Extracirriculars

[Ice Blue]

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Hi everyone,
I was wondering what sorts of extracurricular actvities are always expected of pre-dentals? And just how important is it to have amazing ECs?

I'm pretty sure my EC's aren't going to be that great. How does this look?
-1.5 years volunteering at an animal shelter
-40 hrs volunteering at HIV center
-shadowed a dentist
-did a few events with the pre-dental club (not super involved)

I also didn't work during college, but I still have a couple years left. I think I'm going to try to get a job this year.

If my GPA and DAT are good, will my EC's be considered OK or do I really need to improve it? If you got into dental school, what does your ECs look like? Thanks

 

[nze82]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering what sorts of extracurricular actvities are always expected of pre-dentals? And just how important is it to have amazing ECs?

I'm pretty sure my EC's aren't going to be that great. How does this look?
-1.5 years volunteering at an animal shelter
-40 hrs volunteering at HIV center
-shadowed a dentist
-did a few events with the pre-dental club (not super involved)

I also didn't work during college, but I still have a couple years left. I think I'm going to try to get a job this year.

If my GPA and DAT are good, will my EC's be considered OK or do I really need to improve it? If you got into dental school, what does your ECs look like? Thanks

With a good GPA and DAT, you're in even if you have very few ECs. Usually they like to see some shadowing experience, just so they know you've had exposure to the field and you know what you're getting yourself into. Certain schools also like to see some research experience.

 

[Ice Blue]

With a good GPA and DAT, you're in even if you have very few ECs. Usually they like to see some shadowing experience, just so they know you've had exposure to the field and you know what you're getting yourself into. Certain schools also like to see some research experience.

Hey,
Thanks for your reply!
I've heard that medical schools require students to have ridiculously amazing ECs, so I thought maybe that also applied to dental schools. I'm glad to see it's not as crucial since I'm weak on the ECs (although I will try to improve it).

So all you really need is some volunteering + shadowing experience?

 

[nze82]

Hey,
Thanks for your reply!
I've heard that medical schools require students to have ridiculously amazing ECs, so I thought maybe that also applied to dental schools. I'm glad to see it's not as crucial since I'm weak on the ECs (although I will try to improve it).

So all you really need is some volunteering + shadowing experience?

Pretty much!
The thing is that if you have a horrible GPA/DAT, then none of your ECs will come to rescue. But when you have a great GPA/DAT, then the ECs are just there to complement an application that is already very strong.

 

[Dental Love]

I agree with nze82, if you have a good GPA and DAT then your EC's will make you a well rounded applicant. Make sure you shadow more though because thats important. Good Luck!!


Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine Class of 2013

 

[uclaDDS101]

I suggest that you participate in EC's that you would enjoy doing even if you weren't applying to dental school. This way, dental schools will be able to see your unique identity, and you won't seem like just another generic predent. So do comm. service, student government, clubs, research, sports, music, or whatever combination of activities that makes you happy. In the end, you'll have a solid application as long as you stay committed.

Another tip: Try volunteering or working within dental related fields. Do this for yourself, rather than just to put it down on your application. These dental experiences will give you an idea of what a dental career will be like. Sooner than later, you definitely want to make sure that this is absolutely the right field for you. You can never have too much dental related experience, as long as you're constantly learning new things.