1st post! Let me know what you think!!

[socr1216]

Hey guys!


1st of all I just want to thank all of you guys for posting and helping the rest of us out!!!


I wanna know what you guys think about my chances of getting into any of the 3 TX dental schools for the 2010 cycle.


I'm a 3.3(overall) 3.5(science) junior and am a resident of texas(it should be up to about 3.4-3.5 end of next sem). I have been working as a dental assistant on and off (over breaks and what not) for appx. 4.5 years and i LOVE IT!! ( i actually began shadowing my ortho after 8th grade....lol). I also have a semesters worth of clinical experience volunteering/ shadowing.

I'm prep'ing for my DAT right now, using KAPLANs lesson book/review notes, Shaum's bio, and a 2006 ver. of DAT DESTROYER...My 1st diag was around a 17AA 21PAT(pre-hardcore study) and I havent taken one for about 1.5-2 wks of hardcore studying. I'm taking the real thing Jan 16.

I'm aiming for a 20-21AA!

I don't really know any of my professors so LOR's are going to be difficult to come by, but theres no real way around that... (darn d-schools for making us get 4!!!! omg...)


Neway, I would really appreciate any feedback on if y'all think I have a legit chance, or what i need to be doing right now (besides studying...) to get my chances up!


Thanks!!

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[Boat on the Chesapeake]

It sounds like you're very committed to your career choice and you've gotten a lot more experience than most applicants. If you can work hard to keep your GPA up, get a 20+ on the DAT, and articulate yourself well in your personal statement/interview I think you'll be pretty pleased 1 year from now. You also have next semester to get to know some new professors and hopefully get some letters from them, so long as they don't secretly hate you it's hard to get a bad letter. Best of luck.

 

[DROCKINDAHOUSE]

You seem to be focused and have all of your priorities in line. I would suggest you keep studying for your DAT because with your GPA, a high score will really help distinguish you. I'm not saying your GPA is too low, but I am saying that it is below average. For example, at San Antonio their ADMITTED cumulative GPA last cycle was a 3.89. Also, at Houston Dr. Pierpont stated that he had a HUGE stack of applications with a 3.5/18 dat and he asked us "Do you know how hard it is to pick which candidate in that stack deserves to be here more?" Make yourself stand out.

Like I said you should be fine. Really focus on your bio, organic, and reading comprehension sections of the DAT. At each of the Texas schools I was told that these sections were the most indicative of success in dental school. If you get 20+ in all your sections you should be set.

Also, work on getting good rec. letters and writing a good personal statement. You need to really have a genuine desire to pursue this career and you also must effectively convey that desire in writing. Don't overlook the value of a good personal statement.

Hope everything goes well for you.

 

[cookand]

I wouldn't worry to much about the LOR. Ask the professors you liked(having done well in there class would help to) if they are willing to write you a GOOD letter.

I never got to know hardly any of my professors and used this approach and it worked out fine.

Remember, even if you don't "know" them, if you did well in their class, they'll like that.