Best plan for gap year?

[FutureDDS_1998]

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Hello there!

So I applied this cycle for dental school and have not heard back from any schools. I only applied to 4 because I was new to the process, but I am planning on applying to more this coming cycle. I was looking for programs that would take my DAT scores and not the GRE. My question was for my gap year should I:

1. Go for the UTD Certificate of Biomedical Sciences Program (I got accepted)
2. Do a Masters at UH-Clearlake, it is close to home and does not require GRE
3. Do a Post Bacc. at UH since it is closer to home

I also applied to the Texas A&M PBP Program, but still waiting on a response from them.

My oGPA: 3.6
My sGPA: 3.4
DAT: 17AA my first time and 18AA my second time

Any response will be appreciated!

 

[DocStranger]

Hello there!

So I applied this cycle for dental school and have not heard back from any schools. I only applied to 4 because I was new to the process, but I am planning on applying to more this coming cycle. I was looking for programs that would take my DAT scores and not the GRE. My question was for my gap year should I:

1. Go for the UTD Certificate of Biomedical Sciences Program (I got accepted)
2. Do a Masters at UH-Clearlake, it is close to home and does not require GRE
3. Do a Post Bacc. at UH since it is closer to home

I also applied to the Texas A&M PBP Program, but still waiting on a response from them.

My oGPA: 3.6
My sGPA: 3.4
DAT: 17AA my first time and 18AA my second time

Any response will be appreciated!

Do not do a single program. The only thing you should do is:

-Find a job (doesn’t have to be dental-related)
-Continue racking up those volunteer hours
-Retake DAT
-Shadowing (this is optional, depending on how many hours you already have + if you’d like to continue doing it just for the experience)

Your cGPA and sGPA are already competitive enough to get in.

Also, apply to at least 10+ schools next time and find out their stats/info on how many OOS students a school accepts. This can be found on ADEA Dental explorer with a subscription for $25 lasting 1 year.

 

[macsak]

Hello there!

So I applied this cycle for dental school and have not heard back from any schools. I only applied to 4 because I was new to the process, but I am planning on applying to more this coming cycle. I was looking for programs that would take my DAT scores and not the GRE. My question was for my gap year should I:

1. Go for the UTD Certificate of Biomedical Sciences Program (I got accepted)
2. Do a Masters at UH-Clearlake, it is close to home and does not require GRE
3. Do a Post Bacc. at UH since it is closer to home

I also applied to the Texas A&M PBP Program, but still waiting on a response from them.

My oGPA: 3.6
My sGPA: 3.4
DAT: 17AA my first time and 18AA my second time

Any response will be appreciated!

don't do a masters or postbacc
can you get a higher DAT score if you try again?
were any sections below 17 on your second try?

 

[1942]

Do not do a single program. The only thing you should do is:

-Find a job (doesn’t have to be dental-related)
-Continue racking up those volunteer hours
-Retake DAT
-Shadowing (this is optional, depending on how many hours you already have + if you’d like to continue doing it just for the experience)

Your cGPA and sGPA are already competitive enough to get in.

Also, apply to at least 10+ schools next time and find out their stats/info on how many OOS students a school accepts. This can be found on ADEA Dental explorer with a subscription for $25 lasting 1 year.

This 100%.

your time and money is best utilized studying for the DAT. The GPA is solid (so you don’t need a masters or post bacc) and if you can score 20+ on the DAT you will get in somewhere if you apply broadly.

 

[mrdeez]

seconding what was already said with another suggestion. Don’t do school, spend lots of time and money on DAT prep, retake and crush. Get a research position either at your university or elsewhere. It doesn’t have to be paid just get yourself in a lab, aim for a publication, conferences, etc. If not it’s fine just get the experience. This will open doors for you at research obsessed schools.

 

[FutureDDS_1998]

Do not do a single program. The only thing you should do is:

-Find a job (doesn’t have to be dental-related)
-Continue racking up those volunteer hours
-Retake DAT
-Shadowing (this is optional, depending on how many hours you already have + if you’d like to continue doing it just for the experience)

Your cGPA and sGPA are already competitive enough to get in.

Also, apply to at least 10+ schools next time and find out their stats/info on how many OOS students a school accepts. This can be found on ADEA Dental explorer with a subscription for $25 lasting 1 year.

Thank you! I appreciate it!

 

[FutureDDS_1998]

don't do a masters or postbacc
can you get a higher DAT score if you try again?
were any sections below 17 on your second try?

I am definitely planning a retake, I did have only one section under 17 and that was a 15QR 😢, but I have multiple under 17 on my first try.

 

[FutureDDS_1998]

This 100%.

your time and money is best utilized studying for the DAT. The GPA is solid (so you don’t need a masters or post bacc) and if you can score 20+ on the DAT you will get in somewhere if you apply broadly.

thank you!!

 

[FutureDDS_1998]

seconding what was already said with another suggestion. Don’t do school, spend lots of time and money on DAT prep, retake and crush. Get a research position either at your university or elsewhere. It doesn’t have to be paid just get yourself in a lab, aim for a publication, conferences, etc. If not it’s fine just get the experience. This will open doors for you at research obsessed schools.

Thank you!

 

[PerioDont]

Hello there!

So I applied this cycle for dental school and have not heard back from any schools. I only applied to 4 because I was new to the process, but I am planning on applying to more this coming cycle. I was looking for programs that would take my DAT scores and not the GRE. My question was for my gap year should I:

1. Go for the UTD Certificate of Biomedical Sciences Program (I got accepted)
2. Do a Masters at UH-Clearlake, it is close to home and does not require GRE
3. Do a Post Bacc. at UH since it is closer to home

I also applied to the Texas A&M PBP Program, but still waiting on a response from them.

My oGPA: 3.6
My sGPA: 3.4
DAT: 17AA my first time and 18AA my second time

Any response will be appreciated!

agreed with everyone else. Your time and money is spent 10x better in simply re-taking the DAT, aim for at least a 21AA and apply to more schools and you should be solid.

I would also reach out to UTH dental school and see if they have any recommendations for your gap year. If you are close enough, I would try to find a position inside of the school itself whether an assistant or something else as you will be able to be more familiar with faculty, interviewers etc. We had a student like that who worked as oral surgery coordinator while re-taking her DAT, she got in and its valuable experience being in the field as well.