Question about Pursuing a Masters

[choupi]

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Hey Guys,

Please be nice, this is my first post. I just happen to stumble across this site, and so far the info I found here has been extremelly helpful. So thanks in advance for all your advice.

Now for my question - I have been out of school for 4 years now, and during my undergrad years I haven't done that well. I am extremelly interested in applying for dental school but I know my grades aren't good enough. I have been taking some Master level bio classes (while working full time), but I haven't enrolled in an actual Masters Program. So far I have gotten all A's.

But now here is my dilema. Should I pursue a Masters degree then apply for dental school, or should I just apply for dental school and hope that my current grades are sufficient? Any thoughts would be great. Thanks you guys!🙂

 

[gradM.S.]

I was somewhat in the same position as you are today. My undergraduate GPA was somewhat shady and so I knew that if I wanted to get into dental school then I better bring it up. I took a year of Postbac classes at a local Cal State University and realized that my GPA was not increasing the way that I wanted it to. I took my DATS and had done relatively well. So I then decided that instead of wasting my time with POSTBAC I might as well get into a masters program in biology. And so that is what I ended up doing for two years after. My GPA came up somewhat but not the dramatic increase I was hoping for. The masters program gave me a real extensive experience in research and has allowed to be able to publish some real credible work. When I went to my interviews schools were really impressed not only by the research but also because of all the classes I had taken. And when schools see that you have made such a dramatic change then that definitely looks favorably towards you. I have known students who have just stuck with the POSTBAC and then after a couple of years have gotten in. But I say if your taking the classes then you might as well do the research and just get another degree. I have found research so enjoyable that I know definitely that I want to pursue a career in academic dentistry. Hope that helps.