Admission: Merit or connections?

[TheSandlapper]

I've always grown up hearing that, "It's not what you know but who you know." And recently while shadowing a dentist told me that when he was in dental school he said he believed only about half the people there truly earned there positions and that for the rest they got in due to family connections. He told me about a girl who went to a small college without much reputation for excellence, did an average job, received multiple DUIs and was not only admitted to Georgia regents but placed into an Endo residency. Turns out her dad was one of, if not the, top Endos in Georgia. So my question is how much harder for someone with zero dental connections to get in and what are our "real" odds of admission since admission stats don't tell about family connections.

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[NAVY DDS 2010]

Do well in undergrad and on the DAT and you have a good chance. I'm the first person in my family to graduate from college let alone dschool, and I got in from a no name college without a problem. School really doesn't matter either if you do well.

 

[akog]

The dean of admissions, at the end of our interview day, told my group this...

There are two things I ask of you, or rather ask you not to do. 1) don't call and ask the status of your application, because until we make a decision I don't know what that question means. 2) if I get a call from some congressman or someone telling me how great it would be if you got in, I will do my best to make sure you do not get in.

 

[JLT223]

The dean of admissions, at the end of our interview day, told my group this...

There are two things I ask of you, or rather ask you not to do. 1) don't call and ask the status of your application, because until we make a decision I don't know what that question means. 2) if I get a call from some congressman or someone telling me how great it would be if you got in, I will do my best to make sure you do not get in.

I don't understand how people actually think things like that will help. Cringe worthy imo.

 

[BTR1208]

The dean of admissions, at the end of our interview day, told my group this...

There are two things I ask of you, or rather ask you not to do. 1) don't call and ask the status of your application, because until we make a decision I don't know what that question means. 2) if I get a call from some congressman or someone telling me how great it would be if you got in, I will do my best to make sure you do not get in.

Lol at the thought of having a congressman call and ask the status of my application. Oh and to say how great it would be if I got in.

 

[ajj70]

I think that maybe having a "connected person" write a LOR might get you an interview, assuming the rest of your app is up to snuff, but I think that for the most part, you sell yourself.

 

[teauxmo13]

The dean of admissions, at the end of our interview day, told my group this...

There are two things I ask of you, or rather ask you not to do. 1) don't call and ask the status of your application, because until we make a decision I don't know what that question means. 2) if I get a call from some congressman or someone telling me how great it would be if you got in, I will do my best to make sure you do not get in.

Tennessee interview?

 

[obscurlit]

Having connections would never hurt, especially if people know about it and you don't purposely bring it up/have someone mention it at every given chance. I'm sure you have to have had some base level of merit to get in though (be it through grades or life experiences, etc). GRU has a relatively smaller pool of applicants in comparison to other schools, and even then (at least now) you still have to get at least 200 hours of shadowing (and I think a rec from a dentist). So perhaps your dentist's classmate wasn't as completely dependent on connections than we think - though I'm sure it helped her in a positive way.

 

[Incis0r]

This is the amazing thing about the United States of America. In education at least, merit plays a huge role in your success. I'm not saying connections don't matter- they do. But in this country, success is much more merit-driven than several others, in which you can get a seat at one of the most selective programs if your parents make a $10,000 "donation" to the school.

 

[akog]

Lol at the thought of having a congressman call and ask the status of my application. Oh and to say how great it would be if I got in.

"Sir, this cycle is going to determine what kind of world of oral health our children grow up in. It's time to stick it to the dental establishment and admit my friend Timmy McMillan. Let's make America great again with this dentist."

 

[Incis0r]

"Sir, this cycle is going to determine what kind of world of oral health our children grow up in. It's time to stick it to the dental establishment and admit my friend Timmy McMillan. Let's make America great again with this dentist."

"Fluoride, We Can Believe In"
"An Oral Health Revolution is Coming"
"We're taking our Enamel forward"
"Floss, We Can"

 

[doc toothache]

I've always grown up hearing that, "It's not what you know but who you know." And recently while shadowing a dentist told me that when he was in dental school he said he believed only about half the people there truly earned there positions and that for the rest they got in due to family connections. He told me about a girl who went to a small college without much reputation for excellence, did an average job, received multiple DUIs and was not only admitted to Georgia regents but placed into an Endo residency. Turns out her dad was one of, if not the, top Endos in Georgia. So my question is how much harder for someone with zero dental connections to get in and what are our "real" odds of admission since admission stats don't tell about family connections.

" Connections" may get one an interview and even an acceptance, however, it is unlikely that they will help a student stay afloat through 4 years of ds, unless they have what it takes.

 

[darknightzzz]

I've always grown up hearing that, "It's not what you know but who you know." And recently while shadowing a dentist told me that when he was in dental school he said he believed only about half the people there truly earned there positions and that for the rest they got in due to family connections. He told me about a girl who went to a small college without much reputation for excellence, did an average job, received multiple DUIs and was not only admitted to Georgia regents but placed into an Endo residency. Turns out her dad was one of, if not the, top Endos in Georgia. So my question is how much harder for someone with zero dental connections to get in and what are our "real" odds of admission since admission stats don't tell about family connections.

I think most wealthy/highly educated families invest a lot in their children's education (prep classes, tutor, better private elementary to high school education), this in turns leads to their higher performance than that of their peers (plus their gifted intelligence from the parents).

and when they do well, and having that strong support background, people usually think its due to connections. Though there is some connection, but it is mainly the achievements and accomplishments of the applicant himself/herself.

Example: when i was at mwu-az interview and while touring the clinic, one intructor, who is an endodontist, pointed directly to one interviewee on the spot saying he knows his dad and his whole family people are dentists. of course, people will think he will get in due to connection but I think he has what it takes to get in based on merits alone, the connection is just a small factor.

 

[ajj70]

I think most wealthy/highly educated families invest a lot in their children's education (prep classes, tutor, better private elementary to high school education), this in turns leads to their higher performance than that of their peers (plus their gifted intelligence from the parents).

and when they do well, and having that strong support background, people usually think its due to connections. Though there is some connection, but it is mainly the achievements and accomplishments of the applicant himself/herself.

Example: when i was at mwu-az interview and while touring the clinic, one intructor, who is an endodontist, pointed directly to one interviewee on the spot saying he knows his dad and his whole family people are dentists. of course, people will think he will get in due to connection but I think he has what it takes to get in based on merits alone, the connection is just a small factor.

While that might be a "connection", having a whole family of dentists gives you a leg up, even if you don't know anyone at the school. It is a pretty good indicator that you have a good grasp on what it means to be a dentist, probably have a pretty good chance of being employed when you graduate and given that you probably grew up in an affluent family, more likely than not you were a reasonably good student as well.