5th Time Applying, need advice

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bangersandmashplease

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Hello,

Im in need of some advice or feedback on my situation. If I decide to apply again, this will be my 5th year applying to dental school and to be honest Im at the point that Ive pretty much lost all hope in being accepted. I am extremely worried about my potential future if I keep throwing money at these applications with no reward.

GPA: 3.5
DAT: AA 20, RC 30, PA 19, QR 17, BIO 16, GC, 22, OC 17
Shadowing: over 300 hours
Volunteering: over 500 hours
Experience: dental assistant for 1.5 years
Extracurricular: Treasurer of Biochemistry Club, Academic Chair and Historian of fraternity, Introductory Biology TA

In addition, I believe my personal statement is very strong and I have letters of recommendation from several dentists which are all very flattering.

In my 4 years of applications I have had only two interviews, one at USC and one at UCSF (wait-listed). This current cycle I have not had a single interview. I am applying to over 10 schools each cycle and it is taking a financial toll on me. I have applied to schools on all ends of the "rankings" spectrum.

I am now 25 and still living at home with my parents which is taking a tremendous emotional toll on me as well. I am stagnating in several areas of life as I keep hoping that dental school will come around for me. I cannot continue this cycle and I am not sure what to do. My Pre-Health adviser from school is absolutely useless and has given me wrong information several times in addition to losing my materials and taking months to send off materials.

Looking at my application, I can identify that my DAT could use some improvement (I have taken it twice) and I could improve my GPA, but I'm not sure if I can currently afford (financially and mentally) to go back to school for another year just to be denied again in the future. Also, my DAT score has now expired. I currently live in New York.

Any advice would be highly appreciated, also if I have missed some part of normal formatting I apologize, I don't visit this website that often as I find it incredibly upsetting.
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bangersandmashplease said:
Hello,

Im in need of some advice or feedback on my situation. If I decide to apply again, this will be my 5th year applying to dental school and to be honest Im at the point that Ive pretty much lost all hope in being accepted. I am extremely worried about my potential future if I keep throwing money at these applications with no reward.

GPA: 3.5
DAT: AA 20, RC 30, PA 19, QR 17, BIO 16, GC, 22, OC 17
Shadowing: over 300 hours
Volunteering: over 500 hours
Experience: dental assistant for 1.5 years
Extracurricular: Treasurer of Biochemistry Club, Academic Chair and Historian of fraternity, Introductory Biology TA

In addition, I believe my personal statement is very strong and I have letters of recommendation from several dentists which are all very flattering.

In my 4 years of applications I have had only two interviews, one at USC and one at UCSF (wait-listed). This current cycle I have not had a single interview. I am applying to over 10 schools each cycle and it is taking a financial toll on me. I have applied to schools on all ends of the "rankings" spectrum.

I am now 25 and still living at home with my parents which is taking a tremendous emotional toll on me as well. I am stagnating in several areas of life as I keep hoping that dental school will come around for me. I cannot continue this cycle and I am not sure what to do. My Pre-Health adviser from school is absolutely useless and has given me wrong information several times in addition to losing my materials and taking months to send off materials.

Looking at my application, I can identify that my DAT could use some improvement (I have taken it twice) and I could improve my GPA, but I'm not sure if I can currently afford (financially and mentally) to go back to school for another year just to be denied again in the future. Also, my DAT score has now expired. I currently live in New York.

Any advice would be highly appreciated, also if I have missed some part of normal formatting I apologize, I don't visit this website that often as I find it incredibly upsetting.
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I think it’s your DAT score, with ur 5th time apply you need to retake it and get a 21+
 
bangersandmashplease said:
1, USC
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Hmmm based off the information you've given I would have thought you would have gotten more. Your GPA is fine. Really buckle down and study for the DAT and aim for a 23+ and I would be surprised if you don't get an acceptance next cycle.
 
What schools are you applying to? I used an online website that showed the school's average acceptance stats and applied to all the schools with similar stats to mime. I got 6 pre-December and like 3 post-December interviews.
 
