After reading all the posts on this thread,I feel nobody should force their ideas upon others.Each person has their own priorites, constraints and subsequent decisions and each one has different goals,plans and most importantly life situations.So let each person have his/her own strategy that'll work well for them,be it regarding studying,selecting schools or spending money..This forum should only be a way of helping others by sharing whatever info we have.
Seniors, time to help!
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OK, sorry guys.. i found some time today to post my experiences out here. Posting this is really important for me because I am obligated to many people out here for whatever I have achieved till date. I'd like to start off with thanking some special people like BombayBDS, rose82, toothfairyqueen etc. I am sorry if i missed out a few names. I know these ppl as they have been posting me notes of encouragement. Toothfairyquuen.... I never knew your full story until you posted this out here. Hats off to you and your perseverance !!
My story goes like this ......
I came to this country with Green card in jan 2010..totally apprehensive.. I studied for 6 months .. looking after my 2 yr old daughter( who would never understand that dad has to study other than playing with her!!) when my wife went for a job.. I cleared NBDE in july ad applied to Rochester... NYU.. BU and Buffalo !! Interviewd in Rochester and rejected.... Rejected from Buffalo..and BU.. NYU never sent me anything....and rose sent me a PM suggesting that I should give them a short visit.. which I did and guess wot?? I was given the interview date instantly !!!! .... my purpose of saying this is... IT WORKS !!!! after the interview I was waitlisted ... and again I kept on calling them.. until one day one of them said he would put a note on my file saying that I am "highly interested" to join the program !!! and in late april I received the call for acceptance !!!
My stats : BDS, MDS ( Oral Surgery) - from India, 3 yrs teaching exp in a dental school in India, One peer reviewed publication, 6 months of dental assisting in US, 10 months of Dental assistant teaching in a school in NY
NBDE part 1 - 84
TOEFL (iBT)- 96
ECE- 3.13
1) Get good LORs from your country.. specially the one from your dean/principal
2) write a very STRONG SOP.. try to be unique from others. you can use some tips from BombayBDS.. he's really a pro in this.. he helped me a lot !!
3) try to be a co-author of any research publications in your school ( this is my personal recommendation)
4) once you have applied try to be annoyingly persistant in bugging the authorities.... this one worked for me... ( OK.. don't be annoying !!)
So my friends, keep on trying and never give up !! and if anybody needs any more info please feel free to PM me.. don't mind if I'm a bit late in responding!!
ALL THE BEST !!!
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Hi begottedBDS,
Thanks for sharing. It is good to share with stats and experience so that it will be of help to us. Hats off to you, I really don't know how people manage to study and work with kids.
Thanks for sharing. It is good to share with stats and experience so that it will be of help to us. Hats off to you, I really don't know how people manage to study and work with kids.
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Hi begottedBDS,
Thanks for sharing. It is good to share with stats and experience so that it will be of help to us. Hats off to you, I really don't know how people manage to study and work with kids.
I never knew the same. Its only when your back is against the wall you find a way.
good work begotted bds..
NBDE 1: 91
NBDE 2: 76
Toefl: 98
GPA: 3.05
4 years of dental school
1 year of internship
1 year of private practice during internship period
8 months of private practice in home country after internship
2 years volunteering in US dental offices and now working and being paid.
Lots of volunteer work in the country where I graduated, in my hometown and in US.
Do not have any research experience, no publication, no master degree.
I just had a SOP that tells a story about my life! My life experiences and hardwork. My SOP does not have a word starting with 'D' Yes, I did not write anything related to dentistry in my SOP, it just says my journey from childhood to present.
I will write more....just give me some time
NBDE 2: 76
Toefl: 98
GPA: 3.05
4 years of dental school
1 year of internship
1 year of private practice during internship period
8 months of private practice in home country after internship
2 years volunteering in US dental offices and now working and being paid.
Lots of volunteer work in the country where I graduated, in my hometown and in US.
Do not have any research experience, no publication, no master degree.
I just had a SOP that tells a story about my life! My life experiences and hardwork. My SOP does not have a word starting with 'D' Yes, I did not write anything related to dentistry in my SOP, it just says my journey from childhood to present.
I will write more....just give me some time
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Hi Jtshsjt,
Thank you for posting your experience. Cant stop wondering how it is possible to write a SOP for dental schools without mentioning a word about dentistry. I am sure it must have made for an interesting read. Do post more when time permits.
Thank you for posting your experience. Cant stop wondering how it is possible to write a SOP for dental schools without mentioning a word about dentistry. I am sure it must have made for an interesting read. Do post more when time permits.
Why is it so hard to write a SOP? I am just wondering!!!! SOP should be personal right!!???!!! So just write about yourself...I swear I did the same. Every other applicant will write thier accomplishments and interests in dentistry. I believe your scores, awards and CV will explain that, you need to tell admissions committe about yourself now. Just be different from all of them and write about yourself.
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I guess I just don't know how to write about myself without including dentistry... My SOP didn't include scores or accomplishments, but it did include a lot of my personal life and dentistry. My father is a dentist and I've been "breathing" dentistry as far back as I can possibly remember, so not talking about dentistry wasn't an option. lol
I totally agree when you say that the SOP should be personal. But I think there is a very thin line that divides an excellent and a mediocre SOP. It's about how it is written, and at some point how is it read too.
When I compared my SOPs from 2010 and 2011 they were essentially telling the same story, but in every possible way the one from 2011 was more enjoyable, interesting, easy to the reader and expressed much much more about myself then the one from the year before.
This is an excellent thread ...so many success stories ....of
people with high GPA /Avg score
low GPA /excellent scores .
moderate GPA /Moderate scores n lots of work ex.
even with low GPA / avg scores n work ex.
This thread itself states that only NBDE score is not the whole sole criteria. complete " profile" + hardwork pays off.
people with high GPA /Avg score
low GPA /excellent scores .
moderate GPA /Moderate scores n lots of work ex.
even with low GPA / avg scores n work ex.
This thread itself states that only NBDE score is not the whole sole criteria. complete " profile" + hardwork pays off.
Hi guys, I missed out on this thread earlier but was asked kindly to post my experience here. I honestly don't know if I can add anything to the discussion, because in my opinion Toothfairy, Hope4 (who I'm glad to say will be a future classmate), and bombay have said it all. Their experiences/write ups are spot on and encompass everything u need to know. I wish they had a thread like this on SDN when I was still stressed out applying, because their write-ups come straight from the heart and offer great advice.
Anyways, my stats are the following:
NBDE Part 1 : 89
Toefl : 119
GPA : 3.24
Applied: UCLA, UCSF, UoP, NYU, BU, UPenn, UIC, Columbia, Buffalo, Marquette
Outright Rejected: Columbia, Upenn
Never Heard From: UCSF, NYU, BU, Marquette, Buffalo
Interview Calls: UCLA, UoP, UIC
Interviews Attended : UIC
Admission: UIC
and thats pretty much it! I graduated in 2010 and immediately took time off I spent a few months enjoying my life after dental school, until i woke up one day and realized I had so much work left to do if I was to get into a DDS program. I got my **** together and studied hard for Part 1 , did some volunteer work at clinics, and got some great letters of rec. I applied very early to around 10-12 schools (almost every school that only required Part 1) and hoped for the best. To date I have received interview calls from UIC, UCLA and UOP. I was lucky enough to get an early interview from UIC (July 12th) and gain admission, so I didn't attend my other interviews.
I just wanted to point out a few things. There is always something left you can improve on. There is no need to come on SDN asking "what are my chances" because no one can say for sure. There are definite concrete ways to improve your chances. Focus first on studying hard for Part 1 to get a good score (irrelevant starting from january anyway). If that doesn't happen , remember that Part 1 isn't everything. To improve, study and pass your Part 2. After that if you feel you need to improve, get a 100+ on your Toefl. If after that you're feeling nervous, go out and visit every dental clinic you can find and ask if they would consider having you volunteer/shadow/assist ANYTHING. Everyone wants free labour, it's not hard to find something!
