The Under 3.0 Club part 02

[AspiringDentist1911]

---

Members do not see this ad.

You can definitely imp
Can anyone tell me if I can get in this school with theses stats
Overall -2.8
Science- 3.3
Dat- 20 down the board

I'm a recent undergrad just graduated this fall
rove your GPA, it just may take some time. It doesn't need to be stellar. There are other things that make a great applicant. I was able to recover from a 0.46 overall GPA so I know you can do it! Took a lot of A's but do-able. At first I did not know I would be going into dentistry so I did my B.A. in Public Administration which is similar to Business but for the public sector. It was a relatively easy degree since I had business experience. I decided to pursue dentistry after I graduated. I was 26 when I took the leap. I took all of my Biology, Chem and Physics and did great! After 25, studying was no longer a drag and tests became easier for me. Less pressure, more experience, I don't know? I ended up applying with a 3.0 overall and a science of 2.8. Not bad considering what I had to improve from. Changing your major is up to you. You don't NEED to be pre-dental or biology etc. Just do what you're best at, that is somewhat relatable and continue taking your pre-reqs for dental school. Oh, and I received acceptances to two schools. 🙂 so just keep working at it!

Hello,

I am currently a senior year undergraduate and I have a cumulative GPA of 2.83 and a science GPA of 2.45. I have retaken a few of the prerequisites throughout my undergraduate years. There are no post-baccalaureate or master's degree programs where I live and I cannot afford to leave my hometown. My pre-health adviser recommended that I spend a year retaking all the prerequisites that I did poorly in as a non-matriculated student. I calculated what my GPA would be if I did really well while retaking classes for a year and found out that my science GPA would only be about 2.84. I am wondering what my next steps should be and if it would still be possible to get accepted if I had a science GPA below 3.0 but maintained a really high GPA while retaking classes during my gap year.

I feel your hurt. We are in similar scenario. If financial issues is the problem. Your best bet is to REALLY ace the DAT and explain your story. I'm in the same boat but my science Gpa is over a 3

 

[GinaS2K]

🙂

 

[DentalDoge]

@GinaS2K

Go you!

Nail those interviews and pursue your dreams!

 

[Proxybrush15]

My friend was accepted to VCU with a 3.0 on Dec 1st. His DATs were stellar though. He said he had to put it all on the line with the test. I guess its possible to turn it around without having to do the MS degree or extra UG. This whole process seems random at times...

Hey TakeMePlz,

I know a few friends with a GPA a cumulative GPA of 3.0, that got into dental school. Your DAT score is good. You should have gotten interviews in the east coast. Where else did you apply at and when? Did you have any dental shadowing, research, leadership, or volunteer work?

If you don't make it in this round, you should look into a masters or post-bac program. I've heard of one year non-thesis and predental post bac's. They seem pretty interesting, so you should look into them. There are a few threads on here that talks about them in more detail, so try searching back. I hope I helped. Good luck!

^This is a great idea. Give the adcoms a totally fresh look at you as an applicant. Some schools require reapplicants to submit a letter stating what improvements they made to their applications. The more improvements=the better

 

[irishmom]

I was admitted to tOSU with a 3.05 GPA. It can be done. I wil say, however I have been a hygienist for some time and did well the second time taking the DAT.

 

[SweetToothDMD]

I was admitted to tOSU with a 3.05 GPA. It can be done. I wil say, however I have been a hygienist for some time and did well the second time taking the DAT.

I will be retaking the DAT a second time as well, I was wondering what did you do differently the second time around to help you do well?

 

[Proxybrush15]

Removed my own post because my post sounded like spam to promote a book. My apologies.

 

[Predent25]

Its funny you should post this, my friend just told me about it. She told me that it was pretty helpful. She bought it this morning in fact. Good for people with low gpas etc..

 

[Proxybrush15]

lol. once you get to the middle of the book it goes into detail about the DAT and revamping your application

 

[DentalFox]

Since you are coming up on 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours (dunno if youre on sem. or qrt.) then your Overall Gpa wont change that much even if you knock out a 4.0.

Now sGPA > oGPA in the eyes of adcoms and with you having a 3.2 science GPA I would do a year to a year and a half of post bacc classes either formal or informal and this will bump both gpas up assuming you can do very well (3.5-3.6) . Also with it being a 5th year you wouldnt have basketball anymore and would be able to make higher grades.

you definitely do not need to do a masters at this point. As you pull up your science gpa your overall gpa will go up as well, use a gpa calculator and play around with it and see how many hours and with what grades you could see yourself IDEALLY making to bring your GPA up to a 3.0

Also note that what is the most important is
1. Science GPA (BCP)
2. DAT
3. Other Science GPA (exercise science classes and classes that do not start with bio, chem, or phy)
4. Overall
5. Extracurriculars

Some schools wont even interview applicants if their sgpa and ogpa arent a minimum of 3.0.

That order varies between schools.

 

[Blake1e]

For anyone who finds themselves in a similar position , heres a quick summary of my story:

I first applied with cum/sciGPA of 3.07/2.86 way back in 2012 when I graduated and was met with unanimous rejection without any interviews from all 15 schools. About 10 didnt even bother notifying me, thats how bad my app was. My DAT was 20AA/22TS/22PA/16RC/17QR; that 16RC was below the cutoff.

2nd time I applied I increased my GPAs to 3.2/3.0 by doing post-bac and only taking sci courses. I retook the DAT to get 24AA/25TS/23PA/20RC/20QR. I got 2 pre-Dec invites (NYU & Nova) and 2 post-Dec invites (UNLV & LECOM both scheduled really late in the cycle on March so there was no hope there at all). NYU rejected and Nova waitlisted both b/c my sciGPA was below 3.2, their cutoff points.

