Question about a low grade in a pre-req class...

[yams]

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hi,

I was wondering if a grade of 2.8 in my ochem lab class would be looked at in great detail when applying to dental schools. I have a 3.6 Science GPA. I heard that some dental schools want all pre-req dental classes to be above 3.2. Is this true?

Thanks to anyone who can answer my question!

 

[groundhog]

Your worry is unnecessary. 2.8 is a B- and counts as a B on your aadas application. Your 3.6 overall science GPA is excellent and falls within the competitve range for any dental school. What did you do....forget to scrub out your personal lab equipment with acetone a few times?

 

[mcataz]

Unfortunately C's in classes like organic chem, physics and gen chem do raise eyebrows. Admissions committees are aware that those are the toughest classes in undergrad. I'm in the same situation. However, I got an A in a 6 credit Biochemistry med school class, so that has made up for my poor O-chem grades somewhat. You might consider taking biochem and doing really well in it.

Medical and dental schools consider O-chem and gen chem as precursors to biochemistry. So if you can demonstrate proficiency in biochemistry, you will prove you are the right stuff.

Good Luck

 

[desi2003]

What if i did very very poorly in first year Bio.. but did very well in higher lever Biology courses in 2nd and 3rd year?? would dental schools look at that first year bio course and use it against me?

And also, does anyone know whether an Environmental Science course would count as a "science" course? I'm attending university in Canada, and the environmental science courses as well as the Chemistry courses are listed under "Physical Sciences" whereas the Biology courses are listed under "Life Sciences"... would Environmental Science be seen as a "science" course, and included in my Science GPA???

thanks so much to anyone who can provide some input..

 

[busupshot83]

this is interesting... any more?

 

[mcataz]

It depends on the type of bio courses you take. Schools know that cell biology and genetics are difficult biology courses. If you do well in those classes, it looks impressive.

They also look at trends in grades. If you did poorly in the beginning, you can make up for it. Although it varies from school to school, generally speaking 4 semesters or 6 quarters of continuous and successfull grades (3.5 GPA) can make up for bad grades earlier on.

Of course, you will be penalized by some schools regardless of what you do. Schools like Harvard, UCSF and UCLA have such a strong demand that they really can't afford to have mercy.

 

[w3chen99]

I wouldn't worry about it. Just do well on your upper division science classes and you will do fine.

My belief is that if you show improvement in your grades and do well on most of your upper division science classes, then it is not a problem if you don't kill the O-Chem series (besides, a 2.8 is not that bad). The admissions committee may look at grades for particular classes a little more, but it doesn't make a significant difference when they look at your overall science GPA (especially the upper division science classes).

And if worse comes to worse, just kick butt on the DAT and you will be fine. 🙂

 

[orgirl]

I am planning on taking bio chem, but it is not offered until next spring. i have a low gpa across the board from being 17-20 and not really caring about school as much as what color to paint my nails before the weekend....

now 10 years later i start back to school with my head on straight and i have only made one c, but i was working 30 hours a week and i was hospitalized twice that semester--got the chicken pox and pneumonia! at 30! was that cool or what?

I am hoping that my gpa will be over looked and they will focus mostly on what i have accomplished over the last year and a half.

I have been a nurse for 11 years too...
(is that not scary--considering how i was in nursing school.)
well...
please any input about my if they will over look my carefree youthful days?

 

[dragonfly9]

I wouldn't worry about it as long as everything else in your application is in order. My second semester OChem grade was lower than your 2.8 and I'm headed to school this fall after my first application cycle. My GPA wasn't nearly as strong as yours either.

Fortunately, I graduated from a top 20 liberal arts college, I had a good DAT and fabulous recs from a dentist, a research scientist that I worked for one summer (I put everything I had into that summer and really helped him out), my current boss (also a research scientist), and professors that I had really gotten to know, not just on an academic level, but also on a personal level. I've had a lot of research experience and have shown that I am mature and can work independently.

I wish I knew that before I spend months, laying in bed awake and worrying about one or two grades. 🙂

When it comes down to it, I believe that I am proof that we aren't just a bunch of numbers to the admissions committees. I would say for the most part, they really do look at us as individuals with different strengths, who can each contribute to the school and profession in different ways.

 

[w3chen99]

If you want to make up for your past mistakes with your GPA, you can try taking as many upper division science classes that you can fit into your schedule and just get great grades in all of them. That way, it improves your GPA and you can show that you can handle a difficult science workload/busy schedule.

If you are able to continue to succeed in your classes, then pretty much all you need to do is study hard for the DAT and do really well on it. A high DAT counters a lower GPA. The DAT is the only way for admissions committees to be able to fairly compare different applicants. The GPA can always be skewed by strength of school, special circumstances, etc..