2012 How US DS Rank DAT/GPA/Other Selection Criteria

[doc toothache]

SELECTION CRITERIA
DAT. The relative importance of the various metrics in the selection of applicants is a hotly debated topic with no scarcity of opinions. Some clearly place an emphasis on the DAT scores while others rely mainly on the GPA. The ADA Survey of Dental Education had the rankings as follows:
2007 1st Place Votes: AA>TS>RC>Bio>QR=OC>GC>PAT
2007 1st /2nd Place Votes: AA>TS>RC=Bio=OC>GC>PAT>QR
2010 1st Place Votes: AA>TS>RC>PAT>Bio>QR>GC>OC
2010 1st/2nd Place Votes: AA>TS=Bio>GC>OC>RC>PAT>QR
From 2007 to 2010, there appears to have been a shift in the relative value placed on various sections of the DAT. The ranking, however, may have little real significance since the combined 1st and 2nd place votes clearly shows that all of the components of the DAT are very close in importance with the exception of QR.
OTHER SELECTION CRITERIA.
While Community Service, Professional Experience and Overcoming Personal/Financial Challenges have been added to other factors used as admission criteria, it is not clear how important these are in the selection process in spite of their assigned importance.
1. Interview
2. Science GPA
3. Overall GPA
4. Non Science GPA
5. Letters of Recommendation
6. Community Service
7. Overcoming Personal/Financial Challenges
8. Professional Experience
9. Manual Dexterity

Included are special emphasis placed by ADCOMS at specific schools on such criteria as research, ECs, Community Service.

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[Hillo]

This is unbelievably helpful!

 

[Kef318]

This is really helpful. Thank you.

So no BCP?

 

[SerboDent]

In my experience from interviewing at various schools is that the importance of sections on the DAT go something like this:
AA>TS=PAT=RC>rest
Hard to say the order of importance of the interview, GPA's, etc

 

[doc toothache]

BCP is singularly the more important of the gpas, however, it is not reported separate from the s-gpa.

In my experience from interviewing at various schools is that the importance of sections on the DAT go something like this:
AA>TS=PAT=RC>rest
Hard to say the order of importance of the interview, GPA's, etc

DS do not appear to have that issue.