Got my first rejection from CaseWestern Reserve

Started by dentalWorks
DATBooster | The Ultimate DAT Resource
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
dentalWorks

dentalWorks

Nights Watchmen
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I got the letter in mail yesterday, no interview nothing. Just a flat out rejection. Im gonna call them monday and see why.

Anyways, have you guys been getting any rejection / interview invites from them?

My overall (with +/-) = 3.3, science 3.6, bcm 3.88
 
I got the same thing yesterday.
Well. wiki said that it's a private research university, so i guess it's a research-focused school.
I have no research experience. I think that's why i got the rejection mail.
I don't know.

oGPA: 3.68 sGPA:3.74 BCP: 3.64
AA 19/PAT 21
 
Peyton87 said:
I got the same thing yesterday.
Well. wiki said that it's a private research university, so i guess it's a research-focused school.
I have no research experience. I think that's why i got the rejection mail.
I don't know.

oGPA: 3.68 sGPA:3.74 BCP: 3.64
AA 19/PAT 21
Click to expand...

Many many people get into Case Western without research experience. The schools is 28th in terms of amount of funding from NIDCR/NIH, so no it's not as research heavy as you believe. In fact, the school has a large clinical focus.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
dentaldawg32 said:
Many many people get into Case Western without research experience. The schools is 28th in terms of amount of funding from NIDCR/NIH, so no it's not as research heavy as you believe. In fact, the school has a large clinical focus.
Click to expand...

Then, I need to call them and figure it out next week.
 
Maybe you could post back what the school told you on the phone.

I'm curious too, seems rather strange that some of the applicants got rejected with such good stats.
 
dentalWorks said:
I got the letter in mail yesterday, no interview nothing. Just a flat out rejection. Im gonna call them monday and see why.

Anyways, have you guys been getting any rejection / interview invites from them?

My overall (with +/-) = 3.3, science 3.6, bcm 3.88
Click to expand...

Peyton87 said:
I got the same thing yesterday.
Well. wiki said that it's a private research university, so i guess it's a research-focused school.
I have no research experience. I think that's why i got the rejection mail.
I don't know.

oGPA: 3.68 sGPA:3.74 BCP: 3.64
AA 19/PAT 21
Click to expand...
It's a crapshoot man. You both have strong enough numbers to receive interviews at several schools, but there are thousands of students with similar stats. Sometimes schools just don't think you're the right fit. If that's the case, then just try and brush if off and continue on. You will get some interviews.
 
dentalWorks said:
I got the letter in mail yesterday, no interview nothing. Just a flat out rejection. Im gonna call them monday and see why.

Anyways, have you guys been getting any rejection / interview invites from them?

My overall (with +/-) = 3.3, science 3.6, bcm 3.88
Click to expand...


How long did your AADSAS say "Received/Under Review"?
 
There has actually been a whole thread on this a week or two ago. They receive 3,063 applications each cycle and only interview 268! So your chances of getting an interview were 8.7%. Now look at your stats and ask yourself if they are in the top 8.7% of all applicants........the 3.3 is not. Then consider there are diversity requirements they have to meet and that that 8.7% consists of some minorities with lower stats to meet quotas so your chances were even lower than 8.7%. Of course they do offer a few interviews to people with low stats that are your extremely unique circumstances or personalities and unless you said something in your personal statement that was extremely different from most people then you wouldn't stand out. Some guy with an interview invite told them he was a crazy graffiti artist for example but he had low stats.
 
FreeFallin said:
How long did your AADSAS say "Received/Under Review"?
Click to expand...

it never did, they never updated my AADSAS. However, all my stuff was completed by them about 10-14 days ago (I got a letter in mail saying so). Rejection was sent out July 26th (I'd say about 1 week after everything was complete).

I did apply to 18 schools, well, 1 is gone, 17 more to go!!
 
dentalWorks said:
it never did, they never updated my AADSAS. However, all my stuff was completed by them about 10-14 days ago (I got a letter in mail saying so). Rejection was sent out July 26th (I'd say about 1 week after everything was complete).

