Hardest Dental schools to get into (based on 2020-21 application cycle)

[1futuredentist]

These are the hardest dental schools to get into (based on 2020-21 application cycle). I looked at the numbers of applications received and how many offers were sent out (not number of seats at the school). As everyone is aware, many candidates reject schools because they got into a better school or a cheaper school.

I had looked at this in the past cycle as well, and ranking doesn't change much.

Surprisingly, some highly sought schools are not in the top 20 (Columbia is #23, Michigan is #35)

Rank	School Name	Applications Received	Offers Send	Percent offered
1​	Meharry Medical College	2029​	97​	4.78%​
2​	Harvard University	914​	44​	4.81%​
3​	University of Colorado	2144​	139​	6.48%​
4​	Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health	2437​	167​	6.85%​
5​	Western University of Health Sciences	3006​	211​	7.02%​
6​	University of Oklahoma	760​	54​	7.11%​
7​	University of Connecticut	1222​	92​	7.53%​
8​	Marquette University	2438​	196​	8.04%​
9​	University of North Carolina	1218​	103​	8.46%​
10​	West Virginia University	973​	85​	8.74%​
11​	University of Illinois, Chicago	1320​	121​	9.17%​
12​	University at Buffalo	1830​	169​	9.23%​
13​	Medical University of South Carolina	1224​	114​	9.31%​
14​	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	1630​	153​	9.39%​
15​	University of California, Los Angeles	1398​	138​	9.87%​
16​	University of Alabama	945​	94​	9.95%​
17​	Virginia Commonwealth University	2274​	228​	10.03%​
18​	University of the Pacific	2112​	218​	10.32%​
19​	University of Florida	1477​	153​	10.36%​
20​	University of California, San Francisco	1366​	146​	10.69%​

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[Big Time Hoosier]

Callaway, is that you?

Big Hoss

 

[1futuredentist]

Hmmm. No Trolling.. LOL
This is based on real data published by CODA (Commission on Dental Association).

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

This is based on real data published by CODA

I get that. But when you describe the “hardest” schools to get into, most people are thinking about the schools that require the greatest “effort” to get into. Objectively, this is going to be measured by GPA and DAT. Subjectively, we’d be discussing leadership, service, and research.

Big Hoss

 

[deleted994703]

hardest would be the texas schools

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

hardest would be the texas schools

Cheapest for the win!

Big Hoss

 

[surfline]

The hardest school to get into has the highest GPA and DAT. No one with a 17 AA is applying to Harvard, but maybe to Meharry

 

[doc toothache]

You should be commended for taking the time to analyze the data that is available for predents. You did great until you decided to venture out of your comfort zone and draw the conclusion that Meharry is the "hardest dental school to get into", at which point, you took a double barrel and pulled both triggers to be sure you did not miss a foot. It should have been a clue that something was amiss when the school that usually hovers at the bottom of the list in the means of relevant metrics you give it claims to be the toughest kid on the block. All metrics may be/are important. In this case, the number of offers sent out is a pretty good indication of how many offers of acceptance were rejected by a particular school.

 

[1futuredentist]

You should be commended for taking the time to analyze the data that is available for predents. You did great until you decided to venture out of your comfort zone and draw the conclusion that Meharry is the "hardest dental school to get into", at which point, you took a double barrel and pulled both triggers to be sure you did not miss a foot. It should have been a clue that something was amiss when the school that usually hovers at the bottom of the list in the means of relevant metrics you give it claims to be the toughest kid on the block. All metrics may be/are important. In this case, the number of offers sent out is a pretty good indication of how many offers of acceptance were rejected by a particular school.

Yes, I agree - I posted without analyzing DAT scores and GPA. I should have analyzed those as well.

The thread should have been called - schools with the lowest acceptance rates (which is kind of why it's hard to get into them - but not solely and completely). I wasn't sure why Melharry had a low acceptance rate so I analyzed it further. It seems that many people who have lower end of DAT scores and GPA apply there because their average DAT is low. People with lower DAT / GPA are better off applying to other universities whose acceptance rate is higher.