Apply broadly to all the private northeast schools (Tufts, BU, NYU, Touro) and possibly retake the DAT one last time. You can PM me your personal statement and I can read it if you want
 
It could be how you are presenting yourself in your personal statement and to your LOR writers. Not sure what your PS looks like but for example, something I would do is briefly mention being a re-applicant (not mentioning the # of times you've applied) if mentioning it at all. And focusing more on what you've learned from more recent experiences (within the last year). I do think that admissions committees expect more out of re-applicants. I think a masters and/or DAT retake could help you for next cycle. Applications for masters/post-bacc programs are right now, I'd look into them asap.
 
And don't give up! You're only 25. You have your 30's, 40's, and 50's left to live out whatever decisions you make now
 
ThirdMolarz said:
And don't give up! You're only 25. You have your 30's, 40's, and 50's left to live out whatever decisions you make now
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Thank you for your advice, not to be overly needy but would you happen to have any recommendations for programs to look into? Like I said I'm currently in New York.
Brazilfan said:
Apply broadly to all the private northeast schools (Tufts, BU, NYU, Touro) and possibly retake the DAT one last time. You can PM me your personal statement and I can read it if you want
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I have applied to all of those, seems like DAT is the most available thing that I can work on, however I am worried because this will be the last time I can take the DAT, if I then have to attend school for another year then my DAT will expire sooner.
 
Your GPA is quite average. I would say your DAT score is the problem. It's very unbalanced and your TS is low. I would retake with the aim of scoring a 22+. Also, ensure the rest of your application is solid (LORs, PS, Experiences). I'll be 25 starting Dental School this summer, no big deal since this is something I know I will enjoy doing.
 
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bangersandmashplease said:
Thank you for your advice, not to be overly needy but would you happen to have any recommendations for programs to look into? Like I said I'm currently in New York.

I have applied to all of those, seems like DAT is the most available thing that I can work on, however I am worried because this will be the last time I can take the DAT, if I then have to attend school for another year then my DAT will expire sooner.
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You can take the DAT 3 times 3 months apart. After that you have to wait a year in between tests. You just have to give the ADA a denial letter from a school, or a letter from a dental school requesting you take it again. The Bio and O chem should be 19 or higher and QR needs to be above school requirements. (Usually at least 17). If you can get those up I’m sure you’ll have better results this cycle. GPA is fine.

Also don’t worry about being 25. I just got accepted after 3 cycles and I’m the oldest one in the class by almost 15 years.
 
Everything about your application looks OK, except for the DAT which you obviously have to retake. Besides that, I think your PS + overall written application could be worth looking over again - I can take a quick look if you want.

You mentioned that you have letters from several dentists - don't you need at least 2 from profs?

I understand the application process is stressing and mentally and emotionally draining, but if dentistry is what you want to do I would do my all to get in. Trust me, the journey is totally worth it.
 
If you are REALLY committed, call the schools and find out what the main reason was for rejection. I didn't get in anywhere my first time and they told me to raise my TS score on the DAT. I did that, but I also made sure I shadowed more and did tons of volunteering. You have a lot of volunteering it seems but look at the quality of it maybe? personal statement? Go beyond what is "required". As a reapplicant they hold you to higher standards. In that section where they ask you what has changed in your application, if its not spectacular you will seem like you are not trying.

As a side note, dentistry is one of the many amazing professions out there. Look for other options. If you are smart, hardworking and dedicated you will find success anywhere. No need to keep applying to dental every single year of your life.
 
