2003 Cycle

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The Extractor

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I'm applying for the first time this June. Can someone who has applied already kind of summarize the steps for me AADSAS site isn't too helpful right now. In particular I was wondering if I could send in my app online first and then send in letters of rec later. Thanks

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Yes, you can send in your app first and then rec letters later. But try to send the letters asap after your app.
 
Extractor,

Before finalizing and completing your online AADSAS application, there will be a link for you to click on titled "Forms".

The forms link has several forms you need to download, print, fill out, and mail (snail mail) to AADSAS. Among these forms is a checklist which asks you if you have requested your transcripts to be sent to AADSAS, and if you have requested your letters to be sent to AADSAS. By filling out the checklist and mailing it in, AADSAS can tell that you have requested your letters and they will be expecting them.

I know it seems a bit complicated right now, but the process is actually very easy and straightforward. Don't fret about it, just do a couple of things before the application is available on June 3:

1. Download the "Transcript Matching Card" from the AADSAS web site and present it to each school you have attended.

2. Download the "Letters...Matching Card" and give it to your recommendation writers, or give one to your committee advisor so that they can send your letters to AADSAS.

3. Get a copy of your grades so you won't have any trouble filling in the coursework section on the AADSAS application. This will be the most time-consuming section -- assuming you are finished with your personal essay.

Last year AADSAS didn't want applicants to have their transcripts/letters mailed before sending in their online application. This year, however, they are asking applicants to have that information sent in prior to completing the application (if possible).

If it isn't possible, then have your letters sent as soon as is feasible, as hazelmei pointed out.

-G
 
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GavinC
Is it ok that you send your transcripts directly to the AADSAS rather than the schools send it individually?
Also, I already had my professors write me letters, and I used no particular form. Is this oK?
 
Hi Guys,

Don't schools need original transcripts sent to them as well? I know after acceptance the school's want an updated transcript to make sure that you didn't slack off, but after AADSAS will they ask you for a transcript or go off by what AADSAS sends them? If you send AADSAS an original transcript then they will forward it to the schools, right? Your help is greatly appreciated.

-DesiDentist
 
Hi everyone
Im still a bit confused.
Do I have to send the letters to AADSAS?
some one told me that I should just send them individually to each school. The other friend also told me AADSAS would only forward 3 letters to the schools one apply to.
Can someone clear that for me?
thank you
 
Part of the AADSAS service is to forward your complete application to the schools which you are applying to. Your complete application includes your official transcripts as well as letters of recommendation.

Beagle, you can physically put your transcripts in the mail if you would prefer to mail them rather than having your schools mail them -- that is what I did because currently my undergrad has 200+ requests for transcripts and the registrar's office said it would take 4-5 days to get them in the mail. I told them I would mail them, so I had the office attach the AADSAS transcript matching card (you must have this!) to the transcript, and then the school sealed it in an official envelope, I put a stamp on it and sent it off.

Desi, yes, AADSAS forwards your transcripts to the schools -- no need to mail out multiple copies unless a school specifically requests it of you. Most schools *will not* ask for an additional copy of your transcript, they will simply use the information provided to them through AADSAS. Remember, AADSAS not only makes it easy on us, but helps keep things simple (relatively!!) for the schools.

Ali , AADSAS will make copies of *all* of your letters and forward them to the schools that you have requested. It is much easier to have the letters sent once to AADSAS, then to have each of your recommenders copy them and mail them individually to 10-15 different schools. Although AADSAS has been known to be a bit slow at times, I would still utilize them for sending letters out to schools.

-G
 
Thanks gavin
Aghh I'm mad now because I already ordered my transcripts, but did not know I needed that special form.
Thanks though!
 
Ali , AADSAS will make copies of *all* of your letters and forward them to the schools that you have requested. It is much easier to have the letters sent once to AADSAS, then to have each of your recommenders copy them and mail them individually to 10-15 different schools. Although AADSAS has been known to be a bit slow at times, I would still utilize them for sending letters out to schools.

Some schools still require you to send in letters of rec directly to the school though....you'd have to check the individual school requirements to see which ones though. =oP
 
Oh my god, are you serious Cusp???
Aghhhhh!!! I thought everything just went to the AADSAS and they took care of it???
Also, do I need a special form for my letters of rec? I just had my proff's write me the letter in their own stationary...I don't want to ask to rewrite it
 
yeah...AADSAS is kinda weird...this past june i did my app on-line and turned it in on june 1 and then like a month later i get this e-mail saying that my application isn't complete because they changed the format of one question and so I had to verify the answers on that question before they could send it out to schools. so basically my app was delayed another month or so. :p ..but I was lucky because aadsas was slow this year, a lot of applications were delayed and so I was still in the first batch of applicants to be interviewed (I was the only one interviewed when I went to case in august)....(another reason for applying as early as possible!) it is kinda a pain to have the letters sent individually but yeah...i don't know why for some reason some schools don't accept letters from AADSAS.....as for the seperate forms....if you had them fill out letters on their own stationary that's fine...I know some schools like NOVA have a special form for their letters of rec but they also accept regular letters of rec in lieu of their forms as well...just check with the individual schools. If your school has a letter of rec service that'd be helpful too, that way you don't have to keep asking the same profs to send letters in and hope they remember...good luck to you beagle and the rest of the class of 2007 and beyond!
 
