What are my chances? Low Stats

[dallasstar1]

I am losing hope and would just like to have some opinions and advice on where to go from here. I have applied to dental school twice, but I know my stats are really low. I have a lot of dental experience, leadership and volunteer experience. Here are my stats:

undergrad cGPA: 3.1
undergrad sGPA: 2.8
TS: 17
AA: 18
PAT: 20
Reading: 21
masters cGPA: 2.9

I had a really rough time during the beginning of my masters, which caused me to have a low first quarter GPA. I have an upward trend for the remainder of the program, but it just wasn't enough to counter that first quarter GPA.

Just wondering what others have done in my situation, or if you have any advice for me on where to go from here? I definitely want to remain in the healthcare profession, I just am unsure of anything else that truly interests me at the time being. Is it even worth it for me to apply again? Does anyone have any schools they recommend me applying to with this low of stats? Any help would be appreciated!

Also if anyone has any suggestion of what to do with a biomedical science masters?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

What are your chances? Not good. You’re significantly below average in every quantifiable metric. Your masters should have been a way for you to help “repair” your undergrad GPA, but it’s done the opposite and reinforced your past performance to adcoms. And, your DAT score needs a lot of work. I really hate to say it, but you might want to look for other avenues in healthcare if that’s really where you want to be. What to do with a masters in biomedical sciences? Well, working in research will pay you pennies. I’d try to land a gig in pharmaceutical sales. Best of luck.

Big Hoss

 

[ttranman337]

Agree with Big Hoss. You've done all the correct steps like going into a masters to help your GPA, but unfortunately that was not the case. You also didn't mention if you've tried retaking the DAT. The 17 TS is a major red flag to be blunt and it just reinforces your GPA in undergrad and in the masters program. You can always try to apply again and chance your luck. I know a friend who completely butchered his first 2 years in undergrad and couldn't bring his GPA high enough in the latter half for dental school. His stats were good enough for dental hygiene so he applied for that and got in. By that time he got his life together and ended up near the top of his class (I think he was the only male). He then applied to dental school a few years later and got in. Is now a practicing general dentist. This may be another avenue you can try to pursue if you are desperate for a career in dentistry.

 

[JamesLee89]

always have Plan B. Is dental school your only option? If not you might want to consider different areas like PA or Pharmacy.

 

[dallasstar1]

always have Plan B. Is dental school your only option? If not you might want to consider different areas like PA or Pharmacy.

Dental School was the only thing I have been aiming towards since high school. It is hard to reroute my path to another professional healthcare field because I don't have any volunteering/shadowing experience for anything else, and I also would have to take another standardized test. I just feel like it is a waste of time at this point to switch to something totally different. I would rather just try to find something I could utilize my degrees in at that point. I just don't know what is out there because when I look it up, everything is lab jobs. I do not want to work in a lab. I was thinking about pharmaceutical sales, but I don't have any sales experience. So I am just trying to get suggestions

 

[dallasstar1]

Agree with Big Hoss. You've done all the correct steps like going into a masters to help your GPA, but unfortunately that was not the case. You also didn't mention if you've tried retaking the DAT. The 17 TS is a major red flag to be blunt and it just reinforces your GPA in undergrad and in the masters program. You can always try to apply again and chance your luck. I know a friend who completely butchered his first 2 years in undergrad and couldn't bring his GPA high enough in the latter half for dental school. His stats were good enough for dental hygiene so he applied for that and got in. By that time he got his life together and ended up near the top of his class (I think he was the only male). He then applied to dental school a few years later and got in. Is now a practicing general dentist. This may be another avenue you can try to pursue if you are desperate for a career in dentistry.

Yeah, I have definitely thought about hygiene. That was my backup, but I looking into programs. I would have to take more classes to get their pre-reqs completed, and even then, it wouldn't be a for sure thing that I would get into. I do not want to waste my time doing that if I do not even know if it is going to work out in the end. If dental school isn't in the card anymore, I think I would rather find something with my degrees. Dental has been my only focus for so long, I am lost at what to do now with my degrees.

 

[Likkriue]

Get a 23+ on the dat.

 

[ttranman337]

Yeah, I have definitely thought about hygiene. That was my backup, but I looking into programs. I would have to take more classes to get their pre-reqs completed, and even then, it wouldn't be a for sure thing that I would get into. I do not want to waste my time doing that if I do not even know if it is going to work out in the end. If dental school isn't in the card anymore, I think I would rather find something with my degrees. Dental has been my only focus for so long, I am lost at what to do now with my degrees.

Yeah, I understand. It's a tough situation at this point being you've worked so long for this goal. If you want to find other career avenues with your degree, and lab work isn't your cup of tea, I would start shadowing other healthcare professions. There is pharmacy, PA, nursing, optometry, physical therapy, etc., however none are easy as well. If not, and you love dentistry, I'd go through the trouble to get into hygiene and eventually apply for dental school. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[JamesLee89]

Dental School was the only thing I have been aiming towards since high school. It is hard to reroute my path to another professional healthcare field because I don't have any volunteering/shadowing experience for anything else, and I also would have to take another standardized test. I just feel like it is a waste of time at this point to switch to something totally different. I would rather just try to find something I could utilize my degrees in at that point. I just don't know what is out there because when I look it up, everything is lab jobs. I do not want to work in a lab. I was thinking about pharmaceutical sales, but I don't have any sales experience. So I am just trying to get suggestions

Pharmacy school is much easier to get into. Ive heard people getting in with 2.5 gpa. Pcat is simply like dat but not so dept with chemistry instead more focused towards calculus as im hearing. Consider that if you dont have any other option.