The Under 3.0 Club part 02

[gsxra4b6]

---

Members don't see this ad.

delete

 

[jdelrio22]

So I unfortunately am in this position where my GPA is low. My undergrad was in psychology and I had a cumulative of 3.1 then. My unofficial post bac started about 2 years ago and these are the classes:

Gen bio I - D - retaking in fall
Gen Chem I - D - Lab A - retaking in summer with Ochem II
Gen Chem II - F - (retook for B) Lab A
Physics I - B Lab A
Gen bio II (took it in 2003) - B Lab B
Calculus - C
C. Algebra - C
Genetics - A
Animal behavior B
Ochem I - hoping for a B - most likely C or worse D
Anatomy I - i'll be lucky if I can get a B - more likely a C

My plan is to take ochem II with lab and retake gen chem 1 in the summer. I am working on getting the funds to pay for the kaplan dat program to start studying now. Take the test in May/June and apply at that point. Hopefully later in the year update the grades with the retaken classes in the AADSAS

In the fall I plan to take Biochemistry, Anatomy II and the Gen. bio retake.

I have been looking at schools and this is where I am thinking of applying to:

Arizona School of Dentistry
Howard
UofKentucky
B.U.
UofMichigan
Creighton
Temple
Meharry
VCU
West Virginia
Marquette

Any other school suggestions? I live in ND so it is out of state for me for sure. My best friend tells me not to give up but I sometimes get dismayed when I look at the schools in the ADEA guide and here on the predents website.

I took one of the free practice tests that Kaplan had up in February and I got a 12 in sciences and 16 in perceptual. I think that with proper preparation I can get to 20.

Has anyone taken the Kaplan on demand Dat prep here? I bought a kaplan book and a Barron's Dat book for preparation but I am pretty sure that I wll find a way to pay for the course.

Laying out my class history like that makes me really rethink this path 🙁

 

[LaughingGas]

So I unfortunately am in this position where my GPA is low. My undergrad was in bio and I had a cumulative of 3.1 then. My unofficial post bac started about 2 years ago and these are the classes:

Gen bio I - D - retaking in fall
Gen Chem I - D - Lab A - retaking in summer with Ochem II
Gen Chem II - F - (retook for B) Lab A
Physics I - B Lab A
Gen bio II (took it in 2003) - B Lab B
Calculus - C
C. Algebra - C
Genetics - A
Animal behavior B
Ochem I - hoping for a B - most likely C or worse D
Anatomy I - i'll be lucky if I can get a B - more likely a C

My plan is to take ochem II with lab and retake gen chem 1 in the summer. I am working on getting the funds to pay for the kaplan dat program to start studying now. Take the test in May/June and apply at that point. Hopefully later in the year update the grades with the retaken classes in the AADSAS

In the fall I plan to take Biochemistry, Anatomy II and the Gen. bio retake.

I have been looking at schools and this is where I am thinking of applying to:

Arizona School of Dentistry
Howard
UofKentucky
B.U.
UofMichigan
Creighton
Temple
Meharry
VCU
West Virginia
Marquette

Any other school suggestions? I live in ND so it is out of state for me for sure. My best friend tells me not to give up but I sometimes get dismayed when I look at the schools in the ADEA guide and here on the predents website.

I took one of the free practice tests that Kaplan had up in February and I got a 12 in sciences and 16 in perceptual. I think that with proper preparation I can get to 20.

Has anyone taken the Kaplan on demand Dat prep here? I bought a kaplan book and a Barron's Dat book for preparation but I am pretty sure that I wll find a way to pay for the course.

Laying out my class history like that makes me really rethink this path 🙁

So I'm guessing those are the classes you took while you were at postbac for 2 years correct? Multiple fails/no pass and retakes.I haven't applied yet, but my 2cent is it's best to not apply this year, but the following. You have too many retakes and that is not good. You need to start getting As, nothing anything lower than a B. If you think by lowering the course load , you can get A, do so.
As for the DAT, look into the DAT discussion section and see what people use. The generics are : Chad's video, Crack Dat PAT, DAT destroyer, Cliffs AP bio and more. Barron's DAT book is horrendous: it has SO MANY ERRORs that people here and there from DAT discussion mentioned about its' flaws.With your current stats, you need to Ace remaining courses by all means, and get DAT score of 21 or above. From the stories that I've read at forums, Kaplan can get you at 20, but hardly higher than 20. With that money, I would rather buy the sources I mentioned.
My 2cents. Best luck.