I did apply to 18 schools, well, 1 is gone, 17 more to go!!
Click to expand...

i got the same letter, with the same date on it. i assumed it was because of my stats tho, since mine are on the low end and i heard case is one of those schools that uses a computer to weed people preliminarily based on gpa

i have 12 more apps out there and im praying for at least one interview :xf:
 
Fact, the school has a cutoff GPA point at 3.5 science AND overall. If you have a 21 or above DAT AND a really strong upper strand on your GPA, then they MIGHT consider you despite your sub 3.5 GPA. So don't really hold high hopes if you don't have a 3.5 or higher for the school.
 
dentalWorks said:
it never did, they never updated my AADSAS. However, all my stuff was completed by them about 10-14 days ago (I got a letter in mail saying so). Rejection was sent out July 26th (I'd say about 1 week after everything was complete).

I did apply to 18 schools, well, 1 is gone, 17 more to go!!
Click to expand...

I'm kinda nervous now. Your stats seem strong! My AADSAS still says Received/Under Review. My DAT is lower than yours (19AA, 19TS, 21PAT). My overall and science GPA is 3.5.

Good luck with the other schools! 🙂
 
peerless218 said:
Fact, the school has a cutoff GPA point at 3.5 science AND overall. If you have a 21 or above DAT AND a really strong upper strand on your GPA, then they MIGHT consider you despite your sub 3.5 GPA. So don't really hold high hopes if you don't have a 3.5 or higher for the school.
Click to expand...

are you serious? they have a cutoff of 3.5 for BOTH the overall AND science? thats really rare lol, most schools have a cutoffs between 2.7-3.0s

I mean, I do have the 21 on DAT, and my last 54 credits of post-bacc were upper level sciences on a straight 4.0 run.
 
FutureDent020 said:
It's a crapshoot man. You both have strong enough numbers to receive interviews at several schools, but there are thousands of students with similar stats. Sometimes schools just don't think you're the right fit. If that's the case, then just try and brush if off and continue on. You will get some interviews.
Click to expand...


Future dent or anyone else, what exactly do schools look for in terms of "fit"? How would an applicant with competitive stats not be a "good fit" for a school prior to interview?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Chrono said:
Future dent or anyone else, what exactly do schools look for in terms of "fit"? How would an applicant with competitive stats not be a "good fit" for a school prior to interview?
Click to expand...

Competitive stats only mean you are smart enough to handle dental school. Some schools know there are a lot of smart kids out there and are interested in something besides your stats (ie. research, community service, manual dexterity, desire to work with under-served populations, URM status etc.). Since Case only interviews 268 people they don't just interview the top 268 stats that come in the mail. They know that they are one of the more expensive schools in the country due to being private and that a lot of those 268 top scoring will get other acceptances and go somewhere cheaper. So they try to pick students that "fit" their school.
 
threeblindmice said:
Competitive stats only mean you are smart enough to handle dental school. Some schools know there are a lot of smart kids out there and are interested in something besides your stats (ie. research, community service, manual dexterity, desire to work with under-served populations, URM status etc.). Since Case only interviews 268 people they don't just interview the top 268 stats that come in the mail. They know that they are one of the more expensive schools in the country due to being private and that a lot of those 268 top scoring will get other acceptances and go somewhere cheaper. So they try to pick students that "fit" their school.
Click to expand...
Yea, I completely agree with threeblindmice here. No need to elaborate because I will just be repeating what he/she has said. And when it comes to the word "fit", just be yourself. You will either be a good fit or not. And when you choose to attend the school you do, you will know what I mean by a good fit.
 
Just to clarify, Case doesn't have a 3.5 cutoff for both science and overall gpa. I just received an interview from them and I have a science of 3.3, an overall of 3.5.
 
When you have thousands of applicants with similar stats, the selection process becomes quite subjective.

For those who plan to call the school to ask why they were rejected - is this appropriate? Aren't they really busy doing other things?
 
on the other thread, people with your DAT and GPA were getting rejected (including me) and someone with an 18 DAT and a whatever GPA landed an interview. He said he was a fine arts major and wrote a really creative personal statement. I assume Case is just one of those schools that wants the extra unique students. All you can do is say "sorry for working really hard and getting good stats" and move on.
 
