What's with the big difference?

[sdnmember]

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Everyone in THIS forum says 3.0 with a solid DAt like 21, will have great chances. While the main pre-dental forum is saying that 3.0-3.3 is a dying breed and wont' get in anymore? What's with the huge difference in opinions?

I have about a 3.25-3.3 and an expecting to get around >20 DAT and i'm becoming extremely anxious and worried reading the pre-dental forum. I've prob read the DAT book equivalent to ten times and i'm pretty bright overall.

I've also got a great trend in my stats, my lowest is a 2.5 sophomore year 1st term then to a 3.5 for my entire junior yaer(i took physics, TWO bios, chemistry II and cse courses and labs all in the same term), then i jump up to a 3.6 and 4.0 (22 credits for my last term) for for my entire senior year. I am also a cs major and i took all my science reqs, WHILE taking cs 300 level courses. I';ve gotta stay away from that forum until my test date. Reading all that pessimistic talk on pre-dental forum is BEYOND depressing.

 

[DrTacoElf]

Everyone in THIS forum says 3.0 with a solid DAt like 21, will have great chances. While the main pre-dental forum is saying that 3.0-3.3 is a dying breed and wont' get in anymore? What's with the huge difference in opinions?

I have about a 3.25-3.3 and an expecting to get around >20 DAT and i'm becoming extremely anxious and worried reading the pre-dental forum. I've prob read the DAT book equivalent to ten times and i'm pretty bright overall.

I've also got a great trend in my stats, my lowest is a 2.5 sophomore year 1st term then to a 3.5 for my entire junior yaer(i took physics, TWO bios, chemistry II and cse courses and labs all in the same term), then i jump up to a 3.6 and 4.0 (22 credits for my last term) for for my entire senior year. I am also a cs major and i took all my science reqs, WHILE taking cs 300 level courses. I';ve gotta stay away from that forum until my test date. Reading all that pessimistic talk on pre-dental forum is BEYOND depressing.

3.0 or better with nice dat gives anyone a chance IMO.

 

[ahmedpredental0]

3.0 or better with nice dat gives anyone a chance IMO.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS FORUM WHO R TRYING TO DISCOURAGE OTHERS FROM PEOPLE FROM BEING A DENTIST.....BUT U KNOW WHAT.. FORGET THAT!!!!
IF DENTISTRY IS REALLY WHERE ONE SEES THEIR SELF THEN ThEY SHOULD GO FOR IT!!!!...ITS A DREAM LIVE IT!!
ALSO EVERYONE IS LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY...

 

[luder98]

I BELIEVE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS FORUM WHO R TRYING TO DISCOURAGE OTHERS FROM PEOPLE FROM BEING A DENTIST.....BUT U KNOW WHAT.. FORGET THAT!!!!
IF DENTISTRY IS REALLY WHERE ONE SEES THEIR SELF THEN ThEY SHOULD GO FOR IT!!!!...ITS A DREAM LIVE IT!!
ALSO EVERYONE IS LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY...

CAPs == yelling. Are you yelling? 🙂 J/K

 

[ahmedpredental0]

CAPs == yelling. Are you yelling? 🙂 J/K

Yeah i am..sorry...its just that i teach a pre-dental class (check it out: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/preprof/bio250b.html)....and the smart ass students say this to their class mates....i get so mad that i just want to take out my 45 and shoot them...J/K....BUT its ok..most of those students do drugs and think it wont effect their schooling or people wont tell on them in professional school...LOOK i am warning people RIGHT now "People who do DRUGS, stay the F*** away from me DURing Dental school or else i will tell the police and get the school involved...i dont really care its that simple"...(I had a friend get killed during a drug deal..this is why I AM CRAZY! )


😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

 

[Lephisto]

.

 

[ahmedpredental0]

wow, your ridiculous...do you drink at all? alcohol is a drug too...You leave "them" alone, they'll leave you alone...what other people do with their spare time is none of your concern...if someone, like you say, can do well in undergraduate and on the DAT, get into dental school, and do well in dental school, whats the big deal? as long as they aren't see'ing patients high who cares...it would be the same thing as drinking and doing a root canal. A lot of my friends smoke, and they get better grades than me in their upper level biology courses, and I'm not an idiot either! moderation is the key...in drinking or smoking or studying...life is a balance friend...relax and enjoy

I dont drink its against my religion...and in terms of doing all of that stuff...its a stage that we all go through but to be at the age of 24 or 27 and still doing that stuff....its not good...its not responsible!!..and let me ask you a question so u think smoking and drinking is something you can just give up that easy when you become a professional or r u saying its ok to smoke as long as you arent hurting anyone?? Yes life is balance but people who smoke all the time never stop...dude..listen i know of someone who's parents are both doctors and still smoke..and they smoke with their kids...DOes this make sense??...u let me Know...also dont forgot about ones morals and ethics....how are u gonna be a leader in a community and your doing the things that the community is trying to stop....Come on i am not talking out of my ASS...What i am saying is from life experience...But in the END i Do respect your thoughts.

