Feedback on list of schools

[Majisk]

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I've posted here once before and I have been searching around, but I wanted to ask. I have taken a look at the 2014 list by doc toothache and compiled my list.

My undergraduate GPA: BS in Chemistry ~2.8609 overall, ~2.607 science (took biochemistry 4 times)
My graduate GPA: MS in Physiology 3.27586 overall, 3.192 science (corrected)
My DAT: (one time) 22 TS/ 22 AA/ 22 PAT/ 20 QR/ 24 RC/ 22 BIO/ 23 GC/ 20 OC

I have around 160 hours of shadowing a general dentist, ~200 hours of volunteering (mostly tutoring), ~500+ hrs working on props. 4 LOR: 2 science profs, 1 dentist, 1 volunteering

My school list is: LECOM, Tufts, Boston U, NYU, VCU (in-state), UMD, Howard, Meharry, New England, USC, Temple, Loma Linda, Western U, Midwestern ill, Arizona, Nevada, Roseman, & Creighton.

I'm looking to cut down on some places, any advice? Thank you for taking the time to read the post!

 

[dds2b219]

Your dat and shadowing are awesome... But your masters GPA might raise some red flags. I assume you already know the requirements for schools like loma Linda, Howard and meharry... But overall you're applying broadly and the list looks good. Good luck this cycle!

 

[Majisk]

Thank you for the reply! I have been looking over the requirements for those schools, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to apply to them.

 

[I want to go to there]

Unless you are a minority, your chances of getting in dental school is pretty screwed. Apply if you want, but spending any more money toward dental school acceptance is going to be waste of money at this point.

 

[Majisk]

Unless you are a minority, your chances of getting in dental school is pretty screwed. Apply if you want, but spending any more money toward dental school acceptance is going to be waste of money at this point.

So you're saying I should probably consider 'greener pastures', so to speak. Thank you for the reply, btw.

 

[I want to go to there]

So you're saying I should probably consider 'greener pastures', so to speak. Thank you for the reply, btw.

I'm saying don't waste your money on a hopeless goal. Dentistry has a very green pasture, but there's an impenetrable wall between you and the pasture that you've been building for the last 5+ years.

 

[Weakfart]

So you're saying I should probably consider 'greener pastures', so to speak. Thank you for the reply, btw.

Check out the ADEA book, you'll see that most schools have Graduate GPA's closer to 3.5 if not higher. Graduate GPA's I think are more sensitive to negativity for ADCOMS I think.

 

[Shell_Eau]

I'm saying don't waste your money on a hopeless goal. Dentistry has a very green pasture, but there's an impenetrable wall between you and the pasture that you've built yourself for the last 5+ years.

That makes no sense.

 

[Majisk]

I'm saying don't waste your money on a hopeless goal. Dentistry has a very green pasture, but there's an impenetrable wall between you and the pasture that you've been building for the last 5+ years.

Thank you for the replies. My post-bacc tied in with my Master's and the GPA calculation was more around 3.27 overall and 3.19 sGPA. Granted it's still not stellar. As for the impenetrable wall , I guess you're referring to my GPA. Would you honestly say nothing else I've done will warrant even the slightest bit of interest?

 

[I want to go to there]

Thank you for the replies. My post-bacc tied in with my Master's and the GPA calculation was more around 3.27 overall and 3.19 sGPA. Granted it's still not stellar. As for the impenetrable wall , I guess you're referring to my GPA. Would you honestly say nothing else I've done will warrant even the slightest bit of interest?

If you are doing masters/postbac, you are expected to achieve a very high GPA at range of 3.7+. Your performance in your masters/postbac further emphasizes your low GPA and your subpar performance in school. You probably won't even make the cut off at most schools to be reviewed by the adcom. Even if you do get reviewed, I don't see anything that would generate enough interest to get you an interview.

 

[Weakfart]

Thank you for the replies. My post-bacc tied in with my Master's and the GPA calculation was more around 3.27 overall and 3.19 sGPA. Granted it's still not stellar. As for the impenetrable wall , I guess you're referring to my GPA. Would you honestly say nothing else I've done will warrant even the slightest bit of interest?

Post-Bacc/masters are supposed to allow time for an applicant to increase their GPA by a LOT. Unfortunately I don't think your GPA from the program would bode very well in an ADCOMS eyes.

 

[Majisk]

That's true. Well, i'll consider my options, but i'll give this cycle a shot. Dentistry changed my life for the better, so it's worth it. Thanks for taking the time to reply! (Hurts to hear the truth, but I appreciate the honesty.)

 

[andreadds]

I would change a lot of your schools. I think you have a chance thanks to your dat.

