Do I have a chance of getting excepted with no degree and these credentials.

[iurling]

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Ok here’s my dilemma. I am wondering if I even have a chance of getting into dental school this cycle,
No degree and most of credits at Community College
DAT: 18AA/20TS/19PA (19PA 15QR 17RC 17BIO 21OCHEM 22GENCHEM)
GPA: Overall=3.6 Science=3.7 I have taken both micro and anatomy and physiology
108 hours of volunteering as dental assistant at homeless clinic.
3500+ of service hours.
Employed as general chemistry tutor.
I applied to 15 schools. Did not apply to any that did not except CC credits. But I expected to do better on DAT.

What I am wondeting is if I even have a chance? I am having some bad anxiety over this. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUTS AND THOUGHTS.

 

[Ionz]

Ok here's my dilemma. I am wondering if I even have a chance of getting into dental school this cycle,
No degree and most of credits at Community College
DAT: 18AA/20TS/19PA (19PA 15QR 17RC 17BIO 21OCHEM 22GENCHEM)
GPA: Overall=3.6 Science=3.7 I have taken both micro and anatomy and physiology
108 hours of volunteering as dental assistant at homeless clinic.
3500+ of service hours.
Employed as general chemistry tutor.
I applied to 15 schools. Did not apply to any that did not except CC credits. But I expected to do better on DAT.

What I am wondeting is if I even have a chance? I am having some bad anxiety over this. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUTS AND THOUGHTS.

*Accepted.

Now that that's out of the way...

Honestly, your chances aren't very good. Dental schools generally prefer their prereqs to be taken at a 4-year university. Some dental schools do say that they accept CC credits, but I'd be willing to bet that they PREFER a university level credit. And your DAT scores are below average.

You do have lots of service hours going for you, and you have indeed fulfilled the shadowing hours for most dental schools. But like I said, your stats are not competitive in the numbers game.

Since you already applied, there's not much you can do at this point. But in the worst case scenario, definitely retake your DAT to boost your chances.

 

[doc toothache]

You might have been better served had you used your "service hours" servicing the DAT.

 

[Aetherius]

*Accepted.

Now that that's out of the way...

Honestly, your chances aren't very good. Dental schools generally prefer their prereqs to be taken at a 4-year university. Some dental schools do say that they accept CC credits, but I'd be willing to bet that they PREFER a university level credit. And your DAT scores are below average.

You do have lots of service hours going for you, and you have indeed fulfilled the shadowing hours for most dental schools. But like I said, your stats are not competitive in the numbers game.

Since you already applied, there's not much you can do at this point. But in the worst case scenario, definitely retake your DAT to boost your chances.

So what is one to do when most classes are taken at a CC? Take upper division science courses? Post-bacc? I know giving up won't be an option for most of these people who had no choice but to go to CC for their own reasons, because dentistry is what they want to do. But what can be done to repair this?

 

[LFA20]

Apply ASAP and see what happens. I submitted my app first batch with a 4.0 and 19aa/ts and all of my prerequisites are done at a CC. I continued taking some upper level bio at a university and am only one semester away from graduating with a bio degree.

I applied to 18 schools and landed one interview so far (NOVA).

 

[Ionz]

So what is one to do when most classes are taken at a CC? Take upper division science courses? Post-bacc? I know giving up won't be an option for most of these people who had no choice but to go to CC for their own reasons, because dentistry is what they want to do. But what can be done to repair this?

Like the above poster said, apply this cycle as soon as you can. Nobody knows what can happen. You might land an interview or multiple interviews or even acceptances. But, in the meanwhile, take upper science courses at university if/when you can, in preparation for the worst case scenario. It's probably too late to apply for a master's at this point.

 

[BigCountry]

Considering you spelled "accepted" wrong things are not looking too good

 

[CedarZ4]

Below average DAT, decent GPA but from a CC which at 3.6/3.7 is below average as well, on top of no Bachelors. Unless you have a life-changing story to tell the ADCOMS, I'd save the money.