If the OOS acceptance rate is low on this data sheet and if you are OOS, then it's not worth applying there even if the student may have a high DAT/GPA (examples: UIC, Univ of California, Texas, even Rutgers)

Hopefully, this is helpful to pre-dental students to make informed decisions on where not to apply and save some money.
Here is full list with %Out of State acceptance rate as well as Avg DAT and avg GPA.

Rank	State / Country / Province	United States, CODA-Accredited Dental Schools	Received	# Offers Made	1st Yr Seats	% Accepted	% OOS Acceptance Rate	DAT	GPA
1​	TN	Meharry Medical College	2029​	97​	61​	4.78%​	85.25%​	17.6​	3.21​
2​	MA	Harvard University	914​	44​	36​	4.81%​	91.67%​	23​	3.89​
3​	CO	University of Colorado	2144​	139​	80​	6.48%​	41.25%​	21​	3.61​
4​	AZ	Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health	2437​	167​	78​	6.85%​	79.49%​	19.3​	3.41​
5​	CA	Western University of Health Sciences	3006​	211​	70​	7.02%​	37.14%​	19.7​	3.24​
6​	OK	University of Oklahoma	760​	54​	52​	7.11%​	19.23%​	20.1​	3.59​
7​	CT	University of Connecticut	1222​	92​	48​	7.53%​	37.50%​	21.9​	3.72​
8​	WI	Marquette University	2438​	196​	107​	8.04%​	53.27%​	20.7​	3.66​
9​	NC	University of North Carolina	1218​	103​	84​	8.46%​	19.05%​	22​	3.58​
10​	WV	West Virginia University	973​	85​	48​	8.74%​	27.08%​	19​	3.62​
11​	IL	University of Illinois, Chicago	1320​	121​	70​	9.17%​	4.29%​	20​	3.6​
12​	NY	University at Buffalo	1830​	169​	95​	9.23%​	36.84%​	20.9​	3.59​
13​	SC	Medical University of South Carolina	1224​	114​	78​	9.31%​	29.49%​	20.1​	3.56​
14​	NV	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	1630​	153​	85​	9.39%​	41.18%​	21.3​	3.56​
15​	CA	University of California, Los Angeles	1398​	138​	88​	9.87%​	6.82%​	23​	3.74​
16​	AL	University of Alabama	945​	94​	63​	9.95%​	26.98%​	21.6​	3.77​
17​	VA	Virginia Commonwealth University	2274​	228​	96​	10.03%​	36.46%​	21.4​	3.68​
18​	CA	University of the Pacific	2112​	218​	146​	10.32%​	23.29%​	22​	3.6​
19​	FL	University of Florida	1477​	153​	93​	10.36%​	10.75%​	22​	3.79​
20​	CA	University of California, San Francisco	1366​	146​	90​	10.69%​	34.44%​	23​	3.63​
21​	TX	Texas A&M University	1457​	157​	106​	10.78%​	5.66%​	21.7​	3.62​
22​	TX	University of Texas at Houston	1452​	158​	105​	10.88%​	7.62%​	22.3​	3.78​
23​	NY	Columbia University	1516​	171​	88​	11.28%​	64.77%​	24​	3.75​
24​	FL	LECOM School of Dental Medicine	3234​	372​	105​	11.50%​	67.62%​	20​	3.6​
25​	TN	University of Tennessee College of Dentistry	1203​	140​	98​	11.64%​	38.78%​	20.2​	3.66​
26​	MO	Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health	1365​	159​	64​	11.65%​	84.38%​	19​	3.47​
27​	MA	Tufts University	3934​	461​	210​	11.72%​	71.90%​	20​	3.32​
28​	IL	Midwestern University - IL	2351​	276​	140​	11.74%​	65.71%​	19.4​	3.34​
29​	FL	Nova Southeastern University	2065​	259​	130​	12.54%​	26.15%​	21​	3.7​
