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I thought I'd open a thread with tips, tricks, and advice for people applying next year. Feel free to add your own.
Here's what I learned about dental school applications in the past year:
-Apply early goddammit!
-Send in your secondaries ASAP (I didn't do this b/c of summer classes and it somewhat negated the fact that I sent in my AADSAS application early)
-Write a letter to the Admissions Director of your #1 before the cycle opens and say You are my absolute number 1 school....I regret not doing this and I think it could've helped get an interview earlier
-Don't be afraid to call AADSAS to question something. (I had a non-science class changed to an other-science class because it was cross-listed with a science department, only by calling and e-mailing AADSAS did they change it...and my sGPA increased)
-If you take the DAT after you submit your AADSAS application, fax/e-mail each admissions office a copy of your unofficial report the day that you take the DAT. You will save weeks.
-Don't be afraid to call schools to check your status, don't check too often though
-You need to be professional and polite but not uber formal when talking on the phone with admissions offices, they're regular people who are usually really nice
-Be patient when waiting for interviews
-I got the feeling that most ADCOMS don't thoroughly read through your application until you're invited to interview...keep that in mind when writing your essay and filling out your ECs
-Rejections happen. Call the admissions office to see why and then move on.
-Don't be the super excited person who talks way too much at interviews
-Don't be the person who doesn't talk to anyone at interviews
-Look professional at interviews but don't overdo it
-Don't mention SDN at interviews
-Be positive and friendly during the entire interview day, you are being assessed at all times
-It's been said before....interviewers can see through BS. Be as truthful as possible and they will appreciate it.
-Ask a lot of questions to your interviewer, tour guide, and students. Make yourself stand out by being the person who is really interested in the program.
-Never talk bad about other schools
-After your interview, write thank you notes
-Don't badger admissions committees too much
-If you are waitlisted at a place you really want to go to write a LOI (Letter of Intent)
-Don't be too bummed if you don't get in anywhere don Dec. 1. Wait a month for deposits to be sent and hope for the best.
-When you're signing up for the DAT, make sure to send your scores to all the school (check all the boxes) because it will cost you a lot more if you choose more later
-Buy the ADEA 2012 book it is filled will tons of information: http://www.adea.org/publications/Pages/OfficialGuide.aspx
-Do research on the school before you apply, write secondaries, and interview. Go to their website, search SDN, talk to a dentist, etc
-Send your transcripts on the first day the cycle opens (if you want to be super/needlessly fast, mail them before the cycle opens)
-If you need to get transcripts from more than 1 school, do it AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Schools often mess this up and you get stuck waiting.
-Get your LORs as soon as possible from people who know you well, they matter
-Maintain your grades for Fall 2012, it's easy to loose focus when traveling to interviews every other week and you can do some major damage to your GPA if you take your eyes of the prize.
-This process is expensive so if you don't have a lot of money consider getting a job or finding a way to pay for everything (application, secondaries, flights to interviews, deposits, second deposits, etc, etc)
That's if for now, if I think of more later I'll add them. Feel free to add more.
In the mean time...Come dance with the dark side!
Here's what I learned about dental school applications in the past year:
-Apply early goddammit!
-Send in your secondaries ASAP (I didn't do this b/c of summer classes and it somewhat negated the fact that I sent in my AADSAS application early)
-Write a letter to the Admissions Director of your #1 before the cycle opens and say You are my absolute number 1 school....I regret not doing this and I think it could've helped get an interview earlier
-Don't be afraid to call AADSAS to question something. (I had a non-science class changed to an other-science class because it was cross-listed with a science department, only by calling and e-mailing AADSAS did they change it...and my sGPA increased)
-If you take the DAT after you submit your AADSAS application, fax/e-mail each admissions office a copy of your unofficial report the day that you take the DAT. You will save weeks.
-Don't be afraid to call schools to check your status, don't check too often though
-You need to be professional and polite but not uber formal when talking on the phone with admissions offices, they're regular people who are usually really nice
-Be patient when waiting for interviews
-I got the feeling that most ADCOMS don't thoroughly read through your application until you're invited to interview...keep that in mind when writing your essay and filling out your ECs
-Rejections happen. Call the admissions office to see why and then move on.
-Don't be the super excited person who talks way too much at interviews
-Don't be the person who doesn't talk to anyone at interviews
-Look professional at interviews but don't overdo it
-Don't mention SDN at interviews
-Be positive and friendly during the entire interview day, you are being assessed at all times
-It's been said before....interviewers can see through BS. Be as truthful as possible and they will appreciate it.
-Ask a lot of questions to your interviewer, tour guide, and students. Make yourself stand out by being the person who is really interested in the program.
-Never talk bad about other schools
-After your interview, write thank you notes
-Don't badger admissions committees too much
-If you are waitlisted at a place you really want to go to write a LOI (Letter of Intent)
-Don't be too bummed if you don't get in anywhere don Dec. 1. Wait a month for deposits to be sent and hope for the best.
-When you're signing up for the DAT, make sure to send your scores to all the school (check all the boxes) because it will cost you a lot more if you choose more later
-Buy the ADEA 2012 book it is filled will tons of information: http://www.adea.org/publications/Pages/OfficialGuide.aspx
-Do research on the school before you apply, write secondaries, and interview. Go to their website, search SDN, talk to a dentist, etc
-Send your transcripts on the first day the cycle opens (if you want to be super/needlessly fast, mail them before the cycle opens)
-If you need to get transcripts from more than 1 school, do it AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Schools often mess this up and you get stuck waiting.
-Get your LORs as soon as possible from people who know you well, they matter
-Maintain your grades for Fall 2012, it's easy to loose focus when traveling to interviews every other week and you can do some major damage to your GPA if you take your eyes of the prize.
-This process is expensive so if you don't have a lot of money consider getting a job or finding a way to pay for everything (application, secondaries, flights to interviews, deposits, second deposits, etc, etc)
That's if for now, if I think of more later I'll add them. Feel free to add more.
In the mean time...Come dance with the dark side!
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