4th time re-applicant here and was accepted into many dental schools and turn downed a ton of interviews this cycle. Here's a list of the many things I did differently this past cycle that I think helped me the most (from most important to least important):
  • Interviewers told me they looked highly upon my one-year master's program (not affiliated with any dental school) with a GPA of 3.9+ on top of my undergrad GPA of 3.5.
  • Like you, my DAT expired, so I retook my DAT and scored 24s.
  • I asked for new and different letters of recommendation because an honest interviewer last cycle told me one of my letters was atrocious and made me look bad.
  • Made my personal statement, experience and research descriptions, and secondary applications eye-catching.
  • Lastly, I applied to 30+ schools because I really don't know if 10-15 schools is even safe anymore. I assume some schools rejected you (and me) easily for being nontraditional applicants while some schools (Roseman, UDM, Tufts, NYU, Western, UNLV, USC, LECOM, Touro) will bother to look at nontraditional applicants and even FAVOR us.
I'm not trying to one-up you, but I'm 26 also felt a lot of emotional and mental frustration (still do) as did my family (gave my mom an aneurysm). While we do seem a bit older, I met a lot of applicants who were around our age -- in fact, a lot of schools say their median age of incoming students are 24-25. Heck, on my interviews, there were dental hygienists, accountants, and Walmart employees who were a couple of years older than us. I really don't believe in telling you "JUST BECAUSE I DID IT, YOU CAN TOO!" (look up survivorship bias). In fact, if I heard that and were in your shoes (and I really was a year and two ago), I'd punch that person right in his face.

But if you really buy into the notion that we have to "find our passion in our profession" and still want to pursue this, then I really do hope dentistry work out for you. If not, you may want to play it on the safe side and simultaneously consider other programs like Physician Assistant schools (100-115k median salary, 50-150k tuition for 2 years, well-respected by patients, and a lifestyle that physicians envy). There's no shame if you don't do dentistry -- in fact, you might find it emotionally and financially fulfilling to pursue other careers while we upcoming dentists attempt to juggle crippling debt, crushing depression, and poor life choices. Anyway, hope you have a good day, mate.
 
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bangersandmashplease said:
My Pre-Health adviser from school is absolutely useless and has given me wrong information several times in addition to losing my materials and taking months to send off materials.
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Addition to retaking DATs as many said above, I would consider using individual letters than sending committee letter. If it's taking months to send off the materials, you are definitely lowering your chances. Matter of fact, one of my friends applied to dental school 4 times and she used committee letter on each. On the last cycle, she decided not to use committee letter and got accepted.
 
As everyone has said, it has to be DAT score, you need at least an 18 or 19 especially in the science sections, in fact some schools have automatic cutoffs at 17 and below. There is no reason not to get at least 19s in each of the sections if you go through Destroyer at least once and go through Ferali's biology notes. The DAT discussions subforum has so many great resources and breakdowns that you could benefit from. Other than that honestly your stats look fine, you didnt specify science GPA but there are people who have gotten interviews and acceptances with GPAs lower than your's but all of them had at least 20TS--schools look at subsections too, not just AA. Good luck, you got this!
 
PM me and I'll personally be your advisor to this process. I've help a lot of people fix errors in their applications especially personal statements and what schools to apply to.
Oh and this is free, I'm not advertising a service. I'm from NY as well.

Your dat score and gpa is fine so It's gotta be something with your application.
 
Likkriue said:
PM me and I'll personally be your advisor to this process. I've help a lot of people fix errors in their applications especially personal statements and what schools to apply to.
Oh and this is free, I'm not advertising a service. I'm from NY as well.

Your dat score and gpa is fine so It's gotta be something with your application.
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What makes you say this? Since when is having three sections 17 and below fine?
 
I think you should consider the recommendations given by the many above but also consider really sitting down with the schools that you are applying to and be consistent applying to the same schools each year.

Often times if you speak with the schools after you get rejected, they will give their honest feedback on how you can improve. I don't know if you have tried this yet but I think you should do this before making changes to your applications. Best of luck.
 
miispr said:
You need to retake the DAT. 17 in QR, 17 in CHEM, AND a 16 in BIO is a really really bad (sorry). If I were you, I would not reapply unless you can get all your sections 18+
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My mistake, was late at night and only looked at the AA. You are right the 16 bio and oc are definitely concerning.
Would definitely have to retake that.
 
You have to really ask yourself if this is worth it at this point. There's plenty of other careers in healthcare that you could find. Spending more time and money is always discouraging but I'd highly encourage to take the DAT one more time and kill it. Good luck.
 
No one on this board is an admissions committee member. Use advice cautiously. Without actually seeing your application, LOR's, grades up front, and PS, everything is just conjecture.
Five times is a lot. It may be time to either do some more current work to demonstrate you can handle the course load in D school, or move on. Clearly the way your application reads
presently is not enough.
Think about where you might be next year at this time if nothing better happens. What if you can't "kill" the DAT? There are so many other choices in the world to consider...dentistry is just one.
 
