Do stats matter once you have the interview?

[severage]

Example, two students get an interview at the same school for the same date. One has a 25 DAT and 3.98 GPA, other has a 21 DAT and 3.6 GPA. At this point, is the interview the sole factor in who gets accepted, or would the person with superior stats still have a greater chance of getting accepted independent of how well the interview goes?

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[princeafrica]

Yeah they would still have a higher chance because the interview is just another part to the whole piece. Once you interview they add the scores or notes to your file and then review your file again with the interview

 

[BatedPenguin]

I think it depends on the school to be honest.

 

[BatedPenguin]

I think it depends on the school to be honest.

NOVA for example made it sound like stats were not a factor in the decision after the interview invitations were sent.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I personally don’t see how a 20-30 minute conversation can all of a sudden negate everything else. If you ran a school, would you run it that way? I wouldn’t. Your interview is almost certainly just another data point for adcoms to consider.

Big Hoss

 

[BullGator1004]

Not trying to come off as rude, but I think the best answer to these questions is this: we simply don't know. Some people will know something on Dec. 3rd and others will know something after, but we may never know exactly how this process works.

 

[Pearl E. White]

Not trying to come off as rude, but I think the best answer to these questions is this: we simply don't know. Some people will know something on Dec. 3rd and others will know something after, but we may never know exactly how this process works.

UNLESS otherwise stated by the school in question, but even then...

 

[Likkriue]

Of course.

 

[Tommy1234]

Yes, it matters. They will pick those with higher stats and those are not will put as waiting list.

 

[hurryupdec3rd]

I know people with lower stats that were accepted, and people with higher stats that were rejected at the same school. So the interview does play a big part. A great interview with avg stats will have a higher chance than a bad interview with great stats.

 

[aspiring-dentist101]

Yeah they would still have a higher chance because the interview is just another part to the whole piece. Once you interview they add the scores or notes to your file and then review your file again with the interview

Is this the case with closed-file interviews too?

 

[BullGator1004]

Is this the case with closed-file interviews too?

Unless there is someone that is on an admissions committee that wants to weigh in, we just don't know.

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

Stats matter even with closed file interviews. The way adcoms have described it to me before is that you're offered an admittance if you meet a certain value based on their school's formula. Things like volunteering, dental experience, DAT, GPA, and your interview all contribute to this value. I'm sure no two schools have the same ranking algorithm but stats are still important regardless.

 

[Blueshirts]

Stats matter even with closed file interviews. The way adcoms have described it to me before is that you're offered an admittance if you meet a certain value based on their school's formula. Things like volunteering, dental experience, DAT, GPA, and your interview all contribute to this value. I'm sure no two schools have the same ranking algorithm but stats are still important regardless.

I wonder if they measure non-traditionals exactly the same way as traditional applications

 

[Pearl E. White]

I wonder if they measure non-traditionals exactly the same way as traditional applications

What do you mean?

 

[Blueshirts]

What do you mean?

For instance, the types of experience between a typical candidate at 22 yrs old and a 30 year old can vary greatly (obviously), in addition some non-traditional candidates may have undergraduate degrees in something wildly different, but pursue taking all of the pre-requisite courses later on. For instance, my friend, Dave, is 40 and a math teacher, who is completing his pre-requisites. Although his application package will share similarities to other candidates, intuitively, what constitutes his application, when looked at holistically, will vary greatly.

 

[BullGator1004]

I wonder if they measure non-traditionals exactly the same way as traditional applications

They do and a change needs to be made. We are not all the same.

 

[macsak]

They do and a change needs to be made. We are not all the same.

and you know this because?

 

[BullGator1004]

and you know this because?

Because we are not all the same.

 

[macsak]

Because we are not all the same.

no, you know that they measure trad and non-trad the same because?