For the 3rd time applying, I bought the ADEA Dental Guidebook (HIGHLY recommended) and I tried to improve everything. GPAs increased to 3.3/3.2; dentist I shadowed updated his LoR; got new LoR from biochem with an "A"; did 21 credits one semester and got 4.0 while at the same time doing research; and I heavily edited/updated my personal statement. I had 3 pre-Dec invites (NYU, Roseman, Minnesota) and 1 post-Dec invite (UNLV). I couldnt apply to Nova again b/c my DAT was too old for them, since I took it in 2012. But that didnt matter b/c I finally got accepted! To my top choice from all the schools I interviewed at and its a perfect match for me in almost all aspects.

Third times the charm, eh, I couldnt be more happy with the result. 7 years of hard work and struggle in undergrad have finally paid off. Hell YEAH!

I may write a more detailed post on this whole processes with tips and things I learned that helped on a new thread later on. But til then Id be glad to answer any questions here.

 

[sugarmagnolia91]

Hi,

Looking for some advice. I'm finishing up my post-bacc; physics 1/2 and biochem this spring/summer. My science GPA is 2.76 due to a spotty undergrad record and one F in orgo 1 in my post-bacc (I re-took it and got a C-, and finally an A+ the third time). Other than orgo, my post-bacc grades were A's and B's. My overall GPA is ~3.1. I'm starting a DAT prep course and taking the DAT early this summer. I have several years of dental assisting experience, solid LORs, etc. My main issue is the science GPA, and a LOT of W's on my undergraduate transcript (though they were from 4+ years ago).

My plan is to apply to one-year SMPs over the next month or two, take the DAT in June, then apply to dental schools in June/July if my DAT score is high enough, and indicate to the schools that I'm completing a master's program. Is this the most practical way for me to increase my chances for admission? Is it a waste of time/money to apply before completing the master's degree?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AspiringDentist1911]

For anyone who finds themselves in a similar position , heres a quick summary of my story:

I first applied with cum/sciGPA of 3.07/2.86 way back in 2012 when I graduated and was met with unanimous rejection without any interviews from all 15 schools. About 10 didnt even bother notifying me, thats how bad my app was. My DAT was 20AA/22TS/22PA/16RC/17QR; that 16RC was below the cutoff.

2nd time I applied I increased my GPAs to 3.2/3.0 by doing post-bac and only taking sci courses. I retook the DAT to get 24AA/25TS/23PA/20RC/20QR. I got 2 pre-Dec invites (NYU & Nova) and 2 post-Dec invites (UNLV & LECOM both scheduled really late in the cycle on March so there was no hope there at all). NYU rejected and Nova waitlisted both b/c my sciGPA was below 3.2, their cutoff points.

For the 3rd time applying, I bought the ADEA Dental Guidebook (HIGHLY recommended) and I tried to improve everything. GPAs increased to 3.3/3.2; dentist I shadowed updated his LoR; got new LoR from biochem with an "A"; did 21 credits one semester and got 4.0 while at the same time doing research; and I heavily edited/updated my personal statement. I had 3 pre-Dec invites (NYU, Roseman, Minnesota) and 1 post-Dec invite (UNLV). I couldnt apply to Nova again b/c my DAT was too old for them, since I took it in 2012. But that didnt matter b/c I finally got accepted! To my top choice from all the schools I interviewed at and its a perfect match for me in almost all aspects.

Third times the charm, eh, I couldnt be more happy with the result. 7 years of hard work and struggle in undergrad have finally paid off. Hell YEAH!

I may write a more detailed post on this whole processes with tips and things I learned that helped on a new thread later on. But til then Id be glad to answer any questions here.

You're my hero

 

[LauRDH]

I was admitted to tOSU with a 3.05 GPA. It can be done. I wil say, however I have been a hygienist for some time and did well the second time taking the DAT.

I'm also a hygienist.. Hopefully I'm as lucky as you!!

 

[GinaS2K]

For anyone who finds themselves in a similar position , heres a quick summary of my story:

I first applied with cum/sciGPA of 3.07/2.86 way back in 2012 when I graduated and was met with unanimous rejection without any interviews from all 15 schools. About 10 didnt even bother notifying me, thats how bad my app was. My DAT was 20AA/22TS/22PA/16RC/17QR; that 16RC was below the cutoff.

2nd time I applied I increased my GPAs to 3.2/3.0 by doing post-bac and only taking sci courses. I retook the DAT to get 24AA/25TS/23PA/20RC/20QR. I got 2 pre-Dec invites (NYU & Nova) and 2 post-Dec invites (UNLV & LECOM both scheduled really late in the cycle on March so there was no hope there at all). NYU rejected and Nova waitlisted both b/c my sciGPA was below 3.2, their cutoff points.
...

What an inspiring story. And look at that DAT score! Wow! Congrats 🙂 u must feel like a million bux 🙂

 

[Proxybrush15]

Amazon product ASIN B00S4HYOTY
This book is an inspiring story as well with some admissions advice and interview tips.

 

[cacajuate]

Hey guys I'm a recent graduate and have decided apply to dental school for 2016. My concern is that because GPA is below average, it will significantly lower my chances of getting an interview. I currently have a 3.0 oGPA and about a 2.9 sGPA because I worked during my undergrad and was also involved with a fraternity. I've taken a decent amount of upper level science course such as, pathophysiology, ecology, genetics analysis and evolution getting B's across the board. I am scheduled to take the DAT this spring and I am aiming to get an above average score (22/23) in order to balance out my GPA. My prereq grades were as follows:
Gen Chem 1: B
Gen Chem 2: B
Orgo 1: B
Orgo 2: C
Biochem: C
Physics 1: A
Physics 2: A

I'm currently shadowing my general dentist and will soon be shadowing another dentist at Walter Reed Veteran's Hospital. I have accumulated about 30hrs of shadowing and I am also going to begin volunteering at local dental clinics.I am hoping that with a good DAT score I can get invited to an interview. I was wondering if I could get any insight on my chances from other's who had similar stats and also any advice on what I can do to beef up my resume (maybe 1 year master's?).