Like Hope4 said, theres a very fine line between an excellent SOP and a mediocre one. Having trouble? Jot down what you can and start sending them to people you trust! There is NOTHING wrong with someone reading your SOP and giving you feedback. Get your SOP battle-tested from a variety of sources and be ready to take criticism. This is where scores don't matter. A grammatical error reflects VERY POORLY on you. It means you did not take the time out to perfect your application to the school, and it comes off as lazy and disinterested. Sentence structure, grammar, wording are all just as important as the general message of your SOP. The SOP is the only way the school can see the human side of the applicant and believe me they do read into everything. (Misspelled words, no paragraphs, misplaced comma, bad english in general). It is vital that you seize the chance to make a good impression with at Least your attention to detail.
Lastly, remember your application is designed to do one thing and one thing only : Getting that interview. Because remember this one fact: Once you get an interview, all candidates are equal. The 99 part 1's and the 75 part 1's are thrown out. If you've been invited, that means your stats are acceptable to them. Now they want to see firsthand who you are and whether you fit at their school. At the interview, you need to be confident. If you are shy, you have to practice. If you are outgoing, you Still have to practice. Start talking to people, give mock interviews, notice if you can't keep your hands still when you speak or if your slouching in your chair, or not looking into the interviewers eyes. Do not ask people for answers to questions. The answers have to come from you. The interviewers can smell bull**** and memorized answers from a mile away. You have to be genuine and confident. I'm usually a confident person, but I can fake confidence with the best of them.
Anyways, I think I rambled a bit while posting. Good luck to everyone still applying and I hope you all realize your dreams of getting into a DDS program!
Anyways, my stats are the following:
NBDE Part 1 : 89
Toefl : 119
GPA : 3.24
Applied: UCLA, UCSF, UoP, NYU, BU, UPenn, UIC, Columbia, Buffalo, Marquette
Outright Rejected: Columbia, Upenn
Never Heard From: UCSF, NYU, BU, Marquette, Buffalo
Interview Calls: UCLA, UoP, UIC
Interviews Attended : UIC
Admission: UIC
and thats pretty much it! I graduated in 2010 and immediately took time off
I spent a few months enjoying my life after dental school, until i woke up one day and realized I had so much work left to do if I was to get into a DDS program. I got my **** together and studied hard for Part 1 , did some volunteer work at clinics, and got some great letters of rec. I applied very early to around 10-12 schools (almost every school that only required Part 1) and hoped for the best. To date I have received interview calls from UIC, UCLA and UOP. I was lucky enough to get an early interview from UIC (July 12th) and gain admission, so I didn't attend my other interviews. I just wanted to point out a few things. There is always something left you can improve on. There is no need to come on SDN asking "what are my chances" because no one can say for sure. There are definite concrete ways to improve your chances. Focus first on studying hard for Part 1 to get a good score (irrelevant starting from january anyway). If that doesn't happen , remember that Part 1 isn't everything. To improve, study and pass your Part 2. After that if you feel you need to improve, get a 100+ on your Toefl. If after that you're feeling nervous, go out and visit every dental clinic you can find and ask if they would consider having you volunteer/shadow/assist ANYTHING. Everyone wants free labour, it's not hard to find something!
Like Hope4 said, theres a very fine line between an excellent SOP and a mediocre one. Having trouble? Jot down what you can and start sending them to people you trust! There is NOTHING wrong with someone reading your SOP and giving you feedback. Get your SOP battle-tested from a variety of sources and be ready to take criticism. This is where scores don't matter. A grammatical error reflects VERY POORLY on you. It means you did not take the time out to perfect your application to the school, and it comes off as lazy and disinterested. Sentence structure, grammar, wording are all just as important as the general message of your SOP. The SOP is the only way the school can see the human side of the applicant and believe me they do read into everything. (Misspelled words, no paragraphs, misplaced comma, bad english in general). It is vital that you seize the chance to make a good impression with at Least your attention to detail.
Lastly, remember your application is designed to do one thing and one thing only : Getting that interview. Because remember this one fact: Once you get an interview, all candidates are equal. The 99 part 1's and the 75 part 1's are thrown out. If you've been invited, that means your stats are acceptable to them. Now they want to see firsthand who you are and whether you fit at their school. At the interview, you need to be confident. If you are shy, you have to practice. If you are outgoing, you Still have to practice. Start talking to people, give mock interviews, notice if you can't keep your hands still when you speak or if your slouching in your chair, or not looking into the interviewers eyes. Do not ask people for answers to questions. The answers have to come from you. The interviewers can smell bull**** and memorized answers from a mile away. You have to be genuine and confident. I'm usually a confident person, but I can fake confidence with the best of them.
Anyways, I think I rambled a bit while posting. Good luck to everyone still applying and I hope you all realize your dreams of getting into a DDS program!
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Thanks a lot for posting your experience so promptly. Good luck at UIC.
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..
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My turn guys..
I finished my BDS in 2003 and MDS in 2007. Worked in a dental college and had a private practice in India for 4 years.
I decided I wanted to do DDS in Sep 2010. Gave part 1 in Dec 2010, toefl in Jan 2011, kept running my clinic and attended the college during this time, also became a father in the meanwhile.
NBDE 1: 92
TOEFL: 112
ECE: BDS(3.92) MDS(4.00)
Applied in CU and UMN. (did not apply in CAAPID)
Got IV call from both.
Attended IV of CU, got acceptance.
Refused to attend the UMN interview.
As other colleagues have pointed out, I'm in total agreement with them that NBDE, TOEFL n GPA are just the starting steps. Wait Jan 2012 (Pass/Fail), n u all will be trying to work harder on extracurriculars like IV skills, improving LOR's, SOP's, CV's and bench test performances. I think we underestimate their value. Got my CV, SOP and LOR checked, rechecked and re-re checked via Harvard MBA graduates and MD's (they luckily happened to be my family members) and it helped me a lot. Had a few friends in colorado and did a lot of PR to make newer ones as well; They guided me well during the IV experience.
I did not have any US experience of assistant-ship or shadowing or whatsoever.
Plan the typical B2>F1>OTP>H1B>GC route
See patients and plan to teach my students in India till the last day I'm here..
I could write so much regarding everything but as I am in the stage of packing my bags, so I dont get a lot of time.
Ask me any questions and I'l try to help u guys.
And wish me luck for the next stage
I finished my BDS in 2003 and MDS in 2007. Worked in a dental college and had a private practice in India for 4 years.
I decided I wanted to do DDS in Sep 2010. Gave part 1 in Dec 2010, toefl in Jan 2011, kept running my clinic and attended the college during this time, also became a father in the meanwhile
.NBDE 1: 92
TOEFL: 112
ECE: BDS(3.92) MDS(4.00)
Applied in CU and UMN. (did not apply in CAAPID)
Got IV call from both.
Attended IV of CU, got acceptance.
Refused to attend the UMN interview.
As other colleagues have pointed out, I'm in total agreement with them that NBDE, TOEFL n GPA are just the starting steps. Wait Jan 2012 (Pass/Fail), n u all will be trying to work harder on extracurriculars like IV skills, improving LOR's, SOP's, CV's and bench test performances. I think we underestimate their value. Got my CV, SOP and LOR checked, rechecked and re-re checked via Harvard MBA graduates and MD's (they luckily happened to be my family members) and it helped me a lot. Had a few friends in colorado and did a lot of PR to make newer ones as well; They guided me well during the IV experience.
I did not have any US experience of assistant-ship or shadowing or whatsoever.
Plan the typical B2>F1>OTP>H1B>GC route
See patients and plan to teach my students in India till the last day I'm here..
I could write so much regarding everything but as I am in the stage of packing my bags, so I dont get a lot of time.
Ask me any questions and I'l try to help u guys.
