Rough Start but Getting Better Everyday: How to be more competitive?

[BlueDevil2012]

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Hi, I just posted this in another thread but I meant to post here. Sorry, hope there isnt a rule against this.

Second Time Poster,

First:SDN has been a life saver!
Second: A little about myself, I graduated in May 2012 from a top 10 University with a 2.97 GPA (Awwffulllll). My first semester freshmen year I Withdrew from a class and received a D and D+. Even though my GPA is terrible I have shown a very strong upward trend and made all A's my senior year. There is no excuse for my poor start other than not being as prepared as I thought for a top caliber school.

After graduation I decided I would do an informal postbacc at my state school as I had not taken any of my pre reqs. I started last summer with Gen Chem I and Gen Chem II with an A and B+. This past fall I took Orgo I, Bio I, and A&P I and received all A's. This Spring I am scheduled to take Orgo II, Bio II, and Physics I. I am a completely different student than I was a year ago and I am confident I can keep this string of A's up. However, I am a little discouraged because even with all A's i my remaining pre-reqs (This Spring and Pysics II in the summer) my overall GPA will only be a 3.11 when I plan to apply in June for this next cycle and my science GPA will be a 3.47. Unfortunately my science GPA isnt the same as my Post Bacc GPA of 3.875 because I took a random Bio and Calculus during the second semester my freshmen year and made a C and C- and this is hurting my BCP.

I know that I absolutely MUST score above 20 on my DAT and I have decided to prepare for that on my own throughout the course of this semester and take it once classes are finished. I also know that I must have a great PS which I have been working on for a few weeks (writing part of a draft, then letting it sit for a few days then adding to it) I have kept a log for each time I have shadowed and random ideas that I want to incorporate into my PS.

As far as the rest of my application I am currently apart of the Pre-Dental Society at the school in which Im doing my post bacc. I am also volunteering at a dental clinic for 4 hours a week and shadowing for 2-3 hours a week at the same clinic.

Throughout undergrad I did serve in 4 on campus Leadership Positions. Worked for 15-20 hours a week for a great Non Profit mentoring program that links 5th-9th graders with Medical and Science Graduate Students to keep them interested in fields of science and technology.

Community Service >1000 Hours (400 were during a Community Service trip to Trinidad and Tobago after my sophomore year where I worked 8 hours a day for a little over two months)
Shadowing 28 Medical Hours (During Undergrad)... 42 Dental Hours so far and I hope to reach 100 by the time June rolls around.
Undergrad GPA 2.97
Post Bacc so far 3.875
OGPA 3.11
SGPA 3.47

With allllll of this being said, Will I have a strong chance if I apply to 15 schools this coming cycle or is it necessary that I complete another years worth of post bacc classes to continue raising my GPA before applying? Also I should mention that I was planning on taking Biochemistry and Microbiology next fall while waiting for interview invites. Any suggestions on how I can continue to make my application more competitive?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this very longgggggg post, I greatly appreciate it!

 

[ryansgs]

I think you definitely have a chance of being accepted somewhere under the condition that you score at least a 20 on the DAT.

 

[spider367]

Don't worry about what your overall GPA ends up being. Schools want to see a trend of improvement and based on what you posted, that is exactly what you've done. Having said that, you need to keep up the good work next semester, get involved in as many dental extra curricular activities as possible, and you HAVE to kill the DAT. Still, it sounds like you've made great progress!

 

[nondescriptive]

Don't worry about what your overall GPA ends up being. Schools want to see a trend of improvement and based on what you posted, that is exactly what you've done. Having said that, you need to keep up the good work next semester, get involved in as many dental extra curricular activities as possible, and you HAVE to kill the DAT. Still, it sounds like you've made great progress!

Actullay, DO worry about your GPA. My class this year will have a 3.6 oGPA, so you are way behind. Continue to take more classes and do what you can. GPA is important to schools and they could care less about excuses. I would try to take easy science classes to boost the oGPA as well as sGPA.

With that being said, having a great DAT score of 22+ will make up for it, lol, and I know you can do it!

 

[spider367]

Actullay, DO worry about your GPA. My class this year will have a 3.6 oGPA, so you are way behind. Continue to take more classes and do what you can. GPA is important to schools and they could care less about excuses. I would try to take easy science classes to boost the oGPA as well as sGPA.

