Re-evaluating my situation and feeling discouraged...

[UCSD1984]

---

Members do not see this ad.

To reiterate my situation (most of the forum vets know by now), I have about a 2.9 overall and around a 2.6 BCP. I'm starting my DAT studying tomorrow and taking the DAT on August 27th, which gives me no reason to not do well on it.

However, I'm aiming to apply in June of 2012, which gives me 3 quarters at UCSD to perform phenomenally (Fall, Winter, Spring). Then again, however, I also have to consider if waiting for my Spring grades is going to be worth not applying on June 1st, but rather June 20th-30th or so. Considering how horrid my GPA is, I'm sure that waiting for my Spring grades before submitting my application would be wisest (this is all assuming I do 4.0 work, which I am capable of and which I am aiming for).

However, again, assuming I take 12 units (all upper-div Bio courses) per quarter, that gives me only 36 units to show a solid upward trend. Since I also have 0 volunteer/shadowing hours, I would like to keep the unit load at no greater than 12 per quarter so I can also participate in clinical Dental settings several hours per week.

All this taken into consideration, I still feel as though I'll be a non-competitive applicant by June 2012. I feel as though 36 units just isn't enough to prove to AdComs that I am capable and motivated enough to handle Dental School coursework. Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

And of course, I'm posting this to hear the bare-naked truth. I do appreciate everyone's help in advance. Thank you for your time.

 

[UBERlowGPA]

To reiterate my situation (most of the forum vets know by now), I have about a 2.9 overall and around a 2.6 BCP. I'm starting my DAT studying tomorrow and taking the DAT on August 27th, which gives me no reason to not do well on it.

However, I'm aiming to apply in June of 2012, which gives me 3 quarters at UCSD to perform phenomenally (Fall, Winter, Spring). Then again, however, I also have to consider if waiting for my Spring grades is going to be worth not applying on June 1st, but rather June 20th-30th or so. Considering how horrid my GPA is, I'm sure that waiting for my Spring grades before submitting my application would be wisest (this is all assuming I do 4.0 work, which I am capable of and which I am aiming for).

However, again, assuming I take 12 units (all upper-div Bio courses) per quarter, that gives me only 36 units to show a solid upward trend. Since I also have 0 volunteer/shadowing hours, I would like to keep the unit load at no greater than 12 per quarter so I can also participate in clinical Dental settings several hours per week.

All this taken into consideration, I still feel as though I'll be a non-competitive applicant by June 2012. I feel as though 36 units just isn't enough to prove to AdComs that I am capable and motivated enough to handle Dental School coursework. Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

And of course, I'm posting this to hear the bare-naked truth. I do appreciate everyone's help in advance. Thank you for your time.

Is a second year out of the question? Is it possible for you to take more units than 12?

I hate to ask, but how bad do you want it? During my last year of postbac, I LITERALLY had no life (and yes, I'm using the word literally correctly). I didn't go out, I stopped drinking, I didn't play golf, I sold my snowboards etc. When I wasn't in class, I was either STUDYING, at office hours, in anatomy lab, eating, sleeping, or working out. That was it. NO exaggeration. I didn't see my friends much, but they understood what needed to be done. Life sucked. But I WANTED IT bad.

Don't be discouraged. If you want it, make some sacrifices and find a way.

 

[molar3]

To reiterate my situation (most of the forum vets know by now), I have about a 2.9 overall and around a 2.6 BCP. I'm starting my DAT studying tomorrow and taking the DAT on August 27th, which gives me no reason to not do well on it.

However, I'm aiming to apply in June of 2012, which gives me 3 quarters at UCSD to perform phenomenally (Fall, Winter, Spring). Then again, however, I also have to consider if waiting for my Spring grades is going to be worth not applying on June 1st, but rather June 20th-30th or so. Considering how horrid my GPA is, I'm sure that waiting for my Spring grades before submitting my application would be wisest (this is all assuming I do 4.0 work, which I am capable of and which I am aiming for).

However, again, assuming I take 12 units (all upper-div Bio courses) per quarter, that gives me only 36 units to show a solid upward trend. Since I also have 0 volunteer/shadowing hours, I would like to keep the unit load at no greater than 12 per quarter so I can also participate in clinical Dental settings several hours per week.