And wish me luck for the next stage
Congrats analyzer ..
well everyone above has given amazing examples and experiences...and what I would second everything that they have said regarding application procedures, cv's etc,
my story
stats: part 1 87 part 2 80 toefl 109 ece: 3.78
well I came to US in 2009 and wrote the part 1 in June 2009...dint do too well...got a 81 and dint have US experience or any other qualification like mph or anything...But was lucky enough to retake the part 1 in jan 2010 and scored an 87...
my second attempt results werent out yet and was lucky enough to get a call from UCONN for 2010 admissions...my first interview and it was nerve wrecking...they try to make me comfortable but i for some reason just wouldnt calm down...well still answered everything right and in the end gave one stupid answer and that was it...dint get through..
then my second attempt result came in and i updated my application at nyu, colorado and applied to UMN..got a call from UMN and colorado...colorado bench exam was ok and interview(1 faculty and 2 students took mine) was superb..hell they even made me do salsa(dance) with one of the students...result--rejected saying my resume was lacking...
well went to minnesota ...interview was great according to me..lot of questions by dr. berthold on my native state in India..somehow he knew more than me...dint make it there either.
2011 admission cycle begin..applied early in aug 2010...i applied to only the east coast schools...while the applications were going on i started working as an assistant in a private clinic...appeared for part 2 ...red cross volunteering...CE courses..implant courses..basically built up my resume...turned down by Upenn saying my part 1 improvement from 81 to 87 was not significant enough...never heard from BU..dint hear anything from NYU till Jan 2011(not even an application complete mail)..so i picked up the phone and gave them a call in Jan..they told me application was incomplete...the missing documents were the ones that as a re applicant we did not need to submit again..i made this point to them and they apologized for not noticing that..as soon as i kept the phone..they sent me an IV call for the following week...got an IV call from temple university in the same week...both interviews were amazing and I was feeling very confident( had practiced interviews with my wife at home and improved on my skills at answering learning from past experiences)..
finally got accepted at both temple and NYU...chose NYU
so basically..work hard ..keep improving your resume..and stay positive...and dont hesitate to get in touch with schools regarding your application(dont overdo it too)..
all the best guys
well everyone above has given amazing examples and experiences...and what I would second everything that they have said regarding application procedures, cv's etc,
my story
stats: part 1 87 part 2 80 toefl 109 ece: 3.78
well I came to US in 2009 and wrote the part 1 in June 2009...dint do too well...got a 81 and dint have US experience or any other qualification like mph or anything...But was lucky enough to retake the part 1 in jan 2010 and scored an 87...
my second attempt results werent out yet and was lucky enough to get a call from UCONN for 2010 admissions...my first interview and it was nerve wrecking...they try to make me comfortable but i for some reason just wouldnt calm down...well still answered everything right and in the end gave one stupid answer and that was it...dint get through..
then my second attempt result came in and i updated my application at nyu, colorado and applied to UMN..got a call from UMN and colorado...colorado bench exam was ok and interview(1 faculty and 2 students took mine) was superb..hell they even made me do salsa(dance) with one of the students...result--rejected saying my resume was lacking...
well went to minnesota ...interview was great according to me..lot of questions by dr. berthold on my native state in India..somehow he knew more than me...dint make it there either.
2011 admission cycle begin..applied early in aug 2010...i applied to only the east coast schools...while the applications were going on i started working as an assistant in a private clinic...appeared for part 2 ...red cross volunteering...CE courses..implant courses..basically built up my resume...turned down by Upenn saying my part 1 improvement from 81 to 87 was not significant enough...never heard from BU..dint hear anything from NYU till Jan 2011(not even an application complete mail)..so i picked up the phone and gave them a call in Jan..they told me application was incomplete...the missing documents were the ones that as a re applicant we did not need to submit again..i made this point to them and they apologized for not noticing that..as soon as i kept the phone..they sent me an IV call for the following week...got an IV call from temple university in the same week...both interviews were amazing and I was feeling very confident( had practiced interviews with my wife at home and improved on my skills at answering learning from past experiences)..
finally got accepted at both temple and NYU...chose NYU
so basically..work hard ..keep improving your resume..and stay positive...and dont hesitate to get in touch with schools regarding your application(dont overdo it too)..
all the best guys
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Thanks for posting your experience. Gosh, a clinic, college and a child must have been quite a handful while taking exams! A 92 at that! Great! As they say,where there is a will, there is a way! Good luck at Colorado !!
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Thanks for being helpful, as ALWAYS!! So did you do the salsa with your wife after getting into NYU? Good luck!!
Thanks for being helpful, as ALWAYS!! So did you do the salsa with your wife after getting into NYU? Good luck!!
haha ya i did...
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hi every one,
even i want to share my experience here. it may be short but i hope it helps.
after coming to USA, i gave my part -1 and got 83 october 2009.[ the situation was my father got expired in an accident. and i had to go back to my country after my preparation and after i came back after few months, i could not take it as everyone and me being alone without any family suffered a lot and i had to support my mother from here at that time. why i'm telling you this is everyone here has problems and so don't ever get down and try to do as hard work as possible.]
then i gave my part-2 and got 79.[april 2010]
i didnt had enough clinical experience and had 11/2 yrs of research experience. by then and trying not to lose hope i applied to many schools.
got interviews: loma linda, USC,UMDNJ, colorado
got rejected from all and the reasons 1. loma linda--i am a left hander and couldnt do on those old chairs. i didnt had enough practice in preclinicals.
2. i don't know the reason exactly but what i think is i nicked the adjacent tooth.
3. UMDNJ: i didnt try to find out about what they give in the interviews and what all i was preparing was class-2 and couldnt do the upper MOD'S in indirect vision as i didnt had any equipment with me.
4. colorado: i think my scores were less.
so, what i learnt from my mistakes were:
1. go well prepared in advance and try not to take any chances.
2. try to get aquainted with the preclinicals very wellfor west schools.
3. follow forums related tothat university and find out the previous experiences of students.
4. prepare for the worst situation.
5. get average scores atleast and be in the pool
6. clinical experience in USA is very important.
7. be positive.
8. sop and resume should be as best as possible.
2011-- gave part-1 again and got 87.
applied to many schools as usual
difference between 2010 and 2011
1. part 1 score
2. dental assistant experience for 1 year.
3. good resume and sop than previous year.
4. applied early
5. took time to evaluate each and every university of what they need.
6. prepared for pre-clinical's as much as i can.[ i didn't take any courses] and don't have any friends in any dental schools.
7. prepared for the interviews too.
got interviews from till today: lomalinda, UPENN, BU,Buffalo.
attended interviews: lomalinda, bu and upenn
rejected invitations: buffalo till today
got acceptances: llu and bu
yet to get result: upenn.
if you need anything, i will definitely try to help you all.
ALL THE BEST to everyone.
be with patience and you will definitely get it.
even i want to share my experience here. it may be short but i hope it helps.
after coming to USA, i gave my part -1 and got 83 october 2009.[ the situation was my father got expired in an accident. and i had to go back to my country after my preparation and after i came back after few months, i could not take it as everyone and me being alone without any family suffered a lot and i had to support my mother from here at that time. why i'm telling you this is everyone here has problems and so don't ever get down and try to do as hard work as possible.]
then i gave my part-2 and got 79.[april 2010]
i didnt had enough clinical experience and had 11/2 yrs of research experience. by then and trying not to lose hope i applied to many schools.
got interviews: loma linda, USC,UMDNJ, colorado
got rejected from all and the reasons 1. loma linda--i am a left hander and couldnt do on those old chairs. i didnt had enough practice in preclinicals.
2. i don't know the reason exactly but what i think is i nicked the adjacent tooth.
3. UMDNJ: i didnt try to find out about what they give in the interviews and what all i was preparing was class-2 and couldnt do the upper MOD'S in indirect vision as i didnt had any equipment with me.
