How do US schools look at GPA ?

[WinterSoldier15]

Hi Guys, I am entering my fifth year at McMaster University and I have already written the DAT in which I scored a 22. I am a Canadian student and the applications made in Canadian Dental schools are made through their own online application portal, they do not have a single portal like US (AADSAS). So basically when you apply to Canadian dental schools you just go on their website and upload your transcripts which the admissions committee can see. My issue is that I had a horrible first year due to my mom going into severe depression, PTSD, and anxiety which caused me to constantly travel back and forth from university to take care of all her appointments which ultimately resulted in me in failing the first year and kicked out. However, after presenting proof of my mom's illness and taking summer courses after the first year in which I got 3.7+ in all my courses, I was successfully reinstated/readmitted into my program straight into the second year and my GPA was reset to 0 at my school. From then I got a 3.0 in my second year, 3.12 in my third year, 3.95 in my fourth year and a 4.0 in my fifth year. I have great LORs from profs and volunteer supervisors and ECs. When applying to US dental schools I know applications and transcript grades are inputted through AADSAS and my transcripts will show my first-year grades and it will also show I was reinstated into my second year. My questions is, how does AADSAS display your grades to US dental schools?? Does it take all of your grades and spit out a cumulative and science GPA ?? Or do they categorize your grades year by year ??? I was relying on the fact that US dental schools will be able to see my strong upward trend and now I am just panicking if all this work is worth it if AADSAS will only send a Grade and not the whole transcripts for schools to see how I have progressed. Will US dental schools see everything like my GPA in my second, third, fourth, and fifth year or do AADSAS only send cumulative and science GPA ?? Any info or insight on this would really be helpful. I know I am competitive for Western but that seems like the only school I have a shot at which is why I am considering US schools. But even at US schools I am not sure how they receive your GPA, are they able to see the upward trend especailly the last two years ??? Or do they just receive the AADSAS GPA. 

 

[Starburst]

On 8/30/2018 at 12:37 PM, WinterSoldier15 said:

Hi Guys, I am entering my fifth year at McMaster University and I have already written the DAT in which I scored a 22. I am a Canadian student and the applications made in Canadian Dental schools are made through their own online application portal, they do not have a single portal like US (AADSAS). So basically when you apply to Canadian dental schools you just go on their website and upload your transcripts which the admissions committee can see. My issue is that I had a horrible first year due to my mom going into severe depression, PTSD, and anxiety which caused me to constantly travel back and forth from university to take care of all her appointments which ultimately resulted in me in failing the first year and kicked out. However, after presenting proof of my mom's illness and taking summer courses after the first year in which I got 3.7+ in all my courses, I was successfully reinstated/readmitted into my program straight into the second year and my GPA was reset to 0 at my school. From then I got a 3.0 in my second year, 3.12 in my third year, 3.95 in my fourth year and a 4.0 in my fifth year. I have great LORs from profs and volunteer supervisors and ECs. When applying to US dental schools I know applications and transcript grades are inputted through AADSAS and my transcripts will show my first-year grades and it will also show I was reinstated into my second year. My questions is, how does AADSAS display your grades to US dental schools?? Does it take all of your grades and spit out a cumulative and science GPA ?? Or do they categorize your grades year by year ??? I was relying on the fact that US dental schools will be able to see my strong upward trend and now I am just panicking if all this work is worth it if AADSAS will only send a Grade and not the whole transcripts for schools to see how I have progressed. Will US dental schools see everything like my GPA in my second, third, fourth, and fifth year or do AADSAS only send cumulative and science GPA ?? Any info or insight on this would really be helpful. I know I am competitive for Western but that seems like the only school I have a shot at which is why I am considering US schools. But even at US schools I am not sure how they receive your GPA, are they able to see the upward trend especailly the last two years ??? Or do they just receive the AADSAS GPA. 

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First off, i'm incredibly sorry to hear that you had to go through that exprience first year. I'm also applying to american schools this year so maybe i can help you out. To my knowledge, AADSAS takes all of your grades and spits out your GPA for each year, a cumulaive GPA, and a science GPA. Fortunately, american schools do look at your GPA year-to-year and love it when students improve. And american dental schools are much more holestic than Canadian ones and they do acknowledge the fact that life events do happen, so as long as you explain this in your personal statement / somewhere in your AADSAS application, you should be fine.

I would also consider appealing your grades from first-year and try having them removed off your transcript. Not sure if that's a possibility at your school, but at the school that I go to, it does happen from time-to-time. If you can't, it's not the end of the world. With your stats, you'll get in somewhere. Best of luck!

[smileon]

On 9/2/2018 at 7:25 AM, Starburst said:

First off, i'm incredibly sorry to hear that you had to go through that exprience first year. I'm also applying to american schools this year so maybe i can help you out. To my knowledge, AADSAS takes all of your grades and spits out your GPA for each year, a cumulaive GPA, and a science GPA. Fortunately, american schools do look at your GPA year-to-year and love it when students improve. And american dental schools are much more holestic than Canadian ones and they do acknowledge the fact that life events do happen, so as long as you explain this in your personal statement / somewhere in your AADSAS application, you should be fine.

I would also consider appealing your grades from first-year and try having them removed off your transcript. Not sure if that's a possibility at your school, but at the school that I go to, it does happen from time-to-time. If you can't, it's not the end of the world. With your stats, you'll get in somewhere. Best of luck!

I agree with Starburst re the American schools taking a much more holistic view and therefore giving you a much better shot than you think. I'd suggest getting some professional help to maximize the impact of your personal statement to elaborate the circumstances to ensure they take a second look at the grade progression. The empathy, fortitude and determination it took to come back from what may have knocked the wind out of many are qualities that will stand you in good stead with American evaluators.All the best!