True, some schools do require the letters directly (or so they say) but many of those will also take the letters from AADSAS. The bottom line of course is to verify it with each school.

The AADSAS instructions forms will be available for download on May 30 -- included is a section which lists each dental school and what they require at the time of the AADSAS application and what they require when they contact you (secondaries). Use that form to verify what your schools need. Also, that form lists that nearly every school needs "DAT scores" at the same time the AADSAS application is submitted, yet all of the schools accept the DAT scores through AADSAS. Letters of rec. are often the same way.

Beagle , the "Transcript Matching" card is attached to your transcripts and makes it easier for AADSAS to place the transcript in your AADSAS file. The link for the Transcript card and the Letters of Rec. card may be found at <a href="http://www.adea.org/AADSAS/preparing_for_the_2003_cycle.htm" target="_blank">AADSAS Prep.</a> .

-G
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by ItsGavinC:
• Also, that form lists that nearly every school needs "DAT scores" at the same time the AADSAS application is submitted, yet all of the schools accept the DAT scores through AADSAS. •••••DAT scores are requested and sent in by the ADA testing facility in chicago...the scores you put on aadsas are just like grades....they need to be verified by sending scores in so yes...the schools accept DAT scores from the aadsas, they are not valid until the scores are requested and sent in to the individual schools. You don't send the DAT score report to AADSAS.
 
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If I remember correctly, theres a page on the aadsas app that says specifically what and WHEN they want specific materials.
 
Vixen,

There indeed is, and that was the page I was referring to in my previous post.

Cusp,

You are correct. I was merely making the point that many schools "request" things that don't need to be sent to them directly because they are already sent through AADSAS (or the ADA in the case of test scores). Just because a website or form says that a certain school needs "DAT scores" and "Letters of Rec" sent to them, doesn't mean they won't accept them through AADSAS. 99% of the time they will.

-G
 
My university already has a letter forwarding service so I ended up using them. You don't have to use AADSAS. I didn't get all my letters at the same time so I ended up using the school's service. My school said that they had problems w/ AADSAS because they wouldn't accept letters from previous applicants using their service because it wasn't directly from my profs. I thought that was stupid since the dept that forwards my letters is within the school and they get them directly from the profs. Anyway, I think it was better this way because I think it got to the schools faster. I didn't have to wait for AADSAS to process them. Who knows how long they would've taken.
 
Thanks for all the helpful posts

For space kacy, do you really think that work better than sending letter to addsas? After hearing all these horror story about addsas I really can't trust them with my letters of rec.
Even if I use addsas's forwarding service, is it ok for me to call each schools and verify the letter status?
Did anyone else just send letter of rec directly to school instead of through ADDSAS??
 
ALI,

This year you will be able to use InfoSource to track your application status (including letters of rec.). If you're lucky, then all of the schools you are applying to will be participating in InfoSource this year.

By the way, AADSAS isn't *that* bad. Besides, your application with individual schools certainly isn't complete if they don't have your AADSAS application. In other words,if AADSAS is indeed slow, then chances are that they'll be slow in processing batches. Maybe your letters of rec. have arrived safely at the individual schools, but it does you no good in the application cycle if the schools haven't received the AADSAS packet.

I'm confident that AADSAS will be running smoothy this year. They've upgraded their system and hired more help. My advisor is the President of the NAAHP and has worked closely with the ADA, ADEA, and AADSAS (he's been on the TaskForce for nearly 10 years) and he assures me that things will be smooth this year.

-G
 
Ali,

Trust no one. I'm kidding. The aadsas way is easier and I think that would be best. My situation was different. My school would only send copies of my letters and not the original so aadsas wouldn't accept them. I'm sure aadsas is fine though so use them. Then, pray. That tracking thing someone mentioned seems reasonable enough to trust aadsas.
 
space kacy,
Does AADSAS not accept copies of letters? I am in the same boat, since I set up a file at my school for letters, which will be copied and sent out. When I called a few schools to ask them if I could send my letters directly to them, a couple mentioned that they prefer the letters sent through AADSAS, so they arrive with the application. Do you think I should send them directly to the schools anyways?
 
Hey annimul,

Are you at University of Washington? I opened a recommendation file as well. I think it should work out because the people authenticate the letters so they are legit.

DesiDentist
 
Anni,

When I went to my career services dept to forward my letters using that AADSAS form, they informed me that they had problems before trying to send the copies to them for other students. I think they would only accept originals directly from profs. It was kind of late for me (Nov/Dec) and I couldn't screw around and wait to see if they would accept them so I just had my school forward it directly to the schools. Everything turned out fine and all the schools accepted them. Maybe, you should try to contact AADSAS and see what their policy is now to know for sure but you could do what I did and it would be alright.
 
Desi,
I am from UW. I think I'll give Career Services a call to see if they've had any problems sending copies to AADSAS in the past. I'll post if they recommend sending them directly to the schools. Otherwise, I'd like to send everything through AADSAS - it just seems like the easiest way.
 
Hi Everyone
I am not attending UW but we have same type of forwarding service. So far I havent heard anything about ADDSAS not accepting copies of letters of rec. That is such a stupid policy. I hope everything work out fine for all of us
 
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