4. colorado: i think my scores were less.
so, what i learnt from my mistakes were:
1. go well prepared in advance and try not to take any chances.
2. try to get aquainted with the preclinicals very wellfor west schools.
3. follow forums related tothat university and find out the previous experiences of students.
4. prepare for the worst situation.
5. get average scores atleast and be in the pool
6. clinical experience in USA is very important.
7. be positive.
8. sop and resume should be as best as possible.
2011-- gave part-1 again and got 87.
applied to many schools as usual
difference between 2010 and 2011
1. part 1 score
2. dental assistant experience for 1 year.
3. good resume and sop than previous year.
4. applied early
5. took time to evaluate each and every university of what they need.
6. prepared for pre-clinical's as much as i can.[ i didn't take any courses] and don't have any friends in any dental schools.
7. prepared for the interviews too.
got interviews from till today: lomalinda, UPENN, BU,Buffalo.
attended interviews: lomalinda, bu and upenn
rejected invitations: buffalo till today
got acceptances: llu and bu
yet to get result: upenn.
if you need anything, i will definitely try to help you all.
ALL THE BEST to everyone.
be with patience and you will definitely get it.
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Thank you for posting your experience. It was very informative. I liked your presentation. Good luck at your chosen school.
A couple of people were asking for my stats..so I thought I would chip in.
My stats are not very great.
Part 1:86
Part 2:76
Toefl :111
gpa: 2.76
I applied for 3 years. The first year I applied..I was very late and could apply only to two universities -BU and NYU.Rejection without a call.
Next year I applied to 8-10 schools.Got a call from LLU and NOVA.Attended the interview and was blown away by the competition. Keep in mind that students attending the interview would have years of experience or done an AEGD,so would have good skills.So I got rejected after the call.
Third year,applied to the same universities(DIdnt add any more on my list,because reapplicants get preference and no point applying to fresh ones)
This time I got 5 calls (got some later too by phone call,but I politely declined) I attended all of them and got accepted at 3!!!
So what did I learn in this process? My gpa was low..I had almost zero hopes. But I didnt know what else to do.My spouse always used to tell me not to worry..even if I didnt get into one,I could always work at Taco bell. That terrified me a lot. This thought itself gave me the drive coz I cant stand for 11 hours straight
Somehow, I started working on my resume.I attended conferences, did CE courses including UMDNJ bench course. I assisted a dentist for 1 1/2 year.This really helped me alot because it became a point of conversation in most of my interviews. I practiced like crazy...took suggestions from current IDP students. Saw youtube videos.Many keep asking from where to read up on surveying. Come on guys...open your eyes and just use google!!There are 2 sets of videos on youtube for step by step surveying.
My hands were at ease and when I showed my work to UOP students,they also mentioned it was good.
The next issue I had was how to interview.My practs were good at UOP,but my personal interview didnt go well. Prepare well for each typical interview q...but be comfortable.When I tell someone be prepared for "WHy should we take you?"..they counter question me as to what answer they should give for that. How am I supposed to answer that? You should know yourself better,right? Be aggressive!Google for the style of answering such questions.(I put the word style in bold,coz you just want the format,not the answer itself) You should not be redundant..be subtle when you talk about yourself.
Someone else asked me about case study and how to prepare for it. There is no book which will guide you on how to answer the case questions. Use common sense and your knowledge on dentistry,please.It is just like the cases on part 2. How did you prepare for those?
For questions on how to apply and pick a school...please search for feedback on that school. You will ALWAYS find info in the past interview threads.FOr eg...UMN has a strict cut off.Applicants discuss this in the previous years.Look at the acceptance stats..but also use your judgement.Dont always go by what is said here.Also use your instincts.Please,please...do some research on what you are looking for,and decide based on your judgement.
My point is...stats are important.Hell yeah!It could get you in,much faster. But if you dont know how to conduct yourself well...what point are those stats?
For those who worry about not getting calls with part 1..stop worrying and start working on your part 2. With part 2,and being a reapplicant..you are bound to get a call and THEN,everything is in your hands!
For the record, When I got my part 1, I asked someone here on SDN ,if I had a chance with my gpa. They said it is unlikely with this gpa....I dont blame anyone,but dont let anyone tell you "You cant do it"...not even yourself.Unless you try something,how will you know if it was meant for you or not?
Thankyou so much rose, I have less GPA too, and I am very worried. But this post is very motivating.. You are truly wonderful..
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This was one of the most informative threads ever to come up in SDN.
It already has a number of good posts.
But i hope people who got acceptance in CA schools of late (UCSF,UOP,USC etc) pitch in and share their stats, experience, and preparation, ups and downs, and how to make it in the specific schools !! Thank you.
It already has a number of good posts.
But i hope people who got acceptance in CA schools of late (UCSF,UOP,USC etc) pitch in and share their stats, experience, and preparation, ups and downs, and how to make it in the specific schools !! Thank you.
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Guys, Nov 21st is long gone. Congratulations on your acceptances. You must have gotten over with the required formalities of admission to CA schools.Wont you please take a few minutes to write down about your experiences? Also mention your stats. Of course,people who got into other schools are very welcome too! Thanks!
All that I can say is God has been Gracious..
never give up.. whatever others may say..
I must say SDN has been a great source of inspiration..But some posts can depress you too... Don't bother about those..
I've always believed that each individual has a different way of preparing for exams, interviews, bench tests, etc.. After all.. we all have different strengths and weaknesses.. and noone else knows that better... Have confidence.. and faith..
I'm writing everything right from the beginning ..so that people at any stage of the process finds this useful..
I came to the US last Dec(on H 4 visa),soon after graduating.. I hadn't received my degree certificate and didn't know when I would get it.... and so wasn't sure what I would be able to do here.. or when I'd be able to get into school.. But I had got recommendation letters from Profs.
It's after I took a date for the GRE(which would be required for an MS program-as a back up plan) that I got my certificate in Jan.(A pure miracle considering our University).Soon after that, I decided to give my NBDE part 1 , ordered a course by course evaluation from ECE (GPA- 3.89) and later took a date for the exam. In the meanwhile, I gave my GRE in March as I had already taken a date for it.To be able to apply in time for the CA schools, I took a date in early June.So after my GRE I had exactly 2 and a half months to study.(Used Kaplan NBDE Lecture Notes and Decks and of course the ASDA papers- The papers are very useful to get oriented.. ).After the exam,I was scared how my results would be.. I had this feeling that I had written enough to pass but not well enough for a good score..Got the result in a little less than 3 weeks- 89 by God's Grace.. Gave TOEFL, score - 113.
And then came the application process. The essays for each school
Please do your research about each school.It will help you in the interviews too. Writing a good essay is extremely important... and of course US experience and recommendation letters.Try to volunteer/ observe or do any related job.It counts a lot.
I didn't want to apply to a lot of places.. I applied to UCLA,USC,UOP and Louiseville. Didn't get an interview call from USC initially.Got a reject from UOP. I got nervous and decided to apply to Boston.No call from Boston yet. But when UCLA( my dream school) sent out the invites on Aug 19th, I got an invite.I was really excited,but tensed too. After a week, got a call from USC too.. And then Louiseville... I rejected Louiseville for personal reasons( in faith I would say)
I practised at home with the bench equipment I got from Milpitas (where I also got a one day orientation to the exercises - The UCLA trained dentist there is extremely nice and helpful), e bay and dental stores.. I have posted on another thread about the equipment required and where to get them.. here's the link to that
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=865413&highlight=basic+equipment
Try to focus on what your school expects for the interview.
USC interview was on Oct 8th and 9th- A lot of people have already written their experiences previously.. So I guess I don't have to elaborate.You have to get everything including Typodont and hand instruments for USC
UCLA interview was on the 12th and the bench exam on the 13th- was a friendly one. They gave preparation guidelines.Not too many surprises.You need to take just the handpiece. The interview can be very casual or stuff from you application. So know the application well and be honest, in the application and the interview.