 

[Tirekicker]

So I unfortunately am in this position where my GPA is low. My undergrad was in bio and I had a cumulative of 3.1 then. My unofficial post bac started about 2 years ago and these are the classes:

Gen bio I - D - retaking in fall
Gen Chem I - D - Lab A - retaking in summer with Ochem II
Gen Chem II - F - (retook for B) Lab A
Physics I - B Lab A
Gen bio II (took it in 2003) - B Lab B
Calculus - C
C. Algebra - C
Genetics - A
Animal behavior B
Ochem I - hoping for a B - most likely C or worse D
Anatomy I - i'll be lucky if I can get a B - more likely a C

My plan is to take ochem II with lab and retake gen chem 1 in the summer. I am working on getting the funds to pay for the kaplan dat program to start studying now. Take the test in May/June and apply at that point. Hopefully later in the year update the grades with the retaken classes in the AADSAS

In the fall I plan to take Biochemistry, Anatomy II and the Gen. bio retake.

I have been looking at schools and this is where I am thinking of applying to:

Arizona School of Dentistry
Howard
UofKentucky
B.U.
UofMichigan
Creighton
Temple
Meharry
VCU
West Virginia
Marquette

Any other school suggestions? I live in ND so it is out of state for me for sure. My best friend tells me not to give up but I sometimes get dismayed when I look at the schools in the ADEA guide and here on the predents website.

I took one of the free practice tests that Kaplan had up in February and I got a 12 in sciences and 16 in perceptual. I think that with proper preparation I can get to 20.

Has anyone taken the Kaplan on demand Dat prep here? I bought a kaplan book and a Barron's Dat book for preparation but I am pretty sure that I wll find a way to pay for the course.

Laying out my class history like that makes me really rethink this path 🙁

What is your science gpa? What is your gpa for your post-bacc, so far? You need to show them significant improvement. You have to remember that average gpa's for acceptance are (roughly) around 3.5. It's ok to have a low area (for me it was my cumulative gpa), but you have to compensate by being higher in other areas of your application. You need to get your gpa up and crush the DAT. Unfortunately, this is going to be very difficult if you've already done two years of post-bacc.

As far as school, if you can get the money, I would apply to more schools. Meharry and Howard seek URM's, so if that applies to you, great, but if not, you're money could probably be better spent somewhere else. I also noticed that you have listed a couple state schools. Unless they have an agreement with your school, you're probably wasting your money. Instead, try more private schools. They generally cost more, but are usually easier to get into, since they don't give preference to in-state applicants. Some others to consider might be: NYU, Western, Tufts, the two Midwesterns, LECOM, and Roseman.

It's impossible to guess at your chances without your knowing all your info (cGPA, sGPA, bcpGPA, DAT, extracurricular activities). With what you have shared, it appears you have a long road ahead of you my friend.

 

[youknowthedrill]

So I unfortunately am in this position where my GPA is low. My undergrad was in psychology and I had a cumulative of 3.1 then. My unofficial post bac started about 2 years ago and these are the classes:

Gen bio I - D - retaking in fall
Gen Chem I - D - Lab A - retaking in summer with Ochem II
Gen Chem II - F - (retook for B) Lab A
Physics I - B Lab A
Gen bio II (took it in 2003) - B Lab B
Calculus - C
C. Algebra - C
Genetics - A
Animal behavior B
Ochem I - hoping for a B - most likely C or worse D
Anatomy I - i'll be lucky if I can get a B - more likely a C
If these grades are from your post bac, then you need to focus and get serious! You MUST earn A's in your science classes if you want to get into dental school. An occasional B is understandable, but C's and D's won't cut it. You may want to be a dentist, but you either aren't capable of handling the classes or you are not applying yourself. It's time to remove all distractions from your life and commit 100% of your energy to school. Some dental schools are willing to overlook a low GPA if you can show 2+ years of solid grades.


My plan is to take ochem II with lab and retake gen chem 1 in the summer. I am working on getting the funds to pay for the kaplan dat program to start studying now. Take the test in May/June and apply at that point. Hopefully later in the year update the grades with the retaken classes in the AADSAS
Save your money on the Kaplan course and peruse the DAT forum for the best study materials but you don't need them yet. You would be wasting your time and money to apply this year. At a minimum, you need to earn A's this summer and next year.

Have you looked into the WICHE program? It might help you with your list of schools.

You CAN get into dental school if your willing to sacrifice and apply yourself. But its going to take about 2 years of focused energy (and lots of A's) before you can get there.

 

[Kentuckylover]

include Louisville to your list.

 

[Scoping0103]

I've recalculated my GPA from my first post (in another thread), so that I wasn't estimating and found that this is my club! Good luck to everyone in here.

I'll be taking the DAT in a few months but would appreciate any negative or positive feedback. I know it may be hard to assess without DAT scores, but I will update once I take the test. I really wish more of my behavioral science courses counted for science gpa.

Ohio resident
Emory University: Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology BS, Anthropology BA
NIH 2 year fellowship as a researcher

GPA 3.0
sGPA 2.9
5 post-bac science sources 3.5

Right now I am working in medical device sales and shadowing a dentist who splits his time between private practice and the clinic at Ohio State, so he remains well-connected (for what it's worth).

