Did you use Infosource?

[bosox_9]

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First off, congrats to everyone on getting into dental school. I'm applying in May. Quick question. After you had applied and you were waiting for those interview invites, decisions on acceptance, or just your general application status, did you even use Infosource? Seems like infosource is kinda hot and cold, maybe not even reliable/useful? I'm thinking I'd prefer just to call each school, provided the school is willing to divulge the info i need, which I've heard can be a headache itself.

Any thoughts from you experts now done with the whole process?

 

[crazy_sherm]

The only thing I found infosource useful for was to see if AADSAS received all my stuff and when they sent it to the schools. The schools don't update the site enough to make it useful for checking status. You really have to call each school and bug the right people to find out up to date info.

 

[DB#1]

First off, congrats to everyone on getting into dental school. I'm applying in May. Quick question. After you had applied and you were waiting for those interview invites, decisions on acceptance, or just your general application status, did you even use Infosource? Seems like infosource is kinda hot and cold, maybe not even reliable/useful? I'm thinking I'd prefer just to call each school, provided the school is willing to divulge the info i need, which I've heard can be a headache itself.

Any thoughts from you experts now done with the whole process?

Oh yeah, I used infosource alot to see where I got rejected Unfortunatly that's the only fast news that will get to you before the mail. With increasing number of applicants, I think school will become more Tufish, in that they will never tell you the status of your application over the phone, it does suck to run to the mail box everyday, but thats the way its done.

On the other hand, I hope that they improve some of the online status check (Buffalo and UOP had that this year). They were better than anything else for me. Have fun waiting and try not to go crazy

 

[Biogirl361]

The only thing I found infosource useful for was to see if AADSAS received all my stuff and when they sent it to the schools. The schools don't update the site enough to make it useful for checking status. You really have to call each school and bug the right people to find out up to date info.

what he said. not all schools even participate with infosource, and most of those that do only update it like once throughout the whole process. prepare to call the schools every couple of weeks if you want to stay updated on your status.

 

[rocknightmare]

well there were certain sites that i checked every 10mins during hte application process..

it was def infosource.adea.org and sdn 🙂

 

[Sprgrover]

The only thing I found infosource useful for was to see if AADSAS received all my stuff and when they sent it to the schools. The schools don't update the site enough to make it useful for checking status. You really have to call each school and bug the right people to find out up to date info.

Ditto. Except in my case AADSAS messed up twice and said they had sent out materials when they really hadn't (I had to call them and get to the bottom of this) - they eventually corrected everything but all in all I didn't find Infosource to be very beneficial nor informative. Your best option is to simply call each school yourself and see what materials they have received and where they are with your application.

 

[45540]

never used it.

 

[msf41]

The only benifit of Infosource is that it has a placebo effect. You go to the Infosource website and you get some relief from all of the anticipation and anxiety by looking at your list of pending applications. There is something theraputic about looking at each school and seeing that you haven't been rejected yet.

However, in reality, Infosource is really a joke. Here are the problems I had with infosource:
1) incorrect information. Infosource stated that OHSU had granted me an interview. When I called OHSU they told me that it was some computer glitch and hundreds of people were sent the same update by mistake. The second error said that I needed to pay an application fee to Nebraska. The funny thing was I had already interviewed at Nebraska a month earlier.
2) Not all schools participate. Of the ten schools I applied to I think only 5 used Infosource.
3) The schools that do use infosource don't update regularly. That means that by the time infosource updates something like "DAT scores needed" what that really means is that you should have sent your DAT scores a month ago and I'm just updating it now to make you feel like an idiot. I was rejected from Arizona in November, but it didn't show up on aadsas until January sometime.

Bottom line: If I were you I would make a spread sheet and list each of your schools. Make column for your transcripts, LOR, AADSAS, fees, secondary applications, etc. Then start calling each school once a week until you know they have everything. Keep asking them, "do you need anything else to complete my application?"

Making sure you have your application updated is important, because even if a school has your aadsas application, some may not even look at it until they receive a picture or a fee or something else. So you have to call and check on all of those things.

Good luck. I'm so glad I'm done with the applications process, but you'll survive.