30​	UT	Roseman University of Health Sciences	1734​	218​	102​	12.57%​	80.39%​	20​	3.29​
31​	DC	Howard University	1000​	127​	69​	12.70%​	100.00%​	18.3​	3.3​
32​	IL	Southern Illinois University	636​	82​	50​	12.89%​	16.00%​	19.9​	3.66​
33​	NY	Stony Brook University	961​	124​	47​	12.90%​	31.91%​	20.3​	3.72​
34​	MI	University of Michigan	1600​	208​	108​	13.00%​	34.26%​	21.8​	3.73​
35​	PA	Temple University	2766​	361​	141​	13.05%​	54.61%​	21.2​	3.55​
36​	NJ	Rutgers School of Dental Medicine	1994​	262​	96​	13.14%​	18.75%​	21.5​	3.61​
37​	MA	Boston University	2312​	307​	117​	13.28%​	69.23%​	20.2​	3.44​
38​	OH	Case Western Reserve University	2339​	312​	76​	13.34%​	76.32%​	20.9​	3.6​
39​	NE	University of Nebraska Medical Center	528​	73​	53​	13.83%​	37.74%​	20.4​	3.67​
40​	KY	University of Kentucky	944​	136​	65​	14.41%​	46.15%​	20.2​	3.67​
41​	KY	University of Louisville	2059​	299​	121​	14.52%​	72.73%​	20​	3.57​
42​	GA	Augusta University	852​	126​	96​	14.79%​	10.42%​	21​	3.67​
43​	TX	UT Health San Antonio	1449​	216​	101​	14.91%​	2.97%​	20.8​	3.67​
44​	CA	Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC	2388​	361​	144​	15.12%​	36.81%​	20.5​	3.59​
45​	PA	University of Pittsburgh	1526​	234​	80​	15.33%​	58.75%​	21.6​	3.71​
46​	NE	Creighton University	1991​	308​	116​	15.47%​	92.24%​	18.9​	3.63​
47​	NY	Touro College of Dental Medicine	2581​	408​	113​	15.81%​	68.14%​	21.2​	3.46​
48​	IA	University of Iowa	864​	137​	82​	15.86%​	32.93%​	21​	3.63​
49​	CA	Loma Linda University	1216​	194​	100​	15.95%​	100.00%​	20.1​	3.49​
50​	AZ	Midwestern University - AZ	2256​	362​	145​	16.05%​	81.38%​	20​	3.48​
51​	LA	LSU Health Sciences Center	570​	93​	76​	16.32%​	22.37%​	21.1​	3.56​
52​	MD	University of Maryland	1816​	305​	136​	16.80%​	50.00%​	21​	3.6​
53​	PA	University of Pennsylvania	1992​	335​	136​	16.82%​	87.50%​	22.4​	3.75​
54​	OR	Oregon Health & Science University	940​	187​	74​	19.89%​	44.59%​	20.8​	3.71​
55​	NY	New York University	3092​	664​	366​	21.47%​	51.09%​	21​	3.45​
56​	ME	University of New England	823​	179​	64​	21.75%​	90.63%​	19.4​	3.45​
57​	MO	University of Missouri, Kansas City	721​	159​	109​	22.05%​	45.87%​	20.3​	3.77​
58​	NC	East Carolina University	380​	84​	52​	22.11%​	0.00%​	20.5​	3.5​
59​	WA	University of Washington	488​	109​	63​	22.34%​	11.11%​	21.4​	3.6​
60​	IN	Indiana University	941​	218​	105​	23.17%​	42.86%​	19.5​	3.54​
61​	OH	Ohio State University	776​	181​	120​	23.32%​	12.50%​	20.4​	3.61​
62​	MI	University of Detroit Mercy	1543​	383​	144​	24.82%​	48.61%​	19.7​	3.62​
63​	UT	University of Utah	469​	134​	51​	28.57%​	56.86%​	21​	3.73​
64​	MN	University of Minnesota	664​	208​	105​	31.33%​	34.29%​	20.9​	3.62​
65​	PR	University of Puerto Rico	117​	40​	40​	34.19%​	0.00%​	19​	3.58​
66​	MS	University of Mississippi	128​	44​	40​	34.38%​	0.00%​	20​	3.54​