 

[Lephisto]

.

 

[hockeydentist]

I was not trying to deter people from applying, but merely just venting my frustrations, as 3.0 or better just doesnt cut it anymore.

Have you looked at the AADSAS book the average matriculating gpa and DAT, there high.

Off course a 20 or better and a gpa of 3.0 is good, you have decent shot of getting into a dental school, provided you apply in a reasonable amount of time.

If you got above 3.0 gpa and a 20, have confidence in yourself that you got a 70% chance of getting into dental school.

Good luck

 

[demonicr]

Yeah i am..sorry...its just that i teach a pre-dental class (check it out: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/preprof/bio250b.html)....and the smart ass students say this to their class mates....i get so mad that i just want to take out my 45 and shoot them...J/K....BUT its ok..most of those students do drugs and think it wont effect their schooling or people wont tell on them in professional school...LOOK i am warning people RIGHT now "People who do DRUGS, stay the F*** away from me DURing Dental school or else i will tell the police and get the school involved...i dont really care its that simple"...(I had a friend get killed during a drug deal..this is why I AM CRAZY! )


😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

man, who are you to tell people what they should do and what they shouldn't do. people who smoke and drink, its their problem, if it doesn't affect you, then why should you care. i understand you are so upset that your friend got killed during a drug deal. but what is he doing involving in a drug deal anyways? u sound like you have a lot anger inside you. personally i think you calm down, cause i think you are crazy

 

[ahmedpredental0]

I was not trying to deter people from applying, but merely just venting my frustrations, as 3.0 or better just doesnt cut it anymore.

Have you looked at the AADSAS book the average matriculating gpa and DAT, there high.

Off course a 20 or better and a gpa of 3.0 is good, you have decent shot of getting into a dental school, provided you apply in a reasonable amount of time.

If you got above 3.0 gpa and a 20, have confidence in yourself that you got a 70% chance of getting into dental school.

Good luck

I think your correct.....i was talking to my advisor about this and i asked why this maybe and she said....it has to do with the econ. and the fact that many medical students change to dentistry because they think its easier. (Sorry for those who have done this...I aint mad at you...i got nothing but love for you.. so do your thing!)

 

[sdnmember]

I think your correct.....i was talking to my advisor about this and i asked why this maybe and she said....it has to do with the econ. and the fact that many medical students change to dentistry because they think its easier. (Sorry for those who have done this...I aint mad at you...i got nothing but love for you.. so do your thing!)

I refuse to believe that dental school will EVER be as competitive as medical school. Everyone always refers to the smart people as 'doctors and lawyers'. Rarely does anyone ever mention dentists. Even on tv, there's so many medical shoes like ER, etc. Any dental shows? Those are probably the wrong reasons to take up medicine but that's how the world is. Doctors and lawyers are prestigious occupations.

Even if people are turning to dental because it's 'easier', it won't be any more easier if dental really does that competitive. So isn't that a contradiction? Most people would rather be a doctor than a dentist. Dental might get HARDER to get into, but it won't be as hard as medicine. Just as law school will never be as hard to get into as medicine even though it's much easier to get into.

 

[jdcinza13]

yeah...just look at all the idiots that law schools put out. Maybe they should make it a lot harder to get into law school.

On another note, Ahmed, buddy.... You are waaayyyy over the top and out of line in most of your thinking. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, but I'm definitely not going to "tell on someone"...It's their business, not yours, as long as it's not affecting you.

 

[demonicr]

I refuse to believe that dental school will EVER be as competitive as medical school. Everyone always refers to the smart people as 'doctors and lawyers'. Rarely does anyone ever mention dentists. Even on tv, there's so many medical shoes like ER, etc. Any dental shows? Those are probably the wrong reasons to take up medicine but that's how the world is. Doctors and lawyers are prestigious occupations.

Even if people are turning to dental because it's 'easier', it won't be any more easier if dental really does that competitive. So isn't that a contradiction? Most people would rather be a doctor than a dentist. Dental might get HARDER to get into, but it won't be as hard as medicine. Just as law school will never be as hard to get into as medicine even though it's much easier to get into.

well dentistry is clearly much less competitive than med school. just look at how many peple post on here with sub par stats asking if they can get into dental school. i highly doubt if anyone would dare to ask that question in the medical school forums. i was reading on the med school forums and there was students with a 3.4 GPA doing postbacc work to beef up their application. a 3.4 gpa with a decent dat score is consider a shoe in to at least one dental school in the nation.