Thanks!

You're going to need to take more classes and get some A's homeboy.

 

[DentalDoge]

Hey guys I'm a recent graduate and have decided apply to dental school for 2016. My concern is that because GPA is below average, it will significantly lower my chances of getting an interview. I currently have a 3.0 oGPA and about a 2.9 sGPA because I worked during my undergrad and was also involved with a fraternity. I've taken a decent amount of upper level science course such as, pathophysiology, ecology, genetics analysis and evolution getting B's across the board. I am scheduled to take the DAT this spring and I am aiming to get an above average score (22/23) in order to balance out my GPA. My prereq grades were as follows:
Gen Chem 1: B
Gen Chem 2: B
Orgo 1: B
Orgo 2: C
Biochem: C
Physics 1: A
Physics 2: A

I'm currently shadowing my general dentist and will soon be shadowing another dentist at Walter Reed Veteran's Hospital. I have accumulated about 30hrs of shadowing and I am also going to begin volunteering at local dental clinics.I am hoping that with a good DAT score I can get invited to an interview. I was wondering if I could get any insight on my chances from other's who had similar stats and also any advice on what I can do to beef up my resume (maybe 1 year master's?).

Thanks!

Taking more higher level science courses like biochem or micro will show the adcoms that you are capable of handling tough courses. Unfortunately, most of the classes you mention aren't really in the interest of most dental schools. Remember, you want to show them that you can handle the basic sciences: Histology, Biochem, Morphology, A&P.

What is the fraternity? Is it honor, dental, academic related? If so, that will help you out alot.

1 year masters in the above related fields (biochem, micro) and acing them, meaning straight As, will pretty much get you a shoe-in.

 

[DentalDoge]

Being that I recently graduated and living at home I was thinking about taking some upper level classes (immunology, virology, biology of cancer) at my state school (UMD). Would you suggest doing this or is a 1 year master's a better idea? If you think the latter is a better, could you recommend some good 1 year programs?

I cant recommend any SMP or post-bacc programs because I never looked at them before. Any program that will have upper level science courses will do. But like I said, the best will be along the lines of Biochem, Micro, Molec Bio, Genetics, because these are some of the the classes (especially biochem) that will relate to in Dental School.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Hey everyone,

I graduated last May with an overall GPA of 3.1 and science GPA of 2.8.I was rejected for the 2014 cycle and have decided to wait until 2016 to apply to improve my app. I have not calculated it yet but I completed my first semester of an informal post bac last fall taking A&P, Embryology, and Micro all with labs and got a 4.0. This semester I am taking Comparative Anatomy, Molecular bio, and Parasitology and I will try my best to get another 4.0. This fall, I will take Immunology, Cell Bio, and another bio class. Let's say that I manage to ace all of those classes and get a 22+ on the DAT this summer. Would adcoms def notice my upward trend? I doubt my GPA will get to a 3.5 but my last semester of undergrad, I got a 3.4 and I may possibly get 3+ semesters of 4.0s in upper division bio classes. By the time I reapply, I will have close to 300 shadowing hrs (with 3 dentists and a dental school clinic), ~250-300 volunteer hrs. I plan on getting a committee letter from my informal post bac school as well as a dentist LOR. I am also a TX resident. Do y'all think I would be good enough to at least get an interview? Or would I have to enroll in a non thesis masters program?

I appreciate any thoughts y'all can give.

 

[DentalDoge]

Hey everyone,

I graduated last May with an overall GPA of 3.1 and science GPA of 2.8.I was rejected for the 2014 cycle and have decided to wait until 2016 to apply to improve my app. I have not calculated it yet but I completed my first semester of an informal post bac last fall taking A&P, Embryology, and Micro all with labs and got a 4.0. This semester I am taking Comparative Anatomy, Molecular bio, and Parasitology and I will try my best to get another 4.0. This fall, I will take Immunology, Cell Bio, and another bio class. Let's say that I manage to ace all of those classes and get a 22+ on the DAT this summer. Would adcoms def notice my upward trend? I doubt my GPA will get to a 3.5 but my last semester of undergrad, I got a 3.4 and I may possibly get 3+ semesters of 4.0s in upper division bio classes. By the time I reapply, I will have close to 300 shadowing hrs (with 3 dentists and a dental school clinic), ~250-300 volunteer hrs. I plan on getting a committee letter from my informal post bac school as well as a dentist LOR. I am also a TX resident. Do y'all think I would be good enough to at least get an interview? Or would I have to enroll in a non thesis masters program?

I appreciate any thoughts y'all can give.

Thought you applied this cycle.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Thought you applied this cycle.

Nope. Was going to apply this cycle but I still have more bio classes to take. Plus, the health committee wants to see more improvement before they write me a letter.

 

[tarheel616]

Hello everyone. Longtime lurker, first time poster. I feel I owe it to the community here to let you guys know that it is very possible to get into dental school with a low GPA. Never give up! Now I don't really have a crazy story, but here it is:

Graduated undergrad with a 2.91 GPA. I moved back home and took classes at my state school (informal post-bac) and knocked out A's until my cumulative GPA was a 3.0. I applied to 17 schools this cycle, and so far received one interview/one acceptance!

I do not consider myself to have any extraordinary extracurriculars or circumstances. My DAT was pretty decent, but nothing crazy like some of the other posters on this site:

PAT: 22
QR: 22
RC: 26
Bio: 19
GC: 22
OC: 21
TS: 20
AA: 22

As a pre-dent with a low GPA, I know what an emotional, uphill battle it can be throughout this process. But if you keep pushing, you WILL get there. Best of luck.

