Help narrow down the choices!! Listed my top 15

[hcho339]

Hi all, I need help narrowing down my list to hopefully around 8-10 schools. Based on the information below, which schools do you suggest I take out/add and why (subjective, honest opinions please)? I am not interested in academia dentistry, but I am interested in the research side. I am also interested in specializing (if I were to choose specialty now, it'd be prostho or pedo) but not set on it, so I also searched for schools with good clinical experience. A lot is up in the air and would like to leave doors open but because of this, it's really hard to narrow down the choices. I listed top 15 schools below - please help me take out about 5 or switch some schools around. Please help!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Overall GPA: 3.68
Science GPA: 3.61
DAT score: AA 24, TS 23, PAT 29
State of Residence: Georgia
Major: Biochem
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No


School list:
Augusta - in state
Columbia
Temple
Detroit Mercy
UPenn
UCSF
UCLA
UConn
Tufts
Case Western
Boston
Michigan
Maryland
Louisville
MWU-AZ

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[GoDental101]

You have great stats and a well rounded app. I would only apply to 5-7 schools. I would for sure drop Tufts, midwestern, Louisville, Boston, Detroit mercy, and Temple. Your stats are much higher than those schools I just listed and I think you have a better shot at applying to schools that have average stats more similar to yours.

 

[knewstance]

I like your thought process of applying to 8-10. While you have great stats, you never know what will happen.

If this were me doing the cutting, I would cut UPenn, UCSF, UCLA, UConn, Boston, Columbia, Maryland. Then I would probably add LECOM (probably the best beach I've ever been to) and maybe some of the NC or SC schools.

Your list is pretty solid though. Looks about the same as my 15-20 list before I trimmed it down too. At that point, I would just start considering location factors. I pulled UCSF and UCLA from my list for cost of living factors, I pulled all NE schools from my list because I have no desire to live there ect. I think if you just kind of think through each of the locations you should be able to quickly trim your list down.

 

[MavsFanForLife]

I would apply to 8-10 as well, its worth the extra couple hundred bucks or so for peace of mind. I would remove Detriot, MWU, USC, Tufts, temple, and boston.

 

[Faefly]

keep your list as it is, never gambles with your future by applying to a few numbers of schools.
The more the better.
Stats are not everything.
Your personality and PS play a factor as well.

 

[turtleburtle77]

Cut down private schools. Too expensive! Make a list prioritizing cost!

 

[tgsmith]

Hi all, I need help narrowing down my list to hopefully around 8-10 schools. Based on the information below, which schools do you suggest I take out/add and why (subjective, honest opinions please)? I am not interested in academia dentistry, but I am interested in the research side. I am also interested in specializing (if I were to choose specialty now, it'd be prostho or pedo) but not set on it, so I also searched for schools with good clinical experience. A lot is up in the air and would like to leave doors open but because of this, it's really hard to narrow down the choices. I listed top 15 schools below - please help me take out about 5 or switch some schools around. Please help!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Overall GPA: 3.68
Science GPA: 3.61
DAT score: AA 24, TS 23, PAT 29 (QR 27, RC 23, BIO 21, CHEM 24, ORGO 25)
State of Residence: Georgia

Undergrad Attended: Georgia Tech
Major: Biochem
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No

Shadowing Experience: ~175 hrs - GP ~80 hrs, specialty ~95 hrs (pedo, perio, prostho, oral, ortho, pathology, cosmetic)
Volunteering Experience: ~200 hrs from dental clinics, after school program for elementary kids, humane society, on-campus school health services
Employment: on-campus job for ~10 hrs/week every semester (various jobs)
Research: worked about ~10 hrs/week in biochem research lab every semester, 4 presentations total, no publications
Other Extracurriculars: I'm not involved in a lot of clubs in school - officer for school orchestra, member of pre-dental society
Relevant Honors or Awards: full scholarship, dean's list, majors award
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere: Of course money is a factor in choosing a school, but I am considering to apply to HPSP or NHSC (would need to do more research on these though).

School list:
Augusta - in state
Columbia
Temple
Detroit Mercy
UPenn
UCSF
UCLA
UConn
Tufts
Case Western
Boston
Michigan
Maryland
Louisville
MWU-AZ

I'm currently a student at Louisville... I think you'll be fine getting into ULSD.