4th Time Reapplicant Needing Advice

[Biggie Smiles]

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I could use some advice for reapplying to dental schools for a 4th time. I have taken the DAT once in 2014, getting a score of 21 AA and 21 TS. This year my scores will be older than 3 years so I will have to retake the exam since many schools don't like old scores.

My Science/BCP GPA is a little lower than average due to an unexpected personal crisis in college. My current AADSAS GPA's are as follows: BCP is between 3.2-3.3; Science is between 3.4-3.5, Non-Science is between 3.6-3.7, and Total is between 3.5-3.6.

The current cycle was my third time applying.
1st year - 1 interview, 1 wait list offer
2nd year - 3 interviews, 2 wait list offers
This year (3rd) - 2 interviews, all denials

What should I do now in addition to retaking the DAT? Take the GRE after that and apply for a 3rd degree, a Masters?

 

[DC206R]

GPA isn't terrible IMO and DAT is great. You're getting interviews so they obviously like you.

Retake DAT because old, new PS + updated LORs, plenty of interview practice. That's my take on it.

 

[eldmd_32]

What DC said and apply broadly. 4th time shows dedication for sure. If you want to pursue a masters there are plenty of programs that accept DAT scores. Good luck!

 

[Biggie Smiles]

What DC said and apply broadly. 4th time shows dedication for sure. If you want to pursue a masters there are plenty of programs that accept DAT scores. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I am hesitant about considering a Masters because it would be a big financial commitment in addition to dental school.

 

[S_Diamond_DDS]

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[periopocket]

You didn't apply to 30 programs did you? Study hard for a retake and get a 21+


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[eldmd_32]

Thanks for the advice. I am hesitant about considering a Masters because it would be a big financial commitment in addition to dental school.

Honestly I don't think you'd need to do it. For me personally, I knew a masters would impact my chances due to my own situation and that's how I justified the financial commitment. But if you apply to 20 schools (ballpark) it'd be really shocking if you didn't get accepted

 

[Biggie Smiles]

You didn't apply to 30 programs did you? Study hard for a retake and get a 21+


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I applied to 10 programs this year.

 

[periopocket]

I applied to 10 programs this year.

This was the problem brother you needed to apply to at least 20. I suggest on your 4th run you do minimum 20 but up to 30 would give more cushion

4 interviews is like the magic number. Also work on your interview skills a bit, it's not a good sign getting rejected from two places offering you interviews.


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[GoodAsGold]

2 interviews, all denials

You need to contact the schools directly and ask why you were rejected, and ask them how you can improve your chances next time around. Maybe your interview was not your strongest performance?

 

[Biggie Smiles]

2 interviews, all denials

You need to contact the schools directly and ask why you were rejected, and ask them how you can improve your chances next time around. Maybe your interview was not your strongest performance?

I intend to contact both schools this upcoming week. One of the schools that wait listed me last year denied my application with no interview this year, the other school that wait listed me last year denied my application this year after the interview, and the school that give the other interview this year wait listed me the first time I applied but has denied my application twice now after the initial wait list offer the first time.

 

[periopocket]

No need to reapply to those schools that rejected you post interview, pick some new schools


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[deleted675533]

I applied to 10 programs this year.

This was my first question when I read your post. Why not apply VERY broadly? Applying to only 10 schools is a bit below average, even for people with above average stats. It's expensive, but even if you applied to 60 schools, it would only cost you a little over 6 grand. That is nothing compared to the year(s) of lost salary due to having to reapply.

 

[cyclohexane101]

Which schools have you interviewed at? State or private schools?

 

[Biggie Smiles]

This was my first question when I read your post. Why not apply VERY broadly? Applying to only 10 schools is a bit below average, even for people with above average stats. It's expensive, but even if you applied to 60 schools, it would only cost you a little over 6 grand. That is nothing compared to the year(s) of lost salary due to having to reapply.

That is a very good point. This next cycle I will apply as broadly as I can afford.

 

[blcopp]

Apply to more schools and most importantly work hard on your interview skills

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[FeralisExtremum]

I applied to 10 programs this year.

Which programs?

 

[Biggie Smiles]

Which programs?

I applied all over, West Coast programs including Colorado, OHSU; East Coast programs including VCU, Louisville, Michigan, Temple, UNC, and a few others.

 

[tyjacobs]

I could use some advice for reapplying to dental schools for a 4th time. I have taken the DAT once in 2014, getting a score of 21 AA and 21 TS. This year my scores will be older than 3 years so I will have to retake the exam since many schools don't like old scores.

My Science/BCP GPA is a little lower than average due to an unexpected personal crisis in college. Since then I have taken a few postbacc courses at a local university and am also finishing a 2 year technical degree in Dental Laboratory Technology (dental lab technician). My current AADSAS GPA's are as follows: BCP is between 3.2-3.3; Science is between 3.4-3.5, Non-Science is between 3.6-3.7, and Total is between 3.5-3.6.

I have several years of experience from working and volunteering in emergency medicine, a dental office, dental research, and dental lab.

