- Joined
- May 24, 2016
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 44
Hey everyone!
SDN has done an awesome job helping me prepare for the DAT and the very stressful AASDAS/ADEA application, in return, I'll try to answer any questions in order to help the next wave of applicants!
Here's my background:
-Typical Asian/Brown applicant with strict parents (I know many of you are in my shoes!) in the tri-state area.
-Took 7 years to graduate with a BE in Bioengineering: after 170 credits, I had a woeful 2.6 uGPA and similar sci GPA. A LOT of D's and W's scattered across my transcripts.
-Took an additional 3.5 years of DIY post-bac courses from my local community and city college (an accredited 4 year program). I re-took intro to bio and chemistry at the 2-year level, and re-took the remaining pre-reqs at the 4-year level. My upper level science courses were a variety of BCP and included genetics, physiology, advanced inorganic + organic chemistry, Physical Chemistry 1/2, analytical + quantum mechanics, biochemistry 1/2 and physical biochemistry. After this was all said and done, I had a 3.6 weighed in at an additional 88 credits. I received NO degree out of this, by the way.
-At this point, my cGPA and scienceGPA was hovering at a 2.8. But, my confidence was at an all-time high and I used the following 1.5 months to prep for the DAT (Feb-April prep and exam). Using DAT Bootcamp and the Romano Destroyer series, I scored a 26 AA and 21 on the PAT. (Word of advice: Do NOT stress over the PAT. The other sections are MUCH MORE important.)
-Applied to BU's Dental Scholars Program and over 30 credits, had a 3.53 grad/masters GPA. My cGPA at this point was still sub 3.0, at around 2.9.
-Typical 100 hours of shadowing at a general dentist office (my personal dentist) and an orthodontist (also an old provider of mine).
-NO research publications.
-Applied EARLY, i.e. FIRST WEEK of June. I kept my list to LECOM, SUNY Buffalo, NYU, UCSF, Touro, BU, Tufts and Nova. Received an interview to NYU, LECOM and SUNY Buffalo pretty late in the game. Wait-listed to NYU and LECOM, but accepted to SUNY Buffalo.
So here I am, at the age of 33, ready to take on my 1st year of dental school at SUNY Buffalo! It's certainly going to be odd being an older student, but I'm embracing the challenges that await my future schooling and career. If you feel hopeless because of a shaky academic past, I implore you to dig deep and start doing your research NOW. Find good study habits, a small group of reliable and trustworthy friends, and outline a plan while STICKING to it. I seriously thought I was f**ked with my shaky academic background, but my confidence slowly increased with each passing year of my DIY post-bac and SMP, leading up to the DAT.
AMA!
SDN has done an awesome job helping me prepare for the DAT and the very stressful AASDAS/ADEA application, in return, I'll try to answer any questions in order to help the next wave of applicants!
Here's my background:
-Typical Asian/Brown applicant with strict parents (I know many of you are in my shoes!) in the tri-state area.
-Took 7 years to graduate with a BE in Bioengineering: after 170 credits, I had a woeful 2.6 uGPA and similar sci GPA. A LOT of D's and W's scattered across my transcripts.
-Took an additional 3.5 years of DIY post-bac courses from my local community and city college (an accredited 4 year program). I re-took intro to bio and chemistry at the 2-year level, and re-took the remaining pre-reqs at the 4-year level. My upper level science courses were a variety of BCP and included genetics, physiology, advanced inorganic + organic chemistry, Physical Chemistry 1/2, analytical + quantum mechanics, biochemistry 1/2 and physical biochemistry. After this was all said and done, I had a 3.6 weighed in at an additional 88 credits. I received NO degree out of this, by the way.
-At this point, my cGPA and scienceGPA was hovering at a 2.8. But, my confidence was at an all-time high and I used the following 1.5 months to prep for the DAT (Feb-April prep and exam). Using DAT Bootcamp and the Romano Destroyer series, I scored a 26 AA and 21 on the PAT. (Word of advice: Do NOT stress over the PAT. The other sections are MUCH MORE important.)
-Applied to BU's Dental Scholars Program and over 30 credits, had a 3.53 grad/masters GPA. My cGPA at this point was still sub 3.0, at around 2.9.
-Typical 100 hours of shadowing at a general dentist office (my personal dentist) and an orthodontist (also an old provider of mine).
-NO research publications.
-Applied EARLY, i.e. FIRST WEEK of June. I kept my list to LECOM, SUNY Buffalo, NYU, UCSF, Touro, BU, Tufts and Nova. Received an interview to NYU, LECOM and SUNY Buffalo pretty late in the game. Wait-listed to NYU and LECOM, but accepted to SUNY Buffalo.
So here I am, at the age of 33, ready to take on my 1st year of dental school at SUNY Buffalo! It's certainly going to be odd being an older student, but I'm embracing the challenges that await my future schooling and career. If you feel hopeless because of a shaky academic past, I implore you to dig deep and start doing your research NOW. Find good study habits, a small group of reliable and trustworthy friends, and outline a plan while STICKING to it. I seriously thought I was f**ked with my shaky academic background, but my confidence slowly increased with each passing year of my DIY post-bac and SMP, leading up to the DAT.
AMA!
