What GPA Do You Need For Dental School?
Are you planning to pursue your education in a dental school? Do you have confusion about the best GPA you will require to take admission to the dental school further?
What GPA do you need for dental school?
What GPA is good to enrich your application at a dental school?
How to get matriculated if you have a low GPA?
We are going to answer these questions and more in detail in this article. It will help you answer all your questions regarding the minimum required GPA for admission to dental school.
If you want to have a good and successful application at a dental school, you’ll want a good GPA and to have all the requirements, but what is a good GPA for dental school? Let’s dig deeper into the subject.
What Is A Good GPA For Dental School?
The student’s GPA is one of the most important requirements to get into dental school, but what is a good level?
Usually, the students who got a GPA of 3.7 in their previous academic course are considered very good with semester hours in science subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics.
Needless to say, dental school is very competitive and it is better to give your best shot instead of what is just enough.
It is necessary to gain the highest possible GPA to ensure that you have the possible application.
What GPA Do You Need For Dental School?
The Grade Point Average requirement for Dental School is different for every university. However, if we look at the average GPA, 3.5 is the best overall.
In fact, having a 3.5 above GPA is far better and will be more beneficial to get matriculated into dental school. The higher the GPA, the higher your chances of admission will be.
It is important to know that, if your GPA is low, then the Dental Admission Test (DAT) score will be crucial in deciding whether you will be accepted.
But it is compulsory to know the minimum requirements for universities to which you are applying. Having a GPA below the one listed in the university’s requirements will certainly not get you into it.
Having said that, what can you do if your GPA is low? This takes us to the following point.
Can I Get Into Dental School With A 3.7 GPA?
The 3.7 Grade Point Average on a scale of four means that the student has a percentage of about 90-92.
As mentioned previously, this GPA is perfect for admission to dental school. It is observed that most of the students who got admission to dental schools have an average GPA of about 3.5.
Unfortunately, it does not confirm that you will be selected, although there are almost 90% chances of selection. In most universities, you will need to pass the Dental Admission Test for applying to the dental school. In that case, you have to work hard to have good scores on the DAT.
In short, a GPA higher than this will be even more impressive for making your application even more competitive. You can check the previous year’s merit of the dental school for which you are applying; if the merit is below 3.7, it will be easier for you to get enrolled, but if it is higher (which is very rare), then you need to rethink your decision.
Is It Possible To Get Into Dental School With A Low GPA?
Some dental schools directly reject the application of students who have a lower GPA. For example, some institutes consider the minimum GPA to be 2.75, while the vast majority take it to 3.0 as the bare minimum and will reject the application with a GPA lower than that.
Furthermore, even by having the minimum eligibility requirements fulfilled, the students might not compete with others with high-Grade Point Averages.
For this reason, you will want to work harder to get the other requirements as high as you can. Below are some of the suggestions that will help you get into dental school if you have a low GPA and are struggling to get matriculated.
Get High Results In DAT
A Dental Admission Test is required to enter dental school and is, therefore, an important part of the application process.
If you have a low GPA, you will have the chance to balance your application with the DAT and have a higher chance to get matriculated.
According to a report by DAT Prep, a DAT score of 17 or 18 is average, 19 or 20 is usually good, and 22 or 23 is very high.
Work hard, get yourself ready for the test, ask for some advice from your professors and faculty, and do your best to get the highest possible score on your DAT.
The average DAT score is 20, however, the higher the better. The DAT can be passed multiple times and you’ll be able to try again if you’re not satisfied with the results you got.
Post-Baccalaureate Program
The one available option is that to attend a Postbaccalaureate program. The credits earned through these programs will directly affect the GPA and eventually increase it.
With an extra post-baccalaureate in your application, chances to be accepted at dental school will be much higher.
Previous Professional Experiences
Professional experiences are important, even as students, and schools appreciate your efforts.
If you’re willing to increase your chances to get into dental school, you will want to invest and show off your experiences such as dental shadowing, research, dental clinic work, and even your volunteer hours.
Easiest Dental School To Get Into
What is the easiest dental school that you can apply to? For several reasons, the easiest dental school in the United States is the University of Mississippi.
University Of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry
Acceptance Rate: 19.9%
Average GPA Required: 3.6
Admission Requirements:
- 90 semester hours completed at an accredited college in the United States or Canada
- At least 100 hours of shadowing experience with a minimum of 4 different dentists
- A Baccalaureate degree completed prior to the application is appreciated
If you’re looking to integrate dental school but the requirements are generally too high, the University of Mississippi’s dental school is the best option for you.
The average cumulative GPA of students at the University of Mississippi is 3.6, with a GPA of science and math of 3.5. While this is quite high, the dental school’s acceptance rate is higher than average and has fewer requirements compared to the other schools.
At the (UMSD) University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, almost 80% of the students who were accepted have a biology background. In comparison, 15% have learned chemistry as their primary subject previously, and 5% have other backgrounds.
Other than the CGPA, students have to take Dental Admission Test (DAT) to get enrolled in the Dental School at the University of Mississippi and their students’ average score is 19.08.
Is It Difficult To Get Into Dental School?
Dentists are highly trained in preventing the oral health of individuals. For this reason, and for the quality of education in all dental schools, there is massive competition in this field.
Due to this continuously increasing interest from the students in dentistry and more students applying for dental school, it isn’t easy to get into dental school. The seats are limited in the universities, but the number of students applying increases each year.
For instance, at the University of Mississippi dental school, only 39 out of 88 applicants were selected. That of course increases the merit but makes it stressful for the students who want to be enrolled in dental schools but could not succeed.
While not always required, students should have a bachelor’s degree to apply to dental school to increase their chances of getting into one.
Last but not least, your GPA must be as high as possible to get among the top candidates of your selection. Moreover, your DAT score shouldn’t be less than 19 to confirm your enrolment in dental school.
In short, getting into dental school is certainly not easy. But with hard work and persistence, it is definitely possible to get matriculated.
Also Read: 4.0 vs 5.0 GPA Scale (Ultimate Guide In Calculating Your Gpa)
Conclusion
Having discussed everything you needed to know about what GPA you need to enter dental school, you probably have a better idea about the minimum requirements and how to increase your GPA.
Of course, it is better to work hard in bachelor’s and get a GPA of or above 3.5 to have a competitive application. Having a low GPA might kick you out from the competition, and some universities may not allow or accept your application for the further process.
Research the institutes which have requirements that match your level and, this way, you’ll be able to choose the easiest dental schools to apply to.
To conclude, work on your GPA, get it as high as possible, make your application rich, show off all your working experiences, and you will certainly have great chances to get matriculated.