I obviously want to apply to OSU, Case, and Detroit mercy but it's hard to pick the rest. I want to chose wisely and focus really hard on schools where I'd be competitive.

I really appreciate any advice. And again, good luck to all the applicants, especially those who need to overcome their gpa.

 

[nateguy40]

Says the kentucky lover lol. Kentucky is a worse school than louisville

 

[molar3]

I've recalculated my GPA from my first post (in another thread), so that I wasn't estimating and found that this is my club! Good luck to everyone in here.

I'll be taking the DAT in a few months but would appreciate any negative or positive feedback. I know it may be hard to assess without DAT scores, but I will update once I take the test. I really wish more of my behavioral science courses counted for science gpa.

Ohio resident
Emory University: Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology BS, Anthropology BA
NIH 2 year fellowship as a researcher

GPA 3.0
sGPA 2.9
5 post-bac science sources 3.5

Right now I am working in medical device sales and shadowing a dentist who splits his time between private practice and the clinic at Ohio State, so he remains well-connected (for what it's worth).

I obviously want to apply to OSU, Case, and Detroit mercy but it's hard to pick the rest. I want to chose wisely and focus really hard on schools where I'd be competitive.

I really appreciate any advice. And again, good luck to all the applicants, especially those who need to overcome their gpa.

why dont your behavior sciences count toward science gpa?
do they have a psych prefix instead? my behavioral bio courses go into my science gpa.....

 

[Scoping0103]

why dont your behavior sciences count toward science gpa?
do they have a psych prefix instead? my behavioral bio courses go into my science gpa.....

In short, Emory has a very large psych dept., and most all my electives were cross-listed with psych even if they were science based courses.

Unless dental school calculates science GPA differently than medical school schools, they are considered behavioral science and therefore, non-science. Are you sure yours count? Which courses? I've read that if you classify non-science courses incorrectly on your application that it holds up your app and someone goes in and manually corrects your mistakes.

I have a core class from my major called "behavioral neuroscience" that doesn't get counted toward my science gpa. My "research methods in neuroscience", "human learning and memory", and "drugs and behavior" are also a non-science course. Neurobiology and psychopharmacology do count, however.

As you can tell from my gpa, it wouldn't change things much anyway. 🙁

Anyway, I was more interested in coming on here and seeing what my chances are.

 

[molar3]

In short, Emory has a very large psych dept., and most all my electives were cross-listed with psych even if they were science based courses.

Unless dental school calculates science GPA differently than medical school schools, they are considered behavioral science and therefore, non-science. Are you sure yours count? Which courses? I've read that if you classify non-science courses incorrectly on your application that it holds up your app and someone goes in and manually corrects your mistakes.

I have a core class from my major called "behavioral neuroscience" that doesn't get counted toward my science gpa. My "research methods in neuroscience", "human learning and memory", and "drugs and behavior" are also a non-science course. Neurobiology and psychopharmacology do count, however.

As you can tell from my gpa, it wouldn't change things much anyway. 🙁

Anyway, I was more interested in coming on here and seeing what my chances are.

im taking psychopharm this semester, and its counting toward my science. not my bcp, just science. im taking it under the department at my school called biological basis of behavior...........i called aadsas about it, they told me it would be science. some of these courses are cross listed with psych as well, im not sure which ones though bc this is the 1st course im taking under this department.
what is the prefix on your transcript?

 

[Scoping0103]

im taking psychopharm this semester, and its counting toward my science. not my bcp, just science. im taking it under the department at my school called biological basis of behavior...........i called aadsas about it, they told me it would be science. some of these courses are cross listed with psych as well, im not sure which ones though bc this is the 1st course im taking under this department.
what is the prefix on your transcript?

A lot of the confusion on my transcript is that they are listed as NBB, Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology.

My Gpa would hardly move even if I could cleverly manipulate it. I was a B student at Emory, no getting around it.

If you retook a course, do they take the retake or do they average the two? I know this is a very basic question, but MD schools average, and Do takes the better.

 

[Tirekicker]

AADSAS averages the two. Assuming you passed the class, it's probably more beneficial to take a higher level science class.

 

[JonLee]

Hi everyone. this is my first post on sdn but i saw this thread and i decided i should post here, maybe for some advice and or feedback or just to share my story.
i applied last year after i graduated, i had no clue what i was doing. i had never calculated my science gpa or anything. bad move.

to the point--when i graduated i had a 2.4 bcp without +/- . yes thats right i said a 2.4. needless to say i was rejected from everywhere i had applied despite that i had a 20aa/20ts on my DAT. i quickly realized i looked like an idiot for applying with such a low GPA. i was a biology major in UG however i hadnt taken many upper level biology courses - i had taken courses like a&p1 +2, genetics, etc. once i realized my gpa was a gigantic problem, i began my postbacc.

for the past year i've taken courses like immunology, pathology, histology, embryology, pharmacology, neurobiology, etc etc. as many upper level bio's as i could find. i have completed 50 credits of postbacc so far, with a straight 4.0. i have raised my bcp and science gpa to a 3.1 w/out +/- (and with +/- is about a point higher) , in 3 semesters. I plan to reapply this upcoming cycle (summer 2012) and i have retaken my DAT and recieved a 23aa and 22 ts.
i have countless shadowing hours, and numerous volunteering hours.

do you think i have a shot for this coming cycle? also, i will be taking 14 more credits this spring semester. Please, any advice would be great!

thanks so much, you all motivate me !!