 

[deleted678432]

I know some schools (Colorado for example) rate their students on a point system. Your grades, volunteering, etc. are given a numerical value, and then your interview (not sure on what scale) is given points. The points are summed, and when considering which applicants to accept, they take the top X students according to their points. I know other schools like UNC grade the interviews on a 7-9 scale, but not sure how grades are factored into this. All schools say "you're on the same level at this point" the very first thing on interview day, but I think this is just to calm nerves. There's no way 3 years worth of scores are negated at the point of an interview.

 

[hurryupdec3rd]

I know some schools (Colorado for example) rate their students on a point system. Your grades, volunteering, etc. are given a numerical value, and then your interview (not sure on what scale) is given points. The points are summed, and when considering which applicants to accept, they take the top X students according to their points. I know other schools like UNC grade the interviews on a 7-9 scale, but not sure how grades are factored into this. All schools say "you're on the same level at this point" the very first thing on interview day, but I think this is just to calm nerves. There's no way 3 years worth of scores are negated at the point of an interview.

I think what you are saying about Colorado might be correct. If they base it on a point system, then it would make sense that they wait until all predecember candidates are interviewed before they can release the ranking. I was told no decision has been made on any candidates until the last week of November, so it does make sense.

 

[deleted678432]

I think what you are saying about Colorado might be correct. If they base it on a point system, then it would make sense that they wait until all predecember candidates are interviewed before they can release the ranking. I was told no decision has been made on any candidates until the last week of November, so it does make sense.

It was told to me by several of my friends who are current dental students there.

 

[BatedPenguin]

UNLV also has a point system.

 

[dent_wannabe]

Your stats don't go out the window just because you got an interview. I unfortunately have heard of people who ended up with no acceptances, and when they called schools for feedback, they got told that their interview went well but their stats weren't quite competitive enough compared with others who interviewed with them.

 

[nicole2]

Reading the comments makes me so sad. I had interviews at schools that had much higher gpa than mine.

 

[Crown2018]

Reading the comments makes me so sad. I had interviews at schools that had much higher gpa than mine.

No reason to be sad when nothing happened yet. Be sad if you didn’t get in anywhere in May 2019. Schools will accept you if they liked you despite your low academic performances. If you’re a URM, your grades won’t matter as much.

 

[Firik]

Reading the comments makes me so sad. I had interviews at schools that had much higher gpa than mine.

Let's say a school has an average of 3.55 GPA. Remember, there are applicants with 3.90 and above, which means there are applicants around 3.00 too. 🙂 It's obvious, but sometimes we forget that.

 

[Blueshirts]

Let's say a school has an average of 3.55 GPA. Remember, there are applicants with 3.90 and above, which means there are applicants around 3.00 too. 🙂 It's obvious, but sometimes we forget that.

I believe on one of the stickied threads there are links to an excel data set that has percentage breakdowns for ranges of gpa/dat..it is a few years old, but the data is out there and you can go onto the ada site to check last years' figures. It would really end the debate if everyone looked at the published data first.

 

[nicole2]

Let's say a school has an average of 3.55 GPA. Remember, there are applicants with 3.90 and above, which means there are applicants around 3.00 too. 🙂 It's obvious, but sometimes we forget that.

Lol I know. I didn’t mention it in my original comment but my bcp gpa is so low that it wasn’t even in the range. Science gpa and overall gpa was in the range though.

 

[severage]

Let's say a school has an average of 3.55 GPA. Remember, there are applicants with 3.90 and above, which means there are applicants around 3.00 too. 🙂 It's obvious, but sometimes we forget that.

Probably more like a handful of 3.90+ acceptances and a larger number of 3.4-3.5 that bring the average down. Very few people with a 3.0 will get in. Not trying to kill anyone's spirits, but based on released data it's the truth.

 

[deleted942432]

I think it depend on the schools. Some schools value high stats, others put more emphasis on volunteering and community services. But if they invite you to interview, then that mean you are qualified on paper. If you KILL the interview, then most likely you will be accepted because your credentials was what got you the interview.

I think stats are used more as a tie breaker if all else are equal. My opinion anyway.