 

[MrBenny]

so what if the medical and law professions are more "prestigious" and there are nice Emmy-winning TV shows written about them? Doctors, for the most part, will never say that they love their jobs, and every single answer I've gotten from my med school buddies what they think about medicine is "You gotta really enjoy it for it to be rewarding." Not the most endorsing of all answers. And who likes lawyers? Lawyers are at the butt of almost any socio/professional joke around. For example:

Q: You're in a room with bin Laden, Hitler, and a lawyer. You have a gun with two bullets. What do you do?
A: Shoot the lawyer twice.

so who cares if dental school is "easier" to get in than law or med school? So I guess the easier it is to get into a school, the lesser the profession? So teachers are worth nothing? Please. Teachers are far more valuable than doctors, dentists, lawyers combined. I have far FAR more respect for a dilgent, gifted 1st grade teacher than I do for the money-starving Wall Street corporate lawyers.
So basically: who cares what school is harder to get into? What matters is what you want to do with your life.

 

[luder98]

Teachers are far more valuable than doctors, dentists, lawyers combined. I have far FAR more respect for a dilgent, gifted 1st grade teacher than I do for the money-starving Wall Street corporate lawyers.

👍 👍 👍 In my country, teachers/professors can't even make a decent living out of their career. Yet, they still stick with it because they know the values of their career. I respect them most.

 

[MrBenny]

👍 👍 👍 In my country, teachers/professors can't even make a decent living out of their career. Yet, they still stick with it because they know the values of their career. I respect them most.

Amen.

 

[TX Hopeful]

Teachers are far more valuable than doctors, dentists, lawyers combined. I have far FAR more respect for a dilgent, gifted 1st grade teacher than I do for the money-starving Wall Street corporate lawyers.
QUOTE]

Amen!!! Even worse...let's talk about professional athletes who make more money than anybody would know what to do with. Not to mention...this is coming out of the draft where they haven't proven themselves in a professional league yet. Ohhh, the injustice!

Bottom line about dental school and all of these great statistics... those numbers get you past the first gate. They get you in the door for consideration and an interview. The rest is up to you...how you conduct your interview, what you've done (extracurriculars, accomplishments, what makes you stand out). Granted...there are minimum scores and GPAs, but you don't need a 4.0 GPA and a 30 on the DAT.

Just my $0.02

 

[joy2dmd]

Dentists are not really "doctors" or something less than Physicians?

Ignorance is truly bliss. Those that feel this way are truly ignorant. I will say that to their face too. Find a good dentist and a good physician and neither one will tell you less of the other. They will both tell you they are equal in what they do medically and must compliment each other. The heart surgeon doesn't diagnose oral cancer, probably never seen it. Not all physicians deal with life and death, are they less of a physician. Life and death is drama. Not a lot of drama in dentistry, except now we have ZOOM and veneers on TV! And TNT knows drama too.

I have attended several dental classes with my friend at his dental school. Right next to me in class were medical students (for some of the first two year courses, like Anat, Biochem, Histo, Path). Not all schools do this, but some do.

My brother is a pediatrician (very well known, and even written up in NY Times in May 2004, check it out, "monkey pox". He consults and refers to dentists regularly. He has a lot of respect for good dentists, yet disrespect for other colleagues that practice poor medicine. My other brother is a dentist. BTW, dentistry is medicine. I have chosen dentistry for many reasons.

I hope all of you, as you enter this profession, realize the awesome responsibility it is to be a doctor (whether a DMD, DDS, or MD) and practice good medicine.

Try and kick all your drug habbits too. Personally, I would rather not see any doctor on Monday that I saw or knew was smoking pot or doing lines Saturday night. An occasional drink or cig would not turn me away from a doctor.

Cheers

 

[ItsGavinC]

I was not trying to deter people from applying, but merely just venting my frustrations, as 3.0 or better just doesnt cut it anymore.

This is true.

A 3.0 and an average DAT score (18ish) doesn't cut it. Matriculants will, by and large, have a 3.3-3.7 and a 20 or above on their DAT.

 

[ItsGavinC]

i was reading on the med school forums and there was students with a 3.4 GPA doing postbacc work to beef up their application. a 3.4 gpa with a decent dat score is consider a shoe in to at least one dental school in the nation.

A 3.4 GPA is also a shoe-in to multiple medical schools, assuming MCAT score is decent.