Do you have a shot?
I think you could get in almost anywhere with that GPA in those upper level sciences.
Not to mention the fact that your DAT is only the 99th percentile or something like that 😀

IMo, your now are way competitive!

Only think I'd advise is maybe adding an extracirricular activity that you enjoy to set you apart from the rest of the 23 AA's.

Good luck!

 

[dentalnc]

Anyone here, not classified as a minority with a 3.0 Science GPA get into dental school recently?
Thanks

I don't know if being Indian (East Indian not Native American) is considered a minority these days, but my science GPA was a 3.04...2.99 without the + system. I have not officially gotten into dental school, but I have an interview in a couple of weeks with LECOM!

I have been wanting to pursue dentistry for the past 9 years now, and I have over 2000 hours of dental shadowing/work experience. I just never got the hang of studying in college, until my last two years before graduating this past May, 2011. I was an econ major and a bio minor (wanted to have a diverse curriculum and also know some business with the intent of owning a practice in the future).

Anyway, my point is that after experience multiple rejections from dental schools over the last 9 months, it's easy to become disheartened...BUT DON'T. Do whatever it takes to get there, if dentistry is truly your dream. Eventually things will fall into place at the right time.

I applied to a few masters/post bacc programs, and have gotten in to 2 so far. I now have options, but we shall see how the interview for dental school goes.

Here are the masters programs I applied to for those of you who are in a similar boat:

1) UMDNJ, Newark- Masters in Biomedical Science
2) Barry University- Masters in Biomedical Science
3) Boston University- Oral Health Track
4) Midwestern University
5) SFSU Pre-health Formal Post-bacc program

All of these programs seem to be really great, and exactly what students like us need in order to be more competitive applicants for future cycles. I think a few of the deadlines are approaching, or may have even passed at this point, but it is certainly worth looking into.

If any of you have questions about the programs, feel free to send me a message and I will be happy to provide any information I can (as I have been researching a lot about back up plans in case I don't get in to dental school this year).

 

[jdelrio22]

Thank you all for the input.

I did calculate my scigpa and it is 2.5 which even if I somehow aced the next 12 credits would not go past 2.7.

I have decided to apply to grad school this year and give microbio a shot. Maybe i'll come back in 2 years and give it a swing then.

I am going to assume that age isn't a problem with getting into dental school (going to be 31 when I am done with that program)

 

[RemiLunaDDS]

Age is not a problem. I'm 32 and starting d school this summer. Good luck!!

 

[doglovernonesto]

Hello! I'd really like some advice about the Tulane Masters of Pharmacology Program. How is the program related to pre-dental students, the teachers, the course load, the city (I'm from California)?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tirekicker]

Sorry doglover, but that question isn't very relevant to the under 3.0 club. I doubt any of us can help you. I don't know if there is a pharmacology forum. Maybe try pharmacy. Good luck!

 

[periopocket]

I would be careful deviating too far away from dental course work, some adcoms may perceive a masters in pharmacology as a potential interest in pharmacy....try to go for any type of MS biology, I think Tulane has molecular biology that wouldn't be bad, or biomedical sciences. Good luck

 

[dentwise]

Thank you all for the input.

I did calculate my scigpa and it is 2.5 which even if I somehow aced the next 12 credits would not go past 2.7.

I have decided to apply to grad school this year and give microbio a shot. Maybe i'll come back in 2 years and give it a swing then.

I am going to assume that age isn't a problem with getting into dental school (going to be 31 when I am done with that program)

I'm not sure how your grades ended up this semester, but things seemed a bittough for you at the earlier post. I have to give you credit for going down this path after already having a previous degree. Life is probably different now with many more commitments in comparison to when you were younger.

Based on your grades, you certainly struggled with your pre-reqs. Again, I understand that many factors mayhave influenced not such a good performance.

You were saying that you'll be applying to grad school this year to give ita shot… Please keep in mind that gradschool will be a lot more difficult than the undergrad. Grad school will be your last chance of improving your application and showing that you can handle the workload of adental school. If your grades in a gradschool will not shine (GPA close to 4.0) then the dental school may not be an option for you. Meanwhile you will endup spending $30-$40K and a lot of time.

I really don't know your situation, but the first thing I would recommend isto have a long discussion with your pre-med/dental advisor. This is what I would recommend, again not seeing the entire picture:

1. Meet with an advisor at your school and an admissionsrepresentative at a dental school to get their perspective on what you need todo.

