CA specific schools! Retake DAT? (2019-2020 cycle)

[hersheyjoon]

Hello! I was hoping to get any opinion on my chances of getting into a CA school this 2019-2020 cycle. I am applying to both CA and OOS but REALLY aiming to stay in CA. My goal schools are 1. UCSF 2. UCLA 3. UOP, but anything in CA is good for me. I am also in a dilemma on deciding whether to retake my DAT or not. I am not super confident in my score especially since the application cycles are continuing to become more and more competitive. If I do decide to retake it, I would submit my application early around mid June and update my score in July (lastest end of July). However, I'm not too sure if it is worth it to retake it especially since I would have to study for it during school and while applying so that's a great amount of stress for me... Also, somewhat unrelated, but I am also planning to apply to the HPSP scholarship for the army and airforce so any advice on that would be appreciated as well. Any and all opinions are appreciated!

Date of submission: aiming for mid June
Overall GPA: 3.69
Science GPA: 3.62
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA21 TS21 PAT25 BIO19 GCHEM21 OCHEM26 QR21 RC19
State of Residence: CA

Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 100 hrs (3 general dentists)
Volunteering Experience: 164 hrs (110 - hospital volunteer, 12 - medical mission trip, 33 - various health fairs, 9 - non-health volunteer events)
Employment: 500 hrs (front/back office assistant at medical office for 1 year); hoping to get a job at a dental office during gap year.
Research: 200 hrs (dental research lab) - co-author of an abstract; will be presenting at a research symposium this May
Other Extracurriculars: President of pre-dental fraternity ('18-'19), secretary of pre-dental fraternity ('17-'18). Started up a student-run free mobile dental clinic (2 year project)
Miscellaneous: Dental school events attended - WesternU Preview Day, UCLA Pre-dental shadow day, UCLA core build up day, Inside UCSF

School list:
UCSF
UOP
UCLA
WesternU
USC
Oregon Health & Sciences
University of Colorado, Denver
Texas A&M
Midwestern
UNLV

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[artist2022]

Your DAT is a little on the lower side for UCSF and UCLA, but competitive for many other schools. Retaking it is a personal decision, cause I'm sure you'll get in somewhere, but I'm not too sure on if that'd be UCSF or UCLA, cause they're state schools and can afford to be picky.

I'd take Texas A&M off cause they barely accept any OOS students, and the ones they do have crazy stats (like 25+). I'd add 3-4 more schools that you'd be comfortable going to, because tbh all the California schools are competitive to get into - everyone here wants to stay here, and everyone else wants to be here

Good luck!

 

[princeafrica]

You'll get at least an interview to CO and probably get in if your interview goes well.

For UCSF I think the short essays on the application helped me so I would make sure those are well written and thought out

Midwestern you will get in