 

[edkNARF]

Everyone in THIS forum says 3.0 with a solid DAt like 21, will have great chances. While the main pre-dental forum is saying that 3.0-3.3 is a dying breed and wont' get in anymore? What's with the huge difference in opinions?

GPAs are completely subjective. The validity of a GPA is dependant on the quality of the college it was earned at. This is why a DAT is necessary to validate (or invalidate the GPA).

 

[HuyetKiem]

👍 👍 👍 In my country, teachers/professors can't even make a decent living out of their career. Yet, they still stick with it because they know the values of their career. I respect them most.

and Doctors too under state-controlled medicine 😕

 

[sdnmember]

GPAs are completely subjective. The validity of a GPA is dependant on the quality of the college it was earned at. This is why a DAT is necessary to validate (or invalidate the GPA).

The DAT doesn't necessary validate any of that. It would be great if the adcoms actually judged somewhat based on yoru major and university. i mean how can u compare a computer engineering major at a good university to a psychology major(no offense) at a community college? it seems as though all the adcoms care about is numbers. You notice 95% of the people on even this forum just list their gpa, usually no major or university. Why? Because it just doesn't really matter, does it?

My brother didn't even go to HS, he got a GED and went to a rather 'stupid', college and majored in criminal justice or soemething. I remember him complainging about his college math course and it was all ready stuff i learned in HS. But he managed to get a 3.8 because the college was just so damn easy. Now? He's making 120k after graduating from NYU law school. Me? I'm worried to death that I won't get in because I slacked off somewhat during my first 3 years in college ~(cse major, because i didnt plan on dental school). If I had went to a cheap easy college and studied the same amount of time as i did, i'd have a 3.8, like my brother, much less work and be a shoe in. And there's no turning back, it's like i'm trapped with this worthless degree. So it seems like you can mess up in HS, drop out, and it won't count at all. But if you mess up one year in college, it'll haunt you for the rest of yoru years. Life just isn't fair i supose. What an i do besides accept it.

 

[sdnmember]

A 3.4 GPA is also a shoe-in to multiple medical schools, assuming MCAT score is decent.

And are you sure about that? There's a bunch of people complaingin on the pre-dent forum now, they have like 3.3's with decent - good DAT's and have been applying the second time around. Yet they still dont' get any acceptances! 😡

 

[Sprgrover]

This is true.

A 3.0 and an average DAT score (18ish) doesn't cut it. Matriculants will, by and large, have a 3.3-3.7 and a 20 or above on their DAT.

Based on my experience talking with adcom members and reviewing the upward trend of dental school matriculants I agree with Gavin.

well dentistry is clearly much less competitive than med school...

While medical schools is a bit more competitive, the gap is certainly narrowing.

 

[konovsi]

It seems that taking a somewhat an easy non science major in college and taking only the required science courses for dental school is best way to go. If someone just takes the required courses and gets good grades then their science gpa will be pretty high coupled with an easy non science major. However if a person decided to be a bio or chem major they will have over 90 credits of tough science classes and chances are their science gpa wont be as high as someone who takes only required sciences. It seems adcoms dont value this and just look at the overall gpas for sciences and not the amount of science classes taken.

 

[demonicr]

It seems that taking a somewhat an easy non science major in college and taking only the required science courses for dental school is best way to go. If someone just takes the required courses and gets good grades then their science gpa will be pretty high coupled with an easy non science major. However if a person decided to be a bio or chem major they will have over 90 credits of tough science classes and chances are their science gpa wont be as high as someone who takes only required sciences. It seems adcoms dont value this and just look at the overall gpas for sciences and not the amount of science classes taken.

if i have to do all over again thats exactly what i will do. i would choose an easy undergradute major, and take all the science required classes plus a couple upperdivision class to be more prepared for dental school. cause the science GPA on our appls stands out like a shining star. my undergradute major was engineering so 3/4 of my classes count towrds my science gpa on top of my prerequesite classes.

 

[kalix]

I refuse to believe that dental school will EVER be as competitive as medical school. Everyone always refers to the smart people as 'doctors and lawyers'. Rarely does anyone ever mention dentists. Even on tv, there's so many medical shoes like ER, etc. Any dental shows? Those are probably the wrong reasons to take up medicine but that's how the world is. Doctors and lawyers are prestigious occupations.

Even if people are turning to dental because it's 'easier', it won't be any more easier if dental really does that competitive. So isn't that a contradiction? Most people would rather be a doctor than a dentist. Dental might get HARDER to get into, but it won't be as hard as medicine. Just as law school will never be as hard to get into as medicine even though it's much easier to get into.

You speak with such clarity, it just blows my mind !! 😎