All this taken into consideration, I still feel as though I'll be a non-competitive applicant by June 2012. I feel as though 36 units just isn't enough to prove to AdComs that I am capable and motivated enough to handle Dental School coursework. Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

And of course, I'm posting this to hear the bare-naked truth. I do appreciate everyone's help in advance. Thank you for your time.

why do you want to participate in clinical dental settings several hrs per week? imo, not necessary at this point for u. no body is going to care if u have dental shadowing hrs or w/e if ur gpa is not raised/"good enough". so you should be taking more classes........as many classes u can manage during each semester of ur postbacc. now i agree with u when u say u shouldnt take too many, bc this is your opporunity to be taking upper level bios and theres only so many so u CANNOT screw them up , bc then what will ur option be to fix ur app?......
so yea pace urself with ur courses but yet try to take as many credits as u can while trying to maintain A's. basically my point is, your main goal should be your grades, not shadowing (yes this is "imp" but not as imp as ur grades at this point).
ull need about......around 40 credits give or take to get u to a 3.0? something like that? i dunno details on this maybe someone else will answer what ur shots would be and if schools would consider ur postbacc of straight 4.0 (if u get this or something close to this) for 36 credits when reviewing ur app

also, do u know if u are able to take those classes? and what classes you can take in the fall? bc if youre doing an informal postbacc u usually have last options for getting into courses and sometimes they fill up, so you should look at the schools course sched and see if they offer courses u'll need, asap.
anyway, i know things are looking scary for u now but if this is what u really want ure going to have to work hard and push urself twice as hard as everyone else bc ure in a hole& u gotta dig yourself out. time is a factor of course, but......its not on your side right now and u may need to accept this (or u may not, only God knows!) goodluck buddy, im rootin for ya!! keep patiently persevering ;-)

 

[UBERlowGPA]

why do you want to participate in clinical dental settings several hrs per week? imo, not necessary at this point for u. no body is going to care if u have dental shadowing hrs or w/e if ur gpa is not raised/"good enough". so you should be taking more classes........as many classes u can manage during each semester of ur postbacc. now i agree with u when u say u shouldnt take too many, bc this is your opporunity to be taking upper level bios and theres only so many so u CANNOT screw them up , bc then what will ur option be to fix ur app?......

Great point. What's with the 300-400 hours? Bump your units up! and volunteer during the breaks between quarters.

 

[slm266]

You need to up it to 16+ hrs/semester. That will increase your total by 12+. You gotta go big and own it. Fill your schedule with the recommended courses of the schools you have the best shot at.

Just do minimal hours of shadowing (~75) and service. GPA is #1 focus after you rock the DAT. Don't take the DAT In Aug until you're ready to kill it. Try to blow it out of the water in the first shot.

 

[UCSD1984]

Is a second year out of the question? Is it possible for you to take more units than 12?

I hate to ask, but how bad do you want it? During my last year of postbac, I LITERALLY had no life (and yes, I'm using the word literally correctly). I didn't go out, I stopped drinking, I didn't play golf, I sold my snowboards etc. When I wasn't in class, I was either STUDYING, at office hours, in anatomy lab, eating, sleeping, or working out. That was it. NO exaggeration. I didn't see my friends much, but they understood what needed to be done. Life sucked. But I WANTED IT bad.

Don't be discouraged. If you want it, make some sacrifices and find a way.

Thanks for the response UBER. I don't mind you asking at all, because to be quite frank I want it BAD. I don't mind not having a life, and I don't mind not going out. If I see my friends once a month, it'll be that much nicer to see them. I'll turn into a hermit, I plan on doing so. A second year isn't <out> of the question, but I'm about to hit 27 and honestly I don't know if I can do another year after this one. I know a lot of people would chime in to this thread and tell me not to worry about my age, and I would thank them endlessly but the fact of the matter remains that I am and will still be counting my age as a huge factor. To put it briefly; I don't think I can do another year besides this upcoming year. I hope no one reads that as "then you don't want Dentistry that bad", because that would be false. Everyone has their breaking points, and mine has a LOT to do with my age unfortunately.

why do you want to participate in clinical dental settings several hrs per week? imo, not necessary at this point for u. no body is going to care if u have dental shadowing hrs or w/e if ur gpa is not raised/"good enough". so you should be taking more classes........as many classes u can manage during each semester of ur postbacc. now i agree with u when u say u shouldnt take too many, bc this is your opporunity to be taking upper level bios and theres only so many so u CANNOT screw them up , bc then what will ur option be to fix ur app?......
so yea pace urself with ur courses but yet try to take as many credits as u can while trying to maintain A's. basically my point is, your main goal should be your grades, not shadowing (yes this is "imp" but not as imp as ur grades at this point).
ull need about......around 40 credits give or take to get u to a 3.0? something like that? i dunno details on this maybe someone else will answer what ur shots would be and if schools would consider ur postbacc of straight 4.0 (if u get this or something close to this) for 36 credits when reviewing ur app

