA OVERALL. This is a list of the following classes I have left before graduation in March '11:

Genetics 310 (Current)
Cell Bio 315 (Current)
Statistics 200 (Current)
Chem 102 (Current)
Org Chem 250, 251, 252, 253, 254
Med Ethics 470
Animal Physio 320/335
Ecology 313
Bio Seminar 480
BioChem 350, 351, 352, 353
Histology 407
Med Micro 341/343

And 6 hrs of Bio electives after that.

My advisor says that I am in good standing, and the dean of admissions at LSU dental says to focus on what I score on the DAT after I have completed all my organics. I'm just getting scared that I am wasting my time on a dream that's never going to get accomplished. I have dental assisted and have a nice network of dentists to turn to, but I just royally screwed up in college. I looked into the BioMedical Science grad program at Barry University, and it seems like it would help, but then again I do not want to go down there and waste my time on a grad program that would be useless if I just could not get in dental school. I would pursue a degree in dental hygiene after Tech, but the dental school does not take any of those hours into consideration! I would have a job with that degree. My main concern is, is am I wasting my time and money? What actions do I need to take in order to improve my chances of accomplishing acceptance? Thanks to all of you out there!

Sorry man, but even if you pulled off a 4.0 your final semester, I think your GPA is too low to get in this year 🙁.

I was accepted on Dec 1st at LSUHSC. It was an arduous road. This was my third application cycle. I was denied by LSU and everywhere else twice with a 18 AA DAT and a 3.6 Overall GPA/3.3 ScienceGPA. It wasn't until I brought my DAT up to a 20 AA/21 PA that I got a serious look here. Now I am from Arkansas, so I can't speak for LA resident applicants, but I'd be surprised if you received any great news this cycle.

Lots of people have faced this problem though. You can read around on the message boards, but most of them will suggest that you go to graduate school, and show that you are really committed to making good grades. (You kind of get a fresh start (Untarnished Graduate GPA). Not saying that they'll look past your undergrad GPA, but it will definitely help your case.

To have any chance this year, you'd have to have a DAT score somewhere in the range of 23 or 24 AA.

Good luck to you👍

 

[Ambient]

Sorry man, but even if you pulled off a 4.0 your final semester, I think your GPA is too low to get in this year 🙁.

I was accepted on Dec 1st at LSUHSC. It was an arduous road. This was my third application cycle. I was denied by LSU and everywhere else twice with a 18 AA DAT and a 3.6 Overall GPA/3.3 ScienceGPA. It wasn't until I brought my DAT up to a 20 AA/21 PA that I got a serious look here. Now I am from Arkansas, so I can't speak for LA resident applicants, but I'd be surprised if you received any great news this cycle.

Lots of people have faced this problem though. You can read around on the message boards, but most of them will suggest that you go to graduate school, and show that you are really committed to making good grades. (You kind of get a fresh start (Untarnished Graduate GPA). Not saying that they'll look past your undergrad GPA, but it will definitely help your case.

To have any chance this year, you'd have to have a DAT score somewhere in the range of 23 or 24 AA.

Good luck to you👍

The OP isn't applying this year. He/she is a junior.

 

[lux8]

You need to work on raising your GPAs (science and cummulative) to a level where you will get consideration. There is a lot of competition at all the schools so your GPAs have to be above a 3.0. Also study plenty prior to taking the DAT. You don't necessarily have to get a 23 or 24, but it certainly helps. People do get in with 18 & 19 or so, but it is difficult. You really have to check with the school your applying to and find out what pretty much their requirements are. Good luck to you and you can do it if you put forth the effort.

 

[razorback2009]

The OP isn't applying this year. He/she is a junior.

Missed that...thanks.
In that case...GET TO IT! Gotta get that GPA up. High science GPA will look awesome if you can pull it off in your remaining courses.