There were a lot of people at the interviews with much more experience and degrees..I realized I was lucky to have got a call... There were many who had tried last year and the previous year.. But whatever it is,don't be shaken..each person has their positives and negatives.. Just be positive and hopeful...
And then was the wait..that seemed forever..
The results came on Nov 21st.. to my dismay I was on the alternate list of both the schools. And then it was terrible since you cannot even know where you stand... It's not an easy phase but don't lose hope.. Different schools look for different things..
After 10 days of wait, I received a call from UCLA saying that I got accepted..God heard my prayers... Sometime we just have to wait.. which can be very difficult.. and now I'm part of the PPID 2014 at UCLA. Thank God!!
Once again, never listen to discouraging statements by others..
Good luck to all!!!
I hope I've covered most things.
Any specific questions,feel free to pm me or post here if it's something that'll be useful to the others.
One more tip:- Try to find out whatever possible from the school sites... or google.. If you have some specific issues, e-mail the admissions office.Don't e-mail them for the smallest things.. They get irritated when about 600 applicants do the same. But most of them are friendly and try to respond as well as they can.
never give up.. whatever others may say..
I must say SDN has been a great source of inspiration..But some posts can depress you too... Don't bother about those..
I've always believed that each individual has a different way of preparing for exams, interviews, bench tests, etc.. After all.. we all have different strengths and weaknesses.. and noone else knows that better... Have confidence.. and faith..
I'm writing everything right from the beginning ..so that people at any stage of the process finds this useful..
I came to the US last Dec(on H 4 visa),soon after graduating.. I hadn't received my degree certificate and didn't know when I would get it.... and so wasn't sure what I would be able to do here.. or when I'd be able to get into school.. But I had got recommendation letters from Profs.
It's after I took a date for the GRE(which would be required for an MS program-as a back up plan) that I got my certificate in Jan.(A pure miracle considering our University).Soon after that, I decided to give my NBDE part 1 , ordered a course by course evaluation from ECE (GPA- 3.89) and later took a date for the exam. In the meanwhile, I gave my GRE in March as I had already taken a date for it.To be able to apply in time for the CA schools, I took a date in early June.So after my GRE I had exactly 2 and a half months to study.(Used Kaplan NBDE Lecture Notes and Decks and of course the ASDA papers- The papers are very useful to get oriented.. ).After the exam,I was scared how my results would be.. I had this feeling that I had written enough to pass but not well enough for a good score..Got the result in a little less than 3 weeks- 89 by God's Grace.. Gave TOEFL, score - 113.
And then came the application process. The essays for each school
Please do your research about each school.It will help you in the interviews too. Writing a good essay is extremely important... and of course US experience and recommendation letters.Try to volunteer/ observe or do any related job.It counts a lot.
I didn't want to apply to a lot of places.. I applied to UCLA,USC,UOP and Louiseville. Didn't get an interview call from USC initially.Got a reject from UOP. I got nervous and decided to apply to Boston.No call from Boston yet. But when UCLA( my dream school) sent out the invites on Aug 19th, I got an invite.I was really excited,but tensed too. After a week, got a call from USC too.. And then Louiseville... I rejected Louiseville for personal reasons( in faith I would say)
I practised at home with the bench equipment I got from Milpitas (where I also got a one day orientation to the exercises - The UCLA trained dentist there is extremely nice and helpful), e bay and dental stores.. I have posted on another thread about the equipment required and where to get them.. here's the link to that
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=865413&highlight=basic+equipment
Try to focus on what your school expects for the interview.
USC interview was on Oct 8th and 9th- A lot of people have already written their experiences previously.. So I guess I don't have to elaborate.You have to get everything including Typodont and hand instruments for USC
UCLA interview was on the 12th and the bench exam on the 13th- was a friendly one. They gave preparation guidelines.Not too many surprises.You need to take just the handpiece. The interview can be very casual or stuff from you application. So know the application well and be honest, in the application and the interview.
There were a lot of people at the interviews with much more experience and degrees..I realized I was lucky to have got a call... There were many who had tried last year and the previous year.. But whatever it is,don't be shaken..each person has their positives and negatives.. Just be positive and hopeful...
And then was the wait..that seemed forever..
The results came on Nov 21st.. to my dismay I was on the alternate list of both the schools. And then it was terrible since you cannot even know where you stand... It's not an easy phase but don't lose hope.. Different schools look for different things..
After 10 days of wait, I received a call from UCLA saying that I got accepted..God heard my prayers... Sometime we just have to wait.. which can be very difficult.. and now I'm part of the PPID 2014 at UCLA. Thank God!!
Once again, never listen to discouraging statements by others..
Good luck to all!!!
I hope I've covered most things.
Any specific questions,feel free to pm me or post here if it's something that'll be useful to the others.
One more tip:- Try to find out whatever possible from the school sites... or google.. If you have some specific issues, e-mail the admissions office.Don't e-mail them for the smallest things.. They get irritated when about 600 applicants do the same. But most of them are friendly and try to respond as well as they can.
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Hearty congratulations! Thank you for posting your experience in detail. All the very best at your dream school UCLA! It is such a wonderful thing to get into the school of your choice.
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Hey guys i made this alias ID just to post my story i am not an avid user of this site but i need my story heard to motivate others... Like everyone else i came to this country with dreams of being a rich and successful dentist , little did i know the hardships involved..
I sent my papers to ECE for a review and i got a GPA of 2.15 , totally disheartened i moved on preparing for my exam and sent my papers to WES who gave me a GPA of 3.65, i gave my NBDE got 81 and a Toefl of 108.... with these stats anyone would say i was terrible and had no hope , so i went on to improve my resume... I volunteered at the hospital , observed 2 dentists, started a masters degree maintaining a 4.0 , got work experience in healthcare but not dental ( i needed money and any job would do ).... i used to read the wonderful stats and i thought i had no hope but my spouse said something to me , it is not in my hands to decide if i am good enough and just leave it in God's hands so i sent in my application to 3 schools and got an interview at 1.... oh also check the schools which accept WES it might help if your ECE is low....
I worked hard for that interview preparing every possible question they could ask , perfecting my hand skills by showing my work to local dentists who graduated from that school so i would know what they wanted, i left no corner unturned as i knew it was my only shot... I went for the interview and aced the 1st day one on one with one of the toughest interviewers over there....the bench test went OK i could have done better if i had prepared myself more ( there is no such thing as enough practice)
Not selected in the 1st round i waited thinking its time to give part 2 but before long i got the call i was selected in the course....i could hardly believe it and today im getting almost perfect A's in the course...
So this is my little advice to everyone out there...some people are excellent test takers some people like me needed to improve their skills and it took tons of exams to realize where my weaknesses lay.. so if your scores are bad it does not mean your a bad dentist it means you still have not perfected the art of test taking in this country...
If your stats are bad forget your weakness and put forward your strengths .... never give up or take no for an answer... work on your statement of purpose i worked on mine for a long time going several times to the writing center in my school to correct grammar , structure and redundancy..
It is worth all the hard work and the rewards are even sweeter when you never thought you would succeed..... good scores are great it makes your life easy but its not only about scores so work towards your dream and it will come true for everyone.
i wish everyone here all the best and look forward to having you as my college mates and trust me i am having the time of my life with the smartest most fun people i have ever met... so work hard..your success is round the corner....
I sent my papers to ECE for a review and i got a GPA of 2.15 , totally disheartened i moved on preparing for my exam and sent my papers to WES who gave me a GPA of 3.65, i gave my NBDE got 81 and a Toefl of 108.... with these stats anyone would say i was terrible and had no hope , so i went on to improve my resume... I volunteered at the hospital , observed 2 dentists, started a masters degree maintaining a 4.0 , got work experience in healthcare but not dental ( i needed money and any job would do ).... i used to read the wonderful stats and i thought i had no hope but my spouse said something to me , it is not in my hands to decide if i am good enough and just leave it in God's hands so i sent in my application to 3 schools and got an interview at 1.... oh also check the schools which accept WES it might help if your ECE is low....
