Extracurricular Confusion

[burnintime]

I want to pose a hypothetical scenario that may apply to some of us if we don't succeed in getting accepted this year. Say one is lacking in the extracurricular category and wants to improve the application for next summer's admissions. Will dental schools look at him and disregard his efforts because it seems that he is only doing it to get into school and doesn't really care about being a leader or serving in some sort of extracurricular way? Or will it without a doubt be helpful in qualifying the applicant for a spot?

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[packbacker]

Find a volunteer position and keep going! Don't just use it to pad your stats. Get to know the doctors who are there, make yourself as useful as possible, and keep going! I honestly think that the volunteering op that I started in the summer of last year (after not recieving an acceptance) REALLY helped my application.

I want to pose a hypothetical scenario that may apply to some of us if we don't succeed in getting accepted this year. Say one is lacking in the extracurricular category and wants to improve the application for next summer's admissions. Will dental schools look at him and disregard his efforts because it seems that he is only doing it to get into school and doesn't really care about being a leader or serving in some sort of extracurricular way? Or will it without a doubt be helpful in qualifying the applicant for a spot?

 

[adr12]

You should definitely do something. Volunteer in some way and make sure that it is something you enjoy. I don't think ADCOMS would look at a year of volunteer work and write it off as "sucking up".

 

[mkdhappy]

By volunteering...you'll get to talk about your experiences, fill in the little gaps here and there that's lacking in your application.

ADCOMS won't think of it as if you just did it to get in...b/c a year's effort in volunteering is A LOT. As long as you put the effort in keep on improving your application, they'll take note of it. (well, unless you did it just to get in and your application implies that motive, then...they'll "have to" think twice). So just keep trying...and persevere if dentistry is what you want.

Good Luck.

 

[mitechgrl]

I think extracirriculars are good to have... and I would say they are good to participate in just to improve yourself as a person and how you deal with others. However, I don't think being in some sort of activity or volunteering for 5 months is going to change the ADCOMs opinion of you. I would highly recommend trying to up the DAT score (the GPA is hard to increase in a semester). Getting into school is based so heavily on GPA and DAT that 5 months of volunteering probably won't achieve an acceptance. Maybe if you could volunteer at an underpriveledge dental facility... that might help...

 

[packbacker]

Agreed. In my experience, showing that you're trying to improve your application means a lot. Obviously a few classes won't significantly increase your GPA, but it goes a long way to show that you are indeed serious about your application. Same thing with the DAT. Set aside a few months of SERIOUS study time and increase those scores. Adding volunteer experience (as well as shadowning) just makes your improved application that much more attractive.

I think extracirriculars are good to have... and I would say they are good to participate in just to improve yourself as a person and how you deal with others. However, I don't think being in some sort of activity or volunteering for 5 months is going to change the ADCOMs opinion of you. I would highly recommend trying to up the DAT score (the GPA is hard to increase in a semester). Getting into school is based so heavily on GPA and DAT that 5 months of volunteering probably won't achieve an acceptance. Maybe if you could volunteer at an underpriveledge dental facility... that might help...