2. Sit down and seriously re-evaluate your situation. Do you really want to do dentistry? Do you want to spend next 6 or more years ofyour life taking classes, going through all the stress, sleepless nights? You'll be close to 40 y.o. by the time you'llbe done with school. What about family,etc.?

3. If you're totally committed to becoming a dentist, thenyou'll need to change your approach to school. You can't just take classes and if you don't do well then retakethem. It will NOT work for the dentalschool. You need to show a solidperformance. Maybe you'll need to getrid of some of your commitments (job&#8230😉 and go to school full time. Don't just take classes, take a full-timeload and study really hard. Get all A's. You could probably do it if you spend enoughtime on studying.

4. Take the summer off and re-energize for the fallsemester.

5. Instead of directly going into a graduate program,which will be very demanding, take the undergrad courses that you haven't donewell in and maybe others. Reallyconcentrate on those courses, commit time to studying, forming group studies,visiting office hours, etc., get all A's. It may take you a year to get them all done, but then you'll be able tomove to the next phase. You will alsoanswer a question for yourself – can I really do well in school now that I havegiven it my best? If not, then maybe you'llneed to stop then. If you'll do well,then you could move to the next step.

6. Apply to a grad program. Continue a perfect performance. This will be your last chance to show thatyou can be a good student.

7. Apply to dental schools. By that time you will have a superb academicperformance over three years. Theadmission committee will realize that you finally turned around and reallydemonstrated your strengths as a student. But, they need to see a solid performance without any bumps.

Take time to understand if you can commit to such a demanding process. If you're ready for it than give it yourbest. Don't forget that you also need tobe involved in a community, dental experience (work, shadowing), extracurricularactivities, personal statement, DAT (which you'll do well after retakingclasses), LOR's.

Sorry for such a long response.

 

[mk4]

I'm glad to see that persistence and diligence can pay off.

 

[dental24]

Hey Guys could you tell me where I should apply with my stats:
sGPA-3.21, BCP-3.15, oGPA-3.35, nsciGPA-3.50
DAT: 16 (RETAKING THIS SUMMER 2012) I know its bad

THANKKKS

 

[Tirekicker]

Hey Guys could you tell me where I should apply with my stats:
sGPA-3.17, oGPA-3.35, nsciGPA-3.52
DAT: 16 (RETAKING THIS SUMMER 2012) I know its bad

THANKKKS

It really depends on your DAT. When are you taking it? Sooner is better than later, but don't take it before you're ready. You really need to knock it out of the park (20+). What are your EC's/dental experience? Are you a URM? I would stick with expensive private schools that have lower stats. If you don't have one already, buy a copy of the ADEA Guide to Dental Schools.

 

[dental24]

It really depends on your DAT. When are you taking it? Sooner is better than later, but don't take it before you're ready. You really need to knock it out of the park (20+). What are your EC's/dental experience? Are you a URM? I would stick with expensive private schools that have lower stats. If you don't have one already, buy a copy of the ADEA Guide to Dental Schools.

I'm taking my DATs first week of August 2012. I've been President of one honor org. and Treasurer of another for about a year. My ECs are pretty filled. I've shadowed one orthodontist, and 2 dentists. So what do you think?

I'm Indian....does that count as URM? lol

THANKS so much TIREKICKER, ill def look into the guide.

 

[PredentGirl]

I don't know if being Indian (East Indian not Native American) is considered a minority these days, but my science GPA was a 3.04...2.99 without the + system. I have not officially gotten into dental school, but I have an interview in a couple of weeks with LECOM!

I have been wanting to pursue dentistry for the past 9 years now, and I have over 2000 hours of dental shadowing/work experience. I just never got the hang of studying in college, until my last two years before graduating this past May, 2011. I was an econ major and a bio minor (wanted to have a diverse curriculum and also know some business with the intent of owning a practice in the future).

Anyway, my point is that after experience multiple rejections from dental schools over the last 9 months, it's easy to become disheartened...BUT DON'T. Do whatever it takes to get there, if dentistry is truly your dream. Eventually things will fall into place at the right time.

I applied to a few masters/post bacc programs, and have gotten in to 2 so far. I now have options, but we shall see how the interview for dental school goes.

Here are the masters programs I applied to for those of you who are in a similar boat:

1) UMDNJ, Newark- Masters in Biomedical Science
2) Barry University- Masters in Biomedical Science
3) Boston University- Oral Health Track
4) Midwestern University
5) SFSU Pre-health Formal Post-bacc program

All of these programs seem to be really great, and exactly what students like us need in order to be more competitive applicants for future cycles. I think a few of the deadlines are approaching, or may have even passed at this point, but it is certainly worth looking into.