also, do u know if u are able to take those classes? and what classes you can take in the fall? bc if youre doing an informal postbacc u usually have last options for getting into courses and sometimes they fill up, so you should look at the schools course sched and see if they offer courses u'll need, asap.
anyway, i know things are looking scary for u now but if this is what u really want ure going to have to work hard and push urself twice as hard as everyone else bc ure in a hole& u gotta dig yourself out. time is a factor of course, but......its not on your side right now and u may need to accept this (or u may not, only God knows!) goodluck buddy, im rootin for ya!! keep patiently persevering ;-)

The reason I'd like to get involved with more volunteer hours may stem from the fact that UCSD has an absolutely phenomenal Pre-Dental Society, and a lot of the volunteering opportunities tend to aim towards humanitarian services (heading to different countries with a group of Dentists and assisting). Granted, those types of opportunities are usually offered during the Summer and are about 2-3 weeks long. However, I'm sure there will be other similar and more short-term opportunities during the Fall/Winter/Spring. Having said that, I think opportunities like that really shine on an application and I would love to partake in them.

Not only that, but I also simply need hours of volunteering for my application. I don't want to have the bare minimum, and I feel as though I could help offset my GPA by showing my dedication to the field. The trade-off would be 1 upper-division course per quarter. So basically, instead of taking 16 units per quarter, I'd take 12. I'm speculating that this would allow me to put in more hours per week of volunteering. By the time I apply, I'll have sacrificed taking 12 extra units. But, I'm only speculating here.

As far as your question regarding class enrollment, it seems as though UCSD Extension can "guarantee" your spot in a class since the wait-list for normal UCSD students is governed by an automatic electronic system, whereas signing up for the course through UCSD Extension means I would have to get an add card signed by the Professor and then stamped by the Biology department. I did some research on this and called UCSD Extension. The lady there told me that students never have a problem getting into a class when enrolling through Extension. I'm still skeptical, so I will be calling UCSD's Biology Department AND calling UCSD Extension again to speak to a different employee in order to gain a second-opinion's insight.

I thank you for the kind words Molar3, your input is always informative and uplifting. I wish you the best as well, my friend.

Great point. What's with the 300-400 hours? Bump your units up! and volunteer during the breaks between quarters.

I just feel as though the extra hours would show my dedication and commitment/deep interest to the field, and perhaps maybe even offset my disgusting GPA. The breaks in-between quarters at UCSD tend to only be about 10-14 days in length. I'm not sure how much I can get done in that time or if they'll even allow me to volunteer at UCSD's Dental Clinic for 10 hours a day (because by golly I would).

 

[slm266]

You simply need more hours to dilute the low GPA. 200 extra hours shadowing will not pay off if you don't make it past computer cutoffs. Do hours consistently with passion, but adcoms need to be convinced that you're intelligent enough to become a doctor that can handle the demands of dental school.

Crunch the numbers and extrapolate your GPA if you take 36 hrs, 42 hrs, 48 hrs, etc...at 4.0, 3.7,...

 

[UCSD1984]

You simply need more hours to dilute the low GPA. 200 extra hours shadowing will not pay off if you don't make it past computer cutoffs. Do hours consistently with passion, but adcoms need to be convinced that you're intelligent enough to become a doctor that can handle the demands of dental school.

Crunch the numbers and extrapolate your GPA if you take 36 hrs, 42 hrs, 48 hrs, etc...at 4.0, 3.7,...

I appreciate the input. Do you think that 12 units per quarter for 3 quarters would be too little no matter how well I did? Is it not a big enough upward trend, or simply perhaps not enough units in general?

 

[UBERlowGPA]

I just feel as though the extra hours would show my dedication and commitment/deep interest to the field, and perhaps maybe even offset my disgusting GPA. The breaks in-between quarters at UCSD tend to only be about 10-14 days in length. I'm not sure how much I can get done in that time or if they'll even allow me to volunteer at UCSD's Dental Clinic for 10 hours a day (because by golly I would).

I think buckling down and taking more classes in the hopes of getting into dental school shows a pretty strong commitment already. In my opinion, you could get 5000 hours of shadowing, and it still wouldn't offset your GPA.

I say bump up your grades so you make it past the primary cut off. No one will see ANY of those volunteer hours if you don't make it past the minimums.

Besides working between the breaks, an hour here and there on the weekends during school would also show that same commitment.

