Advice for Applying to Dental School with a LOW GPA

[@Sage-jy7jc]

Omg you’re awesome! Great advice! I’m doordashing and focusing on my mental health too in my gap year currently!

[@ThinkingInProgress]

Good luck to both of us dashers! 😂🍀

[@TheDedloc]

I needed this today. My stats arent the best. I'm just immediately going into a masters. My plan to get in was always to throw myself at the wall as hard I can until it eventually breaks and lets me in lol it's going to break first because I'm way too stubborn to just give up on something I've worked so hard for. I'm not a 4.0 student and that has never been me. If my stats prove anything at all they are going to prove that isn't me and I can't pretend like it is. BUT I'm going to show that it doesn't matter what they put in front of me, that I'm willing to cross it. Once upon a time in my life I ranked the absolute lowest among my classmates in highschool and the truth is someone has to be ranked the lowest once you get into dental school. Id wear the badge with honor, because it never mattered about being the best. And I refuse to believe that you have to be the best when so many dental students have told me otherwise. That's why I keep going. I never would have tried if I didn't hear that grit and determination was a possible route into dental school. When you get into dental school, you don't have to pass everything with an A. You have to be good enough just like every other class you've taken. THAT'S what I'm good at. Being good enough. I retook a few classes in undergrad and I'd retake a few in dental school if that is what it takes for me. When I made the decision to go into dental, I dedicated my life to it. If you fail something that sets you back 4 months, is that really the end of the world when we are talking about a life time commitment? It's a drop in the bucket and not anything I'm not willing to do 10 times over.. but it would never take that. I care way too much. The only option for them is to let me in eventually... or nobody gets anything from me at all. I'll default the f*** out of the student loans and wont pay a dime on them. Nobody gets anything if I don't get what I want lol I said at the start of this how stubborn I was. I didn't turn my life around and come 1000x further than I ever thought possible for myself just to be told I'm not good enough at the end.

[@ThinkingInProgress]

I had a very similar determination to get into dental school, and similar mindset of “just pass classes and get through” now that I’m in dental school. But dental school really does beat you to a pulp though. I understand now why they accept high GPA/DAT and have in their contract that essentially you need to be mental stable enough to handle dental school because MAN it has put me through the ringer. I don’t have imposter syndrome to be here and I’m really not competing with my classmates or anything, but I do see a lot of that in the school in every year. But taking 16 classes (29 units) this fall really does make you constantly tired and stressed. The unfortunate reality is that most students in dental school were at the top of their class and now the 91% A students in undergrad are C students in dental school and the 99% A students are A students since the curve has now been shifted (I mean this figuratively bc there are no curves in dental school) but what that also means is C students in undergrad are failing in dental school. And dental schools don’t want students who fail or remediate/drop out. They want their stats for graduating and passing the boards high. Determination WILL get you into dental school, but unfortunately stats are something all dental schools can’t overlook either since that’s a predictor on if you can make it through dental school. Determination will help get your stats up and will help you get through dental school. They just want to make sure you can handle taking 29 units per semester and handle 2-3 exams every week without breaks (like 1 week between semesters and an exam the day you get back) and not burn out or fail for 4 years.

[@TheDedloc]

@@ThinkingInProgress Yea, the workload is goin to be a big step up. But I think it will make a really big difference when I am finally learning about what I have set out to learn about. No classes I have taken in undergrad really make feel like "this is what I do." If this doesn't burn me out then there is no way doing what I love will stand a chance. I WANT to be exhausted from doing what I love... not from doing what I don't. Ur right though. I think I have a strong mindset and a beautiful story to tell, but my stats wont lie. I don't have the best GPA and if they just look they will find a stronger applicant than me. But I hope to get in early enough and be just good enough to get an invite somewhere... anywhere. I feel I'm getting old. I'll be 34 this year and I'm just so ready for the next phase of my life. It's my understanding that there 2 main pillars that get one accepted are GPA and DAT score. There is a small amount of give and take with them. I'm just doing the only thing I know how. I wish I had a coach that could say more than just get good grades! I need someone to really assess my situation and give me a plan of action that probably involves a masters program. Just tell me which wall to run into! Lol

[@ThinkingInProgress]

@@TheDedloc I do really like your attitude about it, because you sound exactly like me as well. But I just want you to keep in mind that a lot of what we learn in dental school is just as related to the field and just as applicable as the classes you took in undergrad. I don’t mean to say all of them are like that, just like 70%. I’d love to chat sometime about your situation. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram: @ThinkingInProgress. Also, a strong applicant isn’t only about stats. You mainly just need to be above the minimum so they can see the other aspects of your application. Also the two parts are more like: stats (GPA, DAT, shadowing/volunteer hours) and the rest of the app (personal statement, letters of rec, diversity statement, ect.). You want to be strong in both but one can compensate for the other, although both still need to meet a minimum.

