AAA: Ask Artist Anything → D2 @ UCLA

[artist2022]

Hey guys, time to do a part 2!

Been getting lots of PMs about UCLA since the cycle's opening up, so let's have em be here for everyone to benefit from

I'm currently almost done with my last quarter as a D2, and in a few weeks I'll have a (short) summer break and be a D3!

D1 thread: AAA: Ask Artist Anything :) --> D1 @ UCLA

Ask away!

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[jharden13fan]

how is the class atmosphere at UCLA? Diverse, friendly, competitive or cooperative?

also: what was the one thing on your app that made you stand out from the applicant pool?

 

[artist2022]

how is the class atmosphere at UCLA? Diverse, friendly, competitive or cooperative?

P/F/H makes it a lot more chill than other schools, so we're all pretty collaborative and cooperative. There's always gunners, but as a whole we try to look out for each other.

also: what was the one thing on your app that made you stand out from the applicant pool?

Honestly, not sure. I think my biggest thing was academic achievement, GPAs + DAT + other things with school.

 

[bananaboatsunblock]

Do you know of any students at UCLA dental who had lower GPAs in undergrad? My sGPA is on the lower side (~3.3) from a notoriously-grade-deflating school, but my DAT is pretty high (25AA)

 

[artist2022]

Do you know of any students at UCLA dental who had lower GPAs in undergrad? My sGPA is on the lower side (~3.3) from a notoriously-grade-deflating school, but my DAT is pretty high (25AA)

Not really sure, as we didn't/don't really talk about GPAs/DATs amongst ourselves lol but our average GPA is usually 3.7-3.8+... But it's an average so people do get in with lower and higher stats. A 25AA is great but it doesn't say much (especially without your TS, since sometimes AA's can be inflated with QR/RC), so just keep that in mind too. Def worth a shot applying though, since you never know what could happen!

 

[leesypop]

How has UCLA handled everything with Covid? How are the students handling the current situation? Any insight into changes for the near future?

 

[1TrickUnicorn]

How has UCLA handled everything with Covid? How are the students handling the current situation? Any insight into changes for the near future?

To add to this, are they letting D4's graduate?

 

[princeafrica]

There's always gunners,

Are you a gunner?

 

[2TH MVR]

This may have been answered in your previous thread, but here goes.

What is your ultimate future goal once your graduate?

PT/FT?
GPR/AEGD?
Specialize vs. GP?
Academics vs. private practice vs. Public health
DSO vs. private practice?
Urban, saturated area or Semi-rural/rural area?
Start a family ?

 

[P7898]

artist2022 knows what he or she is talking about! We have been in contact since before dental school. Take what this person says seriously. But you do not need me to validate anything from this person. Just adding my 2 cents.

Last time I spoke to artist2022 it was pedo they were looking at

 

[artist2022]

How has UCLA handled everything with Covid? How are the students handling the current situation? Any insight into changes for the near future?

I think their top priority is keeping us safe, so they are making lots of changes to clinic/preclinical lab etc. and tons of people are working really hard to figure out when we should be brought back and what the new rules and regulations will be going forward. Everything's up in the air because LA has been hit decently hard compared to the rest of CA...

To add to this, are they letting D4's graduate?

As far as I know, yes, but we don't really know much about what the other classes are going through, just what's going to be happening to us.

Are you a gunner?

No I am not actually haha

This may have been answered in your previous thread, but here goes.

What is your ultimate future goal once your graduate?

PT/FT?
GPR/AEGD?
Specialize vs. GP?
Academics vs. private practice vs. Public health
DSO vs. private practice?
Urban, saturated area or Semi-rural/rural area?
Start a family ?

Honestly, I don't know yet. Definitely not doing OS, but I'm still keeping all my other options open. Short term goal at the minimum is to work crazy hard and live extremely frugal for the next few years after I graduate to pay loans off (what everyone's goal should be). Ideal scenario would be to work for a few years and then open my own practice, whatever it may be, either in a rural or sub-urban area . Academia is appealing and I've been heavily involved with ECs relating to it so I've got experience there... But I loooove indirect procedures especially working with gold!

artist2022 knows what she is talking about! We have been in contact since before dental school. Take what she says seriously. But you do not need me to validate anything from this person. Just adding my 2 cents.

Last time I spoke to artist2022 it was pedo she was looking at

haha aw thanks I fixed your message btw For the longest time, I had "yes, I'm a girl" under my avatar because so many people thought I was a guy...
But I think I've shied away from peds a little. Still a pretty cool field and very interesting, but I don't think I could keep up that bubbly personality 24/7 that's somewhat required of a pediatric dentist haha.