Do you have any idea how wrong this "advice" is? Most people who are SERIOUS about a career in dentistry should apply to more than just a few schools. Who in their right mind would want to take the risk of NOT getting accepted and having to wait an entire year to apply again.
At my temple interview, they had us go around and introduce our selves, one of the things we had to talk about, was how many schools we applied to. If the number of schools was low, Brian (the admission guy) jumped on the applicant and started asking him questions as to "why are you only applying to 5 schools? Do you know how competitive this field is?" He didn't specifically say it, but he was very much hinting that applying to a low number of schools isn't the most ideal way to get accepted.
This comment is very disrespectful.
Just to clarify--
My first comment about 1 interview being enough was in response to the OP's question "are 4 interviews enough." Obviously the correct answer is that 1 interview is enough, there are many people in dental schools all over the nation who only interviewed at that one school and were successful.
My comment was not to imply that you should only apply to one school, nor should you turn down interviews at multiple schools if you are lucky enough to receive them.
Obviously if you are "serious" about dentistry you will do everything possible to make yourself an attractive candidate and apply to as many schools as you are interested in, and attend as many interviews as you are financially able to.
That being said, just to clarify, I do happen to be a dentist, and a recent graduate in fact. And I am not an "old as2 man" thank you very much (talk about disrespectful!). And to clarify, I was on the adcom at my dental school for 2 years. So I happen to be aware of some of the inner workings of admissions committees.
And you are correct in saying that sometimes adcoms will ask you why you are only applying to/interviewing at a small number of schools. I have also witnessed adcoms asking the exact opposite question to students who applied to a high number of schools...as if they were worried about their chances.
The bottom line is, if you are a relatively competitive candidate, and you don't completely bomb the interview, your chances of getting an acceptance at that school are the same as everyone else at that interview, even if you only have 1 interview and they have 15.
So my "advice" would be to do the best you can with your applications, etc., and if you only get one interview, fine! Rock it out! You just might get your acceptance on Dec. 1 and the guys with 15 interviews will get waitlisted.....I have seen it happen.
😉
Hahahahaha. Don't worry, I'm sure you are more "Einstein" than I am.
