Post Bac or Masters

[princessdentist]

I have a 3.6 GPA and a 3.45 Science GPA as an undegrad from a UC School with a Bachelors in Science. I applied this year but so far no luck...

What is best way for me to improve my dental school application? Post Bacc? or Masters ( I was thinking a MS in global medicine). Please let me know! Also are there any good programs you recommend for me?

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[DC206R]

IMO, you don't need a post-bacc or masters. Depending on what your DAT score is, and your ECs, you could have a fairly competitive application with that GPA already.

 

[Likkriue]

What is your DAT score?

Your gpa is fine. I would look into improving your ECs.

 

[princessdentist]

My DAT score is 19AA. I have over 500 hours of shadowing and 1000 hours of volunteering. I volunteered as a dental assistant (for 2 years) at a dental clinic that caters to an underserved community. I also did abroad volunteering in an underdeveloped area. I also have experience in dental research.

 

[DC206R]

Sounds like you're a great applicant. I guess you have to look at school choice as well as your PS because the your EC's seem great to me.

 

[FanOfCostco]

Doesnt matter if you're from a UC school or not.

 

[princessdentist]

Doesnt matter if you're from a UC school or not.

Okay! I was just providing background on myself as an applicant....

I would appreciate advice

 

[SharkTooth_oohaha]

I'm leaning towards an informal post bacc in my case, as well as retaking my DAT. I got 1 interview and was waitlisted this cycle w/ a 3.4 oGPA and 3.1 sGPA and a 19TS/AA DAT. However, I don't think you should waste your money on and SMP or post bac with your solid gpa. Maybe retake your DAT if you feel confident that you'll improve although its really not a bad score with your GPA. Make sure you apply early!

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

I have a 3.6 GPA and a 3.45 Science GPA as an undegrad from a UC School with a Bachelors in Science. I applied this year but so far no luck...

What is best way for me to improve my dental school application? Post Bacc? or Masters ( I was thinking a MS in global medicine). Please let me know! Also are there any good programs you recommend for me?

My advice would be to start a Masters. You could always fall back on it should you need to. And let's say if you complete it and then get into Dental School, you'd be a DMD, MS or DDS, MS.

Just my personal opinion. Your stats are fine and you don't need to do postbacc or retake the DAT if it's a 19+.

 

[dentalgem524]

Your gpa is decent so they're probably wondering why you have a 19AA and not higher...maybe retake your DAT and see if you can get a 21AA+. I do not advise you to do a post bacc or masters. You also have excellent EC it looks like. Either you selected the wrong schools to apply to OR one of your LORs are bad? How many schools did you apply to..


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[princessdentist]

Your gpa is decent so they're probably wondering why you have a 19AA and not higher...maybe retake your DAT and see if you can get a 21AA+. I do not advise you to do a post bacc or masters. You also have excellent EC it looks like. Either you selected the wrong schools to apply to OR one of your LORs are bad? How many schools did you apply to..


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I applied to 21 schools but kinda top heavy I didnt apply to schools in Middle US... looking back I should have. If I dont get in this cycle I feel like I should use the extra year to get an additional degree with a one year masters. Unless you recommend something better? Let me know I appreciate everyones feedback =)

 

[dentalgem524]

I applied to 21 schools but kinda top heavy I didnt apply to schools in Middle US... looking back I should have. If I dont get in this cycle I feel like I should use the extra year to get an additional degree with a one year masters. Unless you recommend something better? Let me know I appreciate everyones feedback =)

Like I said, I don't think you need to do a masters or post-bacc. Retake your DAT and aim for 21+ and also make sure you get excellent rec letters. A masters program is gonna cost you 30k+ and postbacc probably won't even help much if you already have a decent gpa.


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[Patelji12]

.

 

[predental21250]

Retake your DATs. I have a much lower GPA than you yet a much higher DAT and i've been interviewing/accepted

 

[johna72481]

Yeah i was in the same boat, 3.65ogpa 3.54sgpa, 19AA, 19TS, 18PAT, 300 shadowing, around 400 volunteering. Personal statement was dope, according to several interviewers. I applied to 9, rejected without interview from 4, interviewed at 4 and haven't heard anything from 1. Only have 1 acceptance. if i didn't have this acceptance i would definiently retake the DAT and aim for a 20+.

 

[C_BryantDDS]

I would retake your DAT and aim to do really well. Do more volunteer work both dental and non-dental related. If you wanted to take some classes I would do an informal post bacc. I would not do a masters program unless you intend to finish it as schools often frown upon not completing a masters program as it affects the school's graduation rates. If you do choose to do a masters I would do it in either something science related or something that would potentially be dental related such as Public Health. I'm not sure that global medicine would really be worthwhile. I have my MPH and did my thesis on prenatal oral health and access to care and am having it published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry. Additionally I would work on showing manual dexterity such as taking a sculpting or wood carving class. Good luck!

 

[princessdentist]

THANK YOU ALL!

so I was thinking to retake my DAT by June and re-apply if I do not hear back this cycle.
Also, I will take a one year masters during that time, one that is affiliated with a dental school so it will hopefully better my chances of an acceptance there! what do you guys think about that? For example, USC and Meharry both have ONE YEAR programs that I would complete

 

[princessdentist]

I would retake your DAT and aim to do really well. Do more volunteer work both dental and non-dental related. If you wanted to take some classes I would do an informal post bacc. I would not do a masters program unless you intend to finish it as schools often frown upon not completing a masters program as it affects the school's graduation rates. If you do choose to do a masters I would do it in either something science related or something that would potentially be dental related such as Public Health. I'm not sure that global medicine would really be worthwhile. I have my MPH and did my thesis on prenatal oral health and access to care and am having it published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry. Additionally I would work on showing manual dexterity such as taking a sculpting or wood carving class. Good luck!

wow! where did you get your MPH?

