What are my chances?

[Nohre]

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My adviser said I have the option of delaying my graduation to retake some classes and raise my GPA. If I graduate ASAP I will have about a 3.0 GPA. I haven't taken the DAT, so I don't really know, but I think I might be able to get a 20+ in most sections, especially biology and chemistry.

What are my chances with a 3.0 and 20 DAT across the board?

I have no problems with applying or moving out of state... Just a few questions, like: What's the price of multiple applications? Do you have to go to every school for a face-to-face interview?

I've tried finding this information for myself by looking at predents.com (which doesn't exist anymore). I've looked at PreDentals.com, but it doesn't have very many results for the last 2 years.

 

[2THDDS]

I'd say it isn't impossible, but definitely lower than people with around 20DAT and 3.5+ish GPA.
But if your EC is good and you have genuine interest in dentistry, number's just a number.

Try to get 21~22 or even higher on the DAT and it will help you out a lot.

 

[grivacobae]

What are your EC's and LOR's like? And are you assuming a 20 DAT of off practice DATs you have taken or how you have preformed in you biology and chemistry courses in the past?

 

[Nohre]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have any ECs or LORs yet. Assuming 20 based on quiz questions from courseSaver and a biology section of a DAT practice test, combined with how well I preformed in biology and chemistry in the past.

 

[grivacobae]

I would suggest to delay for a year,take a couple extra classes for GPA boost, won't be much though, and during that year you absolutely need ECs, volunteer, shadow, do what you can to get that covered, don't even think about applying w/o ECs. Try and get profs to write you LOR and if you can a Dentist that you shadowed, those are "required" for dental schools.
For the DAT, you aren't getting a good representation of your potential or lack thereof from a quiz and only 1 section. I suggest you take this summer to study well for the DAT, I'm talking about the 3 months and a well defined study schedule if you truly want to get 20+. Many people walk into it thinking that their past grades and little preparation is a recipe for a 20, you're throwing yourself in front of a bus by doing this.
If you're a URM you'll have better luck with a 3.0 and a 20 (assuming you achieve this), but don't count on getting accepted with this. Try and shoot for 22, you'll most likely get interviews, if you have the ECs and LORs covered with good amount of dedication that your app can show. If you receive interviews, you'll have to do great on them, that'll be the last hurdle do to your lack of GPA. * This is all assuming you have ECs and LORs under your belt, as well as a good DAT score, which is hard to come by.

 

[Nohre]

Thanks! Sounds like some solid advice.

 

[SXCoronado]

.

 

[niv3k]

I have a friend who had about a 3.0 gpa but made a 20 on the DAT.

He got one interview from one of the schools around our state (we live in arkansas, he got an interview at Memphis UTHSC). Ended up getting wait listed because of his low gpa so he went back to get his masters and is now reapplying this cycle.

I have a 3.5 gpa/20 DAT and applied July 20th to UTHSC in Memphis after my undergrad. He applied one day before the deadline (September 29th) and he already got an interview before me. I believe he has a 3.8 gpa or so now after his masters.

I still haven't even heard whether I'll get an interview or not and it's getting so late into the application cycle that I have been losing hope of a pre December interview.

Anyways, with a low gpa I think that raises some red flags with them. They are making a huge investment when they accept a student into their school as they want as few drops/withdrawals as possible since it doesn't look good for their program.

If I don't get in this cycle I'll, of course, try again with more shadow and volunteer hours while taking some graduate level classes.

Anyways don't give up amigo, your gpa may raise some flags but definitely keep at it! I hope that any of this info helps. Don't give up whether you get in the first time or not if this is something you really want to do.

 

[modularelliptical]

Lecom should be your number one choice.

 

[Blake1e]

My adviser said I have the option of delaying my graduation to retake some classes and raise my GPA. If I graduate ASAP I will have about a 3.0 GPA. I haven't taken the DAT, so I don't really know, but I think I might be able to get a 20+ in most sections, especially biology and chemistry.

What are my chances with a 3.0 and 20 DAT across the board?

I have no problems with applying or moving out of state... Just a few questions, like: What's the price of multiple applications? Do you have to go to every school for a face-to-face interview?

I've tried finding this information for myself by looking at predents.com (which doesn't exist anymore). I've looked at PreDentals.com, but it doesn't have very many results for the last 2 years.

I had a 3.2 cumGPA, 3.0 sciGPA, 24AA/25TS/nothing below 20 and decent EC (150hrs shadowing, tutoring, volunteer 40hrs) and I had no luck last cycle even with 4 interviews. (There is a guy called Laughinggas here and he had a 3.0 (or 3.1) overall 22AA and he got 1 acceptance out of 9 interviews, look him up.)

So yeah my advice is to delay graduation and beef up both your overall and science GPAs to at least 3.2. Take a ton of science and math classes and get straight A's; the more classes you take per semester the faster your GPA will go up and the less time you have to spend in undergrad. As for the DAT, take the entire summer off, or just half if thats enough, and study all damn day everyday to make sure you get at least 22AA and nothing less than a 20 in any section.

Lastly, dont bet on LECOM being your saving grace if you stay the way you are now, theyre a bit easier but still not that easy.