 

[moj85]

There are several factors. Do you work and support yourself? If your uni has a review committee then tell that you worked and support yourself financially. If that is not the case then you try to get all A's. I think you still have 45 credits hrs or more to go. Getting alteast 3.5 gpa in the remaining semesters will show the admission committee that you have changed. Also, look into a masters program that will accept the upper level science classes from the undergrad into the master program. For example, I am looking into the Physiology masters programs and that will accept upto 10credit hours of 400 level classes or above and leaves me 26 or go and that can be done in a 3 semesters(including summer). If masters takes too long then sign up for post-bac program. You are trying to show them that you can handle upper level classes, and at the same time keep volunteering. Also, some universities have summer programs that gives like an introduction to first semester into dental/med school. Look for those programs, that will allow you to meet the faculty of the dental program and getting recommendation letters from them can be quite helpful. Do well on DAT. Dont give up hope, you can always improve your file. If this is what you want to do then dont give up. Good Luck!!

 

[austinbe12]

moj85--

Yes, I have worked the entire time I have been college, and I do support myself.
Currently, I am an admissions clerk in the Emergency Room at a local hospital. The past 2 years though I dental assisted: once at a perio and once at a general dentist. The reason why I am no longer with the perio is because I was at another university at the time and transferred to another college that year so I had to resign due to distance. The general dentist layed me off because I could not devote 40+ hrs :-(.

Razorback--
CONGRATS!!! I IDOLIZE people like you hahahaa :-D. And THANKS for the tips...yeah, i have no intentions of applying this cycle, aacck! I think I saw you on predents.net if I'm not mistaken...

On a second note, do you have any study tips??? I've been struggling with B's and C's on tests...!

 

[austinbe12]

And also, I need a format to help get started studying for the DAT...any suggestions for that? I've sped read through my Kaplan book and it doesn't look too terrible; Dr. Weir at LSU Dental also suggested I get the DAT Destroyers book. Anyone use that?

 

[2014orbust]

focus on that DAT and raise your GPA as much as possible... or a postbac

 

[razorback2009]

moj85--

Yes, I have worked the entire time I have been college, and I do support myself.
Currently, I am an admissions clerk in the Emergency Room at a local hospital. The past 2 years though I dental assisted: once at a perio and once at a general dentist. The reason why I am no longer with the perio is because I was at another university at the time and transferred to another college that year so I had to resign due to distance. The general dentist layed me off because I could not devote 40+ hrs :-(.

Razorback--
CONGRATS!!! I IDOLIZE people like you hahahaa :-D. And THANKS for the tips...yeah, i have no intentions of applying this cycle, aacck! I think I saw you on predents.net if I'm not mistaken...

On a second note, do you have any study tips??? I've been struggling with B's and C's on tests...!

Yup that was me on predents...

You have to find the study schedule that works for you.

I found that spending one hour studying at home for every 2 hours spent in the classroom worked for me. In other words... say in one week you spend 16 hours actually sitting in a classroom listening to lectures. That means you should go home and study about 2 hours every night, and extra before tests in your harder subjects.

If you really want to beef up your resume and get into dental school, you should have no problem getting motivated to put in the hours to achieve stellar grades. I was a fool my freshman year and began my college career with a 3.02 overall GPA. At first, I blamed it on all the EC's I was involved in (Student Govt., Fraternity, Volunteering, etc...). But I learned one thing very quickly. Dental Schools don't care about EC's if the GPA is not up to par!... This really lit a fire under me when I realized that my dream of going to dental school was in jeopardy. I cut back on the EC's and took the time to sit down and really do well in school.

I am not the most intelligent person, and don't claim to be, but if I really want something, I have always been able to reach deep down and achieve any goal. You have to have this mentality... I minored in business and if there is anything I learned from it, it is the following..."The only person who cares about you, is you!" In other words... your family and friends may get onto you about slacking off, but in the end you're the only one who can decide you're going to push yourself.

Over the next three years, I worked my tail off and averaged a 3.78 GPA and finished my degree with a 3.58 overall.

Take an entire summer and treat studying for the DAT as a full time job if it's possible...

Again, good luck and godspeed😎