What extra curriculars should I do?

[MartUri]

Hey everyone,
I am a junior transferring from community college to UF. My grades are horrible compared to other people. I have a lot of hours shadowing and quite a bit of volunteering hours. What should I do other than get a better GPA and a good DAT to make my application look better? I wouldn't really want to do a masters or post-bacc after finishing undergrad.

Here are my grades:
Bio I, II: B, A
Chem I, II: C, B
Orgo I, II: C, C
Physics I, II: C, C
Calc: B

Thank you in advance!

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[knewstance]

Take some upper-level biology courses during the remainder of your undergrad. Consider retaking some of your lower grades. Make sure you get A's in those classes to buffer your GPA/sGPA. That will prepare you to perform well on the DAT (due to increased understanding) and will obviously help improve your GPA.

I got a C in Gen Chem 1, retook both GC1 and GC2 and got As in both. I think that it made a big difference for me.

I'm of the opinion that extra-curriculars don't really make that big of an impact. Just be consistent with a volunteering activity. If you don't want to end up doing a master's or post-bacc, improved GPA and outstanding DAT are the only road you can confidently rely on.

 

[doc toothache]

It is hard to imagine any ds dean that would be impressed with As or A+ for those repeating a course. Furthering an understanding of the material can be achieved during prepping for the DAT. Taking upper level bio/chemistry courses and getting better grades would certainly be more impressing than repeating courses.

 

[MartUri]

It is hard to imagine any ds dean that would be impressed with As or A+ for those repeating a course. Furthering an understanding of the material can be achieved during prepping for the DAT. Taking upper level bio/chemistry courses and getting better grades would certainly be more impressing than repeating courses.

Definitely getting a good DAT score is my main priority at this point but do you think anything extra could help?

 

[MartUri]

Take some upper-level biology courses during the remainder of your undergrad. Consider retaking some of your lower grades. Make sure you get A's in those classes to buffer your GPA/sGPA. That will prepare you to perform well on the DAT (due to increased understanding) and will obviously help improve your GPA.

I got a C in Gen Chem 1, retook both GC1 and GC2 and got As in both. I think that it made a big difference for me.

I'm of the opinion that extra-curriculars don't really make that big of an impact. Just be consistent with a volunteering activity. If you don't want to end up doing a master's or post-bacc, improved GPA and outstanding DAT are the only road you can confidently rely on.

Yeah I’m planning to take the upper level biology classes.
so what’s the process of retaking the class? I didn’t know that schools allowed that. Do dental schools care that you retook the class even if you passed the first time?

 

[doc toothache]

Definitely getting a good DAT score is my main priority at this point but do you think anything extra could help?

You mean like an MS/MA or a Ph.D.? It would help to change your status from pre med to pre dent, although neither carries any weight.

 

[MartUri]

You mean like an MS/MA or a Ph.D.? It would help to change your status from pre med to pre dent, although neither carries any weight.

Like while at undergrad. Im just worried that my GPA won't be good enough even with a good DAT. I have a year and a half left and im just worried that im not gonna make the most of it or that im not doing everything I can to get into dental school.