[@MariaGomez-rm8qr]

This gives me motivation as I’m doing chemistry homework, thank you! ❤️ I’m planning to take a post bacc but I’m having trouble navigating the process. What is your advice to finding the best program for myself?😭 looking forward to more of your content!

[@ThinkingInProgress]

It depends what you’re seeking from the post bac. For me I looked at living costs in the area, financial aid offered, if I was allowed to work (some don’t let you), classes offered, acceptance rate for dental school after completing the program, etc.

[@saidmuhumed7239]

Thanks for the new video! BTW did you take all of your pre-reqs at a community college. BC i took all my pre-reqs at a community college and I am worried that a lot of schools will deny my future application because of that?

[@ThinkingInProgress]

I took all of calculus, physics, Gen chem and bio at community college. And I took ochem and biochem at university. I had a lot of CC units. You just have to look at schools that accept CC units. Places like Tufts and Boston don’t accept any CC units so I wouldn’t apply to them. But you have to check based on the school. A lot of them still accept CC’s though

[@saidmuhumed7239]

@@ThinkingInProgress Thank you!

[@rissa8196]

This video really is really so much needed. I am applying this cycle & would love to get in contact with you if that’s possible (I don’t use IG)

[@ThinkingInProgress]

If you want to send me an email you can email me at [e-mail]

[@valeriawilson5450]

Do you know where I can found links to do online dental shadowing ?

[@ThinkingInProgress]

Personally I know a ton of accounts on Instagram: @predentalassociation, @predentalshadowing, and @dentalshadowers to name a few

[@samskidaddle5699]

about having withdrawls will dental schools care about that ? like having a couple only first three years arounf 8 but then improving the last two years?

[@ThinkingInProgress]

I knew people who had a couple withdraws and it was fine. I had 1, so I can’t really speak on how many would be considered a cutoff

[@samskidaddle5699]

@@ThinkingInProgress do you think I do post bac the withdrawals will overlooked once I get none in my post bac ?

[@ThinkingInProgress]

@@samskidaddle5699 honestly they may ask you about it in an interview but as long as you have a reasonable explanation for having them, I can’t see why that would be an issue. If you are very concerned, it’s always best to call the dental schools you’re interested in and ask them. They’ll be able to give you a better answer since it might differ on a school to school basis.

[@samskidaddle5699]

@@ThinkingInProgress honestly I did that and never heard back from them so wasted half my life right there.. What other schools did you apply to ?

[@ThinkingInProgress]

@@samskidaddle5699 which schools did you call? I applied to 6 schools: UOP, WesternU, Roseman, Touro, Case Western and Maryland

[@andressmith1414]

My gpa isn’t horrible 3.4 and 3.1 science. I have a lot Cs in chem though and am concerned

[@ThinkingInProgress]

What exactly are you concerned about?

[@su1eman282]

@@ThinkingInProgress RIGHT!!! So many ppl constantly go online with literal avg stats looking for some sort of validation

[@ThinkingInProgress]

@@su1eman282 it’s less about that. Because having concerns are valid but I’m wondering exactly what it is that is concerning. Having a low GPA can make you feel inadequate, but it’s not the only factor they look at. Also, when people say “low GPA” it could mean a lot of things. I’m wondering if it’s the low GPA or maybe other factors that are of concern. And if anything having a lot of C’s are a valid concern. But I am here to say that I had A LOT of C’s… I mean my GPA wouldn’t be so low if I didn’t have a lot of C’s. I even graduated with a D-, failed biochem and retook it and had a W in ochem. But I still got in.

[@samskidaddle5699]

@@ThinkingInProgress hi what about having NP grades around 6 and Withdrawls will that be overcome if they are not really Pre reqs? Like a couple of them are Pre reqs and rest are BS

[@ThinkingInProgress]

@@samskidaddle5699 have you retaken those classes for a passing grade? Those seem like quite a few, and probably something you’ll need to address on your application