Just my 2 cents

 

[UBERlowGPA]

I appreciate the input. Do you think that 12 units per quarter for 3 quarters would be too little no matter how well I did? Is it not a big enough upward trend, or simply perhaps not enough units in general?

Isn't 12 units the minimum requirement at UC to be considered a full time student?

 

[UCSD1984]

Isn't 12 units the minimum requirement at UC to be considered a full time student?

Yes that's correct.

 

[amali]

12 units (3 classes) probably is not going to be enough. You want to take 4-5 classes a quarter if you want to offset that low GPA. I know how hard this is being a UCSD graduate.

I graduated with a similar GPA to yours from UCSD and it has taken me two years of a postbac from UC Berkeley Extension consisting of 30 units (45 quarter) to get my science above a three. I am now going to be doing a masters while reapplying. The time investment itself has been brutal.

 

[UCSD1984]

12 units (3 classes) probably is not going to be enough. You want to take 4-5 classes a quarter if you want to offset that low GPA. I know how hard this is being a UCSD graduate.

I graduated with a similar GPA to yours from UCSD and it has taken me two years of a postbac from UC Berkeley Extension consisting of 30 units (45 quarter) to get my science above a three. I am now going to be doing a masters while reapplying. The time investment itself has been brutal.

May I ask why you didn't do your post-bacc at UCSD? Also, did you apply at all to Dental Schools while in your first or second year of post-bacc? Also, you say you've been doing a post-bacc for 2 years but you've only taken 30 units so far? Or did you mean you actually managed to take 30 units each semester??

 

[amali]

I honestly never liked the instruction at UCSD. I know its a great school with outstanding research. But I never thought it was for me because all the lecturers I had for my science classes were terrible. I didn't have success academically in my science classes until I left UCSD. Berkeley Extension didn't have the greatest instruction either, but it was a lot better and I performed well in most of classes. I know some people do really well at UCSD as well, and I think it depends on what type of learner you are.

I applied after the first year of my postbac and am finishing up my second right now. My first year was about 20 units at about a 3.6. I had one interview and was rejected after.

Did 20 units first year and 10 this last year. The reason I only did 10 was because I ran out of undergrad classes to take.

 

[allDAT]

Taking 12 units per quarter is not enough. Dental schools are going to look for two things in your situation:
1. Is there an upward trend?
2. What was the course load like?

Taking a light course load isn't going to impress the admissions committees - even if you get straight A's.

I would recommend taking 5 classes - 4 science and 1 non-science.

When you pick your science classes, don't mess around with classes that don't improve your BCP GPA - it's regarded as the most important one, so boosting that above a 3.0 is a must.

If you're not prepared to take your DAT in August, don't do it. With that said, if you submit your application after July, you're chances of landing an interview are going to get dramatically slimmer. Think of it this way, the later you apply, the more competitive it gets.

This is what I would do. I would apply in June without your Spring grades to schools that might take you (new schools) with the expectation that you are going to apply again next cycle. No need to apply to UCLA, UCSF, UOP, UPENN, Columbia, Maryland, Harvard, Stony Brook, Michigan etc. (get the ADEA guide to dental school and look at average GPAs, if you find that you're more than .2 below their average, don't apply).

Call the schools you chose to apply to and let them know when you are planning on taking the DAT - could even be close to the deadline.

Take the DAT and score well.

Hopefully you get an interview. If you don't, contact the schools and ask them for suggestions to improve your odds - my guess is that you'll be advised to enroll in a Master's program.

Showing a passion for volunteerism now is not going to help you get into dental school. It's too late, and your grades are too low - you don't need the distraction. However, below average GPAs and no volunteer experience are going to combine for an even greater negative effect on your application.

To fix this problem, you should go to a UCSD Pre-Dental Society meeting (Thursday nights - usually in the Pharmacy school's basement around 6:30 - 7). It's a great club, and they'll give you the opportunity to volunteer. This is what you do - go fill out the paperwork this quarter - maybe this Thursday? It will take about 4-8 weeks for it to be processed, and when volunteers get low over summer and winter breaks, you can rack up the hours really quickly and focus on your grades during the school year.

Hope you get in the first time around ! Goodluck.

 

[LaughingGas]

To reiterate my situation (most of the forum vets know by now), I have about a 2.9 overall and around a 2.6 BCP. I'm starting my DAT studying tomorrow and taking the DAT on August 27th, which gives me no reason to not do well on it.

