What should I do?

[jvss123]

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hi guys,
ok so i recently graduated and plan to attend dental school. However, I am really anxious as to what my chances of getting in are. I am mainly applying to US schools and wanted to know what I should do to make myself a stronger candidate.
Overall GPA: 3.26
sci GPA: 2.96
non-sci: 3.5
I know my GPA is quite low 🙁 but I am willing to do watever it takes to become a better candidate for dental school.
I have written the Feb 2009 DAT and am anxiously waiting for the results. I am not sure how i did... I have about 1 year before I can attend a dental school (that is if I get in) and cannot decide which path i should take. 1)should i go back to school and take other courses to increase my GPA? 2)should I do a 2-year masters program? 3)should I do either dental assisting or hygenist before dental school?
Also, I am aware that the GPA from the masters program will be added to the overall GPA. However, I am not sure if that is the case with dental assisting or hygenist diploma... Would being a dental assistant or hygenist compensate for my poor GPA or should i just concentrate on increasing my GPA?? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[bigstix808]

not post a thread 4 times. that's a good start 🙂

 

[jvss123]

sorry im trying to delete them... my computer is acting really weird

 

[bigstix808]

that aside...some might question the validity of your post because when you take the DAT you get your scores right away...they appear on your computer screen. also, for the DAT they don't mail you your scores. the only "officail record" you get of your scores is a piece of paper before you leave the testing center. if you did not recieve any of the above, i'm sorry, but you just got played.

 

[jvss123]

well i took the canadian DAT and i wont be recieving them till another 2 weeks...

 

[D.D.S.]

I suggest you increase your GPA by doing the masters program. Also I know in US they have like a 1 year biochem masters program, I am not sure about Canada.

 

[GDwood]

that aside...some might question the validity of your post because when you take the DAT you get your scores right away...they appear on your computer screen. also, for the DAT they don't mail you your scores. the only "officail record" you get of your scores is a piece of paper before you leave the testing center. if you did not recieve any of the above, i'm sorry, but you just got played.

maybe u should read his/her post carefully before u try to write a useful post.
maybe due to ur low RC score?

 

[Vicviper]

Haha, yeah, lets not all pick on them 😛 If you do a Post-Bac or a Graduate program, they really look at that GPA completely separately (although they definitely can still see the old GPA), and getting a good GPA there will very much make up for a low GPA in undergrad. Be careful though, most US dental schools won't take the Canadian DAT, though some do.

At this point, I don't think the dental assisting will make much of a difference, unless you've got like no other dental experience or shadowing, so I don't think you'd need to do that.

I had a 3.01 Science GPA when I applied, but I did well on the DAT's, and was accepted at 3 schools, so it defenetly is possible to get in with a low GPA - but I'm more the exception than the rule.

 

[GDwood]

if ur DAT score is good enough to compensate for ur low sci GPA, then i would say give it a try and apply but if not, then try to take more science courses to improve ur GPA. That is what i would do if i were u but who am i to tell u what to do right?

good luck

 

[GDwood]

Haha, yeah, lets not all pick on them 😛 If you do a Post-Bac or a Graduate program, they really look at that GPA completely separately (although they definitely can still see the old GPA), and getting a good GPA there will very much make up for a low GPA in undergrad. Be careful though, most US dental schools won't take the Canadian DAT, though some do.

At this point, I don't think the dental assisting will make much of a difference, unless you've got like no other dental experience or shadowing, so I don't think you'd need to do that.

I had a 3.01 Science GPA when I applied, but I did well on the DAT's, and was accepted at 3 schools, so it defenetly is possible to get in with a low GPA - but I'm more the exception than the rule.

correct me if i am wrong
i thought most US dental schools take the Canadian DAT. more than just some dental schools

 

[219122]

There are a lot of dental schools that take the Canadian DAT, mostly private schools and very few public ones. Your best bet is to look at the websites of the schools you are interested in because the answer to that question is listed in most of their FAQ sections. I personally found that as you move towards the south and west of the states the number of schools that take the cDAT fell. It is still a good number of schools that accept the scores though so you should be fine (I applied to 12 schools and that wasn't even close to the max number of schools that accepted cDAT scores).

 

[Vicviper]

You know you're right, my mistake. I just looked through the big ADEA guide to dental schools and it's about half and half, probably more. I guess I really didn't think about it beyond the few that I saw no, haha.

Well anyways, good luck!