I worked hard for that interview preparing every possible question they could ask , perfecting my hand skills by showing my work to local dentists who graduated from that school so i would know what they wanted, i left no corner unturned as i knew it was my only shot... I went for the interview and aced the 1st day one on one with one of the toughest interviewers over there....the bench test went OK i could have done better if i had prepared myself more ( there is no such thing as enough practice)
Not selected in the 1st round i waited thinking its time to give part 2 but before long i got the call i was selected in the course....i could hardly believe it and today im getting almost perfect A's in the course...
So this is my little advice to everyone out there...some people are excellent test takers some people like me needed to improve their skills and it took tons of exams to realize where my weaknesses lay.. so if your scores are bad it does not mean your a bad dentist it means you still have not perfected the art of test taking in this country...
If your stats are bad forget your weakness and put forward your strengths .... never give up or take no for an answer... work on your statement of purpose i worked on mine for a long time going several times to the writing center in my school to correct grammar , structure and redundancy..
It is worth all the hard work and the rewards are even sweeter when you never thought you would succeed..... good scores are great it makes your life easy but its not only about scores so work towards your dream and it will come true for everyone.
i wish everyone here all the best and look forward to having you as my college mates and trust me i am having the time of my life with the smartest most fun people i have ever met... so work hard..your success is round the corner....
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hi to all
this is a very useful thread
waiting for my score
this is a very useful thread
waiting for my score
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Thanks a lot for posting your experience. You created an alias just for that,thanks.At least those of you who have secured an admission but do not want to identify yourself could do that, though it would be nice if you posted under your own user name.
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Hi guys,
I got accepted to buffalo for the batch starting in 2012..
my stats:
NBDE part 1 - 88
toefl - 106
GPA - 3.86
2+ years work experience in home country
3 week externship at Tufts university
1 month observership at private dental clinic in US
i interviewed only at buffalo n got thru in d first list...
i wud b glad to help anyone regarding anything they wanna know...
I just read a few post and find out that everyone is describing a story... so i thought i shud also tell my story to everyone...
i took NBDE part 1 for the first time in 2009.. i scored 84.. still i applied to around 10 schools.. i thought if i applied to more school i would stand a chance somewhere....
well, i didnt hear from anyone... NO ONE at all.. they didnt even send a reject letter. it was disheartening but i decided to keep trying.... at dat time i had recently passed from dental school n hardly had any exp so i decided to build up my resume..
i took NBDE again in 2010 and scored 88.. it was not a very good score but i knew from seniors dat NYU and BU would probably send me IV calls wid dat score... so i applied again.. dis time to 6 schools.... by dis time i had about 1 and a half years of practice in home country n had also shadowed a private clinic in the US... but guess wot.... i didnt hear from any school dis time too.... now i was totally frustated and didnt know wot to do n how to improve my resume.... all i did was kept practicing in a private clinic (i hardly made any money... which was all d more frustating)
i did a few volunteering work in home country and some CE courses and applied again in 2011
this time i applied to USC, UCSF, UoP, BU, NYU, Temple, UPenn and Buffalo
Rejected from all californian universities n UPenn
havent heard anything from Temple, BU, NYU as of today
got an interview at Buffalo and eventually got accepted too....
The key word here is PATIENCE..... i believe that 'Patients and Patience both pays'
my advice to everyone in this exhaustive league is to take part 1 and 2 exams and have a lot of varied exp.... not only clinical dentistry....
all the best to everyone here....
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hello newagedentist, congratulations to your acceptance to buffalo! your story is very inspiring. I have couple of questions. which tufts externship program did you went to? is it the pre-doctoral externship in oral and maxillofacial surgery? is it easy to enroll in this program and how much does it cost? And you mention that you were practicing in a private clinic, do you mean in your home country or in US? if it is at your home country, did you kept on working at home for year 2009 and 2010 while you apply the US dental schools? thank you for your assistance!
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when i was doing my internship int he year2008.... tufts had started an exchange intern program for which i was selected... it was an externship program in general dentistry.. v were permitted to observe any speciality in dentistry for 3 weeks.. it didnt cost anything but yeah i had to pay for my living n travel....
i was practicing in home country till 2011 and was applying to schools in US simultaneously.. when i came to the US for taking NBDE part1 i observed at a here private clinic here for a month.... n den went back home n continued my practice...
i was practicing in home country till 2011 and was applying to schools in US simultaneously.. when i came to the US for taking NBDE part1 i observed at a here private clinic here for a month.... n den went back home n continued my practice...
newagedentist thanks for sharing ur experiene....
wish u all the best
BTW can u tell us..which country are you from??
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thank you newagedentist! you must be very talent to be selected to the exchange program. congrats to your acceptance to buffalo.
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Just came in strolling and saw this great thread( yea I still hang out here sometimes to see what you guys are upto). It seems a long time ago when I went through the whole procedure and a lot has changed. So I wonder if it would help anyone. But I will write it down. For now congrats for those who made it in and especially the one near and dear ( you know who ! ) and a big best of luck for those on their way to DDS admission.
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Hi patata, thanks for the compliment, I just wish more people would post.
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Well SDN has been a source of great help and inspiration for me right frm when i started this tough journey...So i would like to pen down my journey here which i feel would def help others like me dreaming to be a DMD.....Well i graduated in 2010 and was a fresh applicant...But was able to give the exam in mid september....I had studied what everyone does kaplan decks first aid and papers...more stress i had given to first aid and asda released papers..But i felt the tough part came after the xams...i got my result in sept end 2011 and was not left with many options of colleges to apply,when all my frens had applied to multiple colleges.I immediately got my act together and started working hard on my SOP and LORs which i feel are important parts of any application...Luckily i had my ece report and toefel finished well b4 i took my nbde part 1...Because of all this i could apply in the last week of sept...But i had not many options left and was not keen to attend a school offering a 3 yr course..but still i applied to BU (my dream school i always wanted to attend BU) and NYU.....
Now i consider myself lucky as i got called for interview from both the colleges.....Now the 1st phase of the battle was won and now came the time for ivs....i STARTED PREPARING FOR IVS very hard gathering quests frm SDN and past experiences shared by many ppl here..i practised practised practised.........
Gave my interviews in both bu and nyu and got accepted in both..............
well this is my story hope it helps someone and m willing to help and answer other applicants too as i was helped too here by some great mentors on sdn.......
thank you
NBDE part 1- 91
Gpa- 3.85
toefel -112
Applied to- BU, NYU
Acceptance- BU, NYU
1. Get good Lors ( one preferably from the US)
2. work on your sop (ask someone who has already gone thg this process to proof read)
3. Get some US experience under your belt
4. Apply Early...(which i could not)
5. If u have less nbde and ece score dont think abt it...wats gone is gone , improve ur application
6. If called for interview start researching about the school...Dont relax only half the battle is won......prepare hard for the interview.
7. If u get accepted post your experiences on SDN and help others.
8. Dont forget point 7 its important ...lol.....
Now i consider myself lucky as i got called for interview from both the colleges.....Now the 1st phase of the battle was won and now came the time for ivs....i STARTED PREPARING FOR IVS very hard gathering quests frm SDN and past experiences shared by many ppl here..i practised practised practised.........
Gave my interviews in both bu and nyu and got accepted in both..............
well this is my story hope it helps someone and m willing to help and answer other applicants too as i was helped too here by some great mentors on sdn.......
thank you
NBDE part 1- 91
Gpa- 3.85
toefel -112
Applied to- BU, NYU
Acceptance- BU, NYU
1. Get good Lors ( one preferably from the US)
2. work on your sop (ask someone who has already gone thg this process to proof read)
3. Get some US experience under your belt
4. Apply Early...(which i could not)
5. If u have less nbde and ece score dont think abt it...wats gone is gone , improve ur application
6. If called for interview start researching about the school...Dont relax only half the battle is won......prepare hard for the interview.