However, I'm aiming to apply in June of 2012, which gives me 3 quarters at UCSD to perform phenomenally (Fall, Winter, Spring). Then again, however, I also have to consider if waiting for my Spring grades is going to be worth not applying on June 1st, but rather June 20th-30th or so. Considering how horrid my GPA is, I'm sure that waiting for my Spring grades before submitting my application would be wisest (this is all assuming I do 4.0 work, which I am capable of and which I am aiming for).

However, again, assuming I take 12 units (all upper-div Bio courses) per quarter, that gives me only 36 units to show a solid upward trend. Since I also have 0 volunteer/shadowing hours, I would like to keep the unit load at no greater than 12 per quarter so I can also participate in clinical Dental settings several hours per week.

All this taken into consideration, I still feel as though I'll be a non-competitive applicant by June 2012. I feel as though 36 units just isn't enough to prove to AdComs that I am capable and motivated enough to handle Dental School coursework. Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

And of course, I'm posting this to hear the bare-naked truth. I do appreciate everyone's help in advance. Thank you for your time.

-I would do 16+ units of upper div bio class per quarter (preferably no labs b/c lab upper div labs are very time consuming).
-sgpa > DAT > ogpa blablabla, my point is sgpa is the most important factor, so doing more volunteer/shadow etc is less useful than taking more science courseload.
-As for shadowing, if you do 4 hours minimum per week (saturday lets say) for a whole year until next june before you apply you get about 160 hours roughly (taking off some weeks for breaks/vacation). you can split 100 hours for shadowing and 60 hours on volunteering or so
-I'm guessing you have at least 180 quarter units by graduation. Guessing 120 is BCP, getting 48units of 4.0 would bring you up to 3.0 and ogpa of 3.1.
-I agree with taking at least 4 science courses, but not 4+1 nonscience, you want to raise your BCP, taking nonscience would be extra work for nothing, I would rather take either one more science course or just not take it, why burn yourself out with extra class.

 

[SN1]

Is a second year out of the question? Is it possible for you to take more units than 12?

I hate to ask, but how bad do you want it? During my last year of postbac, I LITERALLY had no life (and yes, I'm using the word literally correctly). I didn't go out, I stopped drinking, I didn't play golf, I sold my snowboards etc. When I wasn't in class, I was either STUDYING, at office hours, in anatomy lab, eating, sleeping, or working out. That was it. NO exaggeration. I didn't see my friends much, but they understood what needed to be done. Life sucked. But I WANTED IT bad.

Don't be discouraged. If you want it, make some sacrifices and find a way.

Exactly what I have been doing for the past 2 years of my life

 

[dentalWorks]

To reiterate my situation (most of the forum vets know by now), I have about a 2.9 overall and around a 2.6 BCP. I'm starting my DAT studying tomorrow and taking the DAT on August 27th, which gives me no reason to not do well on it.

However, I'm aiming to apply in June of 2012, which gives me 3 quarters at UCSD to perform phenomenally (Fall, Winter, Spring). Then again, however, I also have to consider if waiting for my Spring grades is going to be worth not applying on June 1st, but rather June 20th-30th or so. Considering how horrid my GPA is, I'm sure that waiting for my Spring grades before submitting my application would be wisest (this is all assuming I do 4.0 work, which I am capable of and which I am aiming for).

However, again, assuming I take 12 units (all upper-div Bio courses) per quarter, that gives me only 36 units to show a solid upward trend. Since I also have 0 volunteer/shadowing hours, I would like to keep the unit load at no greater than 12 per quarter so I can also participate in clinical Dental settings several hours per week.

All this taken into consideration, I still feel as though I'll be a non-competitive applicant by June 2012. I feel as though 36 units just isn't enough to prove to AdComs that I am capable and motivated enough to handle Dental School coursework. Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

And of course, I'm posting this to hear the bare-naked truth. I do appreciate everyone's help in advance. Thank you for your time.

I didn't read anyone responses so... if this was already mentioned...ignore me.

There is one big thing you got going for you.... you have a plan set and its a darn good plan. 12 units per quarter for a total of 36, isn't that like the equivalent of 24 semester credits? I say this because I think AADSAS calculates GPA using semester credits.

Is it possible for you to do 1-2 class this summer? You can use up all the credits you can get.

You gotta understand something pal, people with 2.6 BCPs aren't going to work hard for 1 year and be just as competitive as the 3.5 applicant who worked hard in all 4 years..... The system (however many flaws it has) does a good job rewarding the harder-working 4 year student.