May I ask what school you were interviewed at?

 

[Proxybrush15]

check out this useful dentaltown forum
http://www.dentaltown.com/MessageBoard/thread.aspx?s=2&f=1709&t=241115&pg=1&r=3696860

 

[tarheel616]

I'm only a few months away from taking the DAT and applying in the next cycle. Does anyone on this thread who has had success getting in on there first cycle or any cycle at all have any recommendations for what schools to apply to? (I'm not from Texas lol)

 

[Huskielove]

Here is my application story as well... long story short but finally acheived my goal after 3 application cycles!

I graduated in 2011 with a science GPA of ~3.0 and over all GPA of 3.2 (due to a rough sophomore year taking orgo, micro, and cell bio). I applied in the 2012 cycle and 2013 cycle, took the 2014 cycle off, and was finally accepted during this cycle (2015). Following the 2013 cycle, I worked with one dental school to develop a plan to better my application. They recommended that I take additional sciences classes (through a post-bacc program, either formal or informal), better my DAT scores, attend their week long summer program that immerses pre-dental students into their dental school (teaching us what dental school is all about and allowing us to be a part of it for a week) and increase my volunteer work.

I participated in an informal Post-bac Fall 2013 - Summer 2014 taking 9 additional upper-division bio classes. Even though I received a 4.0, it only increased my GPA by 2-3 tenths of a point. I also retook the DAT and significantly increased my scores (previous AA was 17 and I increased it to 21) (Message me if you want to know the specifics of how I prepared). I have worked in an ortho office for the past 3 years and prior to that, I worked in a general dental office while in high school and college. As for volunteer work, I was always very involved but not in very many dental related projects. I volunteered at a weekend free clinic as well as on a mobile dental van in addition to other opportunities.

During my first application cycle, I was not granted an interview to any of the 12 schools I applied to (had great EC's, letters of rec, shadowing, but my GPA and DAT were low).

During my second cycle, I was offered one interview but was not accepted (I had not changed much about my application since my first cycle besides more work experience in the dental field)

Finally. during my third cycle (with all of the changes listed above), I have been offered 7 interviews (UWashington, Penn, Loma Linda, ASDOH, NYU, Midwestern, and Western) to date of the 10 schools I applied to and have been accepted to 3 schools (U Washington, NYU and Loma Linda). I was accepted to my top choice prior to my Penn, Western, and MIdwestern interviews so I chose not to attend these interviews.

I never imagined that I would have been accepted to my #1 school with the GPA that I applied with. This solidifies to me that schools do not choose their students solely based on their GPA - there are so many other factors (EC's, experience in the dental field, unique volunteer work, passion for dentistry and being prepared for your interview).

For those of us who have applied during multiple application cycles: Showing that you are committed to dentistry through persistence in applying and bettering your application even if you are not accepted your first time (or second time around), means a lot and shows the admissions committees that this is really what you want to do!

The journey is long and tough but keep your head but because if this is truly what you are passionate about it will happen! When you receive that first acceptance it is all worth it!

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

You eased a lot of my worries from your post. Thank you so much and congratulations, Dr. 🙂

 

[predent54]

I have been a LONG time lurker in these forums and I can finally post in here some good news.

I graduated undergrad in 2010 with a 3.3 GPA and a 2.95 sGPA. I did my first 2 years at a community college. My last 2 years were at a university and I did NOT do well there. Downward trend for sure. In science courses, I got a couple of C's and one D. I didn't apply right away because I knew I wouldn't get accepted. I took an upper level science course after graduating and got an A, which brought my sGPA to 2.99. I took the DAT that following summer and got a 17 AA. I was devastated because I knew this wasn't good enough. I started working some pretty lame jobs to make some money knowing that dentistry was definitely my dream for the future. Finally, in 2012, I retook the DAT and got a 19AA. I applied that cycle to 6 schools in November without really researching about them. Needless to say I was met with a swift rejection. I applied the next cycle early, hoping that would help. I was wrong. Rejected from 9 schools.

Finally I decided it was time to start taking things seriously. I quit my job and focused on getting a job as a dental assistant. I searched craigslist and probably applied to about 50 offices all over my area. Being a male, it's hard to get dentists to hire you as an assistant. Finally, I was fortunate enough to land a job. I took another upper level science course and got an A, bringing my sGPA to 3.02. I began volunteering at a local dental clinic and anything else I could volunteer for. I applied the first week the applications opened. I hadn't heard a peep through December. I decided to start emailing schools, expressing my interest and updating them on what I've been doing since applying. FINALLY, last week I got the call for my FIRST interview in 3 cycles. It was the most exciting, yet most frightening moment of my life. I knew I couldn't mess this opportunity up. And today, I can finally say I've been accepted into the dental school I have dreamed about going to.

There are a lot of people on SDN that will criticize your stats and looking at other peoples stats will bring you down. DO NOT LET IT. They are not the admissions committees. If your dream is to be a dentist, then work like hell to get there. It has been a long journey for me and I cannot wait to begin school. I am proof that you do not need to have a 3.98 GPA and a 25 AA. There are average acceptance GPAs and DAT scores for a reason. For every 22 AA, there is a 18 AA.

I hope this inspires at least one person to stick with it and achieve their dream. These forums do great things but they can also scare people away.

 

[JibsGuy52]

First year: 3.33 GPA 2nd: 2.66 3rd: 2.57... 4th: Currently received 1st sem marks (3 85's, 2 full year courses)
Considering a 5th year to raise GPA. Set a goal 4th year with the desire of becoming a Dentist, hopefully didn't realize too late.
DAT: 21 Bio 21 Chem 20 Reading 17 PAT 21 AA

What are my chance of getting into D-School? In Canada? In US?

