SMP or Informal Post-bac

[dentjo]

Sorry for making a new thread, but this is so frustrating

My basic stats are:
2.9 sGPA and 3.15 cGPA
22/22/23/21 (AA/TS/RC/PAT)

I will be applying this cycle, but I should also prepare myself for my next cycle (will be my 3rd if I don't get in this cycle).

Two options are:

1) Do an informal Post-bac at my undergrad university. If I manage to pull a 4.0 for 26 hours of science credit, my sGPA will be 3.12. Of course I might not get a 4.0, so I also did a calculation in which I would get a 3.77 for 26 hour credit and my sGPA will be 3.07.

PROS: I live 30 minutes away from the school. Cost will be around 11k for 2 semesters, but if somehow I get in early I wouldn't have to take the second semester and would save 5k.
CONS: Even if I get 4.0 for 26 hours, my sGPA will still be very low.

2) Do SMP for one year and get new master's GPA.

PROS: New GPA.
CONS: I need to get accepted. Cheapest option would be around 23k + housing/living costs. Will have to go out of state and since it is only for a year, it might not be wise for my wife (I got married early) to quit her job to come with me.
I am so depressed right now.
I wish I had a time machine so I could go back to my freshman year.

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[JluckDDS]

I would say both from my experience. But if you had to choose one, i would recommend smp. With your DAT you will get in.

 

[danchoi03]

Sorry for making a new thread, but this is so frustrating

My basic stats are:
2.9 sGPA and 3.15 cGPA
22/22/23/21 (AA/TS/RC/PAT)

I will be applying this cycle, but I should also prepare myself for my next cycle (will be my 3rd if I don't get in this cycle).

Two options are:

1) Do an informal Post-bac at my undergrad university. If I manage to pull a 4.0 for 26 hours of science credit, my sGPA will be 3.12. Of course I might not get a 4.0, so I also did a calculation in which I would get a 3.77 for 26 hour credit and my sGPA will be 3.07.

PROS: I live 30 minutes away from the school. Cost will be around 11k for 2 semesters, but if somehow I get in early I wouldn't have to take the second semester and would save 5k.
CONS: Even if I get 4.0 for 26 hours, my sGPA will still be very low.

2) Do SMP for one year and get new master's GPA.

PROS: New GPA.
CONS: I need to get accepted. Cheapest option would be around 23k + housing/living costs. Will have to go out of state and since it is only for a year, it might not be wise for my wife (I got married early) to quit her job to come with me.
I am so depressed right now.
I wish I had a time machine so I could go back to my freshman year.

I am married too when I started this journey. You are not alone. I did my SMP without having my wife at my side and I thought it was better that way because you get less distraction, you can stay up all night to study without distracting her, and you don't have to pull her away from her usual life. Don't worry about money for now because you will make it up later when you get out of dental school. Furthermore, you are on this journey to repair your GPA so you cannot expect everything to be going your way. You should expect to spend a lot of money down the road.

If you can find a SMP nearby that is even better, but make sure the SMP you are planning to attend has decent track record and more importantly you can take courses with D1 students. Remember not all masters programs are true SMP. Only true SMP allows you can take classes with dental or medical students. Also, when you are in a SMP you should do 1 year track because it is more rigorous and you can demonstrate to dental schools that you are capable of handling hard science. If you decide to do 1.5 year track make sure you do with thesis, and the first two semesters you should pack heavily with science courses and the last semester just do research.

Also, your DAT will be expired in 3 years, I suggest you do SMP right away if you don't get in this cycle so you can use the same DAT scores to apply for next cycle while you are in SMP. Don't let the scores expire because they are very competitive. That is all the advice i can give you and take it what it worths. Best of luck and stay positive.

 

[xjoohn]

I am married too when I started this journey. You are not alone. I did my SMP without having my wife at my side and I thought it was better that way because you get less distraction, you can stay up all night to study without distracting her, and you don't have to pull her away from her usual life. Don't worry about money for now because you will make it up later when you get out of dental school. Furthermore, you are on this journey to repair your GPA so you cannot expect everything to be going your way. You should expect to spend a lot of money down the road.

