Essay topics

[gatorchc27]

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Hey, I'm a junior right now and I haven't started the application process yet. I was just wondering how the essay part works. Is there a general topic that you write on for all the dental schools? Or, does each school give you a specific topic to write on? Just wondering.....

 

[calbear82]

Hey, I'm a junior right now and I haven't started the application process yet. I was just wondering how the essay part works. Is there a general topic that you write on for all the dental schools? Or, does each school give you a specific topic to write on? Just wondering.....

Well for the primary application it's just one essay (general topic, why dentistry?) that is sent out to all the schools. Then some schools have secondary apps that require essay questions that are more specific, such as why school X? how are you a qualifed applicant? etc

 

[Sprgrover]

Hey, I'm a junior right now and I haven't started the application process yet. I was just wondering how the essay part works. Is there a general topic that you write on for all the dental schools? Or, does each school give you a specific topic to write on? Just wondering.....

There are several threads and even more posts dedicated to this very topic here on SDN. With that said, the AADSAS essay is the one place in the application in which you, the person, has a chance to voice your desire to pursue dentistry and to be your own advocate outside of numbers and grades. There is no set format or template to follow, and it is for this reason that the essay can be so challenging for so many people. The limit for the essay is 1000 words, but that is based on the number of characters, not actual words, so essays tend to cap off around 900-950 words. That's not a lot of space when you consider that you are trying to give adcoms a sense of your individual personality, motives for pursuing dentistry, past accomplishments, and future goals and desires all without sounding conceded, defensive, vapid, or mind-numbingly generic. It's good that you are looking ahead to the essay as it will take a lot of time to develop, and time needs to be spent on it. Start thinking about what you want to say and what you would like to convey to adcoms. The AADSAS essay is wide open. Essays found on secondary applications, however, tend to be guided by a question such as "What volunteer activities have shaped your desire to....?" and as such are generally easier to answer. Below are a few links that you might find helpful. Best of luck!
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http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=90637
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=142380
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=114230