The Ugly C

[shikki79]

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Hi Everyone,
I need a brutally honest reply. I am a chemistry major and this semester I made the horrible mistake of taking 20 credits. I did this in a semester when I was taking Biochemistry,Physical Chemistry and Differential Equations in addition to three other courses. Plus I also work part time.
Needless to say, overloading was a bad idea and I ended up with four A's , a B in Physical Chemistry and a big fat ugly C in Biochemistry of all classes!!!!!!!!!! This dropeed my cumulative GPA down to a 3.7.
I have not taken the DATs yet but I won't waste my money if there is NO chance of me getting into dental school.
This is my first C ever, but it is in a course that kinda reflects my ability to handle medical school since it is a medical school class. I'm so disappointed in myself for overloading and messing myself up.
Please let me know if there is still hope.If there is, what type of DAT scores do I need to compensate for my GPA dropping and the C in Biochemistry.
Please be brutally honest. Real life experiences to back up your opinion will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Yah-E]

Shikki79,

Listen, two scenarios. First scenario, assuming that you have finished your bachelors degree and your cumulative GPA is a 3.7 and you only have one "C" on your whole transcript, I would not worry about it. At most, dental schools will simply ask you what happened in that course and why you got a "C" during your interviews?

Now, second scenario, if you did not complete your bachelors and you are only in your 2nd or 3rd year of college, I still would not worry about it! You'll have at least a year or two to continue to earn "A"s and "B"s to shadow that one "C" in Biochem.

You are right, that "C" will stick out like a sore thumb on your transcript and no matter what you do, the interviewers at dental schools will ask you what happened. On the other side of the token, you have many positive things going for your application such as high cumulative GPA and a rigorious curriculum! If you did not complete your bachelors degree and have over 90 semester credits, I would apply and take the DAT.

Based on the info. that you've provided, your GPA will be FINE (if >90 credits). For the DAT, I believe that the national average is around 17-18 in both academics and perceptual ability. If you get 20s, you'll be in great shape!

Another note, the admissions comittee will look at other upper division/graduate level science courses that you have taken such as Histology, Embriology, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology just to name some. Biochemistry is only one of many.

Why am I sitting here and share all this with you? Because I have a 2.76 undergrad GPA and a 3.2 post-bac. GPA and a number of dental schools have told me bluntly that my chances of earning an interview and a seat for next fall will greatly increase if I do well on my DAT (getting 20s).

Bottom line, with a 3.7 GPA, take the DAT and APPLY, APPLY, APPLY!!!!!!!

😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 🙂

 

[Yah-E]

Shikki79,

After reading your other posts, you might want to sort out you alien status/F1 visa thing. If dental, medical, and Optomety schools do not take F1 visa students, then I wouldn't waste your money taking the MCAT, DAT, or OAT no matter how good your GPA is. I would first find out for sure if schools will accept you or not with your alien residency status then worry about that "C" in Biochem. for med/dent/opt schools. Good luck!

 

[Kawrou]

Trust me, with a GPA of 3.7 one C will not even come in the general vicinity of destroying your chances of getting into dental school. In fact that GPA, and a good DAT score could get you into Harvard, so stop worrying. My bet is that they will not even ask you what happened. To assure you, I got into all the schools that I wanted and even had a 3 Cs on my transcript, and not one school asked me what had happened, so please stop worrying. If you're stressing out this much over a C then you might want to take some time off before going to dental school so you don't burn out.

 

[neeky]

I got a C in biochem too..no one asked me about it and i got into good dental schools with ok dat scores..NO WORRIES! 😛

 

[ducky]

Don't sweat it!!! C'mon! Give yourself a break...you did great under the circumstances and the schools will see your heavy load, as well as knowing that you worked during school. A spinkled "C" or two or even three aren't going to hurt you. Great job! 😀