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Classic 37:With a master's, though, and the trend you've demonstrated, I think you would have a really good chance of getting in somewhere.
Classic 37:
What Zolar Czakl meant by "Master's" is really a Post-Bac program (MBS). Look under the Post-Bac forum for more information. Good luck.
I have a 3.15 overall gpa and a 2.95 science gpa. I graduated from a school that has close to 100% acceptance rate. I have shadowing and volunteer experience and I am really disheartened. I want with every thread in my body to be a dentist but I am running out of money for school and time. Should I apply or move on and try something else which I would not love to do as much as dentisrty. I was also a biology major and took some damn hard courses in my undergrad. Please offer some advice.
I just got my GPA verified, and unfortunately, they are pretty low:
Undergrad: 2.46 (BCP)
2.61 (Cumm.)
Graduate: 3.85 (BCP)
3.85 (Cumm.)
Overall: 2.69 (BCP)
2.76 (Cumm.)
jjkim,
don't sweat it. Just do well on the DAT. Your graduate GPA will be your saving grace. This will show the adcoms that you are serious and competitive. It won't be diluted by the overall weak undergrad GPA.
Hi,
Thanks for the quick and encouraging response. But I've got another question that I was hoping to have answered.
Though my graduate GPA is a lot better, the MS program I am currently in is research intensive and as such, I've only been able to take 2 science courses per semester (A TON of research hours and lab duties have kept me from taking additional units). Do you think that because I've only got 23 units of graduate level completed, this in any way diminishes my grad GPA?
The entire MS program requires 30 units to complete because the program is soooo research intensive with a ton of time required to finish. So I've been pretty busy taking classes and conducting research.
Anyhow...I guess three semesters into the MS program...I am just a bit nervous as to whether or not I made the right decision.
Thanks again for any and all of the helpful advice/info/opinions
The beauty of the AADSAS application is that they have separate GPA columns for graduate work and that's where your graduate GPA will shine! This is the reason why I often encourage Under 3.0 Club member to go after a formal Post-Bac program where they can start with a new "graduate" GPA instead of continue to take upper division science courses which will only contribute to their already low undergraduate GPA.
Kick @ss on the DAT and keep us updated.
In your situation a masters with some course work can only help. A while back there were postbacc threads in which people mentioned that a course intensive masters is ideal. Don't worry about whether the masters is coursework intensive or research intensive. I think they both convey the message that you are serious especially with your graduate GPA.
Besides you are practically done with your masters or nearly done with it. Just rock the DAT. Sometimes people here get hung up on the minor detail. The big picture is that you are telling adcoms that you are serious with an exclamation mark.
DATS did not go too well... 16 aa -- 18 pat
planning to retake them in Nov 2007
please anyone with some help/advice... i need/want to get in this year! what should i do????
Cumulative 3.24
Non-science 3.04
Sciences 3.48
BCP 3.65
So it looks like I am going to get the boot from the sub 3.0 club huh?
Still BCP of 3.65 jeez. My academic total for the DAT is 19. I am planning on retaking the DAT. Do you guys think I have a chance? Since I have several Fs from Brandeis I don't feel like the normal 3.65 GPA person.
Despite the numbers above I feel like the sub 3.0 because of those Fs.
Yah-E,
just out of curiosity I mentioned my GPA previously on this thread what do you take of my situation as somebody who has gone through the ordeal of dental school.
You've obviously done well and dug yourself out of the hole! As much as people enjoy the benefits of this club, lets face it, it's not something that we should be bragging about. Yes, your membership has officially been revoked due to your amazing grades.
If your AADSAS reports a 3.65 GPA for BCP, then GREAT! Who cares how they calculated that? Dental schools will see that GPA and they will run with it. You worked hard to get yourself out of this club, you should be proud!
Keep us updated on your application process, perhaps, a success story can be shared at a later date. Good luck.
You've obviously done well and dug yourself out of the hole! As much as people enjoy the benefits of this club, lets face it, it's not something that we should be bragging about. Yes, your membership has officially been revoked due to your amazing grades.
