A few questions about applying

[WishingnHoping]

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Okay, well I think I'll be applying this cycle for entrance into school fall 2009. I need some advice. 🙂 I haven't taken the DAT yet, or even started studying, so I am nervous about that. Can I take it in August?

My fiance tells me not to worry and that I will get in where I want to. But, I can't help it! I applied last year to veterinary school and got in everywhere I applied (Cornell, UPenn, Tufts, Purdue, and Ohio State). After much more soul searching, shadowing, and talking with vets I am certain dentistry is where I belong. I almost applied to both last year (I have 100+ hours shadowing dentists) but thought it would look like I wasn't committed to the field. Anyways, a year later and thousands of dollars spent traveling and applying to vet school, I feel I've gained life experience and experience interviewing so I am better prepared for dental school. I am very artistic, great with my hands, and just love dentistry. I could go on and on about it!

Anyways, will I be okay? 😛 My GPA is 3.72 and I graduated a week or two ago from a public university up here in Maine and I'm in the Honors College (just finishing up my thesis). I REALLY want to stay in New England so I'm hoping I'll get in to Tufts. I've read the horror stories about BU but I'll probably apply there too, as well as Harvard (though I doubt I'd get in there!) and UConn. Is that enough places?

What about experience? Is shadowing enough? It's hard to get a job with a dentist around here so shadowing is really all I can get, I think.

Thanks guys! It has been a hard road to get where I am now (accepted to lots of vet schools) but I know it will be worth it to me to undergo another hard year to get to dental school.

 

[IdahoDoc]

all that just to ask if you can take the DAT in Aug! Wow!

 

[tonto1]

Shadowing is definately enough. especially since you've shadowed 100 hours already. If you take the DAT in august just make sure you are well prepared. if you don't perform as well as you like then you have to wait 90 days i think and you'll put yourself at a disadvantage. Congrats on all the vet school acceptances. that can't be easy to do. Probably won't have trouble getting into a dental school but I would consider applying to a few others just in case.

 

[SugarNaCl]

Ok, your GPA is really good but here is the only problem I can foresee. The DAT in August. Of course you can apply June 1 and write that you will submit your DAT scores later, but you must remember that first round interviews often go out in August... That is when I received mine. They won't offer you an interview without DAT scores...at least not that I have heard of. It is unlikely, but what if you get a 16 on your DAT, then your GPA will be virtually meaningless. I would STRONGLY encourage you to take your DAT sooner if possible. Do I think you would get into one or even some of the schools you are interested in if you take the DAT in August and score well? Probably. Do I think you will get into your #1 pick for certain? That becomes more up in the air the more you delay taking the DAT. You don't want it to look like it was a last minute decision, especially if up until last year you were so dead set on being a vet that you applied to vet school. I know you were accepted and declined the offer, but just looking at an application with that in it... I'm not certain it would look good. Anyhow, it is likely you will get in somewhere, either way... to be selective, take the DAT earlier.

 

[WishingnHoping]

Thanks guys. I was a Biology major with a Chemistry minor so not a pre-vet major and only took a few animal sciences courses as fun. I was actually set on being a dentist up until the year I applied (last year) and I wish I had applied last year to dental schools too but oh well. Hindsight is 20-20!

It is SO nice to hear that shadowing is enough! I was worried that I would have to scramble and get more hours doing something. Is 100 hours enough?

I haven't even started studying for the DAT. I could probably study all the month of June. I have a job but it is extremely flexible and I can take as much time off as a I need -- so I could theoretically take a month off. But would that prepare me enough to take it like the first week of July? I took both OChem courses the summer of freshman year so it's been a while -- I'll definitely need some brushing up.

Thanks guys. You all seem nice like the pre-vet people! I hope classmates are as nice as you guys have been. 🙂

 

[tonto1]

I only had 75 hours of shadowing. I spent all my time with the same dentist and I was able to get a (I assume strong) letter of reccomdation from him as well. I think that helped. My plan was to study 4 hours a day for 6 weeks before I took the Dat. I ended up studying a lot less. I used the kaplan book and notecards but you can find more useful tips on how to study elsewhere. If you took a month off and actually took the time to study everyday like a job then that would definately be enough in my opinion.

 

[trixie2126]

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