I personally think it might have been the schools you chose to apply to. Look for schools that are close to your stats and apply to those. Also look at if those schools accept more in-state or out-of-state applicants. If your applying to an out-of-state school you want them to accept more out-of -state applicants and vice-versa. This made a big difference in my applications.
 
Apply to 24+ schools. Maybe retake the DAT to get rid of the 16 bio. I had a 17 on bio but 18 and up on everything else. 18 AA overall. Had 9 interview invites (only went on 4) and 2 acceptances. It can be done, but it is going to cost a lot of $$
 
Serious question. Is there something extraneous that you didnt mention? Something like a failed science class, felony, or misdemeanor? If so, there are probably specific ways to remedy those problems.
 
You need to re-take the DAT. I took the DAT 4x. I got the same score the first three times. The fourth time I took it, I was able to get a 21AA, 22TS. That is what got me into dental school -- and my GPA is significantly lower than yours.
 
I agree that it's most likely the DAT score. I'd strongly, strongly recommend DAT Bootcamp as a method to study. I get the vibe that test taking isn't your strong suit, and I'm in the same boat with you there. Taking lot and lots of practice tests can really make a big difference. You have limited time and energy, so REALLY try to focus your study energy on your weak spots rather than a broader approach--obviously, you should be taking way more BIO, OC, & QR practice tests than RC. DAT Bootcamp gives you explanations of the questions you missed, so make sure you review every question you get wrong. Keep a running list of your weakest topics within those subjects as well, and review those periodically.

I also want to say that I really respect your level of persistence and resilience. I'm dying of anxiety from my lack of an acceptance thus far, and this is my first cycle. I can't imagine holding out for 5 years. It's not easy, and I admire you for sticking it out. I don't know what to say other than that I'm rooting for you and I sincerely hope you get your acceptance.

I also hear you on how upsetting SDN can be... but it really can be a very useful resource if you read in small doses. Feel free to message me if you ever want to talk!
 
bangersandmashplease said:
Hello,

Im in need of some advice or feedback on my situation. If I decide to apply again, this will be my 5th year applying to dental school and to be honest Im at the point that Ive pretty much lost all hope in being accepted. I am extremely worried about my potential future if I keep throwing money at these applications with no reward.

GPA: 3.5
DAT: AA 20, RC 30, PA 19, QR 17, BIO 16, GC, 22, OC 17
Shadowing: over 300 hours
Volunteering: over 500 hours
Experience: dental assistant for 1.5 years
Extracurricular: Treasurer of Biochemistry Club, Academic Chair and Historian of fraternity, Introductory Biology TA

In addition, I believe my personal statement is very strong and I have letters of recommendation from several dentists which are all very flattering.

In my 4 years of applications I have had only two interviews, one at USC and one at UCSF (wait-listed). This current cycle I have not had a single interview. I am applying to over 10 schools each cycle and it is taking a financial toll on me. I have applied to schools on all ends of the "rankings" spectrum.

I am now 25 and still living at home with my parents which is taking a tremendous emotional toll on me as well. I am stagnating in several areas of life as I keep hoping that dental school will come around for me. I cannot continue this cycle and I am not sure what to do. My Pre-Health adviser from school is absolutely useless and has given me wrong information several times in addition to losing my materials and taking months to send off materials.

Looking at my application, I can identify that my DAT could use some improvement (I have taken it twice) and I could improve my GPA, but I'm not sure if I can currently afford (financially and mentally) to go back to school for another year just to be denied again in the future. Also, my DAT score has now expired. I currently live in New York.

Any advice would be highly appreciated, also if I have missed some part of normal formatting I apologize, I don't visit this website that often as I find it incredibly upsetting.
Click to expand...