Considering a 5th year to raise GPA. Set a goal before 4th year with the desire of becoming a Dentist, hopefully didn't realize too late.

 

[DentalDoge]

First year: 3.33 GPA 2nd: 2.66 3rd: 2.57... 4th: Currently received 1st sem marks (3 85's, 2 full year courses)
Considering a 5th year to raise GPA. Set a goal 4th year with the desire of becoming a Dentist, hopefully didn't realize too late.
DAT: 21 Bio 21 Chem 20 Reading 17 PAT 21 AA

What are my chance of getting into D-School? In Canada? In US?

Considering a 5th year to raise GPA. Set a goal before 4th year with the desire of becoming a Dentist, hopefully didn't realize too late.

Depends, are you a US citizen or Canadian? If youre a Canadian then it'll be hard to get into a US school but if you are an US citizen, there is hope.

From what ive heard, it's usually cheaper to just graduate and do informal post bacc instead of staying for a 5th year, since your scholarship, if any, would have ran out. It's usually just cheaper to attend less classes to accommodate for work.

 

[KBE91]

I'm only a few months away from taking the DAT and applying in the next cycle. Does anyone on this thread who has had success getting in on there first cycle or any cycle at all have any recommendations for what schools to apply to? (I'm not from Texas lol)

Apply early! So important if you have lower stats. Get everything in by the end of June.

 

[JibsGuy52]

Depends, are you a US citizen or Canadian? If youre a Canadian then it'll be hard to get into a US school but if you are an US citizen, there is hope.

From what ive heard, it's usually cheaper to just graduate and do informal post bacc instead of staying for a 5th year, since your scholarship, if any, would have ran out. It's usually just cheaper to attend less classes to accommodate for work.

The only thing making me lean towards a 5th year is that some Canadian schools only look at last 2 years/weigh final years more.

 

[DentalDoge]

The only thing making me lean towards a 5th year is that some Canadian schools only look at last 2 years/weigh final years more.

Wow. Serious TIL.

Well if youre interested in those schools, then take a 5th year. If not, then dont.

 

[nossdt]

Here is my application story as well... long story short but finally acheived my goal after 3 application cycles!

I graduated in 2011 with a science GPA of ~3.0 and over all GPA of 3.2 (due to a rough sophomore year taking orgo, micro, and cell bio). I applied in the 2012 cycle and 2013 cycle, took the 2014 cycle off, and was finally accepted during this cycle (2015). Following the 2013 cycle, I worked with one dental school to develop a plan to better my application. They recommended that I take additional sciences classes (through a post-bacc program, either formal or informal), better my DAT scores, attend their week long summer program that immerses pre-dental students into their dental school (teaching us what dental school is all about and allowing us to be a part of it for a week) and increase my volunteer work.

I participated in an informal Post-bac Fall 2013 - Summer 2014 taking 9 additional upper-division bio classes. Even though I received a 4.0, it only increased my GPA by 2-3 tenths of a point. I also retook the DAT and significantly increased my scores (previous AA was 17 and I increased it to 21) (Message me if you want to know the specifics of how I prepared). I have worked in an ortho office for the past 3 years and prior to that, I worked in a general dental office while in high school and college. As for volunteer work, I was always very involved but not in very many dental related projects. I volunteered at a weekend free clinic as well as on a mobile dental van in addition to other opportunities.

During my first application cycle, I was not granted an interview to any of the 12 schools I applied to (had great EC's, letters of rec, shadowing, but my GPA and DAT were low).

During my second cycle, I was offered one interview but was not accepted (I had not changed much about my application since my first cycle besides more work experience in the dental field)

Finally. during my third cycle (with all of the changes listed above), I have been offered 7 interviews (UWashington, Penn, Loma Linda, ASDOH, NYU, Midwestern, and Western) to date of the 10 schools I applied to and have been accepted to 3 schools (U Washington, NYU and Loma Linda). I was accepted to my top choice prior to my Penn, Western, and MIdwestern interviews so I chose not to attend these interviews.

I never imagined that I would have been accepted to my #1 school with the GPA that I applied with. This solidifies to me that schools do not choose their students solely based on their GPA - there are so many other factors (EC's, experience in the dental field, unique volunteer work, passion for dentistry and being prepared for your interview).

For those of us who have applied during multiple application cycles: Showing that you are committed to dentistry through persistence in applying and bettering your application even if you are not accepted your first time (or second time around), means a lot and shows the admissions committees that this is really what you want to do!

The journey is long and tough but keep your head but because if this is truly what you are passionate about it will happen! When you receive that first acceptance it is all worth it!

It sounds like you live around the Seattle area. Where did you do your informal post bacc at? I'm looking for a good place to raise my science gpa and prove that I can handle upper division bio classes.

 

[Huskielove]

It sounds like you live around the Seattle area. Where did you do your informal post bacc at? I'm looking for a good place to raise my science gpa and prove that I can handle upper division bio classes.

Hello - I completed a few courses at UW Seattle and then the remainder at UW Bothell. I loved UW Bothell - small class sizes and supportive faculty.

 

[GinaS2K]

Finally I decided it was time to start taking things seriously. I quit my job and focused on getting a job as a dental assistant. I searched craigslist and probably applied to about 50 offices all over my area. Being a male, it's hard to get dentists to hire you as an assistant.

+1. It was very hard getting hired as a DA being a female with no dental experience, too. 🙁😉
But anyways, big congrats on your acceptance!! How exciting!

 

[nossdt]

Hello - I completed a few courses at UW Seattle and then the remainder at UW Bothell. I loved UW Bothell - small class sizes and supportive faculty.

I think I'm gonna try doing the post-bacc at the UW Bothell. The small class sizes and supportive faculty sounds great! Do you know how selective the Bothell campus is about their post-bacc applicants?