With that being said, having a great DAT score of 22+ will make up for it, lol, and I know you can do it!

Look, obviously GPA is important. Having said that, continuing to get all A's over the course of a few semesters in difficult science classes and only raising your GPA to a 3.2 will look better than taking easy classes all along to get your GPA to a 3.8. Just my opinion though...

 

[nondescriptive]

No its not, I'd rather get that 3.8 than a 3.2. Its a numbers game with school. If ten students with 3.8(and easy classes) applied and 10 students with 3.2(and difficult classes) applied, I can guarantee you the 3.8 students will get more interviews. Thats just a fact.

 

[spider367]

No its not, I'd rather get that 3.8 than a 3.2. Its a numbers game with school. If ten students with 3.8(and easy classes) applied and 10 students with 3.2(and difficult classes) applied, I can guarantee you the 3.8 students will get more interviews. Thats just a fact.

We can agree to disagree 🙂. Either way, do the best you possibly can in all your classes.

 

[nondescriptive]

More importantly, contact the dean and keep in touch with them. Through out the year, contact them so often and talk to them, show them you're interested and not just another number.

 

[HudsonMud]

Your stats are pretty similar to mine (check my out threads if you're interested). All you can do is keep up the strong trend and move forward. Make sure you've got a study schedule for the DAT, I found it helpful to have a "checklist" of things that needed to get done on each day. Nice work in the pre-reqs, keep it up! If you've only got one C that are factored into your BCP GPA (your calculus will be factored into your science GPA, not your BCP), you should be able to bring that up past 3.5 with a few more classes.

For reference, I took one plant biology class in undergrad (that I got a B+ in) that was factored into mine, then I took all the pre-reqs and four upper levels and maintained a 3.7, leaving me with a final BCP of 3.66.

Nice work on your ECs, keep up that shadowing/volunteering, kill the DAT, apply as early as you can, and cross your fingers in June!

Out of curiosity: What is your undergrad degree in?

 

[BlueDevil2012]

Thank you all for your input!

@nondescriptive can I begin contacting Deans now before I apply? I was planning on taking a trip to a few Dental schools that are relatively close this semester so that they could see me face to face if not on a one on one basis at least in a small group setting.

@HudsonMud thank you for that suggestion. I have been using the AMCAS GPA Calculator Excel Sheet and it lumps BPCM together. I just recalculated and my oGPA will still be a 3.11 and sGPA will be a 3.47 but my BCP GPA shoots up to a 3.7 by the time I apply in June. Also I was a Political Science Major with a Minor in Psychology.

As far as taking more classes. Id have Gen Chem I and II, Orgo I and II, Bio I and II, Physics I and II, and A&P I under my belt when I apply in June. Like I said before I was planning on taking Biochemistry and Microbiology in the Fall but I could push MicroBio up and take it during Summer Session II after I take Physics II to add a small boost to my BCP and Science GPAs. If I do take Microbio in the summer what other class would you suggest I take along with Biochem in the fall?

 

[KittySquared]

If I do take Microbio in the summer what other class would you suggest I take along with Biochem in the fall?

Genetics and histology would be good classes to take. Embryology, cell bio and many others. And if you're looking for electives, medical ethics and biostatistics would be good also.

 

[nondescriptive]

Thank you all for your input!

@nondescriptive can I begin contacting Deans now before I apply? I was planning on taking a trip to a few Dental schools that are relatively close this semester so that they could see me face to face if not on a one on one basis at least in a small group setting.

Contact them as soon as possible; establish a rapport and they will mentor you through the process. I started years out and they walked me through the process. Its like that CarMax commercial, follow the arrow.

 

[HudsonMud]

Contact them as soon as possible; establish a rapport and they will mentor you through the process. I started years out and they walked me through the process. Its like that CarMax commercial, follow the arrow.

Interesting - Did you have luck calling admissions departments? Who did you ask to speak to? Did you ever meet face to face, prior to an interview?

 

[nondescriptive]

I found the email of the dean of admissions and started with emails. Later on I asked if I could speak with them on the phone.

Not all schools are like this; Texas school are the worst; you can't talk to any of the dean or even contact them, with the exception of Baylor. Most schools will respond to your emails, especially the newer ones.

Anyway, do what you can to get them to know you. I think that helps alot; I know it did for me.

 

[doc toothache]

For starters, concentrate more on the school work than on EC activities.