WAMC? Average GPA and DAT

[DinoMan354]

Date of submission: June 4th
Overall GPA: 3.54
Science GPA: 3.48
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.40
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 19 AA 18 BIO 18 GC 17 OC 17 TS 22 RC 18 QR 21 PAT
State of Residence: New Mexico

Undergrad Attended: State University
Major: Biology
Minor: N/a
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 150 (general) 50 (ortho)
Volunteering Experience: 200 hours at foodbank, 120 hours at free dental clinic, 80 hours through clubs at school
Employment: Full time dental assistant after college
Research: n/a
Other Extracurriculars: Have 1800 DA hours and will go on a dental service trip in July
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? Went to Midwestern AZ and ASDOH’s Pre-dental day
Relevant Honors or Awards: Graudated Magna Cum laude
LOR type and strength: 2 Science LOR (Strong) 1 Dentist (strong) 1 volunteer coordinator (strong
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: 1st gen college student
School list:

• Case Western
• ASDOH
• Midwestern AZ
• Midwestern IL
• MOSDOH
• Boston
• Creighton
• Marquette
• MUSC
• LECOM
• OHSU
• NOVA
• Roseman
• Tufts
• Maryland
• Louisville
• UDM
• Colorado
• Western
• UOP
• Touro
• NYU
• USC

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[macsak]

Date of submission: June 4th
Overall GPA: 3.54
Science GPA: 3.48
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.40
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 19 AA 18 BIO 18 GC 17 OC 17 TS 22 RC 18 QR 21 PAT
State of Residence: New Mexico

Undergrad Attended: State University
Major: Biology
Minor: N/a
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 150 (general) 50 (ortho)
Volunteering Experience: 200 hours at foodbank, 120 hours at free dental clinic, 80 hours through clubs at school
Employment: Full time dental assistant after college
Research: n/a
Other Extracurriculars: Have 1800 DA hours and will go on a dental service trip in July
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? Went to Midwestern AZ and ASDOH’s Pre-dental day
Relevant Honors or Awards: Graudated Magna Cum laude
LOR type and strength: 2 Science LOR (Strong) 1 Dentist (strong) 1 volunteer coordinator (strong
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: 1st gen college student
School list:

• Case Western
• ASDOH
• Midwestern AZ
• Midwestern IL
• MOSDOH
• Boston
• Creighton
• Marquette
• MUSC
• LECOM
• OHSU
• NOVA
• Roseman
• Tufts
• Maryland
• Louisville
• UDM
• Colorado
• Western
• UOP
• Touro
• NYU
• USC

how did you come up with this list?

 

[DinoMan354]

I picked these schools because my GPA and test scores are around their averages or a little under, but I’m hoping my dental experience makes up for it.

how did you come up with this list?

 

[macsak]

I picked these schools because my GPA and test scores are around their averages or a little under, but I’m hoping my dental experience makes up for it.

you need mission fit to get invites and acceptances
GPA and test scores are not mission fit

while your gpa is right at the matriculant average (3.55), i am sorry to say that your dat is pretty far below the matriculant average (20.5)

i understand your desire to have a broad list, but it is way too large and needs work
for one example, UOP likes HIGH dats
another is MUSC takes mostly instate students, and the rest are from surrounding area
maryland and louisville are not as bad on this issue, but being from NM, it is not likely you have a strong chance at interview invites
there are closer publics to you that are more likely to offer invites

please do more research and get back to us with a more refined list

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

As mentioned, your logic for your list doesn't follow to me.

This list below makes a little more sense to me, given you are a NM resident and you presumably picked schools closer to your metrics ranges, but you need to finish the homework:

• ASDOH (geography)
• Midwestern AZ (geography)
• MOSDOH (AT Still, just in Missouri)
• Creighton (stretch)
• Marquette
• LECOM
• UDM (stretch)
• Louisville (stretch)
• Colorado (maybe for geography, not sure with metrics)
• Western
• Touro
• NYU ($$$$)
• USC ($$$$)

As noted, I have no real sense of your mission fit, and a shotgun approach doesn't help you. Yes, you need to be within reason of the metrics, but the further you are from home or your support system, the more challenging it may be for you to adjust.

