Questions about Dental School Admission for Low GPA, HIGH DAT

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

Hi everyone, here are my stats and I have questions below:
UG GPA: 2.93
Post-Bacc: 4.0 (2 years)
oGPA: 3.22 (3.36 if I wait an extra yr)
DAT: AA:27/ BIO:27/ Chem:29/ OC:28/ RC:29/ QR:23

My main school of choice is USC, so I'd love it if those with experience with USC can answer these questions for me:

1. What is typically the lowest overall and science GPA that is acceptable in order to get an interview? In other words, statistically, has there been a cut-off average for an interview?

2. For applicants with low GPA's, can an extremely high, near-perfect DAT score offset a low GPA?

3. For applicants with low GPA's, what else can they do to make their application stand out besides getting a high DAT score? Does a high number of shadowing hours make a difference, is research highly valued, what type of extracurricular activities impresses the admissions team?

4. How does applying early benefit the applicant and give them a better chance? I ask this because this concept doesn't exist in Canada, everyone gets the same chance as long as they apply on or before the deadline.

5. If I apply early (in June) and I am completing summer courses and submit the grades for them in late summer, does the admissions team look at my updated grades if they have already looked at my application in June? Or should I apply after I've gotten all my summer grades?

Most importantly:

6. Are upward trends shown on the transcript taken into consideration when inviting applicants for an interview? Let's say someone performs poorly in their first undergraduate degree, but in their second undergraduate degree, they take a heavy course-load with advanced level courses and perform very well in them WHILE working and volunteering, is that taken into account if their overall GPA is low?

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[macsak]

apply early and update with your summer grades
upwards trends are good
having an knockout DAT score like yours will get you attention

trust the process...

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

My main school of choice is USC

Someone else must be paying your tuition then...

Big Hoss

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

Someone else must be paying your tuition then...

Big Hoss

Yes, that and the fact that I have a sibling at USC

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

apply early and update with your summer grades
upwards trends are good
having an knockout DAT score like yours will get you attention

trust the process...

Can someone explain what applying early does? How does that benefit an applicant? I'm Canadian and we don't have this concept

Thanks

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Most schools have some sort of a rolling admissions process, meaning they review applications as they come in. As has already been said, apply early and send them an update email as new grades come in.

Big Hoss

 

[deleted994703]

i know usc likes high gpa, dont really care about dat score but this is something i would ask them.

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

i know usc likes high gpa, dont really care about dat score but this is something i would ask them.

really? i've heard the opposite because usually people that have lower GPA's are advised to apply to USC and NYU etc. also on the ADEA explorer i just purchased it it says that the lowest science GPA person they admitted was a 3.16 and overall 3.28. i'm at a 3.22 so i'm hoping it does something for me and if not then next year me having a 3.36 does something.

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

Most schools have some sort of a rolling admissions process, meaning they review applications as they come in. As has already been said, apply early and send them an update email as new grades come in.

Big Hoss

perfect, then i'll apply right as applications open in june. What about UCLA? i'm assuming it's harder to get into UCLA because its a state school and i'm canadian. don't know much about their GPA stats

 

[deleted994703]

really? i've heard the opposite because usually people that have lower GPA's are advised to apply to USC and NYU etc. also on the ADEA explorer i just purchased it it says that the lowest science GPA person they admitted was a 3.16 and overall 3.28. i'm at a 3.22 so i'm hoping it does something for me and if not then next year me having a 3.36 does something.

nyu likes high dat scores and usc likes high gpas from what i’ve been told by admissions. definitely apply to both but just know there’s no guarantee. you can always email the advisors and ask.

 

[deleted1109581]

Hi! To be honest with you, with your 4.0 post-bacc GPA and killer DAT score, you won't have problem getting into (any) dental school. I would be sure to have enough dental exposure/related experience + solid essays.

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

Hi! To be honest with you, with your 4.0 post-bacc GPA and killer DAT score, you won't have problem getting into (any) dental school. I would be sure to have enough dental exposure/related experience + solid essays.

Thanks! Do you know if post-bacc is listed separately for admissions people? I want them to be able to see clearly that I did well in my 2 years of post-bacc WHILE working, volunteering and shadowing. I don't know how much detail they go into when looking at people's past. Canada seems to only look at the straight number they see on the screen and not delve into trends, difficulties etc

 

[deleted1109581]

I just checked my application on aadsas.
Post-bacc grades are considered "undergraduate" grades so they become part of the overall undergraduate GPA and science undergraduate GPA.
However, they list "Baccalaureate" GPA and "Post-Baccalaureate" GPA separately at the end, so the admissions committee can look at both.
They will definitely see your upward trend and how you improved as a student and matured as a person!
I believe the admissions committee looks at the grades, unique life experiences, roads traveled, volunteer experience, recommendation letters, essays, etc. (not in order of importance).

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

I just checked my application on aadsas.
Post-bacc grades are considered "undergraduate" grades so they become part of the overall undergraduate GPA and science undergraduate GPA.
However, they list "Baccalaureate" GPA and "Post-Baccalaureate" GPA separately at the end, so the admissions committee can look at both.
They will definitely see your upward trend and how you improved as a student and matured as a person!
I believe the admissions committee looks at the grades, unique life experiences, roads traveled, volunteer experience, recommendation letters, essays, etc. (not in order of importance).

View attachment 348771

omg thank you so much! this is so helpful and makes me feel so much better. I'm happy that they're able to look at my post-bacc seperately. I have another question, can they see in that screenshot that you posted how many credits i actually took in my post-bacc? I have done 18!!! courses in my post-bacc which is the equivalent of 2 years or 60 semester hours, i want them to see that i've gotten a 4.0 across many courses and not just "a few that i got lucky with" i want them to be able to tell that although i didn't perform well in my second undergrad that i took a very heavy courseload in post-bacc with difficult classes and managed to excel in them. thanks!

 

[deleted1109581]

can they see in that screenshot that you posted how many credits i actually took in my post-bacc?

My pleasure! Yes. They can see the number of credits.

As you can see, the ADCOM can see "graded hours" which are the number of credits.

I also have 60 post-bacc credits like you. (Take a look at 60.00 under Graded Hours.)
Because I did a bunch of things before pursuing dentistry, I have about 300 total credits (undergrad + grad)!

You have to manually input all courses on the transcript(s), so they can see every course for every semester.

You're in good shape! Hope this helps!

 

[aspiringdentalstudent6ix]

My pleasure! Yes. They can see the number of credits.

View attachment 348784
As you can see, the ADCOM can see "graded hours" which are the number of credits.

View attachment 348785
I also have 60 post-bacc credits like you. (Take a look at 60.00 under Graded Hours.)
Because I did a bunch of things before pursuing dentistry, I have about 300 total credits (undergrad + grad)!

You have to manually input all courses on the transcript(s), so they can see every course for every semester.

You're in good shape! Hope this helps!

thanks alot! you've been so very helpful. i love how holistic American schools are compared to Canadian ones. this gives me hope that my post-bacc will give me some sort of credit (although seeing that USC's lowest GPA they accepted in 2021 was a 3.28 and mine is at 3.22 currently does scare me)... anyways, will try and see!

 

[deleted1109581]

The numbers change every year! And they don't define everything about the applicants. Stay positive and prepare to tell your story. Good luck!