Which Schools to Choose!?

[PooyaH]

Hi guys,

I've asked a couple of people already, but I was wondering which schools you'd suggest to apply with my situation.

GPA: 2.8
Volunteer: over 170 hrs
Research: At a dental lab and a research lab (Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology)
DAT: taking it in late July or early august and lets say I'd do about 22 or 23 because that's what I have to shoot for!!!
After the first year of college I had a 3.87 GPA, and the last two semesters I had a 3.67 GPA...So my grades had a downward trend the second and third year due to personal problems but they've been improving.

With all that being said, which schools do you think I should apply to?

Thank You!!!

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[Bruinlove]

Hi guys,

I've asked a couple of people already, but I was wondering which schools you'd suggest to apply with my situation.

GPA: 2.8
Volunteer: over 170 hrs
Research: At a dental lab and a research lab (Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology)
DAT: taking it in late July or early august and lets say I'd do about 22 or 23 because that's what I have to shoot for!!!
After the first year of college I had a 3.87 GPA, and the last two semesters I had a 3.67 GPA...So my grades had a downward trend the second and third year due to personal problems but they've been improving.

With all that being said, which schools do you think I should apply to?

Thank You!!!

If you get 22+ as you wish, you can get into any school.
You should be fine even with 19~20.

Apply to your state school(s) + a few privates like Columbia, Penn, UoP, Tuft.

Have taken any practice exam? It seems that your expected score is getting higher every post.

 

[PooyaH]

If you get 22+ as you wish, you can get into any school.
You should be fine even with 19~20.

Have taken any practice exam? It seems that your expected score is getting higher every post.

Well that's what most people I talk to are telling me! Actually I did take quite a few practice exams last year when I was taking the Kaplan course, and I was doing around 19 and 20 aa. Surprisingly, my PAT score is always high! I remember first time I took it without taking the Kaplan I did 19! But since then I've been getting 21 or 22 on average. Right now I'm just studying for the DATs and I'm gonna take as many as practice tests I can the last 2 or 3 weeks before taking the test!!!

 

[Bruinlove]

Well that's what most people I talk to are telling me! Actually I did take quite a few practice exams last year when I was taking the Kaplan course, and I was doing around 19 and 20 aa. Surprisingly, my PAT score is always high! I remember first time I took it without taking the Kaplan I did 19! But since then I've been getting 21 or 22 on average. Right now I'm just studying for the DATs and I'm gonna take as many as practice tests I can the last 2 or 3 weeks before taking the test!!!

Then, I guess you would score around 20 (19~21). You are fine as long as you have 20+ on PAT.

3.8/20 can get you into most of schools. Your state schools + Columbia, Penn, Tuft, UoP should work out.

 

[PooyaH]

Then, I guess you would score around 20 (19~21). You are fine as long as you have 20+ on PAT.

3.8/20 can get you into most of schools. Your state schools + Columbia, Penn, Tuft, UoP should work out.

Penn? Really? My cousin graduated from Penn State last year and she said they kinda lean more toward gpa than DATs!? So I never had them in my list. Well I guess now I gotta do more research lol

 

[Bruinlove]

Penn? Really? My cousin graduated from Penn State last year and she said they kinda lean more toward gpa than DATs!? So I never had them in my list. Well I guess now I gotta do more research lol

Hm.. I thought you have 3.8 GPA? Even though you wrote 2.8, I thought it was a typo because you did say you had 3.8 on the first year, and had 3.67 in the past 2 semesters.
Is it actually 2.8? Then, we need to change the plan, mate.

With 2.8, you need 22+ for sure. Then, apply to ones that weigh highly on DAT or others that do not have high stats.

I would says Your state shcools + UoP, LLU, BU, NYU, Temple, USC, Tuft, Case, Columbia.
And if you are URM, you can add Howard and Meharry to the list.

If it doesn't work out this year, you should consider masters program to bring up the GPA.

 

[UNR.Grad]

With a 2.8 and a 22+ you'll still have trouble getting into schools. Maybe UoP? I know they don't look at GPA as much as DAT.