Are there FGLI clubs at the dental schools you have listed?

 

[macsak]

Welcome to the forums.

As mentioned, your logic for your list doesn't follow to me.

This list below makes a little more sense to me, given you are a NM resident and you presumably picked schools closer to your metrics ranges, but you need to finish the homework:

• ASDOH (geography)
• Midwestern AZ (geography)
• MOSDOH (AT Still, just in Missouri)
• Creighton (stretch)
• Marquette
• LECOM
• UDM (stretch)
• Louisville (stretch)
• Colorado (maybe for geography, not sure with metrics)
• Western
• Touro
• NYU ($$$$)
• USC ($$$$)

As noted, I have no real sense of your mission fit, and a shotgun approach doesn't help you. Yes, you need to be within reason of the metrics, but the further you are from home or your support system, the more challenging it may be for you to adjust.

Are there FGLI clubs at the dental schools you have listed?

i don't like to disagree with msmile12, but i'm ok with creighton geographically, but haven't looked at their stats lately

 

[macsak]

i don't like to disagree with msmile12, but i'm ok with creighton geographically, but haven't looked at their stats lately

also don't like louisville, and to a lesser extent UDM and lecom
plus i don't think 13 schools is enough for OP...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

also don't like louisville, and to a lesser extent UDM and lecom
plus i don't think 13 schools is enough for OP....

Yeah, the harder part is finding other schools that fill the gap. LECOM does have a ton of seats, though many could be filled by their guaranteed admission agreements. UDM is possible, but I am unsure about the fit. Geography isn't helpful here; stats are lower than desired for Texas schools. I don't know which states (other than Arizona) consider NM "favorable."

We also lack the OP's backstory (which for privacy purposes we don't need it posted). It is interesting the OP claims Latin honors (SCL).

I would want to know what upper-level biomedical courses are left for a potential postbac.

 

[DinoMan354]

Yeah, the harder part is finding other schools that fill the gap. LECOM does have a ton of seats, though many could be filled by their guaranteed admission agreements. UDM is possible, but I am unsure about the fit. Geography isn't helpful here; stats are lower than desired for Texas schools. I don't know which states (other than Arizona) consider NM "favorable."

We also lack the OP's backstory (which for privacy purposes we don't need it posted). It is interesting the OP claims Latin honors (SCL).

I would want to know what upper-level biomedical courses are left for a potential postbac.

Do you believe I should do a postbac? I am willing to spend more money applying to more schools in order to try to get in this cycle. I’ll probably take UOP off my list and MUSC, but I think I will still try to apply to around 20 schools.

 

[macsak]

Do you believe I should do a postbac? I am willing to spend more money applying to more schools in order to try to get in this cycle. I’ll probably take UOP off my list and MUSC, but I think I will still try to apply to around 20 schools.

your problem is not grades, it's the DAT...

 

[DinoMan354]

your problem is not grades, it's the DAT...

Should I retake it and try to get a 20+?

 

[macsak]

Should I retake it and try to get a 20+?

1- are you sure you can get 20+?
b- when did you take your first DAT? you need to wait 3 months before you take it again...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Overall GPA: 3.54
Science GPA: 3.48
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.40

Relevant Honors or Awards: Graudated Magna Cum laude

I don't know if you need to take postbac courses. We don't have your transcripts. However, you claim MCL with this GPA. So I'm not sure... no one I know with Latin honors needs postbac courses. Did you major in a non-science field?

The DAT needs improvement.

 

[Spahrtan]

I’m curious. Graduated magna cum with a 3.5?
You’ve got a long list of school. There’s good advice here to whittle it down. Mr smiles list is a good start. Are you considering retaking the DAT?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

At my school, an A+ counts as a 4.3, so my transcript GPA is a 3.6 and a 3.6 is MCL at my school. I calculated my GPA using the ADEA calculator and it says it’s a 3.54.

Okay... I guess I should ask what your prehealth advising office at your university says? How are they supporting your application?