Will a high score on a DAT save me?

[emg]

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OK. Here's my problem. I went to community college for a year and my GPA was 3.0. Then I transferred to a 4-year University, I failed 5 classes (C- or lower) during my first year in University, so I had to retake them. Now, my University GPA is 3.1, but the way AADSAS calculates it - it'll be around 2.67 (because they use ALL grades)

I just finished my third year and semester GPA's were 3.34 and 3.2

Do you think a high score on a DAT will save me?

 

[emg]

Anyone? Should I even apply this cycle?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Blarelli]

Mind you, I'm not an expert, but based off of all the stats I've looked at in the past 3 years, you don't have a very good chance, even with a high DAT.

 

[Sbosu]

I'd save my money and not apply this cycle, you really need to get that GPA up

 

[Dan3223]

The only GPA that matters is the one that AADSAS calculates.
So if your AADSAS GPA is a 2.67..... you would need a huge DAT score (23 or higher) to give you a shot.
Your best bet is to keep bringing your GPA up... and then try and get in to a masters program and get an awesome GPA in that.

 

[EnamelCoating]

They're all haters! A high DAT score should offset your stats. You never know until you apply. So what if you lose a few bills? You don't apply then you already struck out. All up to your own judgement.

 

[Blarelli]

They're all haters! A high DAT score should offset your stats. You never know until you apply. So what if you lose a few bills? You don't apply then you already struck out. All up to your own judgement.

I'm just saying that because I have seen several very intelligent and competent people coast through school, and when it comes time to apply they have below a 3.0 and a 22 on the DAT, apply to 15 school, get one or two interviews, and no acceptances.

 

[Sea of ASH]

I'd save my money and not apply this cycle, you really need to get that GPA up

and how do u go about doin that? im kinda in the same boat but they wont let me retake classes becuz i got a C on it and it couts and passing. so how should i increase my science gpa?😕

 

[emg]

Thank you for your replies. I can see that my GPA is not competitive on a grand scale, but do you think it makes a difference if I'm a first generation college student who moved to the US 4 years ago.

 

[Blarelli]

Thank you for your replies. I can see that my GPA is not competitive on a grand scale, but do you think it makes a difference if I'm a first generation college student who moved to the US 4 years ago.

From where? Minority status?

 

[emg]

From where? Minority status?

Don't think so. I'm an Armenian who was born and grew up in Moscow, Russia. They call us "black" over there because of the hair color, but I'm white here in the US because of the skin color. 🙂

 

[doc toothache]

OK. Here's my problem. I went to community college for a year and my GPA was 3.0. Then I transferred to a 4-year University, I failed 5 classes (C- or lower) during my first year in University, so I had to retake them. Now, my University GPA is 3.1, but the way AADSAS calculates it - it'll be around 2.67 (because they use ALL grades)

I just finished my third year and semester GPA's were 3.34 and 3.2

Do you think a high score on a DAT will save me?

Get a high DAT score then ask the question.

 

[OMFS08]

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

 

[Zerconia2921]

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

Hey bud, from what I been reading it looks like a low GPA chances are not as great but dont feel down hearing this from people its going to be struggel dont give up despite all the voices telling you that its impossible. You still can do it.
Best of luck.👍

 

[denttiger]

Hey, just my .02 here but I agree that you should save your money and apply later. Your GPA really will hurt your chances of getting an interview even if you do have a 20+ on the DAT, which I'm sure you know isn't a piece of cake to begin with. Alot of doing well on it depends on having a good background from your classes. I agree with the above poster... take some more upper level science classes (A&P, Immun, Cell Bio, Histo, whatever) and bust your *** in them and make A's. Then do well on the DAT and reapply... admiss comm. always like seeing an increase in grades! If you really want to get in you can do it.. best of luck!

 

[blankguy]

I don't think a high DAT score will save you in this case. You can take the DAT. Regardless of whether you get a very high score or not you will need to figure out a way to boost your GPA. A DAT of 22+ with a GPA that's 2.6-7ish may not sit well with the adcoms. Try to do more postbacc or masters. You need to show a consistent set of strong grades given your checkered record. This will show that your so so grades of years past are well behind you as well as boost your GPA. A masters program will certainly require good grades to gain admission .

 

[MnBr63]

My take on the subject...
I'm not sure the details on your GPA as far as a trend goes. It would look better for you to have started out low and raised it by the end. You had mentioned something about "counting all your grades." I take it this means you took some classes over again with higher grades. If you pulled off A's in those classes it might help you out. There are lots of other factors in your application that could help you out: a stellar personal statement and experiences. Do you have valid reasons for your low grades and are you sure that it won't happen again? Post-Bacc/ masters work should help you out... possibly even apply to graduate level pre-dental programs at some schools; I know Baylor and San Antonio have them. People HAVE gotten in before with similar GPAs, but it definitely wasn't easy.