I really enjoyed reading about your journey to dental. It's my first time applying this cycle, and something tells me I should start buckling down and bolstering my application for next cycle. I only received one interview, and I've yet to hear back from them. I saw in your story that you also volunteered in a weekend clinic and mobile dental van. Which organizations did you do that through?

 

[Bandita]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my story for all of you who are feeling a little discouraged. Long story short, I recently received 2 Jan interviews with a very very low cGPA. I haven't gone to any of my interviews yet (so I don't have any acceptances) but I am just very grateful for these upcoming opportunities. Hopefully, I'll hear some great news soon after.

I am 30-something nontrad applicant with a cGPA below 2.70, non-sci below 2.7 (it's actually way below), BCP 3.1. I have tons of research experience (full-time) and clinical lab experience (part-time) combining to about 11 years or so. My DAT at the time was AA/TS 19. Arrogantly, I thought I had a chance at dschool, so I applied. Spent a lot of money on applications and came out with zero interviews. I called up several schools (even though it's pretty obvious why I didn't get an interview) and went to some advising. They all told me that I had to either get into a master program or a post-bac. Some DS advisors told me that it doesn't matter which one I choose - getting a MS or certificate (from post bac). For personal reasons, I chose a formal post bac program. ... kind of going off topic but if you guys choose a post bac program, understand that the govt loan can only offer you one time of $12,500. One time. Post bac program tuition + housing cost more than that per year. So anyways, I quit all of my jobs, took out my 401k and 403b (to pay for some tuition costs and other expenses) and studied really really hard. It wasn't easy (my age didn't help either).

But in the end, I ended the program with a 3.8 GPA (still comes out to cGPA below 2.7). I retook the DAT and received 22AA/23TS/24RC. I am currently working full-time as a dental assistant.... making less than a 1/3 of what I used to make before. Lot of my friends bought a house and enjoying their lives while I.... (sigh) haha. Guys, this path is not an easy path!!! Specifically, it's a long and a difficult one. During my post bac, I used to sit in my room thinking, 'did i do the right thing?' or 'is this really worth it?'. Now that I look back, this has been totally worth it for me. I don't question my path anymore. I really enjoy working at a dental office everyday. You know that feeling... like, it feels right. That's how I feel. This is it. This is what I want to do. Make sure you have ample amount of shadowing hours so that you know this is what you want to do. Seriously. Because you are going to be sacrificing a lot of things and time.

So I received 2 interview invites (Yay!). Like I stated before, I am extremely grateful. Interview doesn't guarantee an acceptance. We all know that- especially with sub par grades like mine. lol. But hopefully some of you are a little encouraged by my personal story to keep trying. Strive for them A's!!! And DAT over 20!!! You guys all can do this. If old fart like me can do it (not dissing on any of my fellow 30-somethings), you all can too. Keep trying. At least one DS will notice your effort and perseverance.

Believe in yourself. Stay positive! oh, and do well on ur interviews ^^;

I wanted to reach out to you in hopes for advice. I am finishing up my undergrad this year. Here are my typical states: cGPA 3.25 sGPA 2.94. PA =18 , RC =22 , Sc = 18 and AA = 18. I have great clinical and shadowing hours, service hours, experiences abroad, and other extracurricular. I will be taking a GAP year and applying this next cycle. Based on your story, it seemed beneficial to do improve grades and retake DAT. I was planning on retaking my DAT, but do you think it would make a difference for me to retake some science at a CC? I do not plan on doing a postbac program.

 

[DentalDoge]

I wanted to reach out to you in hopes for advice. I am finishing up my undergrad this year. Here are my typical states: cGPA 3.25 sGPA 2.94. PA =18 , RC =22 , Sc = 18 and AA = 18. I have great clinical and shadowing hours, service hours, experiences abroad, and other extracurricular. I will be taking a GAP year and applying this next cycle. Based on your story, it seemed beneficial to do improve grades and retake DAT. I was planning on retaking my DAT, but do you think it would make a difference for me to retake some science at a CC? I do not plan on doing a postbac program.

Depending on the classes but generally if you did poorly at a 4 year it is not advisable to retake at a CC especially if it's a pre req, usually it's better the other way around (but not much). It's better if you just avoid CC for science courses altogether.

if you're trying to save money, just retake them at a 4 year school. Doesnt matter where, ANY 4 year school is better than a CC in the admissions committees' eyes.

 

[GinaS2K]

I wanted to reach out to you in hopes for advice. I am finishing up my undergrad this year. Here are my typical states: cGPA 3.25 sGPA 2.94. PA =18 , RC =22 , Sc = 18 and AA = 18. I have great clinical and shadowing hours, service hours, experiences abroad, and other extracurricular. I will be taking a GAP year and applying this next cycle. Based on your story, it seemed beneficial to do improve grades and retake DAT. I was planning on retaking my DAT, but do you think it would make a difference for me to retake some science at a CC? I do not plan on doing a postbac program.

Adding to what @DentalDoge is saying, I think it's best to retake those science classes at the university you are currently attending. What classes are you planning to retake?

But my best answer would be to email some schools and ask what their opinions are on your specific case.

 

[qwerty934]

Hey guys I really need everyone's advice in this thread.

I was at a community college and transffered to 4 year school with 3.62.
Then with downward trend, I graduated with bachelor's in Biology with 3.14
AADSAS combined: 3.30 cGPA 3.20 sGPA
DAT: 19AA 20TS 22PAT (16RC 17QR)

I've applied about 20 schools this cycle and only 1 post-dec. interview at MOSDOH. I got rejected.
Im planning on to retake my DAT, but currently applying for post-bac/SMP.

