WAMC- Low Stats

[DentG_XO]

Hello everyone! I have been feeling anxious and a bit discouraged as I finalize my application for this upcoming cycle. The majority of my stats are below average but I recently got accepted into a one year SMP program which will hopefully help me appear as a better applicant (for this cycle, and if it goes south, the next cycle). If I could have advice on how to strengthen my application or perhaps schools to consider adding, please let me know!


Overall GPA: 3.28
Science GPA: 3.15
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 18-AA, 21-B, 16-GC, 15-OC, 22-RC, 19-QR, 18-PA
(Plan on retaking DAT in early September after completing online DAT course- Most recent DAT practice I earned a 21-AA and 21-PA)
State of Residence: Florida

Undergrad Attended: Wake Forest
Major: Biology
Minor: Writing
Minority? No (Asian)
Reapplicant? Yes (2019 cycle applicant)
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 160+ hours with general, endo, and perio
Volunteering Experience: 80 hours at Children’s Hospital and 20 in local community events
Employment: Writing tutor (200 hours) and office of sustainability intern
Research: Mentored Research for credit (2 credit, maybe 80 hours)
Other Extracurriculars: President of student library organization (115+ hours), Social chair of multicultural sorority (50+ hours), blogger for HerCampus (10 published articles), content writer for school newspaper (4 published articles), two published short stories (not science related at all, more for my minor)
LOR type and strength: My research mentor, a close science professor, a liberal arts professor whom I work closely with in the library, and a dentist I shadowed with over 100 hours (I feel all are strong because I have a close relationship with all four)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere: Graduated from a top 30 university (Do schools even care about things like that?), reason GPA is below average is mainly chemistry (had mostly B+ or higher in all other courses), had a 3.9 GPA in writing minor

School list:
U of Florida

Nova

LECOM

Boston University

Case Western (legacy)

Tufts University

Touro

Dental College of Georgia

Medical University of South Carolina

Midwestern (Illinois)

U of Maryland

U of Pittsburgh

Western

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[deleted735879]

With your application as is, without the retake, I think it is going to be tough to any interviews. Lower than average GPA in combination with a 16 in GC and 15 in OC is killer (in a bad way).

If you get everything above at least an 18 or 19 during the retake I think you have a decent shot of getting an interview.

 

[DentG_XO]

With your application as is, without the retake, I think it is going to be tough to any interviews. Lower than average GPA in combination with a 16 in GC and 15 in OC is killer (in a bad way).

If you get everything above at least an 18 or 19 during the retake I think you have a decent shot of getting an interview.

Thanks so much for your input! Yep, I really want to try and get higher in the chem sections on the DAT being that my grades in chemistry were so low during undegrad. I got 18 for GC and OC on my last practice so I'm hoping I'll be able to improve in the next two months.

 

[deleted735879]

No problem! You can definitely do it! Just keep your nose to the grindstone for 10-12 hours a day and hit it out of the park!