 

[Majisk]

I would change a lot of your schools. I think you have a chance thanks to your dat.

Would you be able to recommend any? I was searching based on stats and these were the ones which seemed to fit the most GPA/DAT wise. Would you say schools which weigh the DAT more heavily would be more favorable (putting my GPA on the backburner)?

 

[Majisk]

I'm pretty much set with my application, just tweaking my personal statement. Was hoping to get a little more input!

Final list of schools currently:

1) Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health
2) Herman Ostrow SOD USC
3) Loma Linda USD
4) University of the Pacific A.A.Dugoni
5) Western Unive CODM
6) Howard University COD
7) Midwestern Ill
8) Boston U
9) Tufts U
10) University of MD
11) University of New England
12) Creighton University
13) Columbia University CODM
14) NYU
15) Temple
16) Meharry
17) Roseman
18) VCU (in state)

 

[ajj70]

If you are not a minority, don't waste your money on Howard or Maharry and your stats do not support even a glance for Columbia. Do you have the needed letter from your religious leader for Loma?

 

[Majisk]

If you are not a minority, don't waste your money on Howard or Maharry and your stats do not support even a glance for Columbia. Do you have the needed letter from your religious leader for Loma?

I called Columbia and they said they would consider my most recent credits. My DAT was also decent, which is why I considered Columbia. I was considering Howard since I mostly volunteered in the surrounding areas of W.D.C. , but I do keep hearing about the URM issue. Loma Linda said they're ok with my circumstances regarding my letters. 2 Sci/ 1 volunteer/ 1 dentist.

 

[ajj70]

I called Columbia and they said they would consider my most recent credits. My DAT was also decent, which is why I considered Columbia. I was considering Howard since I mostly volunteered in the surrounding areas of W.D.C. , but I do keep hearing about the URM issue. Loma Linda said they're ok with my circumstances regarding my letters. 2 Sci/ 1 volunteer/ 1 dentist.

Did you tell Columbia you have a 3.2/3.1 though?

 

[Majisk]

Did you tell Columbia you have a 3.2/3.1 though?

I did indeed. I need to get back in touch after applying though. It's worth a shot. I'm definitely reconsidering Meharry/Howard though. Do you think my other choices are alright?

 

[PlasmaMembrane]

Columbia requires 3 science professor LOR's.

 

[Majisk]

Columbia requires 3 science professor LOR's.

I also asked about that. I'm a nontraditional applicant, so they said a dentist letter along w/ my LOEs from my graduate professors (2) would be sufficient.

 

[ajj70]

I did indeed. I need to get back in touch after applying though. It's worth a shot. I'm definitely reconsidering Meharry/Howard though. Do you think my other choices are alright?

I think the rest of your list is fine and if you want to toss the $160 or whatever out the window for Meharry/Howard, go ahead, but I wouldn't.

 

[Majisk]

I think the rest of your list is fine and if you want to toss the $160 or whatever out the window for Meharry/Howard, go ahead, but I wouldn't.

Gotcha. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[PredentGirl]

Hey guys, I also applied this year... do you think I would hear from any of these schools? I am a MD resident.

1. Maryland
2. Howard
3. NYU
4. LECOM
5. Nova
6. Meharry
7. Tufts
8. Boston
9. Temple
10. Midwestern
11. VCU

DATs: 23AA
sGPA: 2.23
cGPA: 2.67
Grad GPA (not masters): 3.63

Worked as a dental assistant for 4 years and shadowed another dentist while working full time for a large pharm company. 500+ volunteering hours, excellent LORs

Your help is much appreciated 🙂

Thanks!

 

[predent3591]

.

 

[ajj70]

Hey guys, I also applied this year... do you think I would hear from any of these schools? I am a MD resident.

1. Maryland
2. Howard
3. NYU
4. LECOM
5. Nova
6. Meharry
7. Tufts
8. Boston
9. Temple
10. Midwestern
11. VCU

DATs: 23AA
sGPA: 2.23
cGPA: 2.67
Grad GPA (not masters): 3.63

Worked as a dental assistant for 4 years and shadowed another dentist while working full time for a large pharm company. 500+ volunteering hours, excellent LORs

Your help is much appreciated 🙂

Thanks!

Are you a minority?

 

[PredentGirl]

Nope

 

[PredentGirl]

Are you a minority?

Nope

 

[ajj70]

Nope

Take Howard and Meharry off the list then. Those are schools that almost exclusively accept minority students. I would replace them with 2 other schools though, and maybe add a couple more to the list if you can afford to do that. Your GPA is going to be a big red flag, your DAT is great though.