gpa is imp. but...

[Starzz]

hey guys

... i'm sure the main concerns everyone always has when applying to dental school is their gpa and dat... my concern is the same... but when it comes time for the admissions people to check out our apps., do they actually read the whole app.(essay, exp. etc...) and then decide or do you guys think that they see the gpa and dat scores and simply decide on that.. cause i gotta tell ya, i know some people who have gotten into dental school who had a reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalyyyyyyyy low gpa, we're talking in the 2.6's and other who had a >3.0 and the 2.6 got in cause her dat was > 18...

i hope they read the whole thing, cause these days, some of the weirdest people come out on top with the scores, but once it comes to their skills... theres not much there... now this is something to think about?

any thoughts?

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[Dr_Oh_DMD]

I think some schools have a cut off GPA and DAT criteria. For example they might say we wont look into any application that has a GPA lower than 2.8 or DAT lower than 16. If you pass those criteria you have a chance ...
I was told by the director of student admissions at Marquette on my interview there that they dont care about DAT at all. He said if your GPA is good and you show interest in the profession I can accept you with a 16 or 15 on the DAT.

 

[Starzz]

hey thanks for the reply dr.....i've also heard that from a few other people.. i guess my main concern about the gpa is because my gpa dropped in my 3rd year of college, due to a major death in the family and it hit me so hard, that i've never been able to bring it back up to what it was.. i mean yea i tried but u know the gpa falls like all hell but coming back up is like baby steps... so i guess i'm just hoping that they take that into some consideration, cause it was outta my hands u know...

 

[thomasjm]

Dr. Oh DMD is right. I'm currently at marquette for a summer dental program and I met with the director of admissions, and he told me that DAT scores will never keep you out of marquette. That being said, GPA is important, but other things are pretty important too

 

[Dtrain1]

That gives me some hope... i guess. My GPA is 3.1 I have 3 years to bring that up... sigh

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

You guys gotta realize that every school is different...although Marquette might not care much about the DAT, schools such as Columbia, UOP, BU care very much for DAT scores and weigh it more than GPA...

 

[wimmcs]

Also in terms of Marquette, remember that if you have any comm college hours they may frown upon it. That's the reason why I didn't even attempt applying there since I have many CC hours... otherewise I would have applied.

 

[Sprgrover]

hey thanks for the reply dr.....i've also heard that from a few other people.. i guess my main concern about the gpa is because my gpa dropped in my 3rd year of college, due to a major death in the family and it hit me so hard, that i've never been able to bring it back up to what it was.. i mean yea i tried but u know the gpa falls like all hell but coming back up is like baby steps... so i guess i'm just hoping that they take that into some consideration, cause it was outta my hands u know...

Sorry to here that, Starzz. Listen, apply to those schools you feel you have a chance at. In addition I don't think your numbers are terribly low at all. Adcoms will take things, such as a death in the family, into consideration. Also remember that the average matriculate stats for a school is just that - an average. There are people that have been admitted whose numbers fall below the average as well as others above it. As far as if schools take the time to read the essay, I would certainly like to think so. One admissions officer at Case told me that he does read all of the applications that come across his desk, though he does use the essays as bedtime reading material. Pour 100% of your effort into the essays and interviews and I am sure that people will really take notice of you.

 

[Starzz]

hey grover thanks for ur kind words.. i really appreciate it.. yea i guess at least we all hope they read it.. i hope they take my situation into consideration u know.....its a shame for the case guy its bedtime reading.. good lord.. oh well.. at least he's reading it.. have u interviewed at case? do let me know.. i applied there myself.. ttyl

 

[Sprgrover]

No problem, Starzz. I have not interviewed at Case and I am still waiting for their secondary application. AADSAS has had all of my LOR for quite some time and yet they still haven't mailed all of them out yet and Case sent me a letter stating that they are waiting for all of my material to reach them...so....

 

[Starzz]

well.. i guess this is gonna' take sometime then....

 

[Woodsy]

if you are hot, rich, or have a lot of connections (2 out of 3) there is bound to be a school that takes ya lolz