If any of you have questions about the programs, feel free to send me a message and I will be happy to provide any information I can (as I have been researching a lot about back up plans in case I don't get in to dental school this year).

do you think i would be able to get into a certificate program (not masters) with 2.76 (at my undergrad university)?? what if i have coursework from other universities over the summer? do they count those towards that GPA too?

 

[lovexo]

I graduated Spring 2011 as a bio major with a 3.0 oGPA and something like a 2.8 sGPA (not sure). I took my GREs in March just so I would have some kind of score to apply to a master's program with (I haven't taken my DATs yet). With just that and a glowing letter from my boss (an orthodontist) I managed to get waitlisted for Midwestern AZ's masters program and accepted to UMNDNJ's program. I'm taking my DATs in August to hopefully bump myself up a little on the wait list, but it's unlikely that I'll get into the school so I need to find other options on what to do.

What kind of classes should I take at a community college to boost my GPA? I assume I should take science courses, but could they be just any science courses? Is taking classes at a CC or masters even the right way to go or should I consider a dental post-bacc instead? I'm just kind of lost, and I've tried reading through the thread, but some of the posts are so old I don't know if its even applicable anymore. 🙁 My other biggest issue is getting letters of recommendations. Will getting them from teachers at a CC suffice?

My current plan is to somehow miraculously score well on the DATs and apply next cycle (Summer 2013) to a dental school AND to masters programs next year, just in case. This way, I'd be attending some kind of school in September 2013. I realize that this means I could get accepted to a dental school WHILE attending a masters program, but I just didn't want to take the chance of not doing anything for yet another year.

 

[LaughingGas]

I graduated Spring 2011 as a bio major with a 3.0 oGPA and something like a 2.8 sGPA (not sure). I took my GREs in March just so I would have some kind of score to apply to a master's program with (I haven't taken my DATs yet). With just that and a glowing letter from my boss (an orthodontist) I managed to get waitlisted for Midwestern AZ's masters program and accepted to UMNDNJ's program. I'm taking my DATs in August to hopefully bump myself up a little on the wait list, but it's unlikely that I'll get into the school so I need to find other options on what to do.

What kind of classes should I take at a community college to boost my GPA? I assume I should take science courses, but could they be just any science courses? Is taking classes at a CC or masters even the right way to go or should I consider a dental post-bacc instead? I'm just kind of lost, and I've tried reading through the thread, but some of the posts are so old I don't know if its even applicable anymore. 🙁 My other biggest issue is getting letters of recommendations. Will getting them from teachers at a CC suffice?

My current plan is to somehow miraculously score well on the DATs and apply next cycle (Summer 2013) to a dental school AND to masters programs next year, just in case. This way, I'd be attending some kind of school in September 2013. I realize that this means I could get accepted to a dental school WHILE attending a masters program, but I just didn't want to take the chance of not doing anything for yet another year.

My 2 cent is that if you are bio major, you won't have many classes to take at CC. Also, you've been admitted to UMDNJ. Don't waste time and money taking on CC classes. At this point you need to prove you can handle hard sciences and taking CC classes is not the best option. Also if I were you I would wait to apply for next cycle, since taking DAT at august is late and school won't review your apps until they have your DAT (from what I've seen in the forums) and if you are in SMP or Masters, they won't review your apps until you complete at least 1 semester of Masters.
Have everything ready by taking master's courses, get high GPA, good DAT, etc and apply early. That way your chance is higher than applying this cycle with everything being late.
best luck

 

[Member 8586]

just got my ADEA GPA and now im nervous...anyone with similar stats get into places and where??

My cumulative undergraduate + graduate degree GPAs:
BCP: 2.86
Science: 2.87
Non-Science: 3.38
Total: 3.04

DAT:
AA 24
TS 24
PAT 20
Bio 22
GC 24
OC 29
QR 23
RC 22

 

[Tirekicker]

Your DAT is awesome! Your cGPA is about where mine was when I was accepted. Your sGPA/bcpGPA probably aren't going to cut it. What's your GPA for your grad classes? Do you have a substantial upward trend? What are your extra-curricular activities and dental experience?

 

[Member 8586]

Your DAT is awesome! Your cGPA is about where mine was when I was accepted. Your sGPA/bcpGPA probably aren't going to cut it. What's your GPA for your grad classes? Do you have a substantial upward trend? What are your extra-curricular activities and dental experience?

thanks
mostly an upward trend except for my last undergrad semester....masters gpa was weak too at 3.23
100+ shadowing 5 dentists and also an ortho and oral surgeon
100+ volunteer hours
random extracurriculars but nothing really dental related

cGPA is cume right? so you had around a 3.0 and what DAT and accepted where?

 

[pink1017]

so i finally got my gpa calculated and its badddd! Due to a lot of repeats it ended up being bcp 2.04 😱 sGPA 2.34 😱 non-science 3.73 and total 2.6. I know I have no chance of getting into dental school, but do I even have a chance of getting into a post-bac, and if so, where would be my best option? Btw I am a URM if that helps. Please help!!!