 

[PooyaH]

Hm.. I thought you have 3.8 GPA? Even though you wrote 2.8, I thought it was a typo because you did say you had 3.8 on the first year, and had 3.67 in the past 2 semesters.
Is it actually 2.8? Then, we need to change the plan, mate.

Haha I know, I was kinda surprised when you said I should be fine with 19 or 20! lol Yeah actually it's funny if you look at my transcripts. Everything starts perfect and goes down and then comes back up. Last semester I had a 4.0 gpa! I just hope they see that!!! I've had some difficulties 2nd and 3rd year of college and instead of using it as an excuse I just hope for them to see my first and last year and see the pattern as I've explained in my PS!!!

 

[PooyaH]

With a 2.8 and a 22+ you'll still have trouble getting into schools. Maybe UoP? I know they don't look at GPA as much as DAT. Are you a minority?

Yes, Persian if that counts! I moved to U.S. in 2001!

 

[Bruinlove]

Yes, Persian if that counts! I moved to U.S. in 2001!

It doesn't count. I have Persian friends who are considered as "Asians."

 

[PooyaH]

It doesn't count. I have Persian friends who are considered as "Asians."

Asians!!! I thought we were white!!? What the hell!!! lol

 

[Bruinlove]

Asians!!! I thought we were white!!? What the hell!!! lol

Aren't you Iranian? If so, why do you think your country plays against Korea in regional league during Worldcup?

 

[PooyaH]

Aren't you Iranian? If so, why do you think your country plays against Korea in regional league during Worldcup?

haha true that! lol I'll stop talking about soccer cuz if I start I'll never stop!!! So which schools shall I pick mate?

 

[Bruinlove]

There are two ways.

1) apply to everywhere, and hope for as many interviews as possible.
Cons: cost

2) apply to the ones with history of picking up students with similar stats.


For #2, You may apply to your state shcools + UoP, LLU, BU, NYU, Temple, USC, Tuft, Case, Columbia.


All these work only if you score 22+ on DAT.
If not, I recommend masters program instead of wasting money.

 

[Bruinlove]

haha true that! lol I'll stop talking about soccer cuz if I start I'll never stop!!!

I know. My Persian friends and I always talk about soccer.

 

[PooyaH]

There are two ways.

1) apply to everywhere, and hope for as many interviews as possible.
Cons: cost

2) apply to the ones with history of picking up students with similar stats.


For #2, You may apply to your state shcools + UoP, LLU, BU, NYU, Temple, USC, Tuft, Case, Columbia.


All these work only if you score 22+ on DAT.
If not, I recommend masters program instead of wasting money.

Yeah, I had all those in my list except UoP! Thanks a lot buddy!

 

[kxb4777]

Yeah, I had all those in my list except UoP! Thanks a lot buddy!

I'm going to be brutally honest. You can do a million hours of volunteer work and dental shadowing, but the reality is, your application will be tossed from almost everywhere when they see the 2.8 GPA.

How do I know? I spent 2 year applying with a 2.8 GPA, AA - 21, TS - 20, PAT - 28, and didn't even get a single interview. It was only after I got a 3.6 in a Master's program taking graduate level science courses did I finally get ONE interview (out of the 20 I applied to).

If you want, you can apply to the schools that are thought to have accept people with "lower" scores and take a shot. However, I would focus most of your attention on applying to a good post-bacc or non-thesis Masters Program. You need to show that you can do graduate level work, b/c a 2.8 in the eyes of dental admissions offices shows that you aren't capable of performing in dental school.

So my advice is this: research some 1-year masters programs (this site is very helpful), try to get into those, spend a year getting a good GPA taking tough science courses (i.e. immuno, micro, whatever you haven't taken already during undegrad), and study your ass off for the DAT (its good you're shooting for 20+ across the board). Then you will be competitive.

Granted, this all depends on whether or not you did get a 2.8. If in fact you do have a 3.8, you should have no problem getting in anywhere pending your DAT scores.

I hate to rain on the parade here, but dental school has become increasingly competitive over the years and it's important for you to think realistically. Every d-school's avg GPA is going up. It's damn near impossible to get in now with anything below a 3.0. I had to learn that the hard way.

