Another 'Chance Me'...

[MirrorsAndWalls]

Hello SDN!

Wanted to seek advice here. A little worried I might not get in this year because of my credentials…

I am a woman hailing from Egypt with lots and lots of struggle trying to get the best education I could get growing up. I am blessed to have graduated from an ivy. I did not list myself as disadvantaged because I consider myself privileged compared to many.

3.1sgpa- upward trend, but not that drastic of an improvement
3.2ogpa
20AA/19TS/23PAT

50 hours shadowing
300 volunteering/community service hours
600 hours research, academic credit, nothing published or any of that fancy
4-year varsity athlete
Great recommendation letters and essay

I’m taking one year off (hoping I get in this cycle). I’ll be taking a few classes to fulfill microbio/biochem/a&p prereqs for some schools. What else should I do? Is it too late to get more shadowing hours in since I already submitted my application/got it verified? My dream school is Columbia (for research + clinical experience), but I know that’s a reach. I've applied to many schools where my stats meet their averages.

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[Typical Average Student]

What schools have you applied to? Your stats are fairly average but I have a keen sense that your personal statement is killer which should catch adcoms eyes. You should be fine but Columbia is definitely a reach, your gpa is slightly below average.

Keep volunteering and doing well in your classes.

 

[MirrorsAndWalls]

I've applied to 12 schools:
-Columbia
-Creighton
-UoP
-Howard
-Midwestern- AZ and IL
-A.T. Still- AZ and MO
-LECOM
-Western
-UCSF
-Case

 

[MirrorsAndWalls]

MOSDOH and A. T. Still want a recommendation letter from a volunteering supervisor. I don't think I can get a good one since my volunteering experiences are all over.

 

[DrillSoHard]

Apply to Tufts if you can. Try your best to get that volunteering LOR for MOSDOH and ASDOH. They're not so big on GPA and are looking for a specific individual (one that has a strong sense of community service and giving back). Masr om el donya

 

[smeagol3]

Are you sure MOSDOH requires the volunteering LOR? I know that ASDOH specifically states so on their site, but MOSDOH only states that you need one from a Committee/Science professors and a dentist.

 

[smeagol3]

I called today. MOSDOH does not require the volunteering LOR. Only ASDOH does.

 

[MirrorsAndWalls]

ah sorry about that.

 

[deleted659902]

I guess attending a prestigious school doesn't always guarantee a high score on the DAT.

Consider removing Columbia, UoP, and UCSF from your school list and adding schools that are more within your league.

 

[MirrorsAndWalls]

I guess attending a prestigious school doesn't always guarantee a high score on the DAT.

Consider removing Columbia, UoP, and UCSF from your school list and adding schools that are more within your league.

Oh, please. Attending a community college/state school doesn't always guarantee a low score either. It's too late to remove any of the schools. I need helpful advice as to what to do from now on.

 

[PlasmaMembrane]

Oh, please. Attending a community college/state school doesn't always guarantee a low score either. It's too late to remove any of the schools. I need helpful advice as to what to do from now on.

That really doesn't contradict anything he said. The fact you went to a prestigious undergraduate school and still turned out with a completely average DAT (and below acceptance average TS) just confirms that reputation of a school is no guarantee of quality, in either direction.

 

[MirrorsAndWalls]

That really doesn't contradict anything he said. The fact you went to a prestigious undergraduate school and still turned out with a completely average DAT (and below acceptance average TS) just confirms that reputation of a school is no guarantee of quality, in either direction.

I mean I didn't disagree, but that's not the point here?

He (how do we know it's a he?) said, "I guess attending a prestigious school doesn't always guarantee a high score on the DAT", which pretty much meant that this person had the perception that everyone who goes to an ivy is going to do super well on the DAT. There are more than 10,000 ivy graduates every year, and a lot of them come from different backgrounds and some might have slipped in through connections or a sport scholarship. Can all 10,000+ graduates get 25+ on the DAT? I wouldn't say so. I was pointing out that people who think that are a little ignorant, and they most likely think that people who attend state schools or community colleges are incapable of doing super well on the DAT.

The education is what you make of it just like at every other college (at least at the undergraduate level). Even after that, if you decide to work right after college, the name will not matter much down the road in 10 years. I knew a friend who chose a mediocre school over Harvard because he was getting a full merit-based scholarship. He didn't want to burden his family with the tuition fees, and he said that he wanted to go to medical school debt free. If you ask me, now that was a smart choice.

I'm not going to continue talking about this because this conversation is now diverging from the main reason of my original post. If you have any advice that can help me get into dental school this year, please post your reply. Reading and understanding my situation, and not giving opinions about irrelevant topics would be nice too. Otherwise, I will ignore you.

 

[studentdental8]

Well to be fair, 20 AA is slightly above average, I remember reading somewhere average matriculant is around 19.3-19.8 AA

 

[PlasmaMembrane]

Well to be fair, 20 AA is slightly above average, I remember reading somewhere average matriculant is around 19.3-19.8 AA

20 AA is dead on average. The average last year for matriculating students was 19.9. Remove Puerto Rico (where the DAT average is much lower, and most American applicants aren't applying) and it's exactly 20.