 

[iurling]

Well....Thank you guys for the answers but I'm glad I did not listen to some of you. I went ahead and applied, I received 1 interview to Midwestern (Glendale campus, AZ) on Sept 11, and I have been very blessed to have gotten in, I received a phone call Sunday morning (dec 1st) and I was accepted. The reason I post this is because I lurked around a lot of websites trying to get a feel if I was going to be accepted, and while I appreciate the critique on my spelling, that was not what I was asking about and so I am telling/sharing this now for all the kids like me who think they may not have a shot because of what people say online...."the answer is always no unless you ask". I am very fortunate to have gotten in, very fortunate, and I have have felt so grateful lately, but if I had listened to some of the people on this site I would have never even applied. So if you want my advice, to anyone who is reading this, work your butt off, avoid negative people and conversations that tell you you can't do it, and good things will happen.

 

[iurling]

Below average DAT, decent GPA but from a CC which at 3.6/3.7 is below average as well, on top of no Bachelors. Unless you have a life-changing story to tell the ADCOMS, I'd save the money.

Thats not below average.

 

[LFA20]

Well....Thank you guys for the answers but I'm glad I did not listen to some of you. I went ahead and applied, I received 1 interview to Midwestern (Glendale campus, AZ) on Sept 11, and I have been very blessed to have gotten in, I received a phone call Sunday morning (dec 1st) and I was accepted. The reason I post this is because I lurked around a lot of websites trying to get a feel if I was going to be accepted, and while I appreciate the critique on my spelling, that was not what I was asking about and so I am telling/sharing this now for all the kids like me who think they may not have a shot because of what people say online...."the answer is always no unless you ask". I am very fortunate to have gotten in, very fortunate, and I have have felt so grateful lately, but if I had listened to some of the people on this site I would have never even applied. So if you want my advice, to anyone who is reading this, work your butt off, avoid negative people and conversations that tell you you can't do it, and good things will happen.

good for you!

 

[iurling]

good for you!

Thanks 🙂

 

[tbond5]

Well....Thank you guys for the answers but I'm glad I did not listen to some of you. I went ahead and applied, I received 1 interview to Midwestern (Glendale campus, AZ) on Sept 11, and I have been very blessed to have gotten in, I received a phone call Sunday morning (dec 1st) and I was accepted. The reason I post this is because I lurked around a lot of websites trying to get a feel if I was going to be accepted, and while I appreciate the critique on my spelling, that was not what I was asking about and so I am telling/sharing this now for all the kids like me who think they may not have a shot because of what people say online...."the answer is always no unless you ask". I am very fortunate to have gotten in, very fortunate, and I have have felt so grateful lately, but if I had listened to some of the people on this site I would have never even applied. So if you want my advice, to anyone who is reading this, work your butt off, avoid negative people and conversations that tell you you can't do it, and good things will happen.

Good job! Im in a similar situation and I got accepted to MWU-AZ and UNLV and wait-listed to Marquette.

 

[iurling]

Good job! Im in a similar situation and I got accepted to MWU-AZ and UNLV and wait-listed to Marquette.

See, people can get in without a degree. Well I hope you come to MWU AZ that's were I'm headed!

 

[tbond5]

See, people can get in without a degree. Well I hope you come to MWU AZ that's were I'm headed!

I'd love to go there if I get the navy scholarship but chances are I'm going to unlv or Marquette if I get accepted from the wait list.

 

[iurling]

I'd love to go there if I get the navy scholarship but chances are I'm going to unlv or Marquette if I get accepted from the wait list.

Yeah that makes sense. I don't blame ya

 

[NMC2010]

Well....Thank you guys for the answers but I'm glad I did not listen to some of you. I went ahead and applied, I received 1 interview to Midwestern (Glendale campus, AZ) on Sept 11, and I have been very blessed to have gotten in, I received a phone call Sunday morning (dec 1st) and I was accepted. The reason I post this is because I lurked around a lot of websites trying to get a feel if I was going to be accepted, and while I appreciate the critique on my spelling, that was not what I was asking about and so I am telling/sharing this now for all the kids like me who think they may not have a shot because of what people say online...."the answer is always no unless you ask". I am very fortunate to have gotten in, very fortunate, and I have have felt so grateful lately, but if I had listened to some of the people on this site I would have never even applied. So if you want my advice, to anyone who is reading this, work your butt off, avoid negative people and conversations that tell you you can't do it, and good things will happen.

