Post Bacc vs. MPH

[Doctor Pretty]

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I don't like reading the "What are my chances?" thread so therefore this isn't one of them BUT I do want yall opinions. If I apply next June for the c/o 2016 dental school my GPA will be between 2.9 to 3.1, but if I wait and apply in June 2012 for the c/o 2017 (I will be graduating in May 2012) I know I will have a GPA of 3.2 to 3.5. If I wait until June 2012 to apply I'm considering doing a post bacc or MPH program during the first year I'll be done after undergrad.

Question is which would you guys do: a Post Bacc program or go to a one year MPH program?

 

[DentalDiva RDH]

Hello!

It is to my knowledge that post bacc programs are usually used by people who have not yet taken their pre-reqs to apply to dental school or those who wish to retake science classes. Since you are still in college you should have a preety good idea what your science gpa is looking like, if not wait and see how you do, just try to do your absolute BEST while you're in school so that way you don't have to retake classes. An MPH is a great program, a lot of dentists go back and get their MPH's after dental school so this is a great idea especially if you feel like you already have a competetive gpa, if this is the case and you know you're a definite strong candidate to recieve some interviews than you should go for the application cycle, if not taking that year to enhance your science background with a post bacc is a good idea neither one can hurt you, what ultimately answers your question is how strong of a candidate you are thus far.

 

[MrBeans]

If you don't mind me inquiring, what exactly does a post-bacc entail?

Another undergraduate degree? A few classes?

 

[UFRalo]

Speaking from experience, finishing a one-year MPH may be a little difficult if not impossible. Pretty much everywhere I looked, the MPH was 40+ credits (1.5-2yrs). I got accepted into an MPH program, but also an MS in Microbio that I can do in 1.5 years. B/c I graduated a semester early this ended up being better for me to raise my science GPA.

An MPH may or may not be a good fit for you. If you need to elevate that sGPA, which it appears you do, know that the MPH will not help with this. Even Epidemiology only offers so many courses and once you take a bunch in undergrad and do mediocre, it is really hard to make an impact on your GPA due to you having so many credits. If I were you, I would look into an SMP or take classes at a school as non-degree seeking (if your school allows that) for that off year and just try to do well on the DAT.

 

[dctim211]

There are several threads on this but in a nutshell, post-bacc can be informal or formal. A formal post-bacc is often geared towards individuals that did not take pre-reqs while in undergrad. There are 1-year, 1.5-year and 2-year post-baccs and I think you get a certificate for many of them. The informal post-bacc just means you took classes after college. You do not get a degree, certificate, nor do you have an adviser that requires you to take certain classes.

I got a degree in biology but needed to raise my gpa so I did an informal post-bacc for 2 years, taking all upper-division biology courses. I wasn't too ambitious in college, only taking the classes I was required to take, so there were plenty of biology courses that I had yet to take. When I was in your position, deciding btwn informal/formal post-bacc, MSPs and MPHs, the schools that I called and spoke to told me that while getting a degree/masters of some sort is obviously not negligible, doing FULL-TIME coursework as part of an informal post-bacc will also help someone who's deficiency in their application is a low GPA.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am applying this year (tomorrow!!) and so clearly have not gotten into dental school. However, many people that I've spoken to, including people that have formerly been on adcoms, have echoed the same things I've described above.

Hope this helps.

 

[cmcner]

If the idea is to raise GPA and sGPA a SMP is better than a MPH. I've actually had one admissions dean say to me I don't know why people with low GPAs think that an MPH is going to help their chances. That being said every school looks for something different. I'd reccomend a 3.0+ in undergrad before going into an SMP though, that 2.something will always stand out, if you're high 2's I'd suggest taking more undergrad courses to raise it.

 

[SeattleRDH]

People get into dental school every year with a 3.0 GPA. The question you need to ask is how did they do it? Sure, with some work you could raise your GPA to a 3.5 but that's still below average at many schools. Look at strengthening the other parts of your app. Adcoms are looking to create a diverse student body (and not just by race) so think outside the box. Start here: learn how to apply for grants... (not education grants)

 

[drashleypaige]

I graduated undergrad in 2007 with a GPA in the low 3.0 range. I applied to dental school and was denied admission. I decided to pursue a MPH because I have always been very interested in the public health field. I thought that my MPH would only take about a year to complete but it ended up taking me two years (I switched my concentration from Epidemiology to Health Behavior). I would only advise pursuing the MPH if that is something that interests you and not if you need a GPA booster. As a previous poster mentioned, the MPH GPA is not factored into your sGPA.

My pre-health advisor told me that my MPH probably wouldn't help me gain admissions into dental school. However, I kicked butt in my MPH courses and had a very high GPA and the faculty member that interviewed me for dental school made it a point to ask me about it. He even stated that he was impressed by the turnaround. Now that could just be his personal opinion and every dental school may not weigh it heavily.

I loved my MPH program and feel that I learned so much that will help me later as a dental professional. If you're truly passionate about the field I say go for it, if not I think the post bacc may be a better idea. Good luck!