Wow, you guys are smart...

[Christine Kao]

Your DAT scores are all great. Many of you have outstanding GPA's that I could only achieve in my dreams. I love the idea of becoming a dentist, especially after watching my dentist tend to his patients. However, I am the bottom of my class at university (the student with the lowest overall GPA), and scored below the 50th percentile on the DAT, even though I spent more than $300 on preparation materials.

I wish I could ask you for advice on the DAT, but I won't. I don't think I have hope. Instead, I'm just going to congratulate you for being such smart students, and wish you the very best in dentistry.

There really was no point to this topic other than to wish you all luck.

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[JMJRDH1]

Have you given up hope already? You have not even finished undergrad yet!

Do a postbacc degree and finish with a great gpa in the 3.5 range.

Spending $$$ on materials won't help your score, studying will! Study for 6 months straight if you have to. Study until you are sick of it, and then study a little more on top of that! Everyone does not learn at the same pace.

Shadow a dentist, write a great personal essay on how much you really wanted to be a dentist and how hard you worked to get it, and then wait for the acceptance letters to roll in!

Go for it!

 

[jdmsamurai]

dont give up...im not in the top notch of my class in GPA wise...and im studying for the DAT....as a wise man once said "if there is a will then there is a way"...so keep trying

 

[golfmontpoker]

I felt the same way as you did last year... But I have come to a conclusion. Anything worth getting requires sacrifice and hard work. Look at my signature below, it always gives me motivation not to give up!

How long did you study for the DAT? Maybe you just didn't put enough time into it.

 

[Christine Kao]

How long did you study for the DAT? Maybe you just didn't put enough time into it.

I studied for about four months while working full-time. Weekends for sciences and evenings for PAT and carving. Perhaps I studied "hard" but not "wise..."

I like your quote...so inspirational... : )

 

[BodybldgDoc]

It too early for you to throw in the towel. If becoming a dentist is your dream, i say go for it with all you got. You might not have a great gpa now but that can easily be fixed with a masters or postbacc of some sort. i did average the first time i took the DAT as well, but i am retaking it in april for the second time and this time around learning from previous mistakes so i can score better. It certainly is an uphill battle but the rewards would only be that much greater once you finally make it. good luck to you Christine and keep chugging along.

 

[Nasem]

Your DAT scores are all great. Many of you have outstanding GPA's that I could only achieve in my dreams. I love the idea of becoming a dentist, especially after watching my dentist tend to his patients. However, I am the bottom of my class at university (the student with the lowest overall GPA), and scored below the 50th percentile on the DAT, even though I spent more than $300 on preparation materials.

I wish I could ask you for advice on the DAT, but I won't. I don't think I have hope. Instead, I'm just going to congratulate you for being such smart students, and wish you the very best in dentistry.

There really was no point to this topic other than to wish you all luck.

Ok think of it as a boxing matching. You have 15 rounds to go. You just lost the first 3 rounds, does this mean you lost the whole fight ??? come on dude if dentistry is your dream don't let it slip away like that, you'll grow old in your 30s and 40s and kick your self in the nads for giving up at an early age.

Ok so you say your GPA is crappy, thats fine, finish your bachelors with whatever GPA you have and apply again to obtain some masters thats related to science (biology , chem, etc etc).... Try your best to improve your gpa (so that dental schools will see that you f**ked up your undergrad but you became more mature and serious and did better when you went back for the masters). and 1 more suggestion I have for you is, take english / writting courses, that will help you right a bad a$$ personal essay. Take classes that improve your public speaking ability, so when you go to an interview they fall in love with your personallity instead of your GPA / DAT scores.... Shadow 5 dentists with more than 200 hours on each. Do things that don't exactly require a high GPA but still improve your chances to get in. Grades and DAT aren't the only things dental schools look for.

I'll always say this, you don't have to have a genious I.Q to become a dentist, but you need to be a hardworker.... You have to keep trying even if you think your failing, keep trying your ass off, eventually you'll get accepted and become a dentist and live on with your life.

Everytime you feel down or discouraged, come back to SDN and talk out your Misfortunes, people (like us) go through what your going and we can help you out.

 

[laee3]

hey, don't give up. I am an international student, and I'm not giving up yet. I'm sure you are in better situation than me. Just don't give up yet. Go to postbac, and get a masters or apply while you're in the process. well I hope you don't give up. It's a long process. If you're working full time, that's not a good thing to do while you're trying to pursue a career in dentistry. I think you have to make a choice between you're job now or becoming a dentist. You have to start volunterring, studying, shawdowing, and other extra curricular activies are always plus. I hope you don't give up on your dream.

 

[Christine Kao]

Thanks guys... you are all so encouraging, even though you don't know me personally. It's very kind of you. I will take your suggestions about shadowing and efforts to improve.

I have my DAT rewrite coming up this Saturday...I'll just do my best.

 

[dudewhensmydat]

Thanks guys... you are all so encouraging, even though you don't know me personally. It's very kind of you. I will take your suggestions about shadowing and efforts to improve.

I have my DAT rewrite coming up this Saturday...I'll just do my best.

Hey Kristine!

If you want to think about failure, ask me how many times I've fallen short or wanted to give up...many times...and eventually even I got into dental school, too.

Do a search on my screen-name and see that anyone can improve. I believe I've got to where I am based on hard work and the cool people I've met along the way (many of those from SDN).

Keep your head up and analyze what you have to do differently to get different results. Like my OChem professor always said after half the class failed his exams, "If you will do what you've always done, then you'll get what you've always gotten".

- Dude

 

[dudewhensmydat]

Thanks guys... you are all so encouraging, even though you don't know me personally. It's very kind of you. I will take your suggestions about shadowing and efforts to improve.

I have my DAT rewrite coming up this Saturday...I'll just do my best.

Oh! BTW...I used a web-based essay-writing company when I wrote mine. They took my essay and condensced it to the correct length and made it flow a lot better.

Google it and you'll find many. I think I used Essay Edge, if I can remember.

 

[PolloftheDay]

Christine Kao we miss you. We need more Kao Bell.

 

[ilovekao]

Cool news kao...

I don't have your msn, but I do miss you.

 

[Cynical Zealot]

...

Nowhere is safe.

 

[PollOfTheDayFAQ]

we miss you kao...

 

[PoTD]

Hi Kao!

 

[Flamazot]

Guys lets just leave her alone. She isn't coming back.

 

[itstemo1]

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[Drill2Fill]

hmmmm, wonder why all theses people have 1 post.

 

[an hero]

hmmmm, wonder why all this people have 1 post.

yeah, really. all this people need to learn how to shot web.

 

[armorshell]

yeah, really. all this people need to learn how to shot web.

Hey I found your ipod...

 

[an hero]

Hey I found your ipod...

touche.

 

[OHJOY90]

hmmmm, wonder why all this people have 1 post.

Lolz invasion. Jk

 

[itstemo1]

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[PotDer]

Wii miss ya alot Christine Kao! Pl0x come back!!