7. If u get accepted post your experiences on SDN and help others.
8. Dont forget point 7 its important ...lol.....
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Well i think i have earned my place as a Senior here, so i think i should write my story too
I had my share of Ups and downs in this journey . I wont be able to give details, but it still might stir up the jar for some people, who are on the edge of lack of motivation !
My goal of giving Nbde and settling in Usa was kind of pre-decided by me . So i opened my books for part 1 in internship only. But as expected , those days weren't productive enough. So you can say i started my real preparation after graduation. Anyways, i graduated in June, 2010 and took my exam date for November. I worked real hard for 2 months. Full input, with full dedication. But then the whole load of problems came in from all sides.. Family problems, Big Big Big Personal problems .... All that !! and alongside breakup, and all other looser problems like that... Peace of mind was to be found no where.. Anyways , jist is that everything got jumbled up...So the end result, i couldnt study at all !!
So after like 2 months, i got my **** together, picked up the books again.. Started studying again .. I took the date in January. But the problems started aggravating again, even more severe! I wish i could tell. So i decided to just shut down myself from whole social life. Phones, facebook , and friends , all OFF! I decided i gotta utilise this negative motivation and use it productively.. So finally i took my exam in February !!
I got 87.. I know its not such a good score. And i could have done better. But i was ok with what i got !! Not everyone can get 90 above. So from that very day, i knew that my score isnt that much , and i need to pull up my socks and work hard on my resume .. I gave my toefl and got my gpa. Final Stats
87 / 113 / 3.63 ( not so bad eh? )
So i went back home .. Problems were awaiting for me at my home college.. I wanted to apply to cali univs.. But my principal had some grudge against me .. I was nearing my deadlines for cali , and i need LOR's . But that guy took 48 precious days to give me Lors.. So i was kinda screwed for Cali and few other univs too .. But i still completed my application process ..
Then the long and torturous journey of " Application complete email --> You have been REJECTED " started.. As i was late in applying , they dont consider the borderline applicants much ..Keep this in mind.
I waited for 4-5 months.. HORRIBLE WAIT !! I even went off from SDN , coz i thought , i dont deserve to guide people , coz i have myself acheived nothing.. I used to get private messages, asking me where i was, and all other "need help" kind of msgs.. even the gem of a person above " Impacted mind" asked about my whereabouts Btw Thanks mate !!
So during the wait, i knew what i had to do ... IMPROVE RESUME
So i used all my resources to score a job as a lecturer in a college. ( low side to this job - No pay, 4 hours from my home , college located in a backward area with no social fun, had to stay in boys hostel ) .. But in any case, this needed to be done to gain TEACHING EXPERIENCE !! .. then i gave presentation in state conference... And then i started working on a paper !! .. But anyways ..I did what i could !! I kept sending my updated resume to universities.. Then my prayers, and my hard work was reciprocated.. I got an interview call from NYU !! First and the Only call !! 
Stakes were high !! 
But i dont know what got into me.. I was never nervous.. I just went to US .. I dont know whether i was positive or negative, i just know that i had a clear mind.. I was living in the present.. I was smiling all the way , till the day of interview...And i was smiling even more during the interview... And in the end Smile turned into Laughter , I got accepted !!!! 100 % score in interviews.. lol... 1 out of 1 clear !!
So i dont know know whether anyone would read this or not, coz its quite long and a bit boring but still i needed to vent this out !!!
So my two cents on
Preparation - Work hard.. Everyone has problems .. Set a goal , run towards it with all your will , and crush anything and everything on your way !!!
Applications - As everyone says patience is the key .. But dont just sit back and wait. Do something . keep in mind the caapid application, the column where they want you to write your WORK EXPERIENCE .. See all the categories , then you ll know what they require, and then start working according to it...
Everyone has clinical experience these days, and observerships too ...so you need to know where you can get the cutting edge.. Like "Teaching experience, Presentations, Publications, and Research" ..also the voluntary and community work .. Analyse and decide what among these you can add to your profile..
Interviews - After you got the call , then its all about your communication skills in east coast, and your hand skills in west ..Work on them , if you feel that you are lagging in some areas.. Last piece of advice to everyone .. Just my opinion .. When going for an interview, dont show them that you are already perfect in everything, and you are better than the things being taught there .. Show them that you are here to learn, and you have the capability of accepting authority and learn from everyone... Show the LEARNER ATTITUDE rather than BOAST about the things you can do .. But on the other hand, dont undersell yourself..Tell em what you have done, and what you can do, in a polite way.. Be confident.
In the end ... Leave everything to God !!
If you ever need help, i ll always be here somewhere If this is what you want to achieve, give it everything you've got !!!
I had my share of Ups and downs in this journey . I wont be able to give details, but it still might stir up the jar for some people, who are on the edge of lack of motivation !
My goal of giving Nbde and settling in Usa was kind of pre-decided by me . So i opened my books for part 1 in internship only. But as expected , those days weren't productive enough. So you can say i started my real preparation after graduation. Anyways, i graduated in June, 2010 and took my exam date for November. I worked real hard for 2 months. Full input, with full dedication. But then the whole load of problems came in from all sides.. Family problems, Big Big Big Personal problems .... All that !! and alongside breakup, and all other looser problems like that... Peace of mind was to be found no where.. Anyways , jist is that everything got jumbled up...So the end result, i couldnt study at all !!
So after like 2 months, i got my **** together, picked up the books again.. Started studying again .. I took the date in January. But the problems started aggravating again, even more severe! I wish i could tell. So i decided to just shut down myself from whole social life. Phones, facebook , and friends , all OFF!
I decided i gotta utilise this negative motivation and use it productively.. So finally i took my exam in February !! I got 87.. I know its not such a good score. And i could have done better. But i was ok with what i got !! Not everyone can get 90 above. So from that very day, i knew that my score isnt that much , and i need to pull up my socks and work hard on my resume .. I gave my toefl and got my gpa. Final Stats
87 / 113 / 3.63 ( not so bad eh? )
So i went back home .. Problems were awaiting for me at my home college.. I wanted to apply to cali univs.. But my principal had some grudge against me .. I was nearing my deadlines for cali , and i need LOR's . But that guy took 48 precious days to give me Lors.. So i was kinda screwed for Cali and few other univs too .. But i still completed my application process ..
Then the long and torturous journey of " Application complete email --> You have been REJECTED " started.. As i was late in applying , they dont consider the borderline applicants much ..Keep this in mind.
I waited for 4-5 months.. HORRIBLE WAIT !! I even went off from SDN , coz i thought , i dont deserve to guide people , coz i have myself acheived nothing.. I used to get private messages, asking me where i was, and all other "need help" kind of msgs.. even the gem of a person above " Impacted mind" asked about my whereabouts
Btw Thanks mate !!So during the wait, i knew what i had to do ... IMPROVE RESUME
So i used all my resources to score a job as a lecturer in a college. ( low side to this job - No pay, 4 hours from my home , college located in a backward area with no social fun, had to stay in boys hostel
) .. But in any case, this needed to be done to gain TEACHING EXPERIENCE !! .. then i gave presentation in state conference... And then i started working on a paper !! .. But anyways ..I did what i could !! I kept sending my updated resume to universities.. Then my prayers, and my hard work was reciprocated.. I got an interview call from NYU !! First and the Only call !! Stakes were high !! But i dont know what got into me.. I was never nervous.. I just went to US .. I dont know whether i was positive or negative, i just know that i had a clear mind.. I was living in the present.. I was smiling all the way , till the day of interview...And i was smiling even more during the interview... And in the end Smile turned into Laughter , I got accepted !!!! 100 % score in interviews.. lol... 1 out of 1 clear !!