I just came back from Case Western for a summer program, and was able to meet with admissions. I know for sure that there is no cut-off for anything, the application is looked at holistically before rejecting or inviting for an interview, and that they do not look at +/- on your GPA. That said, it could've been something very minor that they didn't like, but not to fret, it's still early on in the cycle!
 
TriangleZuikis said:
When you have thousands of applicants with similar stats, the selection process becomes quite subjective.

For those who plan to call the school to ask why they were rejected - is this appropriate? Aren't they really busy doing other things?
Click to expand...

really busy? what do you think we each paid the $50 or $70 application fee for?

It is totally appropriate to call, I paid money for them to review my application, and its my right to call them and see why their "review process" rejected me.
 
dentalWorks said:
really busy? what do you think we each paid the $50 or $70 application fee for?

It is totally appropriate to call, I paid money for them to review my application, and its my right to call them and see why their "review process" rejected me.
Click to expand...

👍
 
dentalWorks said:
really busy? what do you think we each paid the $50 or $70 application fee for?

It is totally appropriate to call, I paid money for them to review my application, and its my right to call them and see why their "review process" rejected me.
Click to expand...

maybe that attitude landed you the rejection.
 
TriangleZuikis said:
When you have thousands of applicants with similar stats, the selection process becomes quite subjective.

For those who plan to call the school to ask why they were rejected - is this appropriate? Aren't they really busy doing other things?
Click to expand...

I don't see the problem in calling to inquire. Even though you may guess the reason for rejecting you, it is always reassuring to know the reason why. Often times they will even give you advice on what you can do to improve. What's the worst that can happen if you call? Send you another rejection letter?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
peerless218 said:
Fact, the school has a cutoff GPA point at 3.5 science AND overall. If you have a 21 or above DAT AND a really strong upper strand on your GPA, then they MIGHT consider you despite your sub 3.5 GPA. So don't really hold high hopes if you don't have a 3.5 or higher for the school.
Click to expand...

Well I have a 3.4 science gpa and just got an interview so I don't think this is "fact".
 
Do I have a chance??? (LAST YEAR INTERVIEWED AT UTHSCSA BUT GOT REJECTED -- DAT WAS 18 ONLY)

AA 20 TS 19 PA 24 QR 21 RC 18 BIO 19 GC 20 OC 20
GPA OA 3.13 SCIENCE 3.06
500+ RESEARCH HRS 800+ COMMUNITY HRS
500+ SHADOWING HRS
HAVE HELD ELECTED POSITIONS FOR 2 YEARS
APPLIED EARLY (1ST CYCLE)
ASIAN INDIAN
TEXAS RESIDENT
 
jettadude123 said:
Well I have a 3.4 science gpa and just got an interview so I don't think this is "fact".
Click to expand...

Well, what's your DAT? Did you get at least a 20/21? How's your application package looking? Do you personally know anyone in admissions or person of importance of the school? or do you have their alumni to write you a personal letter of rec? The reason I ask is because their school recruiter told my undergrad straight up during their presentation several times that they WILL NOT look at your application if yon don't fit the GPA or the DAT cutoff.

"Why should we look at you when there are hundreds thousands of other applicants out there who are just as hard working as you are and did just as much as you did? Having the GPA cutoff make our job a little easier in terms of filtering applicants." That is a quote which I heard 3 years in a row during my undergrad study. Since you got an interview there so I guess it's not THAT absolute.

Not going to name names on here but that's a direct quote that was told
 
dentalWorks said:
are you serious? they have a cutoff of 3.5 for BOTH the overall AND science? thats really rare lol, most schools have a cutoffs between 2.7-3.0s

I mean, I do have the 21 on DAT, and my last 54 credits of post-bacc were upper level sciences on a straight 4.0 run.
Click to expand...

