words of advise?

[Thaxil]

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? This is officially my first posting, but I have been browsing all the discussion for about 6 months now. I find that there are many informative people here always willing to yield some help.

I guess; my reason for this posting is to receive some words of encouragement or advise from some knowledgeable members. I am currently a senior majoring in Bio-Chemistry. I transfer from a community college as a junior to University of California, Riverside. While at Riverside I have maintained a 3.3 average for every quarter with the lousy exception of one quarter where I obtained a 1.5. During that quarter, a family member became deathly ill and I absolutely felt complied to help. This is not the worst of it. During my first year of college, I completely bombed all my classes. I enrolled and never bothered to show or to drop. I quit beating my self up over this past behavior, because I am a different person today. Before, I never believed I had the ability to succeed in college. My goal was to obtain an AA degree in chemistry and become a lab assistant. I though, at the time, people were crazy to strive to obtain a doctorate degree. With the fear of living an ignorance and poverty, I return to school to test my self-doubt. With that first semester, I obtained a 2.5, which was significant for me. I gained much confidence in my abilities and set new expectation for my self. Now I desire to become what I never dared to dream, a Dentist, and I know I can succeed. I just have to prove the admission staff.

Currently my GPA stands at 2.6 and my science is at 2.9. This numbers make my heart sink when I think of them. I rarely tell anyone my stats; here I have some anonymity. Some things I do have going for me are my grades in difficult courses. In O-chem A A, G-Chem A B, Bio A B A and Phy A and C. Since that first year, I have been constantly obtaining higher levels of achievement.

I have 150+ shadowing and years of volunteering service. I also have years of working full time while in school.

I scored a 24 in science (99.8%) with O-chem 27, G-Chem 25 and Bio 22. PAT = 19 and AA = 21(96.6%). One very distressing result of my DAT was an 14 on QR. I was expecting QR to be my weakest session by not that weak.

I am applying to 24 schools hopefully the dice will roll my way.

Other than any helpful comments, I have one question, my friend receive an 21on AA and was ranked only in the 91%, why was I ranked in the 96.6%?

 

[croco]

On the latter part of your question, you probably took a different exam than that of your friend. The statistics are based on which test you took. Yours may have been a bit more difficult

 

[ecdoesit]

wow, your DAT score is excellent.
If you pick your school wisely, you will get in.
Mainly, I think you have a decent shot at private schools.

 

[croco]

In my honest opinion, I think you will have to earn a BS in biochem before you apply. Your GPA is fairly low, but your dat scores are very good. I think a BS in biochem would solidify you a position in a private school

 

[Thaxil]

I do intent to graduate with a B.S. by this coming winter 2004. I also though the difference in percentile rankings was due to different test. That method could and could not be more fare. How is one question ranked harder then another?

Does it matter to the school what percentile ranking one obtains?

In response to Croco, I will be applying to almost every private school and all California schools. I received financial aid for the process through ADDASA, but still do not know what amount of aid. I paid by credit card September 19.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[ShawnOne]

Schools do not receive percentile ranking. They only receive your standard score.

 

[Pre-Dent-David]

Your grades suck but your dat is good except for the math part.... You might be able to get in as your stats stand, but there is also a good chance that you wont. If you dont get in you will need to to do a post bac before reapplying.

 

[drPheta]

I definitely agree with those who suggest you take more courses. It doesn't hurt to apply now, you'll know where you stand if you don't get in. And you may get in somewhere. (This is just a very very expensive way to find out)

Definitely mention your situation on the AADSAS application. The adcoms will see your high DAT score and low gpa...scratch their heads...and hopefully read on in the app to see your circumstances.

You definitely have the potential, so if you don't get in this round...build up your assets and take more courses. Bring up that GPA as much as you can, and with that DAT score you should have a very good shot.

On a side note, I ruined my sophomore year of college. I transfered from UCR to Rutgers (I'm a Jersey native), and my GPA sat in the low low end of the spectrum. Needless to say, picking up a double major and a minor and taking hard courses at full speed got me where I am today.

There's hope for you.

 

[Midoc]

I don't know anything about the rankings aspect but I think that you have a pretty good chance of getting in based on your high DAT scores and high grades in your prereqs. I don't know how high the quantitative reasoning section is valued by admissions committees but based on how much math I've done since I've started school I don't think it will be weighted very high.

What I would recommend doing is to continue to get high grades until you graduate this winter and then go back and take a few more classes. Some of the classes that people have a hard time on in school are: biochem, histology, anatomy (gross and head/neck), physiology, pathology and microbiology. Taking addtional instruction in any or all of these classes would show dedication, be a chance to get more high grades and be helpful when (not if) you get into dental school.

 

[Pre-Dent-David]

Oh yeah I agree that you will get into school, but the question is: will it take an extra year of post bac work or not.

 

[Thaxil]

Thanks for the advice guy?s. I have been formulating a strategy in the likely cases of being declined this year and to do to improve my chances of acceptance for next year.

What I have been thinking of doing is retaking the DAT early summer to improve my math, reading and possibility PAT. I can take some of Midoc?s suggested courses and do my best to obtain very high GPA that year. Since it will be my second time around, I would have the benefit of having the majority of the application done and can send it in early (June).

 

[ecdoesit]

It is good that you have everything planned already.
But dont get too down yet.
Have faith. Who knows, you will get in.
And your next plan is to get an apartment or something.

 

[savvysearch]

You should call or email the schools and ask whether your otherwise great DAT scores make up for that 14 in QR. Some school may think it excellent, but some may not be keen on scores being lower than 16. If you don't get in this year, definitely take post-bac next year and apply again. That's my plan too.

I don't know about the percentages. Maybe getting 1 or 2 questions wrong affects the precentage but not the score. Or maybe as more and more people take the test, the percentage for a certain score constantly changes.