Rec letter crisis!

[dental diva]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hello sdn,

I want to apply to the 2013 cycle, and I definitely can get one letter of rec from a dentist...but my science GPA is super low, so my school's pre-health committee will not let me apply through them because of my low BCP. I was on a nationally competitive dance team last year, so I guess I didn't focus very much and my grades were awful...My overall is a 3.3, sGPA 2.9 (ahhhhh) i still have one more semester of 15 hours coming in (13 of them are science hours) and I REALLY plan on doing well this semester. But the committee basically told me I have no hope, I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me.

 

[dansou5]

Hello sdn,

I want to apply to the 2013 cycle, and I definitely can get one letter of rec from a dentist...but my science GPA is super low, so my school's pre-health committee will not let me apply through them because of my low BCP. I was on a nationally competitive dance team last year, so I guess I didn't focus very much and my grades were awful...My overall is a 3.3, sGPA 2.9 (ahhhhh) i still have one more semester of 15 hours coming in (13 of them are science hours) and I REALLY plan on doing well this semester. But the committee basically told me I have no hope, I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me.

Try getting individual letters?

 

[Kier]

Just do really well on what you have left. I don't know much about the committee stuff (canadian student!)
but do you have any reasons behind the low GPA? were you sick for a semester?
Well.. at least you have an option of going to a committee.. us Canadians (UBCians) have to get 3 professors and most of them really hate students looking into professional schools.
One prof even said don't come to me looking all friendly if all you want is a lor for some medschool 🙁.

 

[dental diva]

I don't really have any excuse for the low gpa besides getting distracted with my dance team haha.

i had a C in both orgo's and one in cell bio. Besides that I don't have any D's or F's or withdrawals, mostly Bs and some As in my science classes. I have tons of shadowing, i'm on two executive boards (one of them is pre-dental club) and i'm pretty big on community service. i really just need that 20+ DAT but even then, i'm getting pretty discouraged 😱

 

[Baker2010]

I don't really have any excuse for the low gpa besides getting distracted with my dance team haha.

i had a C in both orgo's and one in cell bio. Besides that I don't have any D's or F's or withdrawals, mostly Bs and some As in my science classes. I have tons of shadowing, i'm on two executive boards (one of them is pre-dental club) and i'm pretty big on community service. i really just need that 20+ DAT but even then, i'm getting pretty discouraged 😱

I would take more classes and just get individual letters. I don't think its a big deal.
After I graduated, I no longer lived near my school so going through the pre health committee would have been a pain so I just got individual letters. No school brought it up, and I ended up getting into several schools.

Good luck

 

[perpetual labor]

I would love to know more about your university and the premed advising program there. Feel like PMing me? While pre-professional advisers need to be honest and up-front with students, they are NOT supposed to act as gatekeepers.

...best of luck with your application. It seems like you will have to apply without the committee/pre-health advisor letter. Make sure you follow up with your school so that future students don't run into the same issue.

 

[DavesNotHere]

I must be out of touch, i dont know what a pre health commitee is...but why cant you ask individual teachers like normal?

 

[Kier]

Don't worry. Just work to boost your GPA as much as you can. I think taking easy science courses would be a good start and take summer courses too. For me I took some Calc courses that were easy and with out much effort got an A. Also study hard for DAT. getting over 22+ would be a huge advantage for you.

 

[dental diva]

The minimum cutoff BCP to get into the committee was a 3.0 and I had a 2.9, which is annoying. I was doing some research and the general consensus seems to be that if your school DOES have a pre-health committee, it looks really bad if you don't have an LOR from them. I can still find 3 professors, if math counts in my science gpa then I have 16 hours of doable science credit after this semester. I've been studying for my DATs for a month now and plan on taking them in June, that 22 would definitely give me an edge. It was just a confidence killer to hear about this pre-health committee, it got me looking into post-bacs and masters programs and other options and my motivation is slowly slipping away

 

[crax]

i was typing a huge tirade on how i hate the pre health committee , but realized i guess its kind of alright. instead of writing you a poor LOR, theyre opting to make it easy and not do it at all.

Get individual letters and apply, you can also get individual letters from this current spring semester (i did this). Only thing is, you need to prove them wrong and get a 21+ imo. You then have the option to ask them for a late letter (may, when your sgpa will rise to >3.0) and you might be able to have it in within 3-4 months (september) which isnt necessarily bad to just add a LOR in at that point. Also, you can consider taking a year off and have the write the letter one year from now in the spring, when they have grades from two additional semesters.

 

[dental diva]

The highest GPA I can get after this semester assuming I get all As is a 3.38. So let's assume I finish up with about a 3.3 gpa, 3.1 sGPA, do you guys suggest taking a year off to boost that GPA or doing some sort of a masters program, or should I shoot for that 21+ DAT and apply? Too many decisions, and thanks for the advice 🙂

 

[crax]

i personally like shooitng for the DAT 21+. either way, you wont be paying to apply untill after you take the DAT. so bust your ass studying and see where you stand after you take it. i think a 3.3 3.1 21dat might land some interviews, thats similar to my stats.

Taking a year off should easily boost your GPA, because you will have all of senior year to raise it. no need to really consider a masters progam IMO, at all !!! A masters would be one or two years, showing you can handle the course load and raising your gpa. You have that opportunity to do right now! finish up strong, 2-3 semesters of solid grades + some "upper" level science courses will look great (if this summer doesnt work out)

you will also then have a year to get more, + potentially better LOR's and a committee letter. It's only january, if your motivated to do it, go study for a few hours everyday and enjoy nights to go out and still dance. you have alot of potential to ace this semester. good luck!

-also, hope youre taking all of our advice with a grain of salt.