Getting ready to start applying in the summer. What can I do to up my chances of getting in?

[predentalicious]

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Hi there! I've lurked on this forum for quite some time now, and i finally decided to make an account. I just wanted to thank you guys for all the help you've given me in preparing for my DAT! I have a few questions about my stats and thought that you would be great people to ask.

So, my GPA and DAT scores are where they need to be for me to get accepted to most schools (AA:22, PAT: 21, TS:23) (GPA: 3.89 cumulative, math/science GPA: 4.06). The only thing keeping me from a 4.00 is the community college credit I brought in from high school. I didn't really care about grades at all in high school and never had time to study because I was working nearly 35 hours a week, so I got B's in like 3 of my college credit classes. When dental schools look GPA stats for a student, do they look mostly at your university GPA, or is great weight given to high school credit courses? I'm just worried that those might hold me back.

Now, getting to the main reason for my concern about my GPA/DAT; my ECs are TERRIBLE! I've been working on getting volunteer hours, and I should have 100 shadowing hours by the end of the summer, but I've never held a leadership position in a club before 🙁 ! I've been a general member of 3 different clubs throughout the last 3 years, but nothing beyond that due to time constraints. I couldn't justify holding a leadership position if I didn't have time to commit to it. Is this really bad? I will have 2 years of research experience by the end of my undergraduate career (with a research fellowship) and I was an assistant to two different biology 101 lab TAs . Is that enough, or is that going to kill me in my interviews?

How many schools should I apply to? I'd love to apply to some private schools, but I can't really afford them in the long run, and I'll probably have to stick with public. Is that going to reduce my chances of getting in (being from out of state for the majority of them)?

Thanks so much for your help now and all the help you've given me in the last few months! You guys are seriously the best!

 

[nonociceptors]

>my ECs are TERRIBLE!

100 shadowing hours
3 clubs for 3 years
2 years of research
some sort of bio 101 assistant

the cherry on top: I have a 3.89 rather than a 4.0 because of some CC classes I took, now I'm screwed.

you should apply to every school because you really have no chance. an above average GPA, above average DAT, and solid ECs will unfortunately get you nowhere. shocking, isn't it? almost as if i'm full of **** and giving you the ridiculous response you deserve for an equally ridiculous post.

 

[Coloradoboulder]

>my ECs are TERRIBLE!

100 shadowing hours
3 clubs for 3 years
2 years of research
some sort of bio 101 assistant

the cherry on top: I have a 3.89 rather than a 4.0 because of some CC classes I took, now I'm screwed.

you should apply to every school because you really have no chance. an above average GPA, above average DAT, and solid ECs will unfortunately get you nowhere. shocking, isn't it? almost as if i'm full of **** and giving you the ridiculous response you deserve for an equally ridiculous post.

Well said nonociceptors lol. On a serious note, calm down first and take a deep breath. Your application looks golden. Keep up what you are doing and browse around these forums actually to find out what is your next step.

 

[Hannah Banana]

Hi there! I've lurked on this forum for quite some time now, and i finally decided to make an account. I just wanted to thank you guys for all the help you've given me in preparing for my DAT! I have a few questions about my stats and thought that you would be great people to ask.

So, my GPA and DAT scores are where they need to be for me to get accepted to most schools (AA:22, PAT: 21, TS:23) (GPA: 3.89 cumulative, math/science GPA: 4.06). The only thing keeping me from a 4.00 is the community college credit I brought in from high school. I didn't really care about grades at all in high school and never had time to study because I was working nearly 35 hours a week, so I got B's in like 3 of my college credit classes. When dental schools look GPA stats for a student, do they look mostly at your university GPA, or is great weight given to high school credit courses? I'm just worried that those might hold me back.

Now, getting to the main reason for my concern about my GPA/DAT; my ECs are TERRIBLE! I've been working on getting volunteer hours, and I should have 100 shadowing hours by the end of the summer, but I've never held a leadership position in a club before 🙁 ! I've been a general member of 3 different clubs throughout the last 3 years, but nothing beyond that due to time constraints. I couldn't justify holding a leadership position if I didn't have time to commit to it. Is this really bad? I will have 2 years of research experience by the end of my undergraduate career (with a research fellowship) and I was an assistant to two different biology 101 lab TAs . Is that enough, or is that going to kill me in my interviews?

How many schools should I apply to? I'd love to apply to some private schools, but I can't really afford them in the long run, and I'll probably have to stick with public. Is that going to reduce my chances of getting in (being from out of state for the majority of them)?

Thanks so much for your help now and all the help you've given me in the last few months! You guys are seriously the best!

If you have been lurking around this forum for awhile, you should know that your stats are above average. Keep improving if you could but you should be fine. Good luck!