That said, if you really want to go to dental school, it is very doable. Just keep working at it and it will happen.

 

[TempleDMDKrazd]

There are two ways.

1) apply to everywhere, and hope for as many interviews as possible.
Cons: cost

2) apply to the ones with history of picking up students with similar stats.


For #2, You may apply to your state shcools + UoP, LLU, BU, NYU, Temple, USC, Tuft, Case, Columbia.


All these work only if you score 22+ on DAT.
If not, I recommend masters program instead of wasting money.

thats about right....

 

[PooyaH]

I'm going to be brutally honest. You can do a million hours of volunteer work and dental shadowing, but the reality is, your application will be tossed from almost everywhere when they see the 2.8 GPA.

How do I know? I spent 2 year applying with a 2.8 GPA, AA - 21, TS - 20, PAT - 28, and didn't even get a single interview. It was only after I got a 3.6 in a Master's program taking graduate level science courses did I finally get ONE interview (out of the 20 I applied to).

If you want, you can apply to the schools that are thought to have accept people with "lower" scores and take a shot. However, I would focus most of your attention on applying to a good post-bacc or non-thesis Masters Program. You need to show that you can do graduate level work, b/c a 2.8 in the eyes of dental admissions offices shows that you aren't capable of performing in dental school.

So my advice is this: research some 1-year masters programs (this site is very helpful), try to get into those, spend a year getting a good GPA taking tough science courses (i.e. immuno, micro, whatever you haven't taken already during undegrad), and study your ass off for the DAT (its good you're shooting for 20+ across the board). Then you will be competitive.

Granted, this all depends on whether or not you did get a 2.8. If in fact you do have a 3.8, you should have no problem getting in anywhere pending your DAT scores.

I hate to rain on the parade here, but dental school has become increasingly competitive over the years and it's important for you to think realistically. Every d-school's avg GPA is going up. It's damn near impossible to get in now with anything below a 3.0. I had to learn that the hard way.

That said, if you really want to go to dental school, it is very doable. Just keep working at it and it will happen.

Frankly that's how I feel about it too! As I said I just hope they look over everything rather than my gpa! Other than that, I know my chances are low. I have one more year of college left and my only hope is to bring my gpa higher. If I do like I did last semester (4.0) I should be able to bring it up to 3.5 ! I appreciate your help and honesty is what I'm looking for; so it's ok to be "bruitally honest" lol Thank you!

 

[santal907]

I'm going to be brutally honest. You can do a million hours of volunteer work and dental shadowing, but the reality is, your application will be tossed from almost everywhere when they see the 2.8 GPA.

How do I know? I spent 2 year applying with a 2.8 GPA, AA - 21, TS - 20, PAT - 28, and didn't even get a single interview. It was only after I got a 3.6 in a Master's program taking graduate level science courses did I finally get ONE interview (out of the 20 I applied to).

If you want, you can apply to the schools that are thought to have accept people with "lower" scores and take a shot. However, I would focus most of your attention on applying to a good post-bacc or non-thesis Masters Program. You need to show that you can do graduate level work, b/c a 2.8 in the eyes of dental admissions offices shows that you aren't capable of performing in dental school.

So my advice is this: research some 1-year masters programs (this site is very helpful), try to get into those, spend a year getting a good GPA taking tough science courses (i.e. immuno, micro, whatever you haven't taken already during undegrad), and study your ass off for the DAT (its good you're shooting for 20+ across the board). Then you will be competitive.

Granted, this all depends on whether or not you did get a 2.8. If in fact you do have a 3.8, you should have no problem getting in anywhere pending your DAT scores.

I hate to rain on the parade here, but dental school has become increasingly competitive over the years and it's important for you to think realistically. Every d-school's avg GPA is going up. It's damn near impossible to get in now with anything below a 3.0. I had to learn that the hard way.

That said, if you really want to go to dental school, it is very doable. Just keep working at it and it will happen.

- Can you tell me more about a master program?
- How is it different from a post bac and how much does it cost?
- how I can apply for a master program and which master program do you recommend?