You are all awesome-- so please help! :D

[TAD]

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😳Hi everyone,
I need some advice from fellow pre dents! Here's my situation. I'm a fourth year in Canada.

My stats by the end of this year:
SGPA: 3.0
CGPA: 3.35 (3.75 average over the past two years)
BCP: 3.2 (still need to take second level chem and first year physics in 5th year)
Nonscience GPA: 3.63

Have held research scholarships for 3 consecutive summers including NSERC, have volunteered at a pediatric dental office since first year (on and off depending on my school schedule), worked in a neuroscience lab from the summer after graduating high school to beginning of third year, will be participating in a dental volunteer trip this summer and am a personal tutor.

I have the following questions:

1) I intend to apply early and have my AADSAS application in by June 1 (i.e when it opens! lol). However, I will only be able to write my American DAT by August (does this defeat the purpose of having sent in my application early?).

2) Also, I'm worried about not having some of my prerequisites ready for my application. I'm missing Chem and Physics , however, I plan to finish those up in my fifth year. Is this going to pose a major problem for my application?

3) Do I have a fighting chance if I get 20+ on the American DAT


4)Finally, if things don't go well, I'm playing around with the idea of coming back to do a post bacc (in Canada a Post Bacc is just coming back for effectively what is an extra undergrad year and doing some more courses to up your gpa) or would it be best to complete a masters? Also, would you guys recommend applying for a more science based masters? I'm a psych major, so I'm a little concerned.

Sorry for the long winded thread, I just wanted to get all my concerns out in one place. Thank you soo soo much! You guys have given out such awesome advice. I look forward to hearing your two cents!

Cheers!!

 

[prydA]

1) no it doesn't, send ur apps/LORs first and update it later with the scores

2) not necessarily, most schools will interview you and offer you admission without you having done all the pre-reqs, granted that you've finished them before matriculation and didn't fail them or anything

3) a 20 is very iffy esp. with those scores and your canadian status, aim for higher. my stats were around yours but i did well on the DAT and i was fine

4) yes and yes, granted you do well in your post-bacc

 

[aldente07]

Just got a quick follow up. If applying to american schools, is it better to write the american DAT than sending off your canadian dat scores?? I know most of them do accept the canadian dat but i don't know whether or not they weigh it differently.

 

[pbrooks]

sorry if i didnt read correctly, but are you plannign on writing the DAT before having finished the chem prereq?

 

[pbrooks]

Just got a quick follow up. If applying to american schools, is it better to write the american DAT than sending off your canadian dat scores?? I know most of them do accept the canadian dat but i don't know whether or not they weigh it differently.

the american dat has different components than the canadian - org chem and quantitative reasoning
the canadian dat i found to be a bit more bio involved (some stuff i didnt see until second year physio)
so play to your strengths with the one that you take.
some schools actually do weight the canadian dat differently, where they add an extra point or two to the scores. Cant remember which schools in particular do this, but hopefully someone else can fill you in.

 

[TAD]

I'll be taking organic chem after the dat.. do you think this poses a significant problem?? Thanks for your input everyone 😀

 

[NyCzPeter]

I took organic 2 after I took the D at and I managed a 19 in organic so take from that what you will.

Also now that u mention it, I am pretty awsome 😉

 

[244903]

I'll be taking organic chem after the dat.. do you think this poses a significant problem?? Thanks for your input everyone 😀

I took the DAT in Jan 08 (pre-ochem 2) and got a 21. Finished ochem 2 then retook DAT in Sept 08 and got a 29. I'd highly recommend taking ochem 2 pre-DAT if at all possible.

 

[TAD]

Hmmm... I'm assuming that you also did your own personal studies for chem instead of just the course? I was planning on doing my own studies for O Chem, because I just can't put off taking the DAT anymore and I can only date the second part of organic chem in the next school year. BTW- awesome score!