*** Help In Fine Touching A School List ***

[dds2013]

I need help cutting down the number of schools I should apply to. This is my first time applying, so I really need the upperclassmen to help me out. My goal is to apply to around 15-20 schools. I really need to get in with my first try.

About me:
- male in early twenties
- resident of Illinois
- just completed my junior year at a 4 year university in IL
- have 86 total semester hours
- S-GPA of 4.0, O-GPA of 4.0
- assisting a general dentist for past 2 years
- on the board in 3 clubs at my school
- completed summer research program
- courses completed include (all sci courses are with lab): gen bio 1 & 2, genetics, cell bio, physiology, gen chem 1 & 2, orgo chem 1 & 2, physics 1 & 2, pre-calc & calc, english 1 & 2, spanish 1 & 2, psychology, sociology

Only part I have not mentioned: D---A---T !!!!!!

I always do horrible on standardized exams. In high school I got a 19/36 on my ACTs. However, I was still able to get into very good 4-year institutions because everything but my ACT score was very competitive. I had 3.8 GPA, multiple EC clubs, excellent LORs, etc. I will be trying to use those same tactics in trying to get into dental school. I took a practice Kaplan DAT exam around two months ago and got 13AA/14TS/13PAT. A very good friend of mine told me not to panic b/c ironically he got those same exact practice scores, but ended up getting 19AA on real DAT, and is now D1 in NYU.

I will be submitting my application prior to June 1. I will take the DAT around August 15 then send my scores to the respective schools ASAP b/c I would like my app to be complete prior to the (early) September 1 deadline. Reaching a 19AA on the DAT would be a dream come true. I do believe however that getting an 18 is doable. Hence, when analyzing the following list, consider that I have 18AA/19TS/18PAT.

*******************

Key: ps (private school), rps (religious private school), number% (% of accepted students who were out-of-state, 2006 data from http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=519401)

Schools I feel that I really should apply to:
MWU: ps, new buildings
UCONN: 72%
NOVA: 41%, ps
UIC: priority given to me b/c I’m in-state resident
SIU: priority given to me b/c I’m in-state resident
INDIANA: 31%, I hope they give priority to neighboring states’ students
LOUISVILLE: 56%
MARYLAND: 46%
BU: 92%, ps
TUFTS: 87%, ps
UDMercy: 35%, rps
MICH: 62%, close to home
CREIGTON: 82%, rps
BUFFALO: 50%
CASE: 91%, p
PITT: 60%
TEMPLE: 75%
VCU: 60%
W VIRGINIA: 49%
MARQUETTE: 61%, rps
---total: 20 schools

Schools I am not sure on whether I should apply to:
LLU: rps
USC: 31%, ps, I am getting worried after reading some students don’t like PBL (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=6502713)
UMINN: 32%
UMKC: 34%
OHIO ST: 35%
TENN: 43%
---total: 6 schools

Schools that are not on the list were deleted either because they had very low out-of-state acceptance, or I felt that their avg DAT scores were too high for me to achieve.

*******************

My goal is to enter a public university. However, b/c states must give priority to in-state residents, I am obligated to apply to private schools (ps) and religous private schools (rps) in order to increase my chances of getting accepted this year.

I think that my application looks strong, with the exception of the DAT. Like I mentioned above, I do not want to show dental schools that I am desperate about getting in on my first try, even though technically I am. I know for a fact that they will ask me on my interview: “Why us out of the 20 schools you applied to?” I’ll think of an answer by then, for now however, I need the honest opinion of whoever can advise me on what they think I should do.

Please let me know whether I should change/add/delete any schools from my “schools I feel that I really should apply to” section.

Any advice is good advice, so please advise. Essentially, the advice that I will receive here is the most valuable advice that I will receive. Hence, by the end of this post, whatever schools are on the list (based on your suggestions), are the schools that I will be applying to on May 15.

Thanks to all.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[blankguy]

Buffalo is a out of state friendly state school. If you get in there you will only pay out of state rate for the first year until you change to instate.

Your post sounds desperate. There is no reason to be desperate. You sound like you could get in at first try. Since you have such a strong GPA a 17-18 score may be overlooked depending on the schools. People with those scores certainly get in but those people tend to have high GPA which you have. You are bound to get in somewhere unless your DAT score is 16 and under overall.

First worry about getting into A SCHOOL. Once you accomplish that you can get choosy about which school you want to go.

As to your list. I would cut it down to 10. At most 15. Saying that you apply to 20 with your GPA makes you sound weird and desperate.
I would certainly include BU, Tufts, and Buffalo. Marquette is sort of a state school for Wisconsin don't get deceived by their DAT and GPA averages. An out of stater there is an out of stater. I wouldn't bother applying to the schools that you are having doubts. They are all state schools which will consider you an out of stater, besides you have a long list already covering your state pretty well.

 

[nightmoves]

your list looks good. I would apply to buffalo also. I too got around a 13 on my practice kaplan test and ended up getting a 19/19/20 on DAT and don't consider myself a good standardized test taker. so just study your a$$$ off and you should be fine. what undergrad did you go to.

 

[nightmoves]

oh yeah and i got into a dental school this past year.. and the 13 on kaplan test was the first time i ever took the dat without any practice. which i assume is also your case

 

[airsimon]

Considering you have a 4.0 it won't matter if you get a 17 or a 25. Your two state school s are your best bet. I think you'll have an EXCELLENT shot at UIC and SIU.

 

[jonxjizza]

My advice - keep taking those practice DAT exams on your laptop, over and over. It seems like you know this material based on your gpa, you just need to get comfortable with the mechanics of the exam. I don't think you'll need to worry so much about which schools to apply to - choose those that appeal to you most.

 

[ummjoey]

i would suggest pushing your dat up to an earlier date. august 15th is a little late. can you take it in july?

the schools you pick to apply to really depends on your dat. what if you do really well on your dat.

i dont think you should aim for such a low dat score. always aim high?

 

[1992Corolla]

breakdown with percents and everything! Man I wouldn't have stood a chance against all these new applicants...
I think I wrote down the schools I thought were interesting on a piece of paper wadded up in my back pocket with some gum in it and then clicked on those schools later that night before I submitted AADSAS.

I think you'll be fine.

 

[airsimon]

breakdown with percents and everything! Man I wouldn't have stood a chance against all these new applicants...
I think I wrote down the schools I thought were interesting on a piece of paper wadded up in my back pocket with some gum in it and then clicked on those schools later that night before I submitted AADSAS.

I think you'll be fine.

lol :thumbsup:

 

[SanOnofre2002]

That was the most detailed "help me" post I've ever seen. I don't mean that in a negative way either, I think it's smart to be so precise. If you were to get an 18/19/18 as you predicted, you should be able to get into nearly all of the 20 schools you included (except for UConn, maybe). Don't let your ACT experience get you down, you've obviously progressed a long ways in your test taking abilities since then. The DAT shouldn't be any harder or suprising than a summation of all those science classes you took. Hopefully you've dedicated your summer solely to studying for it. I think you might suprise yourself. With that said, you should pare off 6 or 7 schools so that you can later add some cheaper state schools if you excel on the DAT. The schools I'd remove are: WVU, Maryland, Detroit Mercy, UConn, Michigan, and Midwestern.Varying reasons for this, but I'm assuming you perform low on the test so these I think would be less worthwhile. After you take the DAT in August, quickly add some state schools or more competitive schools if you do well. Ones like UCLA, UCSF, Columbia, etc.

 

[dds2013]

Thank you all for the advice, i greatly appreciate it.