Post bac question

[spider367]

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So I have now been rejected from all of the schools I applied to. This does not come a surprise given my bcp is a 2.7. My question is given that the 2.7 is from a four year undergrad degree, does taking a couple upper level science courses in a post bac program and getting straight A's really compensate for that low bcp? This has been the advice of a couple admissions directors I've spoken with but it just seems like a couple of courses is not going to prove that much. Thanks for the advice.

 

[jmukid]

I would suggest you take about 5-6 classes and shoot for anywhere around a 3.4-3.6 gpa. Also idk if youve taken the dat or not but if your planning on taking it then study you butt off and get a 20 or higher

 

[93geo]

I would suggest you take about 5-6 classes and shoot for anywhere around a 3.4-3.6 gpa. Also idk if youve taken the dat or not but if your planning on taking it then study you butt off and get a 20 or higher

why not shoot for a 4.0? with hard work getting straight A's is very attainable

 

[spider367]

I have taken the DAT and have a 20 AA. My question still is am I trying to raise my current 2.7 bcp higher or just prove via a few upper level courses that I can handle the workload?

 

[IBBear]

I'm usually a lurker here, and I signed up just to give you my two cents. First off, look deep inside and make sure that this is what you want to do and give it your best shot. Otherwise, don't waste your time losing on potential income. I graduated from a top university with a horrible GPA (sub 2.5), not due to a lack of effort, but due to some personal issues. After I graduated, I started working in research but kept volunteering at a clinic. Once I made up my mind that dentistry was for me, I quit my job, sold my car, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an informal postbac. I actually applied for a second bachelors so that I could receive financial aid, but my acceptance was denied due to my low gpa. I petitioned for a review and had to persuade an academic committee that my crappy GPA did not reflect on my true academic abilities. I was accepted, and it took me a little more than two years (full-time) to put a dent on my GPA. I repeated some pre-reqs and took as many upper division courses as I could. I also made an effort to get to know my proffessors. Long story short, my "postbac" GPA was a 3.7 and I ended up with a ~3.0 overall.

I am grateful for getting accepted to dental school on my first try, and I really hope that you realize that it is an uphill battle. I may not be the perfect candidate, as many others on this site are, but I think my perseverance and maturity (I'm old) paid off.

I don't think a couple of classes are going to help you out. You have to really sacrifice and take as many classes as you can. Remember, you are trying to show that you can handle a full course load and that you are better than a 2.7. Once you finish that part of your journey, you'll look back and be proud of what you have accomplished. Not only will that be a great feeling, but it will help out in writing your personal statement and give you plenty of confidence during your interviews. Best of luck to you. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[pk62281]

I'm usually a lurker here, and I signed up just to give you my two cents. First off, look deep inside and make sure that this is what you want to do and give it your best shot. Otherwise, don't waste your time losing on potential income. I graduated from a top university with a horrible GPA (sub 2.5), not due to a lack of effort, but due to some personal issues. After I graduated, I started working in research but kept volunteering at a clinic. Once I made up my mind that dentistry was for me, I quit my job, sold my car, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an informal postbac. I actually applied for a second bachelors so that I could receive financial aid, but my acceptance was denied due to my low gpa. I petitioned for a review and had to persuade an academic committee that my crappy GPA did not reflect on my true academic abilities. I was accepted, and it took me a little more than two years (full-time) to put a dent on my GPA. I repeated some pre-reqs and took as many upper division courses as I could. I also made an effort to get to know my proffessors. Long story short, my "postbac" GPA was a 3.7 and I ended up with a ~3.0 overall.

I am grateful for getting accepted to dental school on my first try, and I really hope that you realize that it is an uphill battle. I may not be the perfect candidate, as many others on this site are, but I think my perseverance and maturity (I'm old) paid off.

I don't think a couple of classes are going to help you out. You have to really sacrifice and take as many classes as you can. Remember, you are trying to show that you can handle a full course load and that you are better than a 2.7. Once you finish that part of your journey, you'll look back and be proud of what you have accomplished. Not only will that be a great feeling, but it will help out in writing your personal statement and give you plenty of confidence during your interviews. Best of luck to you. PM me if you have any questions.

I agree, you may have to do something more drastic than just taking 5 or 6 upper level science courses. IMO, you would need at least a year of heavy coursework to not only raise your GPA, but to convince to schools to focus on your most recent coursework and ignore your past as much as possible.

Are there a lot of upper level science courses that you can take that you haven't already? If not, than masters may be your only option.

 

[CantonCowboy]

I agree, you may have to do something more drastic than just taking 5 or 6 upper level science courses. IMO, you would need at least a year of heavy coursework to not only raise your GPA, but to convince to schools to focus on your most recent coursework and ignore your past as much as possible.

Are there a lot of upper level science courses that you can take that you haven't already? If not, than masters may be your only option.

I would say doing a SMP would probably help you, as at this point, one year of undergraduate work will not really make a huge dent on your GPA, even should you do well (>3.5).

A strong SMP GPA however would go a long way in telling them how you'll be able to handle graduate level work, your commitment to entering dental program (getting into an SMP, paying the tuition, moving to a new city to attend, just so that you'll be more competitive/prepared for dental school), AND at the end of it, you'll receive a masters.

A 20 DAT is good, and probably good enough for most applicants. However, you're trying to prove something, so a retake may be in order to hit a higher score (21+) to offset the lower GPA.

In the end, just make the choice that's best for you, and STICK WITH IT! This is your future. Take it seriously and give it your all.

Best of luck!

 

[Biomajor1331]

What is SMP?

I would say doing a SMP would probably help you, as at this point, one year of undergraduate work will not really make a huge dent on your GPA, even should you do well (>3.5).

A strong SMP GPA however would go a long way in telling them how you'll be able to handle graduate level work, your commitment to entering dental program (getting into an SMP, paying the tuition, moving to a new city to attend, just so that you'll be more competitive/prepared for dental school), AND at the end of it, you'll receive a masters.

A 20 DAT is good, and probably good enough for most applicants. However, you're trying to prove something, so a retake may be in order to hit a higher score (21+) to offset the lower GPA.

In the end, just make the choice that's best for you, and STICK WITH IT! This is your future. Take it seriously and give it your all.

Best of luck!