Before applying I looked into statistics from all dental schools and applied only to those that were matching my GPA and DAT.
I also emailed directors of admission of these schools and asked if there are special requirements that they have . Most schools have cut off for DAT sections that are not posted on their website. Many schools & for example NYU told me that high DAT especially TS is very important ( so you need have TS over 20) , so if your score from DAT is BIO 16 & OC 17 they will not interview you unless your GPA is like 3.9 or 4.0 and you can explain why your science DAT was low. things you need to do:
1. study for your sciences and any section that is lower than 20 , take many practice DAT tests to see where you are and improve to aim for score over 22 in each section, do not have more than 1 section below 18 and none in science. You must be confident that your score will be above 22 beforehand ( at this point you need to show your ability to achieve a high score)
2. Retake DAT
3. check your score against schools records from previous years to verify where you fit best, use this:

2017-ranking-of-ds-based-on-dat-gpa-other.1137667/2017 Ranking of DS Based on GPA/DAT/Other
Ranking of DAT/Other Selection Criteria by US DS http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=657139;

4. Aim for your in-state schools , you have the best chance in your state especially because of your GPA of 3.5 which is good for in-state applicant and average for OOS. No point applying to schools that do not take (or take few only) OOS applicants. Aim also for schools that take lots of OOS students ( for example: do not apply to schools in Texas, they almost every year take only in state applicants). Do not waste your money on schools that do not take OOS or take only 1 or 2 OOS applicants. Overall narrow your school list to 15 or 10 (if your DAT (especially TS is over 23).

5. Re-write you personal statement explaining how your dedication to dentistry help you achieve high DAT score after few times. Go to the English department and ask a grad student or professor to read, comment or help you with it. At this point you need something compelling and different so do not submit your average letter every applicant writes.

6. you need only 1 letter from a dentist. You need 3 letters from professors, these count the most. reconnect with your profs that you think will give you an excellent recommendation letter (if you got A in their course they should) . Tell them your story and dedication , give them your biography with your achievements so when they write a letter they have it in front of them. Do not get the committee letter, these are good for current students.If you do not have a good feeling about a professor go to another.
7. Do something different, everyone volunteers in a hospital or a clinic but no too many people go to Africa to distribute toothbrushes or dig a water well. Find unique volunteer program connected to dentistry that you will be passionate about and participate, maybe you can volunteer as a dental assistant in a special program for children. Also focus on your leadership skills , remember that dental schools look for leaders in their community.

8. If you can volunteer in a health related research lab that would be good. ( I volunteered at the dentistry school bioresearch one summer and the professor who was in charge of the research was also a dental school professor and wrote me a recommendation letter)
9. your age does not matter !!, as a matter of fact NUY and U Mich told me they accept a lot of mature students. ( I know a 29 y old girl who got into NYU). When I went to U Mich for an interview I was the only 21 years old person there, everyone else was about 25 with 2 over 30.
10. When you submit your application keep in touch with each school.Write email to Dean of admission ( or director of admission) for each school on your list and ask for guidance or advice. They always respond. Update them on important things, let say you decided to re-take a biology course and got an A, send them e-mail about it.
11. Connect with D1 students from schools you are applying to and ask what was important during admission process. They can share their experience and maybe something valuable.
12. During interview: connect with the interviewer as they rate you and your score determines your admission. Share with them something unique about you that they can remember and find exceptional/different ( I won a medal at PanAm games !)
13. Email a thank you letter to the dean of admissions and to the interviewer, but write what you feel, do not use standard forms. Express your interest in the school and being admitted.
I wish you best of luck !! , yes , I think there is some luck involved. I consider myself lucky for being admitted.
And please update us on your progress.
 
PreDent2015 said:
You need to re-take the DAT. I took the DAT 4x. I got the same score the first three times. The fourth time I took it, I was able to get a 21AA, 22TS. That is what got me into dental school -- and my GPA is significantly lower than yours.
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I was under the impression you could only take the DAT 3x max
 
PreDent_Eagle said:
I was under the impression you could only take the DAT 3x max
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The first 3 you can take 90 days apart. After that you have to wait a year to apply between tests and you have to submit either a dental school rejection letter or a letter from a dental school asking the ADA to allow you to test again.
 
After reading all these helpful comments, I'm just gonna give you a new opinion; don't take it so hard, just another opinion in case you've never thought of it: it takes a lot more courage to give up, especially if it's the only thing you've been pursuing your whole life.
 
