For those that attend Ivy dental schools...

[mascue]

What were your extracurriculars like? I'm planning on applying during the summer of 2022, and I was just wondering if I should even consider applying to ivies lol. I have a really good GPA, haven't taken the DAT yet (but obviously aiming for a high score), but my ECs aren't nothing special. In fact, I think it might raise a red flag just because I am a sophomore now with around 30 hours of volunteering and that's it. I just want to know what you guys did so I can at least setup a trajectory to be more involved outside of school/grades to be on par/more competitive for the ivies.

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[RyuTatum]

Bumping this since I'm curious too

 

[PerioDont]

Nothing wrong with wanting to go Ivy, but it may not be worth it if you are paying for school. Nobody ever asks where you went to dental school, and most Ivy schools are very expensive.

If you have a state school, I would make my #1 school that one. I am currently finishing up at my state school and starting residency at a state school as well. Many of our residents and also dental students went to Ivies for dental school and undergrad. I don't really find a significant difference in terms of quality as students but I do find a significant difference in debt levels for those that went to out of state ivy schools.

 

[mascue]

Nothing wrong with wanting to go Ivy, but it may not be worth it if you are paying for school. Nobody ever asks where you went to dental school, and most Ivy schools are very expensive.

If you have a state school, I would make my #1 school that one. I am currently finishing up at my state school and starting residency at a state school as well. Many of our residents and also dental students went to Ivies for dental school and undergrad. I don't really find a significant difference in terms of quality as students but I do find a significant difference in debt levels for those that went to out of state ivy schools.

Unfortunately my state (massachusetts) does not have a state school. However, I am really fortunate & grateful to have parents that will be paying for my dental school tuition, so I just want to try the best I can

 

[Ivy.ch]

Unfortunately my state (massachusetts) does not have a state school. However, I am really fortunate & grateful to have parents that will be paying for my dental school tuition, so I just want to try the best I can

Ummm... Don't you get reduced tuition at UConn?

 

[Lane138]

As someone who attended HSDM and also did interviews for them, extracurriculars are one of the TWO main ways to stand out. (the other way is a unique personal life story). So many applicants apply with 4.0 GPA and 25 DAT scores.. they're all smart people. The adcoms like to look at how you spend your spare time outside of the classroom in order to see what you bring to the table. In my class alone I've had someone published in NEJM, did a side gig making jewelry, had multiple part time jobs to support their family, interned at the WHO, etc.

 

[Dr Dimbsa]

Unfortunately my state (massachusetts) does not have a state school. However, I am really fortunate & grateful to have parents that will be paying for my dental school tuition, so I just want to try the best I can

As someone else said, apply to UConn! I’m from MA too, we get reduced tuition for year 1, and years 2-4 you get in state tuition! It’s also a highly regarded school with excellent match rates like that of the Ivy’s. Many students in our class end up turning down Ivy offers to come here. Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

 

[mushroomfairy]

Bump!!! Despite the many replies it's funny how only a few answered your actual question. It's tiring to constantly see a flood of replies about attending state/cheapest schools as soon as an Ivy is mentioned. You shouldn't have to justify your goals of going to an Ivy by saying MA doesn't have state schools/etc. Obviously it is important to make responsible financial decisions, but I never understand why people feel the need to send unrelated, and frankly unnecessary, replies to questions about Ivy schools when the OP doesn't ask financial questions.

 

[2thPirate🦷]

Bump!!! Despite the many replies it's funny how only a few answered your actual question. It's tiring to constantly see a flood of replies about attending state/cheapest schools as soon as an Ivy is mentioned. You shouldn't have to justify your goals of going to an Ivy by saying MA doesn't have state schools/etc. Obviously it is important to make responsible financial decisions, but I never understand why people feel the need to send unrelated, and frankly unnecessary, replies to questions about Ivy schools when the OP doesn't ask financial questions.

Well, most want to make sure that OPs make sound financial decisions rather than going to a school for just its name, especially since most won't have their parents helping them with tuition. You may find it "unnecessary" but there's a reason it is shouted from the mountain tops of these forums👍🏼.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Well, most want to make sure that OPs make sound financial decisions rather than going to a school for just its name, especially since most won't have their parents helping them with tuition. You may find it "unnecessary" but there's a reason it is shouted from the mountain tops of these forums👍🏼.

But, you’re forgetting about the bonus DSOs pay to Harvard grads! Sorry, Columbia and UPenn grads don’t qualify because the vast hordes of Average Joe patients don’t even know those schools are in the Ivy League. Let’s not even get started on Cornell...

Big Hoss

 

[Life of Pablo]

Try to go where is cheapest!

 

[mascue]

Thanks for the comment,s but does anybody have an idea of what areas I should focus on if I want to get accepted into an ivy? Thanks in advance!

 

[AONLINE]

Penn student here. Girlfriend goes to Columbia. Can’t comment on Harvard, but don’t go to Columbia if you want to learn dentistry. The amount that their D3 class has done so far is criminally low compared to how much they’re paying in tuition. I’m not saying we’re the best clinical school in the country (because we’re not), but only doing 2-3 class 2 restorations after your 3rd year is INSANE. *in before the Columbia student says they’ve done WAY more than that - like 5 class 2’s!!*

I like to tell my girlfriend “I remember my first week in clinic...”

Joking aside - it’s not funny to her and I don’t blame her. It’s just sad.

That seems like the common situation for most dental schools in NYC. I just talked to a 3rd year at NYU (class of 2022), they started clinic 5 weeks ago. So yeah most of them have probably done a few fillings so far or working on their 1st crown if they’re real lucky. Apparently the school still plans to let them graduate a year from now, I just can’t imagine students from those schools become real dentists and perform unsupervised work on people’s teeth with such little experience.

@Life of Pablo, do you happen to know the rough percentage of Ivy League grads that go straight to private practices/DSOs without a GPR/AEGD?

 

[GoDental101]

Thanks for the comment,s but does anybody have an idea of what areas I should focus on if I want to get accepted into an ivy? Thanks in advance!

Focus on ignoring common sense and you'll do great...or if that's too hard for you then you'd probs be better off at your state school.

 

[Carmencitas]

Thanks for the comment,s but does anybody have an idea of what areas I should focus on if I want to get accepted into an ivy? Thanks in advance!

I don't think there is anything in particular besides have research if you're applying to a research-heavy ivy. At the end of the day, they are dental schools like the rest and there is no special formula to a guaranteed acceptance, just things that may increase your chances of getting in. I would not focus on getting into an ivy because from what I've seen people do this and neglect to apply to cost-effective schools. Then they face the reality of having to pay 500k+ for dental school. Just put out the best application you can and apply smartly to schools.

 

[Life of Pablo]

That seems like the common situation for most dental schools in NYC. I just talked to a 3rd year at NYU (class of 2022), they started clinic 5 weeks ago. So yeah most of them have probably done a few fillings so far or working on their 1st crown if they’re real lucky. Apparently the school still plans to let them graduate a year from now, I just can’t imagine students from those schools become real dentists and perform unsupervised work on people’s teeth with such little experience.

@Life of Pablo, do you happen to know the rough percentage of Ivy League grads that go straight to private practices/DSOs without a GPR/AEGD?

I would say ~25% of the class enters private practice directly. ~30-40% of the class does some specialty other than GPR/AEGD (OS, Ortho, endo, Peds), and then ~35-40% do an AEGD/GPR. I think you're a product of your surrounding, so if a lot of your classmates are doing an AEGD/GPR, you'd be more inclined to do one whether or not you actually need it.