In other words, you have no right to feel discouraged if you applied next year and got rejected. Maybe 1 year of hard post-bacc (36 credits) will be enough, but if it isn't, all that means is you need to do another hard year. 2 years of strong performance (IMO) puts you on a whole different competitiveness level.

As far as applying till your spring grades are out... this is a good idea. A June application (any date you do it) is a June application (meaning its early still). IMO, June 20th is fine, you'll still be early.

 

[dentalWorks]

Okay I just read through more responses... it seems many people are suggesting the OP takes more credits per term...

This is a good/bad idea because... He has a 2.6 BCP, this tells me he doesn't know how to manage his sciences too well. Loading up science credits without first developing better studying habits is probably a bad idea. A better plan is to try 1 quarter with 12 (and see how you handle it) then increase gradually to 15-16.

 

[lnngu]

Am I fretting properly, or would it be alright to assume that I have a "good" shot at getting accepted next cycle if I a.) Do well on the DAT, b.) Get stellar grades in all 36 units of my Post-Bacc, and c.) Get in upwards of 300-400 volunteer/clinical hours by the time I apply?

You are fretting properly. Regardless of what you do, you probably won't be able to get to a point where you can "assume you have a "good" shot" for 2012. 2 semesters worth of classes aren't enough to constitute a credible upward trend, and GPA's don't move enough by the end of your college career.

My advice would be to do whatever you can to excel this year (focus on GPA/DAT. Extracurriculars can keep you out but usually won't get you in.) Hope for the best, but be ready to pick up the pieces if/when your "heart gets broken." Keep at it, then apply again in 2013 when you'll have a better shot.

PS: BTW, DW is right. It may be dangerous for you to bite off a heavier load than you can chew. Learn to walk that tightrope.

 

[slm266]

Okay I just read through more responses... it seems many people are suggesting the OP takes more credits per term...

This is a good/bad idea because... He has a 2.6 BCP, this tells me he doesn't know how to manage his sciences too well. Loading up science credits without first developing better studying habits is probably a bad idea. A better plan is to try 1 quarter with 12 (and see how you handle it) then increase gradually to 15-16.

That would be ideal if he had more time. His only shot is to make a marked increase and find the drive to succeed. He doesn't have the luxury to slowly get used to more science classes.

Go big and nail it your senior year + post bacc, or look into a dental assisting career.

 

[dentalWorks]

That would be ideal if he had more time. His only shot is to make a marked increase and find the drive to succeed. He doesn't have the luxury to slowly get used to more science classes.

Go big and nail it your senior year + post bacc, or look into a dental assisting career.

How so? Its not like someones putting a gun to his head and saying "You have to get in next year or your gone"....

Its more important to get good grades / build study habits than to sprint your way into oblivious hoping to perform well.

Making it into a professional program, ESPECIALLY from a damaged GPA is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[Philippines03j]

How so? Its not like someones putting a gun to his head and saying "You have to get in next year or your gone"....

Its more important to get good grades / build study habits than to sprint your way into oblivious hoping to perform well.

Making it into a professional program, ESPECIALLY from a damaged GPA is a marathon, not a sprint.

+1

Plus it will build confidence for later semesters and even dental school. I would also recommend taking the 12 credits this first semester. If you get straight As this semester think about upping the credits to around 14 next semester.

At this point getting the "A" is most important.👍

 

[lnngu]

How so? Its not like someones putting a gun to his head and saying "You have to get in next year or your gone"....

Its more important to get good grades / build study habits than to sprint your way into oblivious hoping to perform well.

Making it into a professional program, ESPECIALLY from a damaged GPA is a marathon, not a sprint.

I think slm266 is just referring to the OP's stated goal. If 2012 is really the target, then no, the OP does not have time to take it slow.

Time is a HUGE factor for me, and I would be devastated if I didn't get accepted for the Fall of 2013.

 

[slm266]

+1

Plus it will build confidence for later semesters and even dental school. I would also recommend taking the 12 credits this first semester. If you get straight As this semester think about upping the credits to around 14 next semester.

At this point getting the "A" is most important.👍

Good points. I had not considered a 2nd year applying and only considered the OPs question about applying 2012. IMO the OP can't afford any more black spots on his transcript. It would be a shame for him to make a small improvement and adcoms look at his transcript and see a low overall GPA, improvement at the end but he was taking a light course load.

Eventually you have to prove to adcoms that you can handle a heavy science load. If you feel that going from 12 to 14 to one semester of 16 at 4.0 they will be convinced enough to overlook the rest of your undergrad, then go for it. I think it takes a few semesters in a row of heavy loads to prove you can do it.