Quite honestly, you could’ve saved $1000s probably if you had just retaken the DAT from the start and you probably would’ve been a D3 or so by now. That’s assuming that everything else about your application was fine
 
I would strongly recommend calling some of the schools and asking what they would recommend, and if there is any other ways (in addition to DAT) to improve your application. Getting your name recognized at these schools for applying multiple cycles will only help you, as it shows dedication. Just don't be pushy on the calls, and be as friendly as possible, At this point many schools are winding down their application process, so they shouldn't be as crazy stressed.
 
iLikeTrains said:
4th time re-applicant here and was accepted into many dental schools and turn downed a ton of interviews this cycle. Here's a list of the many things I did differently this past cycle that I think helped me the most (from most important to least important):
  • Interviewers told me they looked highly upon my one-year master's program (not affiliated with any dental school) with a GPA of 3.9+ on top of my undergrad GPA of 3.5.
  • Like you, my DAT expired, so I retook my DAT and scored 24s.
  • I asked for new and different letters of recommendation because an honest interviewer last cycle told me one of my letters was atrocious and made me look bad.
  • Made my personal statement, experience and research descriptions, and secondary applications eye-catching.
  • Lastly, I applied to 30+ schools because I really don't know if 10-15 schools is even safe anymore. I assume some schools rejected you (and me) easily for being nontraditional applicants while some schools (Roseman, UDM, Tufts, NYU, Western, UNLV, USC, LECOM, Touro) will bother to look at nontraditional applicants and even FAVOR us.
I'm not trying to one-up you, but I'm 26 also felt a lot of emotional and mental frustration (still do) as did my family (gave my mom an aneurysm). While we do seem a bit older, I met a lot of applicants who were around our age -- in fact, a lot of schools say their median age of incoming students are 24-25. Heck, on my interviews, there were dental hygienists, accountants, and Walmart employees who were a couple of years older than us. I really don't believe in telling you "JUST BECAUSE I DID IT, YOU CAN TOO!" (look up survivorship bias). In fact, if I heard that and were in your shoes (and I really was a year and two ago), I'd punch that person right in his face.

But if you really buy into the notion that we have to "find our passion in our profession" and still want to pursue this, then I really do hope dentistry work out for you. If not, you may want to play it on the safe side and simultaneously consider other programs like Physician Assistant schools (100-115k median salary, 50-150k tuition for 2 years, well-respected by patients, and a lifestyle that physicians envy). There's no shame if you don't do dentistry -- in fact, you might find it emotionally and financially fulfilling to pursue other careers while we upcoming dentists attempt to juggle crippling debt, crushing depression, and poor life choices. Anyway, hope you have a good day, mate.
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Hi,
Can you please tell me what was your one-year Master's program? Is it Master's in medical science?
 
OP, dedicate yourself to eating and breathing the DAT and kill it. You know where you went wrong. If you isolate yourself for a couple of months and literally make that your full-time job with no distractions then you should be able to pull off a competitive score. Let the fact that this will be your 3rd attempt be the reason that you approach this whole-heartedly. If you want this badly enough, then one more go for it and "couple...quadruple :bang:" thousand will be worth it.

If you're considering another program to attend then apply now. Take a couple of days to thoroughly research different programs. Most post-bacc/masters programs have March to May deadlines for fall admission. Applications fees aren't much and you could always change your mind if you take the DAT before you matriculate and end up with a desirable score.
 
Sorry, but your BIO and OC scores on the DAT are way, way too low to be considered serious for admission in 2018. Your AA 20 is heavily misleading because it was offset by an amazing RC 30 score - which isn't a bad thing, but adcoms see right through this and do analyze section performance. What that 30 really screams to me is that you're extremely efficient at reading and synthesizing mundane information quickly, but you're unable to apply that practically to your science classes and the concepts they're having you memorize/rationalize/apply under pressure. Not good for a profession that relies on heavy biomedical sciences D1 and D2 year.

16's and 17's on the DAT, especially in the sciences, are guaranteed deal-breakers for admission, with the frequent exception of the QR section, which typically is the least relevant indicator against the others. You can score a QR 17 if everything else was > 20 and be viewed favorably.