I bet they really liked your service hours and appreciated a good GPA. My GPA was lower, but I got rejected from MWU-AZ because they said my 17 QR score was too low (all others 20+). I guess they just flat out lied to me lol.

Regardless, well done! MWU-AZ is a great school and I've heard they have some pretty sick technology there. Sometimes it really pays off to go for it, even when nobody else believes in you.

 

[hunterx2]

Do I have a chance of getting excepted with no degree and these credentials.

Normally I'd say not a chance but hey it looks like they made a big exception for you sir ! Congrats !

 

[SM555]

Are you a resident of Arizona?

 

[iurling]

Normally I'd say not a chance but hey it looks like they made a big exception for you sir ! Congrats !

Yeah but you also have to remember that your perception of getting into dental school is often determined by who you talk to, if you everyone you talk to has a bachelors, super high GPAs and 20+ DAT then you might not believe someone like me could get in. But when I volunteered I talked to a quite a few D4 students form AT still AZ that got accepted without a degree, (one had 3.8GPA and 18 DAT like me, he said he believed he got in because he interviewed well) so I just realized I had to try. Your transcript, letters of rec, DAT and interview tell a story, a story that usually tells the truth about you and your work ethic, I did not get the DAT i wanted but I think the rest of my application and letters of rec, along with my personal statement, is what told the true story. For instance if you have a high GPA but you dropped or retook those classes numerous times, or tried them at different schools like a CC, that's a big red flag because that means you have to have very specific professor/environment to do well. Or if you have a lower DAT but you have never retaken or dropped a class, especially science classes, you could make the assumption that you just had a bad test day or whatever on your DAT. The admission committee have been through thousands of students and its probably safe to say they pretty good at reading your "story" on your application. This is why you hear so many conflicting stories about people getting in with lower stats and things than people with better stats. Your ENTIRE application usually tells the truth. So yes I am extremely gratefull that I was accepted and I know know that odds were against me, but no I do not believe they made a extreme "exception" for me.

 

[iurling]

I bet they really liked your service hours and appreciated a good GPA. My GPA was lower, but I got rejected from MWU-AZ because they said my 17 QR score was too low (all others 20+). I guess they just flat out lied to me lol.

Regardless, well done! MWU-AZ is a great school and I've heard they have some pretty sick technology there. Sometimes it really pays off to go for it, even when nobody else believes in you.

Thank you 🙂. I was very fortunate and I am very excited to go. And yeah I bet you will get in somewhere though if you have that good of a DAT.

 

[iurling]

Are you a resident of Arizona?

Yes

 

[hunterx2]

I was just playing on words 🙂 You have to remember that the perception of the average applicant is really skewed because of this forum. Remember, the average DAT of the accepted applicant is only 19.x So fully half of successful applicants (and future dentists) have scores lower than this. The bottom 10% probably have only 17.x. These people generally do not post much on SDN, which is populated disproportionally by 22+ scorers. But that's not reflective of the general pool. So trust me, there are plenty of people like you, so don't feel that you are under extra pressure to "prove" yourself in any way. Scores don't mean sh1t anymore once you are accepted, and I'm sure you'll turn out to be a fine dentist. Also remember that the boards are P/F, so if you are not a great test taker it doesn't really hurt you.

 

[iurling]

I was just playing on words 🙂 You have to remember that the perception of the average applicant is really skewed because of this forum. Remember, the average DAT of the accepted applicant is only 19.x So fully half of successful applicants (and future dentists) have scores lower than this. The bottom 10% probably have only 17.x. These people generally do not post much on SDN, which is populated disproportionally by 22+ scorers. But that's not reflective of the general pool. So trust me, there are plenty of people like you, so don't feel that you are under extra pressure to "prove" yourself in any way. Scores don't mean sh1t anymore once you are accepted, and I'm sure you'll turn out to be a fine dentist. Also remember that the boards are P/F, so if you are not a great test taker it doesn't really hurt you.

Thank you! Yeah I absolutely agree the forums in general give most applicants a bad perception of getting into dental school. I didn't think about 50% of the dentist having a DAT of 19 or lower to your right.