 

[bigstix808]

maybe u should read his/her post carefully before u try to write a useful post.
maybe due to ur low RC score?

yes, because i am just supposed to magically know that they were making reference to the Canadian DAT...so i'm pretty sure i read it as is.

to the OP, if you can find a 1 yr masters that you can get into, go for it and rock out that GPA. but without knowing your DAT scores, its really hard for anyone, esp on SDN, to give you accurate advice are your next course of action towards getting in to school.

GL

 

[jvss123]

well, most of the masters programs in canada are usually 2 years, rarely will you see a 1 yr program (and these will be outside of the health care field) I dont wanna dedicate 2 years into masters and having to drop out of it (that would be a waste of money and time). Besides, wouldnt the dental schools prefer that you finish the masters program completely before entering dentschool.
I am currently shadowing a dentist (80 hours) and volunteer at a local hospital (130 hours)... so you guys dont think dental assisting or hygeine has pros? I feel that i would get hands on experience in the field of dentistry, would be working side by side with a dentist and interacting with dental patients... also both of them would take about a year to finish. I dont know thats what I think...

 

[bigstix808]

well, most of the masters programs in canada are usually 2 years, rarely will you see a 1 yr program (and these will be outside of the health care field) I dont wanna dedicate 2 years into masters and having to drop out of it (that would be a waste of money and time). Besides, wouldnt the dental schools prefer that you finish the masters program completely before entering dentschool.
I am currently shadowing a dentist (80 hours) and volunteer at a local hospital (130 hours)... so you guys dont think dental assisting or hygeine has pros? I feel that i would get hands on experience in the field of dentistry, would be working side by side with a dentist and interacting with dental patients... also both of them would take about a year to finish. I dont know thats what I think...

well say you did the assistant/hygeine route...it would take you a year to finish that and then you would have to work to gain exp in order to "impress" the adcoms. if you can find a dentist that is willing to train you to assit that would be awesome...but i'm sure those are far and few between with them knowing you'll be leaving shortly there after. if you're not wanting to commit 2 yrs into a program (masters, assisting, etc) then i would just shoot for some post bac classes at your local university and try to do well in them. seems like your best shot at this point.

 

[pinkypinky2013]

maybe you could apply at same time and study in graduate school to increase ur GPA. Or you may need to get super high DAT ...I know someone has 3.0,, but he got 29 on biology....he got into UCLA......Good luck ^^

 

[jvss123]

aiite guys, so i just received my scores:
Bio: 20
Chem: 18
TS: 19
RC: 18
AA:19
PAT:20
Carving: 22
im kinda upset about the chem and RC but adcom tend to mostly look at TS/AA/PAT scores only? So are these scores competitive?
I am planning to retake the Canadian DAT in november (bc thats the next available exam date). I was wondering how do the dentschools look at the scores; will they hold my application till after my november scores become available?? If so, then wouldnt applying early be pointless if they dont look at my app till end of december?
Also, I am still kinda debating if i should still pursue a masters for 2 yrs or should i just take an extra yr of science course to boost my gpa. What do u guys think? thnx a lot for all the advice...

 

[jvss123]

sorry, i meant to ask does adcom mainly look at TS/AA/PAT (19,19,20)??

 

[Dentgirl09]

aiite guys, so i just received my scores:
Bio: 20
Chem: 18
TS: 19
RC: 18
AA:19
PAT:20
Carving: 22
im kinda upset about the chem and RC but adcom tend to mostly look at TS/AA/PAT scores only? So are these scores competitive?
I am planning to retake the Canadian DAT in november (bc thats the next available exam date). I was wondering how do the dentschools look at the scores; will they hold my application till after my november scores become available?? If so, then wouldnt applying early be pointless if they dont look at my app till end of december?
Also, I am still kinda debating if i should still pursue a masters for 2 yrs or should i just take an extra yr of science course to boost my gpa. What do u guys think? thnx a lot for all the advice...

It's on the fence. You could probably apply and maybe get lucky? I had a low GPA as well... 3.13 science and overall for both.
Vicviper is an URM so I wouldn't count him as an average candidate-no offence.
I did better on teh DAT than you, but if you apply earyl and write a killer PS you could ahve a shot this cycle. In the meantime take classes to boost yoru GPA so you can show your progress in december... and you will ahve it behiind you incase you need to reapply?

THat is.. if you have the $$ to have to potentially apply twice. I took the chance b/c my parents were willing to fund me. I also got above 90% or higher on everything but QR and GCHEM.

I realized i mixed up your overall and sci--the fact taht you sci is so low could hurt you a lot... unless you just have a couple classes you did really bad in but show a positive trend....