The Total Science (TS) score is by far the most important indicator that will get you into dental school from the DAT. You must do better on the sciences on the DAT (20 is preferred). You're getting iced out of serious contention on this difference alone between someone else, because 2 of your sciences are abysmal. You will continue to waste tons of money every cycle if your DAT stays the same. Stop wasting money and go straight to the problem.
 
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This goes without saying, your DAT is what has killed you. Along with all the knowledgeable information provided above ^^, you should understand that the DAT is an important factor of filtration for dental schools. Nobody cares if you’re sitting and shadowing a dentist for 6000 hours, if you can’t score well on a standardized test, you’re automatically cancelled out of the equation. I understand the DAT is hard (believe me I’m taking mine in May) so I know that it is time consuming to study for, but with scores like that even I would reconsider applying until I improve. Your scores are unbalanced. Kudos on the 30 in RC, but strength in one section will not grab the attention of any adcom.
 
cystinosis said:
4. No point applying to schools that do not take (or take few only) OOS applicants. Aim also for schools that take lots of OOS students ( for example: do not apply to schools in Texas, they almost every year take only in state applicants). Do not waste your money on schools that do not take OOS or take only 1 or 2 OOS applicants. Overall narrow your school list to 15 or 10 (if your DAT (especially TS is over 23).
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This right here is how I improved on my 3rd app cycle and got in (probably). The only objective stats that I have that exceed yours are GPA and dental assistant experience. Get the official ADEA guide to the schools and look at the acceptance and interview rates (you will have to calculate the ratios yourself). And apply to the best schools that fit all your areas (including GPA and DAT of course). If a school has a percent accepted rate higher than percent interviewed that isn't as high a probability of success (e.g. if there were 1000 total applicants and they interviewed 200 and accepted 100, the interview rate is 20% and the accepted rate was 50%!). Many of these will be private schools, but in the end the best dental school is the one you get in to. Good luck!
 
Little bit of an update, I was offered a place in the Temple dental post-bacc program and am considering accepting but the price tag and risk is very worrisome. Ideally, I would like to just retake my DAT and reapply which would be only a 400$ pricetag instead of a 75k pricetag. Do you all think that simply retaking the DAT would give me a good enough chance at entering into dental school or since I have applied for so many years do I need some sort of "big" program to show my dedication and that I can still perform well in academics?
 
bangersandmashplease said:
Little bit of an update, I was offered a place in the Temple dental post-bacc program and am considering accepting but the price tag and risk is very worrisome. Ideally, I would like to just retake my DAT and reapply which would be only a 400$ pricetag instead of a 75k pricetag. Do you all think that simply retaking the DAT would give me a good enough chance at entering into dental school or since I have applied for so many years do I need some sort of "big" program to show my dedication and that I can still perform well in academics?
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There are never any guarantees. Temple is a great school and you will be prepared to be a great clinician. I wouldn’t take a chance.
 
bangersandmashplease said:
Little bit of an update, I was offered a place in the Temple dental post-bacc program and am considering accepting but the price tag and risk is very worrisome. Ideally, I would like to just retake my DAT and reapply which would be only a 400$ pricetag instead of a 75k pricetag. Do you all think that simply retaking the DAT would give me a good enough chance at entering into dental school or since I have applied for so many years do I need some sort of "big" program to show my dedication and that I can still perform well in academics?
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You’d still have to retake the DAT afterwards right?? Personally for me I wouldn’t. I would focus on your DAT and the rest of your application. It’s your DAT you are wanting to improve not necessarily your GPA at the moment.

Ultimately the choice is yours. SDN cannot make this choice for you. This may come off a bit harsh but someone who’s absolutely determined to go to dental school isn’t going to be absolutely dependent on the “advice” of other SDN people who have little experience in this matter. If this is the attitude reflected in your personal statement I would make sure to change it. You need to show you’re driven.

Again, you ultimately need to make your own choice in what to do and stick with it.


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I think I would go back to school for a backup career field instead of doing a post bac. You could likely finish chemical or biomedical engineering in two years. If you haven't gotten in after two years you can still start your life.
 
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