GPA and DAT

[SmileItsLife]

Heu guys!

So what I've gathered from friends, the GPA is worth like 35% of your app, DAT is 35%, interview is 10%, and everything else is worth like 20%......

Does anyone who've been through the process find this true?

Also, would it look concerning if you got a high GPA and a average DAT, or vice versa?

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I know this question was asked in a previous thread, but I don't think there was a consensus on the topic.
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Thanks!

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[DMDDDSHopeful]

There's too many variables to really get into here. Every school is different. The only school I have heard of that has developed a mathematical formula is UNLV. You can look it up or maybe someone will be kind enough to link it for you.

I don't think an interview would ever account for a small 10%.

Edit: I decided to just go ahead and do it for you.
UNLV Acceptance Formula???

 

[uhds]

There's too many variables to really get into here. Every school is different. The only school I have heard of that has developed a mathematical formula is UNLV. You can look it up or maybe someone will be kind enough to link it for you.

I don't think an interview would ever account for a small 10%.

Edit: I decided to just go ahead and do it for you.
UNLV Acceptance Formula???

Is this still accurate?

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

Is this still accurate?

I do not know. Maybe someone else has that answer on SDN.

 

[Life of Pablo]

No, you can't say components are worth X% of your application. Adcoms evaluate you holistically and decide based on that. Yes DAT and GPA are important, but you can't assign a numerical value to that importance.

 

[uhds]

Yes in that the formula is still used, and there is a threshold you must meet in order to be considered for an acceptance. However if you do meet the threshold value, it does not guarantee your acceptance as there are other factors taken into consideration at that point (your extracurricular resume, personal statement, etc) based on your overall score ranking.

I'm sure other schools use a similar formula to determine academic competency and fit.

Thank you for answering!

 

[jbarnett2020]

This makes no sense. Unless your friends actually work in admissions for literally every single school, you cannot definitively say that a basic formula applies.

Even if it did, you allocated 20% to "everything else" I assume that to mean extracurriculars, experience, work history, secondaries, etc? Most schools have their own individual secondaries that are all uniquely different.

I can understand why many people speculate as to how schools select their candidates. I know that it is scary but what is undeniably true is that each individual applicant is different somehow someway. It is imperative to have strong academic credentials to prove to admissions committees that you are competent and able to handle the rigors of their programs. Nonetheless, each admissions committee is filled with different people that all have their own unique biases and ideas as to what they believe a good candidate would be for their program.

Stop guessing formulas that you cannot prove. Perform well in school, score high on the DAT, provide evidence (through volunteering, shadowing, etc.) that you are genuinely interested in the field, write an honest reflection of yourself and why you would like to pursue dentistry as a career, be a nice and pleasant individual in your interview, and you will have no problems getting into a program that fits your specific personality.