If your AADSAS reports a 3.65 GPA for BCP, then GREAT! Who cares how they calculated that? Dental schools will see that GPA and they will run with it. You worked hard to get yourself out of this club, you should be proud!
Keep us updated on your application process, perhaps, a success story can be shared at a later date. Good luck.
last year i ended my soph year with a 2.9 gpa, now my gpa is a 3.1 and a sci gpa of 3.2, so with dedication and commitment you guys can do it too. manage your time better and all of you will be fine.
I believe you should be able to answer your own question here!
You need to rock the DAT 20+/20+ on your second try, if not, no admission for you for 2008, it's that simple!
Heh, I'm in the same boat. I started reading this thread last February with my 2.65 from eight years ago. I quit my job, sold my house, and my wife and I moved into a tiny apartment right next to the local state school. I went back to school full time, crushed the pre-reqs (all A+'s), got into cancer research, and did pretty well on the DAT (21/21/21). My GPA's are now:
Cum - 3.01
Sci - 3.11
BCP - 3.70
I applied early, and I already have interviews lined up at Midwestern and Nova. I feel like I can't post on this thread, though, since I crossed the 3.0 line. Regardless, good luck to all those in the same boat.
So here's my story,
I spent a few years at a local community college getting my computer science degree, I have god knows how many credit hours there with a cumulative gpa of maybe 2.2 or so.
I am now doing a 4 year bio/chem double major degree and will probably land a cumulative of about 3.2 or so if I really push it (which I will, I should have about 3.6 science average). I know that i'll have to report my transcript from my old school and I'm pretty worried about it. The reason I'm so stressed out is because I have repeated courses at my old school, and I had to retake physics at my new school.
That's what I get for going to college at 16 I suppose. Is that really the only option? Getting into a masters program? The problem is I've taken out loans to get my 4 year, and I'm loathing the thought of doing 2 more years of loans, then adding on my dental school loans on top of all that.
I am going to be graduating this May with a biology BS. My GPA is horrible with a cumulative ending up around 2.9 and a science around a 2.8. My DAT scores were AA21 TS 22 PAT 23, but so far I have been rejected from everyschool. I applied generally pretty late (end of November), but I don't see myself getting in next year if I reapplied. Should I be applying to a postbacc program? Of the programs I read about, most do not recommend taking them if I have already taken the core sciences as an undergrad. However I feel this is my weak point. PLEASE HELP
That's what I get for going to college at 16 I suppose. Is that really the only option? Getting into a masters program? The problem is I've taken out loans to get my 4 year, and I'm loathing the thought of doing 2 more years of loans, then adding on my dental school loans on top of all that.
At least you did go to college when you were 16! Many 16 - 18 year olds drop out of school and contribute to society in their own unique ways!
Applicants such as us in this club don't have the privilege to b1tch about sacrafices such as "too much money"! You will take whatever it takes to get you into a dental school (if that's indeed what you truly want)! If it take another $25K of loans during a Post-Bac master program, then that's what you do.
I had to move away from my family/friends and borrow more loans ($25K), which is still accruing 12% compounding monthly interests as we speak, to bust my @ss off in a Post-Bac program to get into dental schools.
If you GPA blows, then a Post-Bac Master program can help you (if you can even get into one). If the Post-Bac Master program costs $30K/year, then that's what you do. The beauty of American education is if you want it, then there are educational loans for you to do it.
If you complaint about education is too much money or you will have too much debt later when your GPA sucks, then maybe dentistry nor medicine is for you. Applicants like us don't have room to b1tch and moan, whine and complaint, or pick and choose. You work hard, you sacrafice, and you do whatever it takes to prove that you're worthy.
Post-Bac Masters program is not your only option, but it's your BEST option! Good luck and welcome to the club.
Do you think it's a better option than a straight up masters? If so why?
Are Post-Bac Masters programs better or more effective than a regular Masters program (ie Biology)....HELL YES! Here's why, straight from mouths of dental school admission chairmans, directors, and committees for weak academic applicants!
