Does a re-applicant get more consideration?

Started by lkdeidaho
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lkdeidaho

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If anyone out there has a similar post as this one, please post it here.

For those of you with experience/first hand knowledge, do the ad-coms give any extra consideration to people who are applying for the second time? Have you actually heard any school say that they give more consideration to re-applicants? I'm trying to decide if I want to re-apply in June or do a fast masters program and apply during that program in a year. I don't have a bunch of extra money to blow on the application process. 🙂
Thanks
 
I dont really have a set answer to your question however i was wondering the same thing since I will be reapplying as well. you should check the schools websites for reapplicant advice/application procedures.
for instance, on the penn dental website they have this listed under the reapplicant admissions directions:

Serious consideration will be given to reapplicants who have completed additional courses (full course loads) with exceptional academic records or completed an advanced degree. In situations where the Admissions Committee has concerns about vocational orientation, students should demonstrate extensive predental experience. DAT scores from 2007 and earlier will not be considered. Additional letters of support may be submitted from employers or professors familiar with recent work experience or course work.

sooo....yea maybe look for this type of info from the actual schools? I dont think they give MORE consideration to reapplicants, but if they come across your file and see you've done something beneficial since the last time you applied or w/e maybe theyll consider you? or maybe they still wont. depends on your stats and what you did with your time. i think its an equal shot just like any other 1st time applicant.
 
lkdeidaho said:
If anyone out there has a similar post as this one, please post it here.

For those of you with experience/first hand knowledge, do the ad-coms give any extra consideration to people who are applying for the second time? Have you actually heard any school say that they give more consideration to re-applicants? I'm trying to decide if I want to re-apply in June or do a fast masters program and apply during that program in a year. I don't have a bunch of extra money to blow on the application process. 🙂
Thanks
Click to expand...

Short answer = No I have not, but on some dental school websites and the 1 open house I been to, specifically recommended that students who need to reapply should do it only when they have significantly improved their previous application (increase GPA, or retake DAT, etc)...

some might think you'll be given extra consideration cause, you are showing resilience in reapplying, no giving-up attitude.... I think this is a little too optimistic, adcoms are still looking for candidates who can pass their program and have desire for this profession, whether you are a first time applicant or 5th time, if you fail either aspect, you most likely will not be admitted.
 
An advanced degree with more courses can only make your application stronger. I think what they look more for is what have you been doing or have done to make your application stronger as reapplicant. They want to see you prepare yourself and better yourself as a reapplicant. If you bring nothing to the table, and just reapply without doing any additional course work, retaking the DAT, more dental experience, etc, then they definitely will not give preference vs someone who is applying the first time.

I am in the same situation as you, except I am finishing up a Master's degree in June and applying this cycle. Before I started the program, I was contemplating if I should apply during 2010 while I was doing my Master's. I asked an assistant Dean at a dental school for her advice. She said that if I did apply during my Master's, I wouldn't really be bring anything new to my application. They could wait for my Fall grades at the end of December/ early January but that is already way too late in the cycle to be considered. The only thing I have to show then, is that I am doing a program, but not how well I am doing in it. Another admissions person said the same thing. When you apply, you want to have everything there and ready for them to see and make a decision about you. You also want to focus on your Master's and not have to worry about interviews and secondaries and applications. If you don't have money to waste on an application cycle, I suggest you finish your Master's and then apply. Have everything for them in early in June and watch those interviews pile up (hopefully). I know it sucks to have another gap year (if you already had one), and for me, I've thought about entering school so late or whatever, but it's worth it. It's just one more year, and we have like 35 years of our lives to practice or whatever, what is one more year. Just make the best of your year off.

Also look at the schools who's accepted more people with advanced degrees, or find out which schools look at your advanced degree GPA vs averaging into your cumulative GPA. I am going to finish 36 credit hours of classes and that is only boosting my GPA up by .11 points. Some schools look at them separately.

Good luck to you and everyone else who is or will be a reppalicant. I definitely know how sucky it is to not get in the first time but keep at it, we'll make it.
 
Well....Since last June I have taken:
Biochem 1 B
Physics 1 B+
Head/Neck Anatomy A
Epidemiology B+

This semester I am in
Physics II
Counseling for Health Care Professionals (upper division H.S.)
Ceramics (one of the schools suggested I take it)
Fly-tying (manual dexterity)
Guitar lessons (manual dexterity/stress relief)

So... I know it's not a science intensive load for this semester and I am kind of upset about it in retrospect. I realize now that I should have gone to town on science credits. I was honestly a little afraid of dinging my GPA. My wife and I are expecting a baby at the end of April and I was fearful of getting smoked on finals if things didn't go well with the wife/baby and I was loaded with science classes.

I submitted all of my stuff in mid-June, but I didn't take the DAT until Aug 9th. That technically made my application not complete until they got my DAT scores (late Sep). I am wondering if I just apply June 1st, if that will make up the difference. My bio-chem teacher also offered to write me a LOR, which will help hopefully.

I don't want to waste another year and more money applying/not applying. AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! If only I could change some things......
 
Differences in consideration for reapplicants will vary from school to school. Contact the admissions counselors at the schools you will list on AADSAS for definitive answers.
 
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