Pre-Dental options with low GPA

[Mm16]

I recently finished undergraduate with a degree in biology, but also with a low GPA (2.62). I have worked in a biology lab at the university for 3 years and have done it for credit (including summers). I need advice of how to (if at all possible) pursue my passion of becoming a dentist. I see many people posting on here with GPAs of 3.0 and higher. With a 2.6 GPA what are my options? Take more classes to try and boost my GPA? Then apply for a pre-dental, post bac program? What schools should I look at? Or is that too crippling of a number to even attempt to pursue a career in dentistry? Thank you in advance!

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[redhotchiligochu]

The consensus of most SDN users will be for you to pursue a postbac. If you get close to a 4.0 in your postab program, it may be enough to put you at an overall GPA above a 3.0. With an upward trend, you can show adcoms that you have to potential to succeed academically.

BTW, how is your science and BCP GPA? Those are just as important as your overall GPA and with a postbac you can improve your science GPA also.

After you're done with your postbac, the schools that you have the greatest chance of getting interviews and acceptances are the newer private schools. I'll leave it up to you to get an ADEA handbook and look over the different d-school's stats and distribution. Also if you live in a state with a strong in-state favorability like NC, TN, or MS, you will have a greater chance of getting in to your in-state school as opposed to living in, say, CA.

 

[dannybobanny182]

I recently finished undergraduate with a degree in biology, but also with a low GPA (2.62). I have worked in a biology lab at the university for 3 years and have done it for credit (including summers). I need advice of how to (if at all possible) pursue my passion of becoming a dentist. I see many people posting on here with GPAs of 3.0 and higher. With a 2.6 GPA what are my options? Take more classes to try and boost my GPA? Then apply for a pre-dental, post bac program? What schools should I look at? Or is that too crippling of a number to even attempt to pursue a career in dentistry? Thank you in advance!

Masters or post-bac. Whatever you can get into. My friend had the same GPA and did 92 units (7 quarters) in our post-bac and earned a 2.99 GPA. Very strong upwards trend. Got a 22AA and 21TS on his DATs. Was president of our pre-dental school. He had 5 interviews (UCSF, UOP, VCU, USC, forgot the other school) and got accepted to 3 of them. If he can.......you can!

 

[MahiMahi]

Masters or Postbac. Get a 3.8+ GPA in either.

 

[schmoob]

Postbacc. Smoke your classes, kill your DAT. If you don't get in, you can then do an SMP.
Never give up.

 

[Mm16]

The consensus of most SDN users will be for you to pursue a postbac. If you get close to a 4.0 in your postab program, it may be enough to put you at an overall GPA above a 3.0. With an upward trend, you can show adcoms that you have to potential to succeed academically.

BTW, how is your science and BCP GPA? Those are just as important as your overall GPA and with a postbac you can improve your science GPA also.

After you're done with your postbac, the schools that you have the greatest chance of getting interviews and acceptances are the newer private schools. I'll leave it up to you to get an ADEA handbook and look over the different d-school's stats and distribution. Also if you live in a state with a strong in-state favorability like NC, TN, or MS, you will have a greater chance of getting in to your in-state school as opposed to living in, say, CA.

My Science GPA is a 2.4. Any programs that would be easier than others to obtain close to a 4.0? I know I would be taking biochemistry as well as science classes I have already taken, but would like to give myself the best shot at acing all of the classes. I recently took a practice DAT (have not taken the actual DAT yet) and scored a 20. I know this is about average and would hopefully improve this score after much practice and review.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

My Science GPA is a 2.4. Any programs that would be easier than others to obtain close to a 4.0? I know I would be taking biochemistry as well as science classes I have already taken, but would like to give myself the best shot at acing all of the classes. I recently took a practice DAT (have not taken the actual DAT yet) and scored a 20. I know this is about average and would hopefully improve this score after much practice and review.

Look into Psychology or Public Health programs. Most students like to go for a Masters in Public Health after a Bachelors in the hard sciences. It makes you more well-rounded, very related to healthcare, and a tad bit easier than the hard sciences. However, I am really unsure if you could get in with a 2.4. You may need to find out if a high GRE would waive that low GPA.

 

[Mm16]

Look into Psychology or Public Health programs. Most students like to go for a Masters in Public Health after a Bachelors in the hard sciences. It makes you more well-rounded, very related to healthcare, and a tad bit easier than the hard sciences. However, I am really unsure if you could get in with a 2.4. You may need to find out if a high GRE would waive that low GPA.

Thank you for your response and your insight/suggestions! I would be looking into Post Bacc programs to raise my GPA before applying to dental school. Any other avenues or suggestions are much appreciated. Thank you again!

 

[promethion]

My Science GPA is a 2.4. Any programs that would be easier than others to obtain close to a 4.0? I know I would be taking biochemistry as well as science classes I have already taken, but would like to give myself the best shot at acing all of the classes. I recently took a practice DAT (have not taken the actual DAT yet) and scored a 20. I know this is about average and would hopefully improve this score after much practice and review.

I don't think you'll find a list of programs that are easier than others. My advice is to find a program that has a good reputation of getting students into dental schools and then work your ass off in it to get the 4.0. Your GPA might be too low for some programs - I had higher stats when I applied to master's programs and I was rejected by a couple of them - but definitely apply! Good luck.

 

[DaddioDan]

I would be careful looking into a master's in psych or public health with a low sGPA. You will need to show adcoms that you'll be able to handle the hard sciences in dental school, so that sGPA still needs to be raised with bio/chem/physics related courses. Psychology and public health do not count towards your sGPA.

Honestly it depends on your concentration in PH. Epidemiology falls under BCP and a lot of the stats classes will fall under Science. Now if someone goes into a Health Policy track then they won't get nearly any of that. I did a MPH focused on BMS, any only 12 credit hours (out of 39) didn't apply to sGPA or BCP. Those were mainly seminars, internships, or some random PH class.