a normal applicant

[MoThuggy]

hey guys
after looking at all the super gpa and dat scores on this forum...i am kind of spooked for next year's application cycle. i made this thread to give myself a reality check and i was wondering if you guys could help me out.
i will have a BS in psych with a bio minor.
i will have a 3.35 GPA overall by this summer
my sci gpa is around 3.1 (an F in calculus freshman year) but my BCP GPA is around a 3.3.
my DAT is 18/17
also...i have a positive trend in my grades and i have volunteer/shadowing experince.
i am chicago resident and wanted to see what kind of a chance i have if i apply to UIC and SIU this fall....i would really appreciate any input that you guys may have.

thank you very much!

mo

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[sxr71]

I think you'll be fine, but I'd apply to a couple of safety schools just in case.

 

[Mo007]

Mo

We have a very similar stats... at-least half of the schools would accept those stats. Just make sure you apply in 7 weeks (May 17, 2004).

Good Luck

 

[aileen]

mothuggy,

Which schools are you planning to apply to? You should be ok. But if you want UCLA, UCSF, Harvard, Columbia, UConn, UPenn, etc, you might want to consider re-taking DAT. Say 21/18...

Like I said, it all depends on which schools...

 

[UMDeeMan]

i'm just curious here guys, what are the "safety" schools?? i have seen mixed reports from various people.

also, how come nobody on here goes to a school in the midwest???!!! What about Indiana, Michigan, Ohio St., Iowa, Minnesota, ICU, Southeastern Illinois, etc to name a few? all we hear about on here is the east coast and west coast. just curious.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by UMDeeMan
i'm just curious here guys, what are the "safety" schools?? i have seen mixed reports from various people.

also, how come nobody on here goes to a school in the midwest???!!! What about Indiana, Michigan, Ohio St., Iowa, Minnesota, ICU, Southeastern Illinois, etc to name a few? all we hear about on here is the east coast and west coast. just curious.

Because we're not sexy enough for all the coasties. It's a trendier place to live, but I'm perfectly happy in the Midwest.

 

[Mo007]

Trendier = High costs of Living and Tuition for those schools.

Also, best US institutions are on the East and West Coasts, but it doesn't make any difference when it comes to Dental Schools (maybe the weather makes all the difference for some people). In-fact, the right steps should be Low costs in everything, with minimum debts after school... Trendiness can take care itself afterwards.

What you would rather have effects your life when you start practising.

 

[UMDeeMan]

that's what i thought too. i figured if i can keep the dschool education (assuming i get accepted somewhere) costs to a minimum it could only make the situation after better. So do you think the midwestern schools have smaller applicatn pools?

also, you still haven't named the "safety" schools. Although i think it's an insult to consider any dschool a "safety."

 

[Mo007]

Midwest schools are mainly state schools, especially IL schools. For that reason, if you are not from midwest, you have to be more competitive for those state schools. On the other hand, you have some private schools like CASE and IUSD, which are $60K+ (tuiton + living) schools... so basically, state-residents normally go for state-schools not because they are better, but cheaper.

UMDeeMan:

I don't know what "safety" schools are... but I think its implying schools who have BIG class sizes and average GPA/DAT's... and I think most of us know NYU, BU and Tufts... which accept about 230, 150 and 150 respectively, with $300K tuition/living for any of them. I guess the chances of getting into those schools are higher, but by all means not "safer" in my opinion - you still have to be qualified.

 

[UMDeeMan]

i'd prefer a state school. thing is my state school is Marquette and they told me my credtis from a junior college are not acceptable and i dont want to take another year to get them done at a University. I tried to explain to the admissions guy that i'll be taking more advanced sciences at my university but he just wasn't having any of it. So after my undergrad i think i'll just establish residency in minnesota while i work, DAT prepare, and hopefully do research while taking 1 or 2 resume enhancement classes.

Did anyone else who showed interest in Marquette and had junior college or community college credits have the same problem????

Also, i thought Tufts was a good school?? guess i was wrong.

 

[UMDeeMan]

quick note you are probably going to correct me on, i know Marquette is a private school. What i meant is that it's my resident state school, hence they take more students from in state.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by Mo007
Midwest schools are mainly state schools, especially IL schools. For that reason, if you are not from midwest, you have to be more competitive for those state schools. On the other hand, you have some private schools like CASE and IUSD, which are $60K+ (tuiton + living) schools... so basically, state-residents normally go for state-schools not because they are better, but cheaper.

UMDeeMan:

I don't know what "safety" schools are... but I think its implying schools who have BIG class sizes and average GPA/DAT's... and I think most of us know NYU, BU and Tufts... which accept about 230, 150 and 150 respectively, with $300K tuition/living for any of them. I guess the chances of getting into those schools are higher, but by all means not "safer" in my opinion - you still have to be qualified.

Indiana University is public, and friendly to nonresident students as public schools go (~30 out of every 100 seats).

 

[Ecks]

Originally posted by UMDeeMan


Also, i thought Tufts was a good school?? guess i was wrong.

Its one of the best clinical school in the country. Actually, it probably is the best. Why do you think you were wrong about it being a good school?

 

[Ecks]

Originally posted by Mo007
[B

I don't know what "safety" schools are... but I think its implying schools who have BIG class sizes and average GPA/DAT's... and I think most of us know NYU, BU and Tufts... which accept about 230, 150 and 150 respectively, with $300K tuition/living for any of them. I guess the chances of getting into those schools are higher, but by all means not "safer" in my opinion - you still have to be qualified. [/B]

You might want to double check your numbers.

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by Ecks
You might want to double check your numbers.

on Tufts?

Their incoming class size is about 150... and you need about GPA 3.2-3.3 with 17-18's on the DAT to be competitive for admissions (maybe little higher for this year, but still can get you in). Cost of Living in Boston plus Tuition = in the high $60K's each year, meaning many students will have debts between $250-$300K after they are done with their DMDs. Again this is an estimate from the school, and based on previous Tuft's graduates arrears. Not all students end up with these debts, some did end up with less than $100K debt - it all depends on the individuals' financial reserves before they start school. If you had no savings, then expect to be on the high end of the debt-scale.

Tufts is a great school, and is probably the finest, top clinical school in the nation.

 

[JRogoff]

Originally posted by Mo007
on Tufts?

Their incoming class size is about 150... and you need about GPA 3.2-3.3 with 17-18's on the DAT to be competitive for admissions.

Those are numbers for the entering class of 2002. I think you can count on those numbers being much higher now.

 

[mobius]

whay are they higher now????

 

[Chewy7]

I heard UDM is also one of the top clinical schools. Is this true?

 

[JRogoff]

Originally posted by mobius
whay are they higher now????

People are realizing that physicians are overworked and underpaid. This is possibly causing more pre-meds to go dental. This is my best guess. The fact still remains that entering class stats are on the rise. Don't take my word for it, call Tufts in a couple of weeks and ask them what the entering class of 2008 stats are.