Well, the application to APPLY is definitely not that high. I am talking about the GPA to qualify for an interview is pretty high. Of course, that's not 100% true cause I am sure they will interview a few students with below that 3.5 GPA but they gotta be special. From listening to their speaker/recruiter for couple years, it really is a VERY hard school to get in if your academic stats aren't there.
 
peerless218 said:
Well, what's your DAT? Did you get at least a 20/21? How's your application package looking? Do you personally know anyone in admissions or person of importance of the school? or do you have their alumni to write you a personal letter of rec? The reason I ask is because their school recruiter told my undergrad straight up during their presentation several times that they WILL NOT look at your application if yon don't fit the GPA or the DAT cutoff.

"Why should we look at you when there are hundreds thousands of other applicants out there who are just as hard working as you are and did just as much as you did? Having the GPA cutoff make our job a little easier in terms of filtering applicants." That is a quote which I heard 3 years in a row during my undergrad study. Since you got an interview there so I guess it's not THAT absolute.

Not going to name names on here but that's a direct quote that was told
Click to expand...

I got a 19AA 20TS and 23PA on the DAT and I have significant shadowing, work and volunteer experience and research - pretty well rounded I think but no special circumstances like alumni or knowing someone in admissions.

The only point I was trying to make is that it isn't an absolute cutoff so if those of you who are still waiting have below a 3.5 on ogpa or sgpa then don't lose all hope
 
so I called them to see why I was rejected. From what I gather and what their direction of admissions told me

1) they mostly care about overall numbers, they are not too impressed with most recent course work. So the fact that I had my last 3.5 years of straight 4.0 with upper level sciences, is nothing but a fluff to them

2) they value non-science GPA just as much as overall and science GPA, well my non-science was 3.0, overall was 3.3, and science was 3.6...... Maybe he was just telling me that to give me an excuse

3) I asked him directly about my most recent course work, and that my lower GPA is because of 10-years ago when I first did my undergrad. He indirectly told me that maybe I'll have better luck with other dental schools I applied to cause Case mostly cares about overall numbers.

4) This is just my guess here, I don't think they opened my file, I think they saw my front-end numbers and decided NEXT.



Good luck to rest of you
 
dentalWorks said:
so I called them to see why I was rejected. From what I gather and what their direction of admissions told me

1) they mostly care about overall numbers, they are not too impressed with most recent course work. So the fact that I had my last 3.5 years of straight 4.0 with upper level sciences, is nothing but a fluff to them

2) they value non-science GPA just as much as overall and science GPA, well my non-science was 3.0, overall was 3.3, and science was 3.6...... Maybe he was just telling me that to give me an excuse

3) I asked him directly about my most recent course work, and that my lower GPA is because of 10-years ago when I first did my undergrad. He indirectly told me that maybe I'll have better luck with other dental schools I applied to cause Case mostly cares about overall numbers.

4) This is just my guess here, I don't think they opened my file, I think they saw my front-end numbers and decided NEXT.



Good luck to rest of you
Click to expand...

May sound cliche but seriously, it's their loss.
 
dentalWorks said:
so I called them to see why I was rejected. From what I gather and what their direction of admissions told me

1) they mostly care about overall numbers, they are not too impressed with most recent course work. So the fact that I had my last 3.5 years of straight 4.0 with upper level sciences, is nothing but a fluff to them

2) they value non-science GPA just as much as overall and science GPA, well my non-science was 3.0, overall was 3.3, and science was 3.6...... Maybe he was just telling me that to give me an excuse

3) I asked him directly about my most recent course work, and that my lower GPA is because of 10-years ago when I first did my undergrad. He indirectly told me that maybe I'll have better luck with other dental schools I applied to cause Case mostly cares about overall numbers.

4) This is just my guess here, I don't think they opened my file, I think they saw my front-end numbers and decided NEXT.



Good luck to rest of you
Click to expand...

Ouch... I'm really sorry to hear that. Thank goodness for some of us that not all schools are like that. UoP told me they weighed the last two years most heavily when I went to visit them, last year.

