Dilemma

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Hi SDN,
I have a big dilemma and hoping you all can help.

Im a 22 y.o senior and getting my BS in Spring 2013. My GPA is 3.61 and sGPA is 3.4 (I have like 19 more credits left so hoping to raise GPA up to 3.8). I have no community service done since highschool, no research, nor do i have any shadowing done. Therefore, I really cant put together a resume. I wont be taking my DAT till early August and im missing one prereq.

1)So should I even attempt to start volunteering/shadowing now and apply with what i have this cycle, submitting my one prereq, and DAT scores later, and also tell them i will continue volu/shad?
or..
2) Should i wait and complete everything within a year and apply next year, wasting almost 2 years, since i wont be starting till 2014. But this will give me a stronger background...(should i get my masters and also retake the science classes i got C's in?)

Realistically, what are the chances of me getting in this year if i pull off some community service/shadowing with a 20+ DAT score?

Originally Posted by tchuynh

Hi SDN,
I have a big dilemma and hoping you all can help.

Im a 22 y.o senior and getting my BS in Spring 2013. My GPA is 3.61 and sGPA is 3.4 (I have like 19 more credits left so hoping to raise GPA up to 3.8). I have no community service done since highschool, no research, nor do i have any shadowing done. Therefore, I really cant put together a resume. I wont be taking my DAT till early August and im missing one prereq.

1)So should I even attempt to start volunteering/shadowing now and apply with what i have this cycle, submitting my one prereq, and DAT scores later, and also tell them i will continue volu/shad?
or..
2) Should i wait and complete everything within a year and apply next year, wasting almost 2 years, since i wont be starting till 2014. But this will give me a stronger background...(should i get my masters and also retake the science classes i got C's in?)

Realistically, what are the chances of me getting in this year if i pull off some community service/shadowing with a 20+ DAT score?

Having no community service and shadowing will definitely hurt your application. However, if you can get in shadowing hours ASAP (atleast 50 hrs), and get a 20+ on the DAT, you could get in somewhere.

You really procrastinated....

If you dedicate your summer to dental school application, you might have a shot.

Get shadowing done ASAP, I think this is more important than volunteering.

Get your DAT done very well. Can you move it into July?

Do you already have LOR's?

I would see where your DAT falls and decide whether or not to apply at that point.

Yea i really did but ive been working a lot, but that's no excuse...
So if i started shadowing like a couple dentists for 5+ hours every other day and maybe pull off 2 hours of community service everday this summer and take my DAT late July, will i still have a chance.
I can get the letters ASAP.
Will admissions take into account the fact that i completed everything so late?

Its just i dont want to waste more money to apply this year if theres a low chance and just save it for next year..

Originally Posted by tchuynh

Yea i really did but ive been working a lot, but that's no excuse...
So if i started shadowing like a couple dentists for 5+ hours every other day and maybe pull off 2 hours of community service everday this summer and take my DAT late July, will i still have a chance.
I can get the letters ASAP.
Will admissions take into account the fact that i completed everything so late?

Its just i dont want to waste more money to apply this year if theres a low chance and just save it for next year..

That sounds like a pretty solid plan. You have a chance as long as you do well on your DAT. I would apply his year and see what happens.

sorry to mooch off your thread, but is august DAT too late to apply?

I remember reading somewhere that August is late registry. Im not sure though. I will schedule my DAT soon though.

I was once in a position similar to yours and decided not to rush to apply and try and put together a solid application the next year. I have a little bit of regret about that decision. A year is a very long time and cuts one year off of your dental career and makes you wait one year longer to earn a dentist salary.

If you can mentally take applying this year and somehow not getting in then I would go for it. In that case, the worst thing that will happen is it doesn't work out and you can work to have a better DAT score and apply in June next year. I know many dentists that didn't get in on their first try so I doubt adcoms will hold it against you next year if you are a re-applicant.

Originally Posted by uthscsaalum

I was once in a position similar to yours and decided not to rush to apply and try and put together a solid application the next year. I have a little bit of regret about that decision. A year is a very long time and cuts one year off of your dental career and makes you wait one year longer to earn a dentist salary.

If you can mentally take applying this year and somehow not getting in then I would go for it. In that case, the worst thing that will happen is it doesn't work out and you can work to have a better DAT score and apply in June next year. I know many dentists that didn't get in on their first try so I doubt adcoms will hold it against you next year if you are a re-applicant.

This seems like great advice from experience.

Additionally, can you imagine sitting in school the next 2 years and that school not being dental school? I say you should go for it this year...

Thankyou for all the responses guys!

I will take the advice and apply this year. Its still May so i have 2 months to do volunteer/shadowing but i was wondering, are they strict on applicants having research experience? Does that put me way behind others since i have 0?

Originally Posted by tchuynh

Thankyou for all the responses guys!

I will take the advice and apply this year. Its still May so i have 2 months to do volunteer/shadowing but i was wondering, are they strict on applicants having research experience? Does that put me way behind others since i have 0?

While research experience would be a positive, it is far from a requirement for most dental schools in the way it is for many medical schools. Think of it as icing on the cake.

Oh I see, thankyou!
So should i apply on june 4 with nothing completed really or should i wait till end of july when i have some vol/sha done as well as letters?