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

GPA requirements are different for all schools. Some will not look at you w/ a sub 3.0...but OMFS08....isn't your #1 choice Howard and haven't you described them like this in your own post "Describe your Dental School":

Credentials Required for Admission

Bachelor of Science or Arts degree
GPA: 2.7
Total Science GPA: 2.7
DAT: 17 (in each of the eight categories)

As other people have said before... the average GPA of a class is just that, an average. If the average is 3.5, a lot of the time there are just about as many people with 3.1s as 3.9s. If you are truly determined to get in keep with it...but for now, get your nose in a DAT book and ace the thing.

 

[doc toothache]

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

Actually there are a number of schools where the range is below 3.0. Keep a lookout for stats or you can look them up in the 2008 ADEA Guide to Dental Schools.

https://access.adea.org/adeassa/ecs...st_id=&p_order_serno=&p_promo_cd=&p_price_cd=

 

[armorshell]

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

I think there are several people on the forum, including myself, who would tend to disagree. 2.99 GPA, 25AA and 4 acceptances in 1 application cycle. Nail the DAT, apply (Make sure to apply to Pacific, Columbia, and UNLV if your RC is high), and make sure you have a backup masters ready to go.

 

[UCSF2012]

I think there are several people on the forum, including myself, who would tend to disagree. 2.99 GPA, 25AA and 4 acceptances in 1 application cycle. Nail the DAT, apply (Make sure to apply to Pacific, Columbia, and UNLV if your RC is high), and make sure you have a backup masters ready to go.

A 2.67 isn't 0.01 from acceptable

 

[armorshell]

A 2.67 isn't 0.01 from acceptable

True, but there may be a great deal in there that you're not considering. A person isn't just a number, maybe they have some significant circumstance that led to a very poor academic situation early on in school, or have significant improvement over time. A high DAT can (Rightly or wrongly) give admissions officers a good reason to take a second look at an applicant, especially at schools like I mentioned above that weigh the DAT very highly.

 

[Jaba]

Honestly emg, because of your GPA, no school will accept you, the minimum they require is 3.0 if I am correct. You may go ahead and try as some schools may still be lenient. Try to do a grad program and try to get a 4.0. Good luck

NO SCHOOL WILL ACCEPT YOU.... thats not true. not all schools req 3.0 cut off.

 

[Holopeachy1]

NO SCHOOL WILL ACCEPT YOU.... thats not true. not all schools req 3.0 cut off.

I agree, plus you can bring up your gpa during the summer plus the upcoming semesters. Try to do so! Worse case scenario even if you dont get in atleast you have gone through the process once. Then next year you try again, that shows how determined you are!

Thats my opinion! Of course you also need an absolute stellar DAT score.

But you can do it! Its possible and it has been done.

Its hard coming here from another country, I'm in the same boat, but I have been here for 9 years now. English is my third language. But dont let some of these kids here discourage you and it wont be the end of the world if you dont get in the first year. Good luck!

 

[jigabodo]

To be completely honest, your chances don't look too good this cycle even if you get a 21 AA.

I would sugguest doing some postbac, or an 1 year Master program to make yourself more competitive before applying. The application process is expensive, ya know.

 

[Montserrat]

My GPA wasn't all that impressive - but it was more than .3 higher than yours, and I was told that it was still far too low. I think your chances would be far safer if you hovered around a 3.0, with a higher DAT score. You know your weakness, so like someone else mentioned, apply to Master's programs as well as Dental school. After going through the process, the best advice was already offered by Armorshell - target those schools that weigh the DAT heavily. I wasted a fair amount of money by applying to schools I had absolutely no shot at. Be smart, do your research, and have a backup plan. With lower scores, there really isn't much in the way of security. I thought I had a better chance that I actually did by earning above average DAT scores, and having unique extracurriculars - what I learned was that most schools didn't care about them, because what they saw first was my GPA.

 

[OMFS08]

To be completely honest, your chances don't look too good this cycle even if you get a 21 AA.

I would sugguest doing some postbac, or an 1 year Master program to make yourself more competitive before applying. The application process is expensive, ya know.

Always a voice of reason....

 

[No1ustad]

NO SCHOOL WILL ACCEPT YOU.... thats not true. not all schools req 3.0 cut off.

would you mind telling me or pointing me in the directions of the ones that dont? or the ones that do? it'd help a lot.

 

[jigabodo]

Always a voice of reason....

Is that bad? 🙁