I think you may have a shot at getting in your first time applying if you can rock 3 semesters of 16 credits @ 3.7-4.0 along with a high DAT (22AA+). I think that if you slowly up your course load you will get in, but not without a post bacc

 

[John Durian]

Best option is to stay for an extra extra year and apply in 2013. I know you mentioned age being a big reason for you to get out, but I honestly don't think you'll be competitive with just 36 units to boost that GPA.

Like others have said, you have to take more than 12 units/quarter... unless that's 12 units of pure science. If it is, then I would add 1-2 classes (3-6 units) of "easy" courses on the side to boost your oGPA.

Not to be negative, but I don't think you would be a competitive applicant in 2012. Better to spend one more year to boost that GPA, do some research/ECs, save that application money, and maximize your chances in 2013.

 

[notin]

if you plan to apply in 2012, you should be taking classes in 2012-2013, which means that you'll have 5 semesters of classes if you re-apply in 2013 and it would be somewhat silly not to reapply with 24-30 more credits in your gpa. if you plan to work 2012-2013 instead of take classes, give up now and save yourself the stress.

imo 12 credits is okay IF that's the most you can get a's in. 12 credits of A's is infinitely better than 16 of B's. but take more if you can, and certainly don't take less because you want to shadow. shadow a couple hours here and there and finish it up once you have 2-3 semesters of A's under your belt.

 

[7 Iron]

Why are you only taking 12 credits per quarter? Do you work full time? If not, take more credit hours if possible. It's not necessary to amass 300-400 shadowing hours. 50-100 is better which is easily done over the span of a couple months. Also, applying around the end of June is still early, so it's best to get those 3 solid quarters between now and June 2012 before you submit your application.

 

[UCSD1984]

.

 

[UCSD1984]

I thank you all for the incredibly informative and honest responses. It seems as though my idea of slightly off-setting my poor GPA with Volunteer/EC hours was somewhat folly. I have to get my GPA past the cutoffs, and considering how bent I am on getting accepted for Fall of 2013, I don't have the luxury to take my time.

I can manage 16 units per quarter considering I'm not going to be working at all, whatsoever (besides the Volunteer hours once or twice a week). I also plan on keeping in touch with AdComs from the schools I'm most interested in (UoP, USC, Western).

I started my first day of DAT studying today, and I'm enjoying every second of it so far. It's good to know that I have 3 months to fully dedicate to this exam, with no work and no school to get in the way. I'll have absolutely no reason to not do well on August 27th.

I thank you all again, and I still look forward to additional input if any of you have some.

 

[7 Iron]

I thank you all for the incredibly informative and honest responses. It seems as though my idea of slightly off-setting my poor GPA with Volunteer/EC hours was somewhat folly. I have to get my GPA past the cutoffs, and considering how bent I am on getting accepted for Fall of 2013, I don't have the luxury to take my time.

I can manage 16 units per quarter considering I'm not going to be working at all, whatsoever (besides the Volunteer hours once or twice a week). I also plan on keeping in touch with AdComs from the schools I'm most interested in (UoP, USC, Western).

I started my first day of DAT studying today, and I'm enjoying every second of it so far. It's good to know that I have 3 months to fully dedicate to this exam, with no work and no school to get in the way. I'll have absolutely no reason to not do well on August 27th.

I thank you all again, and I still look forward to additional input if any of you have some.

Sounds like a good plan. If you study hard for the DAT for 3 months your scores will show your effort. Good luck.

 

[UCSD1984]

Sounds like a good plan. If you study hard for the DAT for 3 months your scores will show your effort. Good luck.

Thanks 7Iron.🙂

 

[slm266]

You need to murder the DAT so do a thorough study of the sciences to prove you have a deep understanding. A high DAT TS will help somewhat compensate for a low sGPA.

You need to get off SDN now. Be disciplined and stay focused. Read the Kaplan blue book and cliffs AP bio, the ACS ochem book if you've taken ochems, and pick up a gen chem textbook. I'd work on crack DAT PAT too. Right now you are making sure you know the concepts, don't worry about time yet. Then go on to destroyer, etc...

Don't take it until you're ready. Wait to use topscore until the last 2 weeks before your DAT. If you're happy with your topscore scores, you're ready.

 

[UCSD1984]

You need to murder the DAT so do a thorough study of the sciences to prove you have a deep understanding. A high DAT TS will help somewhat compensate for a low sGPA.