Chin up. Like Alan84 said, it's their loss.
 
dentalWorks said:
so I called them to see why I was rejected. From what I gather and what their direction of admissions told me

1) they mostly care about overall numbers, they are not too impressed with most recent course work. So the fact that I had my last 3.5 years of straight 4.0 with upper level sciences, is nothing but a fluff to them

2) they value non-science GPA just as much as overall and science GPA, well my non-science was 3.0, overall was 3.3, and science was 3.6...... Maybe he was just telling me that to give me an excuse

3) I asked him directly about my most recent course work, and that my lower GPA is because of 10-years ago when I first did my undergrad. He indirectly told me that maybe I'll have better luck with other dental schools I applied to cause Case mostly cares about overall numbers.

4) This is just my guess here, I don't think they opened my file, I think they saw my front-end numbers and decided NEXT.



Good luck to rest of you
Click to expand...

Thank you for finding that out. I think I fall into this category, I took one semester back in 2004 where I got a 2.5 after signing up for way too many science classes at once thinking that it was the same difficulty level as high school would be and then after maturing and taking some time off from school I came back to school and got 4.0's or close to it and raised my gpa to a 3.7. That sucks that they don't care about improvement, personal growth, maturity etc.
 
threeblindmice said:
Thank you for finding that out. I think I fall into this category, I took one semester back in 2004 where I got a 2.5 after signing up for way too many science classes at once thinking that it was the same difficulty level as high school would be and then after maturing and taking some time off from school I came back to school and got 4.0's or close to it and raised my gpa to a 3.7. That sucks that they don't care about improvement, personal growth, maturity etc.
Click to expand...


I have my doubts about what you said. I had a 1.9 GPA in my freshman year and straight 4.0 afterward. However, my cGPA is still pretty bad (sub 3.3). I just got an invite from them and there's no way I can make the cutoff if they don't look at my improvements
 
ttdmd said:
I have my doubts about what you said. I had a 1.9 GPA in my freshman year and straight 4.0 afterward. However, my cGPA is still pretty bad (sub 3.3). I just got an invite from them and there's no way I can make the cutoff if they don't look at my improvements
Click to expand...

Well those are my stats so maybe it was something else they didn't like I don't know. My DAT isn't amazing or anything its about average. Maybe its just a combination of a low first semester combined with average DAT and I'm male middle class and white? Who knows what they were looking for
 
ttdmd said:
I have my doubts about what you said. I had a 1.9 GPA in my freshman year and straight 4.0 afterward. However, my cGPA is still pretty bad (sub 3.3). I just got an invite from them and there's no way I can make the cutoff if they don't look at my improvements
Click to expand...

threeblindmice said:
Well those are my stats so maybe it was something else they didn't like I don't know. My DAT isn't amazing or anything its about average. Maybe its just a combination of a low first semester combined with average DAT and I'm male middle class and white? Who knows what they were looking for
Click to expand...

your guys are forgetting that there is more than 1 person in the adcom committee who looks at these. Maybe 1 person strickly cares about overall numbers vs the other that likes to see over-all improvements.

However, overall, I now believe they "skip" through alot of the applicants just to get the "interview process" over with.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Dentalworks what's BCM?

I know BCP but never heard BCM lol Biology, Chemistry and Math?

and don't worry about Case. You are WELL qualified for Other fantastic D-schools!
 
RedDevilDDS said:
Dentalworks what's BCM?

I know BCP but never heard BCM lol Biology, Chemistry and Math?

and don't worry about Case. You are WELL qualified for Other fantastic D-schools!
Click to expand...

oh shoot... yeh its BCP... I was in a state of RAGE, I wasn't even paying attention lol

Ty you and everyone else for your kind comments....
 
well.... sometimes bad news are followed by good ones...
I just got my first interview invite for Nova.

very exciting
 
dentalWorks said:
well.... sometimes bad news are followed by good ones...
I just got my first interview invite for Nova.

very exciting
Click to expand...

Congrats on Nova. When did they receive all your app materials?

Also, did you receive a packet in the mail from Case with 2 admissions information booklets prior to rejection letter?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.