So i dont know know whether anyone would read this or not, coz its quite long and a bit boring
but still i needed to vent this out !!! So my two cents on
Preparation - Work hard.. Everyone has problems .. Set a goal , run towards it with all your will , and crush anything and everything on your way !!!
Applications - As everyone says patience is the key .. But dont just sit back and wait. Do something . keep in mind the caapid application, the column where they want you to write your WORK EXPERIENCE .. See all the categories , then you ll know what they require, and then start working according to it...
Everyone has clinical experience these days, and observerships too ...so you need to know where you can get the cutting edge.. Like "Teaching experience, Presentations, Publications, and Research" ..also the voluntary and community work .. Analyse and decide what among these you can add to your profile..
Interviews - After you got the call , then its all about your communication skills in east coast, and your hand skills in west ..Work on them , if you feel that you are lagging in some areas.. Last piece of advice to everyone .. Just my opinion .. When going for an interview, dont show them that you are already perfect in everything, and you are better than the things being taught there .. Show them that you are here to learn, and you have the capability of accepting authority and learn from everyone... Show the LEARNER ATTITUDE rather than BOAST about the things you can do .. But on the other hand, dont undersell yourself..Tell em what you have done, and what you can do, in a polite way.. Be confident.
In the end ... Leave everything to God !!
If you ever need help, i ll always be here somewhere
If this is what you want to achieve, give it everything you've got !!!
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Happy for you. When I was in school, most of my FTDs classmates were so humble despite knowing so much.
Well i think i have earned my place as a Senior here, so i think i should write my story too
I had my share of Ups and downs in this journey . I wont be able to give details, but it still might stir up the jar for some people, who are on the edge of lack of motivation !
My goal of giving Nbde and settling in Usa was kind of pre-decided by me . So i opened my books for part 1 in internship only. But as expected , those days weren't productive enough. So you can say i started my real preparation after graduation. Anyways, i graduated in June, 2010 and took my exam date for November. I worked real hard for 2 months. Full input, with full dedication. But then the whole load of problems came in from all sides.. Family problems, Big Big Big Personal problems .... All that !! and alongside breakup, and all other looser problems like that... Peace of mind was to be found no where.. Anyways , jist is that everything got jumbled up...So the end result, i couldnt study at all !!
So after like 2 months, i got my **** together, picked up the books again.. Started studying again .. I took the date in January. But the problems started aggravating again, even more severe! I wish i could tell. So i decided to just shut down myself from whole social life. Phones, facebook , and friends , all OFF!
I got 87.. I know its not such a good score. And i could have done better. But i was ok with what i got !! Not everyone can get 90 above. So from that very day, i knew that my score isnt that much , and i need to pull up my socks and work hard on my resume .. I gave my toefl and got my gpa. Final Stats
87 / 113 / 3.63 ( not so bad eh? )
So i went back home .. Problems were awaiting for me at my home co
llege.. I wanted to apply to cali univs.. But my principal had some grudge against me .. I was nearing my deadlines for cali , and i need LOR's . But that guy took 48 precious days to give me Lors.. So i was kinda screwed for Cali and few other univs too .. But i still completed my application process ..
Then the long and torturous journey of " Application complete email --> You have been REJECTED " started.. As i was late in applying , they dont consider the borderline applicants much Keep this in mind.
I waited for 4-5 months.. HORRIBLE WAIT !! I even went off from SDN , coz i thought , i dont deserve to guide people , coz i have myself acheived nothing.. I used to get private messages, asking me where i was, and all other "need help" kind of msgs.. even the gem of a person above " Impacted mind" asked about my whereabouts
So during the wait, i knew what i had to do ... IMPROVE RESUME
So i used all my resources to score a job as a lecturer in a college. ( low side to this job - No pay, 4 hours from my home , college located in a backward area with no social fun, had to stay in boys hostel
But i dont know what got into me.. I was never nervous.. I just went to US .. I dont know whether i was positive or negative, i just know that i had a clear mind.. I was living in the present.. I was smiling all the way , till the day of interview...And i was smiling even more during the interview... And in the end Smile turned into Laughter , I got accepted !!!! 100 % score in interviews.. lol... 1 out of 1 clear !!
So i dont know know whether anyone would read this or not, coz its quite long and a bit boring
So my two cents on
Preparation - Work hard.. Everyone has problems .. Set a goal , run towards it with all your will , and crush anything and everything on your way !!!
Applications - As everyone says patience is the key .. But dont just sit back and wait. Do something . keep in mind the caapid application, the column where they want you to write your WORK EXPERIENCE .. See all the categories , then you ll know what they require, and then start working according to it...
Everyone has clinical experience these days, and observerships too ...so you need to know where you can get the cutting edge.. Like "Teaching experience, Presentations, Publications, and Research" ..also the voluntary and community work .. Analyse and decide what among these you can add to your profile..
Interviews - After you got the call , then its all about your communication skills in east coast, and your hand skills in west ..Work on them , if you feel that you are lagging in some areas.. Last piece of advice to everyone .. Just my opinion .. When going for an interview, dont show them that you are already perfect in everything, and you are better than the things being taught there .. Show them that you are here to learn, and you have the capability of accepting authority and learn from everyone... Show the LEARNER ATTITUDE rather than BOAST about the things you can do .. But on the other hand, dont undersell yourself..Tell em what you have done, and what you can do, in a polite way.. Be confident.
In the end ... Leave everything to God !!
If you ever need help, i ll always be here somewhere
Nice post...Congrats bhavi4all!! and good luck at NYU!!
I know how nerve wrecking it is.. when Principals don't give LORS.. The same thing happened to me.. I didn't even manage to get one. But by God's Grace could get accepted without it.
I know how nerve wrecking it is.. when Principals don't give LORS.. The same thing happened to me.. I didn't even manage to get one. But by God's Grace could get accepted without it.
My story:
Similar to everyone else's.
My advice: that too, but I will say more on that.
*Believe in yourself;
*Get fit asap - when you are fit or trying to get fit - you can keep your own willpower in check and being fit also help you to deal with life better
*whenever possible stay near your family and close friends because even if they are difficult at times - the love is there and it is hard to find it when you are a hard working dentist, and you are busy and everyone is busy
* Have a hobby you love.
*As a great professor said, try to give back. As dentists we are lucky to have the opportunities we have, so we should always remember to give back as well.
*All in all, persevere. If it was an easy road, everyone would be fit, everyone would be a dentist etc..
*Eat healthy and try to go to bed before midnight.
Buy a blender and for breakfast have a smoothie. For example: a banana, apple, orange juice, just a bit of muesli and that will last for the morning. For lunch, if you have a sandwich have it in 2, don't have it all at once and again have some veggies or fruits. For dinner have fish and a salad, chicken and a side salad. Fresh veggies like cucumber, pepper etc. And of course when you go out, eat what you'd like just don't stuff yourself. Stay away from sugary drinks.
Similar to everyone else's.
My advice: that too, but I will say more on that.
*Believe in yourself;
*Get fit asap - when you are fit or trying to get fit - you can keep your own willpower in check and being fit also help you to deal with life better
*whenever possible stay near your family and close friends because even if they are difficult at times - the love is there and it is hard to find it when you are a hard working dentist, and you are busy and everyone is busy
* Have a hobby you love.
*As a great professor said, try to give back. As dentists we are lucky to have the opportunities we have, so we should always remember to give back as well.
*All in all, persevere. If it was an easy road, everyone would be fit, everyone would be a dentist etc..
*Eat healthy and try to go to bed before midnight.
Buy a blender and for breakfast have a smoothie. For example: a banana, apple, orange juice, just a bit of muesli and that will last for the morning. For lunch, if you have a sandwich have it in 2, don't have it all at once and again have some veggies or fruits. For dinner have fish and a salad, chicken and a side salad. Fresh veggies like cucumber, pepper etc. And of course when you go out, eat what you'd like just don't stuff yourself. Stay away from sugary drinks.
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