You need to get off SDN now. Be disciplined and stay focused. Read the Kaplan blue book and cliffs AP bio, the ACS ochem book if you've taken ochems, and pick up a gen chem textbook. I'd work on crack DAT PAT too. Right now you are making sure you know the concepts, don't worry about time yet. Then go on to destroyer, etc...

Don't take it until you're ready. Wait to use topscore until the last 2 weeks before your DAT. If you're happy with your topscore scores, you're ready.

slm, I appreciate all your input my friend. I'm using AP Biology, Kaplan DAT ("Blue Book"), Chad's Videos for Gen. Chem and Org. Chem, Crack DAT PAT, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer (won't be touching those for the first few weeks), and later on in a couple months I'm ordering DAT Achiever and Topscore Pro. I'm following DentalWorks' 8-week Study Guide (Chad's Videos Version).

 

[UCSD1984]

Random question, but it pertains to my situation still. Is USC one of those schools you can have a decent shot at if you're a Cali resident with stats like mine (considering my 1 year of post-bacc, not 2, best case scenario obviously...) Seems like their GPA mean is on the lower end, but I could be mistaken. It's one of my top choices, because it's so close to home (I dread the idea of being away from my family, and a 2 hour drive isn't bad at all).

 

[beatsdre]

If getting in early is your main goal, then here is my take:

36 quarter units X .667= 24 semester units. You have to report all courses in semester units. 24 semester units in a year is extremely low. I took 50+ in my senior year.

If you really want to get your game together, take 20+ semester units over the summer, 18-20+ semester fall, and 18-20+ semester spring, and ace all of it. It's either that or doing 24 semester units plus a postbac...which will put you at the age of 29-30 to matriculate into dental school as opposed to 28-29. Plus, it does impress adcoms, and it is doable to take the DAT and do well on it. Just save the last semester with "easier" overloaded units and study hard for the DAT. You'll have quite the story to tell when explaining a 50 unit one year upward trend plus a nice DAT score.

Then again, that route isn't for everyone, and might end up backfiring if you do terrible. I agree with Dentalworks that Dental School admissions is a marathon and not a sprint. I guess the question boils down to: risk 1 year of extremely intensive studying...50+ units plus DAT and perhaps matriculate early, or take the safer route and take 2+ years to put yourself at a competitive mark?

"Random question, but it pertains to my situation still. Is USC one of those schools you can have a decent shot at if you're a Cali resident with stats like mine (considering my 1 year of post-bacc, not 2, best case scenario obviously...) Seems like their GPA mean is on the lower end, but I could be mistaken. It's one of my top choices, because it's so close to home (I dread the idea of being away from my family, and a 2 hour drive isn't bad at all)."

No guarantee nor higher chances in my opinion. Dental school really is a crapshoot. I counted on NYU+USC to be guaranteed interviews considering their gpa is on the lower end, and instead, I got rejection letters. =(

 

[UCSD1984]

If getting in early is your main goal, then here is my take:

36 quarter units X .667= 24 semester units. You have to report all courses in semester units. 24 semester units in a year is extremely low. I took 50+ in my senior year.

If you really want to get your game together, take 20+ semester units over the summer, 18-20+ semester fall, and 18-20+ semester spring, and ace all of it. It's either that or doing 24 semester units plus a postbac...which will put you at the age of 29-30 to matriculate into dental school as opposed to 28-29. Plus, it does impress adcoms, and it is doable to take the DAT and do well on it. Just save the last semester with "easier" overloaded units and study hard for the DAT. You'll have quite the story to tell when explaining a 50 unit one year upward trend plus a nice DAT score.

Then again, that route isn't for everyone, and might end up backfiring if you do terrible. I agree with Dentalworks that Dental School admissions is a marathon and not a sprint. I guess the question boils down to: risk 1 year of extremely intensive studying...50+ units plus DAT and perhaps matriculate early, or take the safer route and take 2+ years to put yourself at a competitive mark?

"Random question, but it pertains to my situation still. Is USC one of those schools you can have a decent shot at if you're a Cali resident with stats like mine (considering my 1 year of post-bacc, not 2, best case scenario obviously...) Seems like their GPA mean is on the lower end, but I could be mistaken. It's one of my top choices, because it's so close to home (I dread the idea of being away from my family, and a 2 hour drive isn't bad at all)."

No guarantee nor higher chances in my opinion. Dental school really is a crapshoot. I counted on NYU+USC to be guaranteed interviews considering their gpa is on the lower end, and instead, I got rejection letters. =(

beatsdre, thank you for the response. I actually graduated in June 2010. All this I'm doing will be a post-bacc.