Anyone else nervous for appkying next year?

[RSalha17]

So I know this might be a bit early but seeing people with stellar stats getting rejected is making my moral kind of low, given that my stats are at/slightly below average (see below). Any thoughts on applying? Suggestions? Retake DAT? Apply early with my scores? Wait another year? Would love to hear some suggestions. I have really unique EC's and good LOR if that matters. :/

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[Bis-GMA111]

yeah. especially because my state school is prob going to reject me this cycle.

 

[RSalha17]

yeah. especially because my state school is prob going to reject me this cycle.

Yeah to what? hahahah. NVM! haha good luck there are still spots left!

 

[GoBucks32]

So I know this might be a bit early but seeing people with stellar stats getting rejected is making my moral kind of low, given that my stats are at/slightly below average (see below). Any thoughts on applying? Suggestions? Retake DAT? Apply early with my scores? Wait another year? Would love to hear some suggestions. I have really unique EC's and good LOR if that matters. :/

If you're really nervous, you could re-take to boost that TS score.

Your stats seem average to me. Don't be discouraged by reading through SDN. I think if you apply EARLY, BROADLY, and have a kickass personal statement, you'll get interviews...kill those and you'll get an acceptance (or more!)

Can you share some of those unique ECs?

 

[NOLAdentist2016]

The key is choosing your schools wisely. Don't apply to schools because you think it would be cool to live in that city or go to a school with a prestigious name, etc. Get the ADEA book, look through all of the schools and apply to the ones that have similar stats to your own. Don't apply to state schools unless they are OOS friendly and you match their stats, or else you're just donating to their admissions fund.

Also, stats are only the half of it. Write an awesome essay and have some unique extra curriculars. Have a genuine passion for dentistry and find a way to convey that. If you want to retake the DAT, then spend a couple of months focuses on studying very hard for it. You've already taken it once so you know more what to expect. I took it a second time and my scores improved drastically (PAT 18 to 25, TS 17 to 21, AA 19 to 21) but I didn't really change my studying much.

Hope this helps. It has worked for me this far. It's my first time applying and I've already received 1 acceptance and 5 interview invites.

 

[LaFleur]

I'm super , actually, since my GPA isn't where I'd like it to be (yours is higher in both regards, if that makes you feel better). And I don't know about how my LORs are going to turn out. Or whether I'll have time to take the DAT on time (I have so much riding on the score that the DAT me greatly). I'm thinking if I don't get everything done in as timely a fashion as I'd like, I might just apply to my state school + two to three other schools I really want to go to while preparing for the next cycle and see how it turns out. No use in wasting money applying to a million schools if I don't submit early but I might as well try for a couple if I can anyway, right?

 

[Graphire]

I'm already thinking who to ask for LORs for next year haha. This is stressing me out~~

 

[LaFleur]

I'm already thinking who to ask for LORs for next year haha. This is stressing me out~~

Are you using different professors? Have you been taking more classes?

 

[Mr. Thirsty]

Ah yes. I am so nervous about this June. I am pretty sure I will have 2 LOR's lined up this semester but next semester I will have to get another one. Also I still have to take my DAT which I wont be doing until July at the earliest....3.4GPA/3.5 science is about where I am at. Some EC's but nothing "spectacular". Not to mention the stress applying for the HPSP as well. SO much to do, so little time, and so much pressure. Applying senior year and having a year off wouldnt be so bad though! right?

Good luck to us all!

 

[thisisausername]

This was my experience: For the application cycle last year, my stats were very similar you yours (pretty average). I used the ADEA guide and applied to the most realistic schools based on my stats (I applied to about ten) and was rejected by all of them without a single interview. I also wasted about $1500 in the process. I improved my DAT over this past summer, received multiple interviews this cycle, and as of Dec 1st, I have an offer from Indiana (I’m OOS too!) and I expect to receive more. If I were you, I would not apply until I had retaken the DAT. You have plenty of time to prepare before next cycle and you will improve your chances a lot if you do well...I noticed you have a low science GPA and some schools will like to see a high total science score to compensate for that...also, some people have said that you should focus on your personal statement, but trust me this will not get you any interviews in compensation of solid scores/GPA. Who knows, you might get lucky with these stats, but I sure didn't.

 

[RSalha17]

If you're really nervous, you could re-take to boost that TS score.

Your stats seem average to me. Don't be discouraged by reading through SDN. I think if you apply EARLY, BROADLY, and have a kickass personal statement, you'll get interviews...kill those and you'll get an acceptance (or more!)

Can you share some of those unique ECs?

20-25hrs/week of 3 jobs during the school year, public health research at the dental school, studied abroad and helped teach english classes while studying abroad, worked as an intern for the president of the University of Washington. Creating lesson plans and teaching English classes in Spain while studying abroad, and continuing to assist with local ESL classes at a spanish chapel. Co-leader of an international outreach group who travels to panama to help under served communities while using my spanish language skills to translate. We also hold pre-dental workshops on campus for pre-dental students to gain more information about the field of dentistry. We have dentist from the dental school come speak, workshops, dental students answering questions, etc. Rush chairmen of my fraternity for two years, volunteer with homeless youth at the YMCA I work at, and a few other things I cant think of right now.

Also... I just finished a VERY VERY rough first draft of my personal statement and was wondering if anyone was willing to look over it?

Gotta love SDN thanks guys!

 

[Bereno]

20-25hrs/week of 3 jobs during the school year, public health research at the dental school, studied abroad and helped teach english classes while studying abroad, worked as an intern for the president of the University of Washington. Creating lesson plans and teaching English classes in Spain while studying abroad, and continuing to assist with local ESL classes at a spanish chapel. Co-leader of an international outreach group who travels to panama to help under served communities while using my spanish language skills to translate. We also hold pre-dental workshops on campus for pre-dental students to gain more information about the field of dentistry. We have dentist from the dental school come speak, workshops, dental students answering questions, etc. Rush chairmen of my fraternity for two years, volunteer with homeless youth at the YMCA I work at, and a few other things I cant think of right now.

Also... I just finished a VERY VERY rough first draft of my personal statement and was wondering if anyone was willing to look over it?

Gotta love SDN thanks guys!

Those are pretty solid ECs! How much shadowing time do you have? If you want someone to look at your personal statement, feel free to PM me.

 

[RSalha17]

Those are pretty solid ECs! How much shadowing time do you have? If you want someone to look at your personal statement, feel free to PM me.

About 200+ hours, general dentists, pediatric dentists, ortho, perio, soon oral surgeon.

 

[hockeykspiky]

"appkying" you seem very nervous

 

[RSalha17]

"appkying" you seem very nervous

give me a break it was late