 

[KittySquared]

so i finally got my gpa calculated and its badddd! Due to a lot of repeats it ended up being bcp 2.04 😱 sGPA 2.34 😱 non-science 3.73 and total 2.6. I know I have no chance of getting into dental school, but do I even have a chance of getting into a post-bac, and if so, where would be my best option? Btw I am a URM if that helps. Please help!!!

There's always hope as long as you're willing to put the work into it. I think you need a solid year and half of undergraduate courses to raise your GPA above a 2.8 science and hopefully get 19+ on the DATs on all sections. If you can continue a 3 semesters of upward trend towards the end in your coursework, I think you'll have a decent chance. Post-bac is nothing more than taking an extra year of science class e.g. anatomy, physiology, biochem, etc.

 

[pink1017]

Thank you for the inspiration! When you say undergraduate courses do you mean doing a fifth year at my current school, or applying to a program?

 

[KittySquared]

Thank you for the inspiration! When you say undergraduate courses do you mean doing a fifth year at my current school, or applying to a program?

You're welcome dear. Yes, I meant doing a 5th year at your current school. I take it you've graduated this past spring or this summer? If you tell me how many credits you've taken, I can help you to get an idea of where you might end up GPA wise if you do a 5th year.

It's a very good idea to take 3 science classes this fall, 3 science classes in the spring, and 3 in the summer if possible. I say three only because I think it's a good idea to have not too heavy of a load with anything else and make sure you ace them like your life depends on it, and some sciences come with labs so you you'll be taking probably 10 or 11 credits per semester. Classes like the following are highly recommended by dental schools e.g.

anatomy
physiology
zoology
ecology
biochemistry
bio diversity
genetics
biomedical ethics (these are usually VERY interesting but make sure it's offered through bio department)
evolution
human genetics
microbiology
infectious disease
epidemiology
cell and molecular bio
field biology courses (these can be fun and interactive)
embryology
histology
biotechnology
biostatistics
conservation biology

and etc etc etc. Make sure they are all either from chemistry or biology department okay? You want these to count towards your BCP GPA so you want them from a bio department. If somehow you only raised your GPA a little bit after, you might want to consider a 1 year masters program in biology as well. I know of a very program up here in the Northeast that's still a fairly new program. Highly underrated and doesn't require GRE scores. Students who went by the books here have all succeeded in getting in somewhere.

 

[kl352]

undergrad 2.8gpa
postbac 3.3gpa
dat took twice

aa: 23-> 24
pat: 26-> 23

should i discuss my poor grades and some failed courses in my supplemental application? thanks

 

[pink1017]

I'm actually going to be a senior this year so i'll be taking anatomy and phys + lab, micro + lab, and evolution and I'm going to try to take more upper level classes as well before I graduate. If you don't mind me asking, what is the name of the program you mentioned?

 

[under taker]

Any tips (or success stories) for a canadian student below 3.0 GPA? 🙁

 

[Tunaman]

Hey Guys could you tell me where I should apply with my stats:
sGPA-3.17, oGPA-3.35, nsciGPA-3.52
DAT: 16 (RETAKING THIS SUMMER 2012) I know its bad

THANKKKS

no one will look at you with a 16

 

[Tunaman]

So I unfortunately am in this position where my GPA is low. My undergrad was in psychology and I had a cumulative of 3.1 then. My unofficial post bac started about 2 years ago and these are the classes:

Gen bio I - D - retaking in fall
Gen Chem I - D - Lab A - retaking in summer with Ochem II
Gen Chem II - F - (retook for B) Lab A
Physics I - B Lab A
Gen bio II (took it in 2003) - B Lab B
Calculus - C
C. Algebra - C
Genetics - A
Animal behavior B
Ochem I - hoping for a B - most likely C or worse D
Anatomy I - i'll be lucky if I can get a B - more likely a C

My plan is to take ochem II with lab and retake gen chem 1 in the summer. I am working on getting the funds to pay for the kaplan dat program to start studying now. Take the test in May/June and apply at that point. Hopefully later in the year update the grades with the retaken classes in the AADSAS

In the fall I plan to take Biochemistry, Anatomy II and the Gen. bio retake.

I have been looking at schools and this is where I am thinking of applying to:

Arizona School of Dentistry
Howard
UofKentucky
B.U.
UofMichigan
Creighton
Temple
Meharry
VCU
West Virginia
Marquette

Any other school suggestions? I live in ND so it is out of state for me for sure. My best friend tells me not to give up but I sometimes get dismayed when I look at the schools in the ADEA guide and here on the predents website.

I took one of the free practice tests that Kaplan had up in February and I got a 12 in sciences and 16 in perceptual. I think that with proper preparation I can get to 20.

Has anyone taken the Kaplan on demand Dat prep here? I bought a kaplan book and a Barron's Dat book for preparation but I am pretty sure that I wll find a way to pay for the course.