I have been accepted to VCU graduate program, but this is the certificate program for pre-med and pre-dental students. (Im a VA resident)
the tuition at VCU is about $25,000.
I also applied to MBS at Tufts University and OHS at Boston University. Their tuition is a lot more expensive.

My biggest dillema is which program to go for assuming I would get accepted to both in Boston.
My girlfriend lives in Boston area so I really wanted to go there especially when I have been fantasizing living in Boston even before I met her, but huge difference in tuition fee between VCU and Boston, though Boston is an extra degree in master's.

I REALLY REALLY need some advice on this.

I have general biology and general chemistries from community college so I thought it would be nice to re-take those because there were some schools that did not take CC credits for pre-reqs.

PLEASE GUYS. I NEED SOME ADVICE!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you SO MUCH

 

[LaughingGas]

VCU. Boston Dental schools are out of your reach b/c of CC credits. No point of doing BU and Tufts masters program when you can't get into either schools after you complete them. This is unless you want to retake Gen bio and gen chemistries just to move to Boston (assuming you get accepted at both school for dental school).

 

[qwerty934]

VCU. Boston Dental schools are out of your reach b/c of CC credits. No point of doing BU and Tufts masters program when you can't get into either schools after you complete them. This is unless you want to retake Gen bio and gen chemistries just to move to Boston (assuming you get accepted at both school for dental school).

What if I'm planning on re-taking those gen bio/gen chem courses?
If I apply to dental schools next year for 2017 entering class, I would have a gap year after I finish my 1 year master's program at either tufts or BU.
So I would finish with master's 2016 Spring and finish those gen bio/gen chem during 2016 fall 2017 sring.

How does it sound?

 

[LaughingGas]

yeah. still vcu. too much money. D school is already expensive enough. doesn't make sense to defer application just to attend Boston schools

 

[Bandita]

Here is my application story as well... long story short but finally acheived my goal after 3 application cycles!

I graduated in 2011 with a science GPA of ~3.0 and over all GPA of 3.2 (due to a rough sophomore year taking orgo, micro, and cell bio). I applied in the 2012 cycle and 2013 cycle, took the 2014 cycle off, and was finally accepted during this cycle (2015). Following the 2013 cycle, I worked with one dental school to develop a plan to better my application. They recommended that I take additional sciences classes (through a post-bacc program, either formal or informal), better my DAT scores, attend their week long summer program that immerses pre-dental students into their dental school (teaching us what dental school is all about and allowing us to be a part of it for a week) and increase my volunteer work.

I participated in an informal Post-bac Fall 2013 - Summer 2014 taking 9 additional upper-division bio classes. Even though I received a 4.0, it only increased my GPA by 2-3 tenths of a point. I also retook the DAT and significantly increased my scores (previous AA was 17 and I increased it to 21) (Message me if you want to know the specifics of how I prepared). I have worked in an ortho office for the past 3 years and prior to that, I worked in a general dental office while in high school and college. As for volunteer work, I was always very involved but not in very many dental related projects. I volunteered at a weekend free clinic as well as on a mobile dental van in addition to other opportunities.

During my first application cycle, I was not granted an interview to any of the 12 schools I applied to (had great EC's, letters of rec, shadowing, but my GPA and DAT were low).

During my second cycle, I was offered one interview but was not accepted (I had not changed much about my application since my first cycle besides more work experience in the dental field)

Finally. during my third cycle (with all of the changes listed above), I have been offered 7 interviews (UWashington, Penn, Loma Linda, ASDOH, NYU, Midwestern, and Western) to date of the 10 schools I applied to and have been accepted to 3 schools (U Washington, NYU and Loma Linda). I was accepted to my top choice prior to my Penn, Western, and MIdwestern interviews so I chose not to attend these interviews.

I never imagined that I would have been accepted to my #1 school with the GPA that I applied with. This solidifies to me that schools do not choose their students solely based on their GPA - there are so many other factors (EC's, experience in the dental field, unique volunteer work, passion for dentistry and being prepared for your interview).

For those of us who have applied during multiple application cycles: Showing that you are committed to dentistry through persistence in applying and bettering your application even if you are not accepted your first time (or second time around), means a lot and shows the admissions committees that this is really what you want to do!

The journey is long and tough but keep your head but because if this is truly what you are passionate about it will happen! When you receive that first acceptance it is all worth it!

I am graduating this year from a 4 year university, I have 3.3 cgpa and 2.9 sGPA, my aa=18 rc=22 pa=18 Would you recommend even trying to apply this cycle? Or should I just focus my attention in retaking science classes and retaking my DAT? You also mentioned working with a dental school to improve your application. Did you contact the admissions office to do that? Any advice is welcome..

 

[Bandita]

Adding to what @DentalDoge is saying, I think it's best to retake those science classes at the university you are currently attending. What classes are you planning to retake?

But my best answer would be to email some schools and ask what their opinions are on your specific case.

I will definitely reach out to some schools, that is a great idea. I did poorly my freshmen year. so I though retaking the gen bio and gen
chem would be good? But then they also might want to just see upper level courses more??

 

[Huskielove]

I am graduating this year from a 4 year university, I have 3.3 cgpa and 2.9 sGPA, my aa=18 rc=22 pa=18 Would you recommend even trying to apply this cycle? Or should I just focus my attention in retaking science classes and retaking my DAT? You also mentioned working with a dental school to improve your application. Did you contact the admissions office to do that? Any advice is welcome..

Hello - Did you apply last year? Since you are graduating this year and applying now, you will already have a gap year - there is no harm in applying this cycle while also taking additional science courses and retaking the DAT. The only thing to consider is the cost of applying, however I do know that schools do like to see perseverance so even if you do not get in during the next cycle, they will see how you improved your credentials (i.e. GPA, DAT, shadowing, community service) and know that you are dedicated to becoming a dentist.