The current cycle was my third time applying.
1st year - 1 interview, 1 wait list offer
2nd year - 3 interviews, 2 wait list offers
This year (3rd) - 2 interviews, all denials

What should I do now in addition to retaking the DAT? Take the GRE after that and apply for a 3rd degree, a Masters?

Let me start of by saying that your BCP GPA is low for dental school.

I think whether you decide to pursue a master's degree or not depends on your DAT score. If you get a very high DAT score (23+), then it is probably not necessary to do a master's program because the DAT score compensated for the low BCP GPa.

If you score around a 20-21, then you might want to consider taking some science classes at a 4 year university or pursue a master's program to get the BCP GPA up.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

I applied all over, West Coast programs including Colorado, OHSU; East Coast programs including VCU, Louisville, Michigan, Temple, UNC, and a few others.

Some of those programs (UNC and Colorado if memory serves me) are very selective about their OOS acceptances. Try to spend some time with the ADEA guide to dental schools (or doc toothache's excel versions of the guide) to increase the number of schools you apply to and focus on the schools that admit a lot of students from OOS. You might also want to consider a service that lets you practice interviews and gives you feedback. Since you're retaking the DAT, try to do as strongly as possible - high numbers there can be attractive to a lot of schools.

 

[Biggie Smiles]

Some of those programs (UNC and Colorado if memory serves me) are very selective about their OOS acceptances. Try to spend some time with the ADEA guide to dental schools (or doc toothache's excel versions of the guide) to increase the number of schools you apply to and focus on the schools that admit a lot of students from OOS. You might also want to consider a service that lets you practice interviews and gives you feedback. Since you're retaking the DAT, try to do as strongly as possible - high numbers there can be attractive to a lot of schools.

I received the wait list offers from Michigan and UNC last year. I will look into the interview services for practice, probably starting with what my local university career services have to offer. I am hoping to at least get the 21 I scored the first time on the DAT. Would you recommend reapplying to schools that I have already applied to 2 or 3 times?

 

[Biggie Smiles]

From your list of 10 schools, I would reapply to schools that have granted you interviews and to ones you would really like to attend since every application cycle brings in a different pool of students. I think your GPA is fine, but aiming for a higher DAT this time around would give a favorable boost to your application. I would also brush up on your LORs and personal statement. I had a mentee who applied to Louisville with your stats and is attending this fall, so I agree with other comments that you should consider applying to twice as many programs that are OOS friendly. I know about 50% of each incoming class at UNLV are OOS, and we select for students with well-rounded life experience.

I will reapply to my top choice schools (ones which I have a realistic chance of getting into) and double the amount of OOS friendly schools. I have gotten new LORs every year (some from the same individuals and some different each time) and rewrote the personal statement every year, still incorporating the important details/reasons for dentistry each time. Do you think the schools that I will apply to for the first time this 4th application cycle will ask/question why I haven't applied to their school in the past 3 cycles?

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

I will reapply to my top choice schools (ones which I have a realistic chance of getting into) and double the amount of OOS friendly schools. I have gotten new LORs every year (some from the same individuals and some different each time) and rewrote the personal statement every year, still incorporating the important details/reasons for dentistry each time. Do you think the schools that I will apply to for the first time this 4th application cycle will ask/question why I haven't applied to their school in the past 3 cycles?

They will not ask that or care.

Start a graduate program. It may not be what you want to do, but it is your best shot if you ask me.

Your app will get thrown out if not much has changed year to year.

Apply to 25 schools.

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

I fear this will be me.... I applied to almost 30 schools not an acceptance yet and a bunch of waitlists. Can I ask you how you coped with it? x D

 

[Biggie Smiles]

I fear this will be me.... I applied to almost 30 schools not an acceptance yet and a bunch of waitlists. Can I ask you how you coped with it? x D

Not getting in year after year isn't easy. I've told myself to suck it up and make whatever sacrifices I have to make to get in. I know several people who finally got accepted on their 4th or 5th application cycle. To be able to afford reapplying and take post bacc classes and get a 2nd degree I've lived a very minimalist lifestyle the last 4 years.

 

[Faefly]

You are doing something wrong in the interviews.

If you are looking over the top, tone it down, if you are looking way too shy, be more confident, if you are not taking care of how you look enough, try to go to the hairstylist, and buy nice clothes, put the best perfume, Sephora Samples are free!
Do as much mock interviews as possible and apply to more schools!
You will get accepted if you kept your DAT high, no don't take GRE, study very well for the DAT and get 23+ so no one will say no to you.

 

[Accepted1232]

I couldn't handle applying four times in a row. I applied once and got in. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Best of luck to you, OP.

 

[LuckBloodandSweat]

lol @Accepted1232 I see you just made an account today. There's always some luck involved. I thought I'd be accepted by now with my stats and the number of schools I applied to but I'm almost **** out of luck. Goes to show you.

 

[Biggie Smiles]

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[Accepted1232]

If you don't mind answering, what were your grades and DAT like? Do you belong to a minority? How many years did you prepare to get into dental school? I didn't start pursuing dental school/doing dental related activities until after graduating college.

3.9 overall with a 20+. Not a minority. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.