With a low undergrad GPA, anything will and can help you, but the most persuasive way to get into a dental school is to kick @ss in a Post-Bac Masters program and to get a 20/20 on the DAT! Let me repeat again:
All other combinations or options are inferior to what I have listed.
- An effective (affiliated with a medical school) Post-Bac Masters program
- Get 20/20 on the DAT
Montserrat:
Some effective Post-Bac Masters programs that I personally know are:
Midwestern University (Master of Biomedical Sciences - MBS Program) offered both in Downers Grove, IL and Glendale, AZ
Barry University (MBS Program)
Nova Southeastern University (MBS Program)
For more of these "effective" Post-Bac Masters programs visit, search, read, and find them in the Post-Bac Forum!
To read about my story in my Post-Bac Masters program at Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ here.
Are Post-Bac Masters programs better or more effective than a regular Masters program (ie Biology)....HELL YES! Here's why, straight from mouths of dental school admission chairmans, directors, and committees for weak academic applicants!
A regular Masters, you spend over 50% of time in labs playing with flasks and petri dishes and you're not in classrooms. If you were in the classroom, then it's either BS research courses or you simply don't have enough basic science didactic load.
Even if you get straight As, oop-de-doo! Weak academic applicants like us, dental schools want to see if you can excel in heavy loads of basic sciences courses because average dental school first semesters has 8 classes and 25+ credits load and by you spending time in a laboratory measuring is NOT the way dental schools want to see it!
The main reason you're going into a Masters program is to primarily demonstrate your true academic abilities and secondarily to have a new graduate GPA. What's the best way to demonstrate your true academic abilities (aside from amazing DAT)? The answer is "a full load of graduate level rigorous basic science courses" in an already proven effective Post-Bac Master program affiliated with a medical school! Most of the Post-Bac Masters' curriculum is within a medical school taking classes with the medical students. If you're looking at one that is not taking classes with med students, then I suggest that you look at another one that is!
Plus, a regular Masters is two years long, an effective Post-Bac Masters is only one year long!
With a low undergrad GPA, anything will and can help you, but the most persuasive way to get into a dental school is to kick @ss in a Post-Bac Masters program and to get a 20/20 on the DAT! Let me repeat again:
All other combinations or options are inferior to what I have listed.
- An effective (affiliated with a medical school) Post-Bac Masters program
- Get 20/20 on the DAT
Thanks for the info. So these post-bac masters will be in their own category when it comes to GPA then? Just asking because as far as I know doing your own post-bac at any 4 year only adds to your current undergrad GPA.
Post-Bac masters program like Master of Biomedical Sciences will offer you a new GPA start, a graduate level GPA. That's why I tell people an "effective" Post-Bac masters program is where it's at!!! You do these upper division sciences courses on your own at your local university, so what if you get all As, they're all will be burried in your low GPA because of the overwhelming number of undergraduate credits.
If you want a new GPA, then don't do this:
Although a new Graduate GPA from your Post-Bac Masters program will be displayed in a separate column on your AADSAS, there is still a "cumulative"/overall GPA column that averages all your academic work on your AADSAS. The key is that there is a separate column for your new graduate GPA on the application.
- Take upper division science courses on your own at your local university
- enroll in a Post-Bac Bachelors program - since it's another bachelors degree, the new GPA will get averaged into with your old undergraduate GPA
Also according to the thread about post-bac that you responded in it says you started in AUG but then applied in NOV of the same year. It's that already late for an application? Also you wouldn't only have 1 quarter done at that time?
I graduated in '94 with a ChemE degree and about a 2.7 cum and 2.3 sci gpa. I failed gen chem 2 and got C's or D's in all my physics. My situation was a bit different than yours, because when I decided to do a post-bacc my coursework was so old that I HAD to retake all the pre-reqs. I retook all pre-reqs and then took every upper level bio course I could for two years (with summer sessions). I got straight A's, aced the dat, and had good, unique community service/EC's/personal essay. I got into two d-schools last year on Dec. 1st.
so did anyone with below a 3.0 get in without post-bac?