My current dental mentor took me down to the school where he went to tour it and set up a meeting with the Dean to review my application. The Dean actually ended up giving us the tour of the school and then sat down with me for over an hour. He reviewed my file and gave me tips on how to improve it and what ADCOMS are really looking for (i.e. he told me that a high RC score on the DAT correlated to how well students performed on their boards so they want a student with a strong RC score, in addition to the science sections). He told me what classes he would like to see me take and lots of great study tips for the DAT - PM me for specifics and I am happy to share. He was making notes during our conversation about what he suggested that I do. I also attended the schools summer program for pre-dents that allowed me to get to know members of the admissions team.

After I completed all that he recommended, I scheduled a phone meeting with him and we reviewed everything that I have done to better my application.

PM me if you would like and I would be happy to give you more specific details.

 

[Triflate]

Just wanted to share a success story with everyone here.

Today I was accepted to dental school. I am still in shock. I cried uncontrollably for a bit. I know it may seem a bit melodramatic and all to some but this is a little bit of my story:

I was expelled from school in 2007 with a 0.8 GPA. I was an economics major back then. So subsequently I decided that college maybe just wasn't for me and I started working full-time at a warehouse. Three years later, in 2010 (long story short), I decided to re-enroll in school and try science. It was the hardest thing I ever did at the time. I remember an advisor telling me to consider finishing my economics degree because I would fail again by trying science. To be fair, she had a point. I didn't even know what a neutron was (went to HS in one of the worst districts in the US). However, I made a promise to myself and to my family that I would graduate.

I grinded hard. Probably studied like 40-50 hours a week. I got better and better at chemistry and biology. I liked chemistry better so I decided to major in chem. Two years later, I added a biochem degree. I graduated in 2014 with a double major in chemistry and biochemistry. I took the DAT in May 2014 and did extremely well. Throughout this time period I definitely shadowed and did a lot of volunteer work with my school's pre-dent society and other organizations. I'm leaving out a ton of details for the sake of time and length of this post but I was able to share my story with an ADCOM at UTHSCSA and even did a summer program with them.

My final stats (TMDSAS):
overall GPA: 2.64
Overall BCPM GPA: 3.14
Undergrad Non-BCPM GPA: 1.88
DAT: 24TS/22AA/18RC/19PAT/20QR

I was a first-time applicant.....
Never give up! Keep fighting 'til the end! In Christ all things are possible 🙂
Good luck to everyone and hope this gives someone a little bit of hope 🙂

 

[PredentGirl]

Just wanted to share a success story with everyone here.

Today I was accepted to dental school. I am still in shock. I cried uncontrollably for a bit. I know it may seem a bit melodramatic and all to some but this is a little bit of my story:

I was expelled from school in 2007 with a 0.8 GPA. I was an economics major back then. So subsequently I decided that college maybe just wasn't for me and I started working full-time at a warehouse. Three years later, in 2010 (long story short), I decided to re-enroll in school and try science. It was the hardest thing I ever did at the time. I remember an advisor telling me to consider finishing my economics degree because I would fail again by trying science. To be fair, she had a point. I didn't even know what a neutron was (went to HS in one of the worst districts in the US). However, I made a promise to myself and to my family that I would graduate.

I grinded hard. Probably studied like 40-50 hours a week. I got better and better at chemistry and biology. I liked chemistry better so I decided to major in chem. Two years later, I added a biochem degree. I graduated in 2014 with a double major in chemistry and biochemistry. I took the DAT in May 2014 and did extremely well. Throughout this time period I definitely shadowed and did a lot of volunteer work with my school's pre-dent society and other organizations. I'm leaving out a ton of details for the sake of time and length of this post but I was able to share my story with an ADCOM at UTHSCSA and even did a summer program with them.

My final stats (TMDSAS):
overall GPA: 2.64
Overall BCPM GPA: 3.14
Undergrad Non-BCPM GPA: 1.88
DAT: 24TS/22AA/18RC/19PAT/20QR

I was a first-time applicant.....
Never give up! Keep fighting 'til the end! In Christ all things are possible 🙂
Good luck to everyone and hope this gives someone a little bit of hope 🙂

Wow good job! Congrats, very happy for you 🙂

So i'm applying this cycle but I have really low stats... 2.67 undergrad, 3.63 grad- just a certificate though in biotechnology (not exactly a science but there were life science courses in the mix)

Worked part time to full time at a dental office for 4 years and still shadowing on weekends because now i work full time somewhere else but i don't want to show dental schools that there's a disconnect in my pursuit of dentistry.

BUT i scored 24TS on the DATs...
Excellent extracurriculars and LORs

Do you think I still have a shot at a dental school?? Should I even apply?

 

[Triflate]

Wow good job! Congrats, very happy for you 🙂

So i'm applying this cycle but I have really low stats... 2.67 undergrad, 3.63 grad- just a certificate though in biotechnology (not exactly a science but there were life science courses in the mix)

Worked part time to full time at a dental office for 4 years and still shadowing on weekends because now i work full time somewhere else but i don't want to show dental schools that there's a disconnect in my pursuit of dentistry.

BUT i scored 24TS on the DATs...
Excellent extracurriculars and LORs

Do you think I still have a shot at a dental school?? Should I even apply?

Thank you!!!

And of course you have a shot! You did excellent on the DAT and your grad gpa is great. Your next step is to try and get in contact with ADCOMS and ask them if there's anything more you can add to your app to make you a better candidate. In my case, I went through each school's website and emailed anybody I could find. Out of all the emails I sent, only a couple of people replied. One of them was an ADCOM and that's how I got my foot in the door.

But you should definitely apply! Just try and apply early! Don't make the same mistake I did....I didn't submit until september 30th LOL. But it all worked out!