Gap year logistics and questions?

[hamama131]

For some context, I am a senior (4th year) in a Canadian University (UofT) and I am planning on applying to Canadian and American schools this summer to (hopefully) start D1 in 2022.
I have a few questions about the logistics of taking a gap year.

1. DAT Transcripts: I am required to choose which schools I would like my cDAT transcript sent to while registering for the cDAT. If I choose these schools, will they hold unto them for a whole year until I apply later this year or do I need to take any additional steps for this?

2. LOR: When should I ask Professors for LOR? Since I am taking a gap year, I am worried that the professors might not remember me if I ask them later on in the year.

3. AADSAS Application timing: For AADSAS application for American schools, should I personalize each of my personal statements for each school? How long did it take for your AADSAS applications? How quickly did they calculate your GPAs?

Any additional tips on how to spend my gap year efficiently would be greatly appreciated

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[zdoq]

I took 2 gap years (currently in the middle of my second gap year). Applied this current cycle and got accepted to many options (not sure which one i’m committing to yet). I also applied to both Canadian and American dental schools.

1. select all of them. they will be sent to the schools you decide to apply to and it’s free when you register but it will not be free if you sent it after you take the exam.
2. I would highly recommend using Interfolio. I believe it’s $30? The price may have increased but it allows you to store letters of rec until it’s time to use them.
3. Once you write your personal statement on AADSAS and submit to even 1 school, they do not allow you to edit it afterwards. So you will end up sending the same personal statement to all of them (I believe it’s like this, someone correct me if I’m wrong)

Filling out my AADSAS probably took me a week? I spent a few months writing my PS before that. They verified my GPA within a week after submission for me

 

[USC-Dentistry]

I took 2 gap years (currently in the middle of my second gap year). Applied this current cycle and got accepted to many options (not sure which one i’m committing to yet). I also applied to both Canadian and American dental schools.

1. select all of them. they will be sent to the schools you decide to apply to and it’s free when you register but it will not be free if you sent it after you take the exam.
2. I would highly recommend using Interfolio. I believe it’s $30? The price may have increased but it allows you to store letters of rec until it’s time to use them.
3. Once you write your personal statement on AADSAS and submit to even 1 school, they do not allow you to edit it afterwards. So you will end up sending the same personal statement to all of them (I believe it’s like this, someone correct me if I’m wrong)

Filling out my AADSAS probably took me a week? I spent a few months writing my PS before that. They verified my GPA within a week after submission for me

Echoing everything in this post; but just clarifying that it's free to collect and store letters on interfolio for unlimited amount of time. Then when you're ready to apply, you pay $48 for interfolio's letter delivery service to get your letters sent to your application. The $48 fee is for an entire year, during which you can send up to a total of 50 letters. It would be a good idea to ask your professors for LORs before you lose touch with them, and just have them upload their letter onto your interfolio dossier.

And yes, you write 1 personal statement that gets sent to every school you apply to, so don't personalize it to any specific school.