Should I pick a new profession?

[LoveYourDentist]

Please help, my alternatives may not be reachable anymore. Long story short, I didn't know dental schools combined ALL undergrad science grades (including retaken courses), so while my overall science GPA is a 3.2 (I know, too low to apply to dental school), my recalculated science GPA is around a 2.5. While I thought I'd be able to apply to a masters program to get my GPA up, I don't think I can even get into one. Here are my options, any advice?

1. Keep taking more courses. It's too late to apply to graduate schools (I graduate in May and cannot change my graduation date), but I could take graduate courses towards no degree. With my grades, getting into a masters program are slim.

2. Work a year and apply to masters programs next year, not sure how this would help, except financially. If this is the case and I can actually get in, should I try and get my masters at a school that has a dental program? Or will that not give me an advantage?

3. Change careers..Hygiene? Not sure what I can do with a bachelor's in biology

4. Military??

Any advice/more budget friendly options out there are greatly appreciated.

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[nateriver]

Maybe do a post bac?


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[LoveYourDentist]

Maybe do a post bac?


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Can I graduate and still go back to do that? If so, what should I get it in?

 

[Soleus715]

If dentistry is something you're really passionate about,
I would try calling your in-state dental schools and ask them what you can do to make them like you as an applicant.
This would be the most accurate course of action since it'll allow you to plan and invest your time wisely.

Then you can see if it's academically and financially viable for you.

If not, there are thousands of alternatives for a career. There are lots of jobs that just require a bachelors and are not necessarily major specific, too.
You just have to open up your perspective. You can pursue a masters for a specific career path also. (Environmental jobs, lab tech, dental lab tech, hygienist, HR, Food industry, Healthcare, etc)

 

[nateriver]

Can I graduate and still go back to do that? If so, what should I get it in?

I'm not sure exactly how it works as I didn't do one , but I think it's like Grad work, so I'd think you can graduate , and then it's like a masters of sorts , but the focus is more to bring up ur gpa , again , disclaimer , I'm not exactly sure how it works lol, but it seems that people who need to make their app stronger do post bacs often , so I just looked it up , if you google "how does a post bac work" an Sdn link will come up that answers all those questions , about what it is and which kind of post bac to possibly do based on what you want to get out of it


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[hAAAnh]

Have you taken the DAT already?

 

[darklordzz]

Please help, my alternatives may not be reachable anymore. Long story short, I didn't know dental schools combined ALL undergrad science grades (including retaken courses), so while my overall science GPA is a 3.2 (I know, too low to apply to dental school), my recalculated science GPA is around a 2.5. While I thought I'd be able to apply to a masters program to get my GPA up, I don't think I can even get into one. Here are my options, any advice?

1. Keep taking more courses. It's too late to apply to graduate schools (I graduate in May and cannot change my graduation date), but I could take graduate courses towards no degree. With my grades, getting into a masters program are slim.

2. Work a year and apply to masters programs next year, not sure how this would help, except financially. If this is the case and I can actually get in, should I try and get my masters at a school that has a dental program? Or will that not give me an advantage?

3. Change careers..Hygiene? Not sure what I can do with a bachelor's in biology

4. Military??

Any advice/more budget friendly options out there are greatly appreciated.

I would look for career alternatives if you have not been getting B+ or higher (really should be A- or higher) in your most recent science courses. This is, of course, provided you put the best effort in to your school work. If you have been doing well recently, go ahead and enroll into a local college (4-year rather than 2 year) and take a year (maybe two) worth of science courses: upper division biology is the route many current dental students took in your position (with a low sGPA), but if you have a genuine interest in Chemistry or Physics, go for that as well. Just apply as a 2nd bachelor's student, take care of your financial aid - and then focus on your grades. AASDAS has a section that calculates your GPA by year: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and post-bac. Your grades from here on out are considered "post-bac" so an upward trend becomes rather noticeable. Then your next task is to knock out the DAT (2 months of Bootcamp and Destroyer over the summer is more than good enough) with scores of 22-23+ on the TS/AA and 20+ on the PAT. Write a solid essay, try to get some relevant shadowing and research in your application - and the admissions committee will have more than good enough reason to overlook your slow start to school. Some students start dental school at 21/22, but some of my fellow interviewees at Alabama were in their 30's!

 

[Incis0r]

Here are my options, any advice?

4. Military??

Would you want to enlist or become an Officer?

 

[LoveYourDentist]

Have you taken the DAT already?

No I haven't. Would you suggest I take it soon?

 

[LoveYourDentist]

I would look for career alternatives if you have not been getting B+ or higher (really should be A- or higher) in your most recent science courses. This is, of course, provided you put the best effort in to your school work. If you have been doing well recently, go ahead and enroll into a local college (4-year rather than 2 year) and take a year (maybe two) worth of science courses: upper division biology is the route many current dental students took in your position (with a low sGPA), but if you have a genuine interest in Chemistry or Physics, go for that as well. Just apply as a 2nd bachelor's student, take care of your financial aid - and then focus on your grades. AASDAS has a section that calculates your GPA by year: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and post-bac. Your grades from here on out are considered "post-bac" so an upward trend becomes rather noticeable. Then your next task is to knock out the DAT (2 months of Bootcamp and Destroyer over the summer is more than good enough) with scores of 22-23+ on the TS/AA and 20+ on the PAT. Write a solid essay, try to get some relevant shadowing and research in your application - and the admissions committee will have more than good enough reason to overlook your slow start to school. Some students start dental school at 21/22, but some of my fellow interviewees at Alabama were in their 30's!

That was very helpful!!

 

[LoveYourDentist]

Would you want to enlist or become an Officer?

Not sure how this even works to be honest

 

[Incis0r]

Not sure how this even works to be honest

Do some more research- military can be a great career path, filled with opportunity. I'm also going to tag @schmoob , who is an expert on military matters.