Laying out my class history like that makes me really rethink this path 🙁

you should def rethink your path, your foundation in the sciences is weak to say the least. Your scores on the DAT will mirror your undergrad performance...sorry for the brutal honesty

 

[dental24]

no one will look at you with a 16

Tunaman, I said I was RETAKING THIS SUMMER! I already knew 16 was ridiculously low.
You shouldve probably read my post more carefully.

Thanks and good luck to you

 

[Dent2be123]

Hi Under 3.0 Club! This thread is awesome and I hope one day I can post a success story like others! But I know I have a long way to go.

Here is my situation. I graduated Spring 2011 with a 2.91 undergrad cum GPA and a science GPA ~2.5.
I did well my freshman year but due to personal issues, my GPA suffered sophomore and junior year. I realized I had to do better if becoming a dentist was my ultimate goal and that these issues will continue no matter what. I ended up doing really well my senior year. I am currently doing a biology postbac program at the same university.

I decided to apply to a few schools this cycle to see how it goes.
ADEA AADSAS my BCP = 2.65, sGPA = 2.62, Total GPA = 2.82, Non-Sceince = 3.32 (all include +/-)
My Post-Bac Graduated courses = 3.7 GPA
I also took the DAT and got an AA:18, TS:17, PAT 18.
I have over 600+ hours of shadowing a orthodontist, pediatric, and general dentist, 1000 + hours of volunteer and started my own club for underserved communities. I have made the dean's list every semester since senior year.

My question is, do I even have a chance at an interview? and should I take the DAT again? I studied so hard and got those scores. Im worry my score will not improve much if I retook the DAT. I wouldn't be able to retake it until the end of November 2012. I will also be taking 3 graduate courses Fall 2012.

 

[dmdluffy]

Hi Under 3.0 Club! This thread is awesome and I hope one day I can post a success story like others! But I know I have a long way to go.

Here is my situation. I graduated Spring 2011 with a 2.91 undergrad cum GPA and a science GPA ~2.5.
I did well my freshman year but due to personal issues, my GPA suffered sophomore and junior year. I realized I had to do better if becoming a dentist was my ultimate goal and that these issues will continue no matter what. I ended up doing really well my senior year. I am currently doing a biology postbac program at the same university.

I decided to apply to a few schools this cycle to see how it goes.
ADEA AADSAS my BCP = 2.65, sGPA = 2.62, Total GPA = 2.82, Non-Sceince = 3.32 (all include +/-)
My Post-Bac Graduated courses = 3.7 GPA
I also took the DAT and got an AA:18, TS:17, PAT 18.
I have over 600+ hours of shadowing a orthodontist, pediatric, and general dentist, 1000 + hours of volunteer and started my own club for underserved communities. I have made the dean's list every semester since senior year.

My question is, do I even have a chance at an interview? and should I take the DAT again? I studied so hard and got those scores. Im worry my score will not improve much if I retook the DAT. I wouldn't be able to retake it until the end of November 2012. I will also be taking 3 graduate courses Fall 2012.

There is always a chance (unless your DAT/GPA is below school cut offs). That said, the likelihood is low. If you feel lucky or have some extra cash, it wouldn't hurt to try your odds. Improvement in the DAT will definitely be more attractive to schools with that 3.7 Post-Bac GPA.

 

[bumpntrunk]

It is nice knowing despite my gpa and avg DAT, I will still get some interviews. Hopefully it will lead to something.

 

[Mikeanjelo]

ANY canadians got accepted with a sub 3.0?!?! 🙂

 

[rudal]

Hi everyone,
I will be a rising senior- by the end ill be looking at about a 2.9 cGPA, 2.6bcp (if I manage to pull a 4.0 both semesters) after following the forum, it looks like I should apply for a masters program instead of applying to dschools.. I'm a NJ resident so I'm most interested in UMDNJ/Rutgers Masters programs.

Would I even be able to get in with my gpa? Should I just plan for postbac classes to raise it up and not distract myself with GRE/DATs my senior year?

Please, feedback would be most appreciated!!!

 

[Tirekicker]

The Under 3.0 Club rocks!

 

[periopocket]

My friend just got rejected from umdnj's masters program and has nearly identical stats. He was from out of state though, and scored a 19 on the DAT. Make sure you apply really early for their program, If you want to have a good chance, the number of applicants are rising each year. GL

 

[drill-and-fill]

So whatever happened to the creator of this thread? Just curious

 

[theleatherwalle]

I was having this conversation with a under 3.0er at lunch

He was telling me that since his science GPA was a 3.0 he needed a rather high TS. His regular GPA was fine. We came to the conclusion that

AA=Overall GPA
TS=Science GPA
PAT=LOR/ECs

, but anyway I wanted to ask to any successful under 3.0ers. Did you have to have a kick ass TS or just a really high AA?