I have over 1000 volunteer hours and close to 700 shadowing.. so I feel like increasing that wont make much a difference

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

I would retake your DAT and aim to do really well. Do more volunteer work both dental and non-dental related. If you wanted to take some classes I would do an informal post bacc. I would not do a masters program unless you intend to finish it as schools often frown upon not completing a masters program as it affects the school's graduation rates. If you do choose to do a masters I would do it in either something science related or something that would potentially be dental related such as Public Health. I'm not sure that global medicine would really be worthwhile. I have my MPH and did my thesis on prenatal oral health and access to care and am having it published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry. Additionally I would work on showing manual dexterity such as taking a sculpting or wood carving class. Good luck!

Nice! @predentMPH Was your research and publication a taking point for your interview(s)?

 

[C_BryantDDS]

Nice! @predentMPH Was your research and publication a taking point for your interview(s)?

Yes! At my interview we primarily talked about my volunteer work (I volunteered as an adult literacy tutor and taught an elderly man how to read) and my thesis and they actually asked for a copy of it (luckily I had thought to take one with me lol).

 

[C_BryantDDS]

wow! where did you get your MPH?

I have over 1000 volunteer hours and close to 700 shadowing.. so I feel like increasing that wont make much a difference

A one year masters isn't a bad idea especially if it's at a school you'd be interested in attending. Mine was 2 years but I wasn't considering dentistry when I started it - I wanted to be an epidemiologist but when I did my internship between my first and second years I realized it wasn't for me and decided on dental school (I was pre-dental in undergrad so I had the pre reqs but decided against it my junior year lol) and when I did my thesis my 2nd year I decided to relate it to dentistry. I got my MPH at UNC Charlotte.

 

[DaddioDan]

A one year masters isn't a bad idea especially if it's at a school you'd be interested in attending. Mine was 2 years but I wasn't considering dentistry when I started it - I wanted to be an epidemiologist but when I did my internship between my first and second years I realized it wasn't for me and decided on dental school (I was pre-dental in undergrad so I had the pre reqs but decided against it my junior year lol) and when I did my thesis my 2nd year I decided to relate it to dentistry. I got my MPH at UNC Charlotte.

I did my MPH with focus in BMS. Also did research related to diminished funding for oral health services in LHDs. In Epi now.. I'm so sick of SAS.

 

[C_BryantDDS]

I did my MPH with focus in BMS. Also did research related to diminished funding for oral health services in LHDs. In Epi now.. I'm so sick of SAS.

I loved epi and the whole idea of it but I HATED all of the data programs! I had to use Stata for my biostatistics classes but SAS-Callible SUDAAN for my thesis. Took me forever to figure it out and I still relied heavily on my thesis chair.

 

[DaddioDan]

I loved epi and the whole idea of it but I HATED all of the data programs! I had to use Stata for my biostatistics classes but SAS-Callible SUDAAN for my thesis. Took me forever to figure it out and I still relied heavily on my thesis chair.

Some people will never understand the pains of cleaning datasets, p values, and multiple linear regressions.

 

[star5569]

I have a 3.6 GPA and a 3.45 Science GPA as an undegrad from a UC School with a Bachelors in Science. I applied this year but so far no luck...

What is best way for me to improve my dental school application? Post Bacc? or Masters ( I was thinking a MS in global medicine). Please let me know! Also are there any good programs you recommend for me?

Did you reach out to the schools and ask why you weren't accepted. Maybe it was your personal statement or interview or recommendation letters.

 

[Gymgivitis]

I would not retake your DAT.

 

[Tooth_fairy91]

I wouldn't spend money on a Masters or Post Bacc because its not your GPA. Unless of course you just want a Masters degree! You sound like a competitive applicant plenty of people have gotten accepted with much lower GPA's. I'd contact schools and figure out why you weren't accepted or offered an interview, it could be a number of things. Were you offered any interviews? If so then more than likely your interview is why. If you weren't offered any interviews it could be your personal statement or letters of recommendation. Also, did you apply early? That makes a world of difference! I didn't get accepted my first year applying (I applied really late) and when I applied the second year I applied in June. I didn't do anything to improve my GPA only retook the DAT and added more shadowing hours with specialists (I initially only had shadowing hours with a general dentist), and I was accepted. It wouldn't hurt to improve your DAT and it's much cheaper than a Masters or post bacc.


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[Universitygeek]

I have a 3.6 GPA and a 3.45 Science GPA as an undegrad from a UC School with a Bachelors in Science. I applied this year but so far no luck...

What is best way for me to improve my dental school application? Post Bacc? or Masters ( I was thinking a MS in global medicine). Please let me know! Also are there any good programs you recommend for me?

When did you send out your application. I'm guessing that you sent it out in the late summer or fall which is likely why you didn't get in.

 

[rippedbx]

Two things: the easiest way to enhance your application is retaking the DAT.

Second, if you had two interviews and no call backs then maybe your interviews need work. do a practice interview with a family member or friend and film it. See how you come off. You want the interview to seem like you: comfortable, smart, and LIKEABLE. some people get nervous and it shows. Practicing for the interview seems odd but it would be stupid not to IM(not so)HO...

I'm not saying you're not smart or likeable but sometimes people don't seem that way in an interview. Practice makes perfect.