Chance Me Please - Be Honest (Weak ECs?) + School List Advice

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stressedpredent

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Hello SDN! Long time lurker here, and I would like to start out by saying thank you all. This has been a wonderful guide full of beneficial resources. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you extremely helpful people. I plan to give back in a meaningful way as soon as I complete the AADSAS in June.

Getting back on topic for this thread however, I have been losing a lot of sleep recently over this upcoming application cycle. I am a rising senior at a well known, large private university. I also want to note that I am genuinely not trying to humble-brag. I have really been worried sick whether or not my ECs will hold me back from acceptances, despite my stats.

Without further ado, my numbers:
DAT - 24AA 22TS 20PA
GPA - 3.8 (cumulative, don't know how to calculate my science GPA and can't find it on my transcript)

As far as ECs go now, please be harsh. This is what I believe will hold me back the most, and it worries me every day. I dance on a competitive hip-hop dance team, which honestly takes up most of my time. Currently hold a captain role. When I wasn't dancing or studying, I worked as a research assistant in a neuro lab to help pay for school. No publication, consisted of computer work/data analysis, no real lab experience. Also part of my predental society, and a religious club, but just as an active member - no positions held. During winter and summer breaks, I volunteered at my local hospital and religious school's summer camp, shadowed (ortho & prosth), and tutored (not all at once, maybe one or two of the above every break). I also want to add that I shadowed general dentists and other specialties extensively in high school, but from what I've learned lurking, I can't include that on AADSAS, correct?

Given all this, what are my chances? Reading about people with super high stats and not getting any acceptances on here scares me. There's also people on here with 1000+ hours of research, shadowing, and volunteering each compared to my maybe 1000 hours of everything combined, telling my I basically can't even compete. I really appreciate any feedback regarding where I stand. Feel free to ask me any further questions.
 
Sorry this is getting super long winded, and I thank those of you that got through that. Also just realized that I forgot to add my school list. Here it is:
Western, USC, UoP, Washington, UMich, Case, UMD, Rutgers, UPitt, Temple, UPenn, Columbia, NYU, BU, Tufts, Harvard

Any advice on what I should add/remove? Any shot at getting into an ivy?
 
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Will you have general dentist shadowing hours on your app?

I plan to shadow a general dentist this summer after applying, however I am afraid it won't make it on my app in time :/ If only schools could see my interest and shadowing began in high school.
 
Well that's something you gotta get in before you interview. Very important.
As far as ECs go, you are fine.
Thank you for your insight! One last follow up if you don't mind. Will not having recent general dentist shadowing hours hinder me from getting interviews in the first place?
 
Thank you for your insight! One last follow up if you don't mind. Will not having recent general dentist shadowing hours hinder me from getting interviews in the first place?
In other words, will I get rejected solely based on this? Or will my specialty shadowing hours compensate somewhat until interviews?
 
I'd consider dropping Washington. Very OOS unfriendly. Per the ADEA 2017-2018 guide, 874 applicants for 7 seats. Your stats are high, so you might have a chance if you really want to try. Odds are much better elsewhere, though.

Edit: absolutely drop Washington. They favor WICHE state applicants. The accepted OOS students are from: AZ, CA, HI (2), NM, OR, AK.


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I'd consider dropping Washington. Very OOS unfriendly. Per the ADEA 2017-2018 guide, 874 applicants for 7 seats. Your stats are high, so you might have a chance if you really want to try. Odds are much better elsewhere, though.


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Thank you! Will definitely look into replacing/dropping it completely. Stats aside, any comments regarding my lack of recent general dentist shadowing hours and ECs?
 
Thank you! Will definitely look into replacing/dropping it completely. Stats aside, any comments regarding my lack of recent general dentist shadowing hours and ECs?
Glad to help. Find a general dentist to shadow and rack up hours this summer. Also, get more volunteering hours. Schools want to see sustained interest in dentistry and giving back to the community. Hours from high school are no good.

Worst case scenario, you update schools in November and they see that you are doing more shadowing and volunteering. That could change someone's mind about your app. Your numbers are very high, which should make up for your lower ECs. You'll get in somewhere. Be careful to check school's individual requirements on shadowing and volunteering. Michigan, for instance, requires 100 hours of shadowing.


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I wouldn't apply to UW as an OOS unless you are fine paying over 500K for a dental education.
 
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