If you can find a SMP nearby that is even better, but make sure the SMP you are planning to attend has decent track record and more importantly you can take courses with D1 students. Remember not all masters programs are true SMP. Only true SMP allows you can take classes with dental or medical students. Also, when you are in a SMP you should do 1 year track because it is more rigorous and you can demonstrate to dental schools that you are capable of handling hard science. If you decide to do 1.5 year track make sure you do with thesis, and the first two semesters you should pack heavily with science courses and the last semester just do research.

Also, your DAT will be expired in 3 years, I suggest you do SMP right away if you don't get in this cycle so you can use the same DAT scores to apply for next cycle while you are in SMP. Don't let the scores expire because they are very competitive. That is all the advice i can give you and take it what it worths. Best of luck and stay positive.

Thanks this is really helpful. I was leaning towards SMP and almost made up mind until I got a phone call this morning saying a local dentist wanted to hire me to work as a dental assistant. Now Im really not sure what do to.

1) Informal Post Bac + work hours and hours as a dental assistant. Also I would stay home.

2) Do SMP out of state.

I feel as though SMP will help more, but the upsides of gaining experience as an assistant (plus getting paid) while trying to obtain a 4.0 post bac 20hours credit seems just as tempting and helpful.

What do you think?

 

[mrdocta]

Thanks this is really helpful. I was leaning towards SMP and almost made up mind until I got a phone call this morning saying a local dentist wanted to hire me to work as a dental assistant. Now Im really not sure what do to.

1) Informal Post Bac + work hours and hours as a dental assistant. Also I would stay home.

2) Do SMP out of state.

I feel as though SMP will help more, but the upsides of gaining experience as an assistant (plus getting paid) while trying to obtain a 4.0 post bac 20hours credit seems just as tempting and helpful.

What do you think?

20 hr credit semester? No way you'll be able to work, especially if you have labs. That will just take up too much of your day. Informal post bacc plus working isn't a bad idea, but I'm assuming you'll only have time for 9-12 he credit semesters which will take longer to raise your gpa assuming you do well.

Sorry just re-read your post. If you mean 20 hours total and not in one semester then that's doable. I assumed one semester.

 

[xjoohn]

Yes I was talking about taking 9-12 hours a semester while working as an assistant vs. going out of state for SMP.

I really want to make a wise decision between the two because after this cycle plus the next one where my new changes would take place (whether that is smp or postbac + dental assistant) would be my last cycle before my DAT scores run out.

 

[mrdocta]

Yes I was talking about taking 9-12 hours a semester while working as an assistant vs. going out of state for SMP.

I really want to make a wise decision between the two because after this cycle plus the next one where my new changes would take place (whether that is smp or postbac + dental assistant) would be my last cycle before my DAT scores run out.

You really can't go wrong with either.. doing well is the most important thing. For your situation it makes more sense to do the informal postbacc so you don't have to move out of state.

 

[JluckDDS]

Yes I was talking about taking 9-12 hours a semester while working as an assistant vs. going out of state for SMP.

I really want to make a wise decision between the two because after this cycle plus the next one where my new changes would take place (whether that is smp or postbac + dental assistant) would be my last cycle before my DAT scores run out.

I say SMP. If you dont get in this cycle but do well in SMP you get accepted the following year. But informal post bac and working? May not improve your standing due to your gpa.

 

[xjoohn]

You really can't go wrong with either.. doing well is the most important thing. For your situation it makes more sense to do the informal postbacc so you don't have to move out of state.

Yes, but only thing holding me back is that even with a 4.0 in 20+ hours of credit, my science GPA will still only be at 3.1. This sounds very risky for applications vs. say getting 3.9 in SMP would look much better(?). I cant afford to not get in the third cycle.