Here to answer questions about upcoming cycle

[deleted323428]

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Hi, let me give you a little background about me. I applied this last cycle everything went to the schools I selected on September 23rd so I was considered a "late" applicant. I got a 19AA and an 18TS on my DAT and had a 15 in Gen Chem, I graduated with a 3.70 cGPA and a 3.73 SGPA.. I am mostly writing this because I remember how much this site stressed me out during the whole entire application process.. I did not have the most stellar test scores, I didnt graduate from an ivy league school, my application was sent out "late" in the process, and I am a white male so I am not considered a minority. I sent my application out to 19 schools and recieved 7 interviews and 4 acceptances into dental school. I am just here to answer any questions that any of you might have about this upcoming cycle. I feel like I can give the perspective of what on this forum would be considered an "average" applicant. Feel free to shoot me any questions in this thread or to my inbox..

 

[wired202808]

Hi, let me give you a little background about me. I applied this last cycle everything went to the schools I selected on September 23rd so I was considered a "late" applicant. I got a 19AA and an 18TS on my DAT and had a 15 in Gen Chem, I graduated with a 3.70 cGPA and a 3.73 SGPA.. I am mostly writing this because I remember how much this site stressed me out during the whole entire application process.. I did not have the most stellar test scores, I didnt graduate from an ivy league school, my application was sent out "late" in the process, and I am a white male so I am not considered a minority. I sent my application out to 19 schools and recieved 7 interviews and 4 acceptances into dental school. I am just here to answer any questions that any of you might have about this upcoming cycle. I feel like I can give the perspective of what on this forum would be considered an "average" applicant. Feel free to shoot me any questions in this thread or to my inbox..

You're not really an average applicant with that monster GPA. If you have a 3.2 GPA you would probably be sitting out this year. But its awesome you got in! Seems like you either under prepared for the DAT or went to an easy college. Because a 18TS with a 3.73 sGPA is kinda hard to justify. Just saying.

 

[tianyuan19]

What are they looking for in those interviews? is there a way to get yourself prepared? How are you different from the rest of applicants?
Thanks 🙂

 

[deleted323428]

What are they looking for in the interview:

They are looking for someone with good communication skills, most of my interviews were very relaxed and we pretty much just talked about random topics, the interview usually started off with something like tell me about yourself and then from there many different things were talked about.. in one of my interviews we talked about soccer for 30 minutes.. Every school has a different interview process though but I found most of my interviews to be very relaxed.

How did I prepare:
To be honest I didnt prepare.. I didn't want my answers to feel like they were scripted or something that I over thought.. the only question I even thought about was why I wanted to be a dentist because they asked it in almost every interview..just relax, breathe, and be yourself ( unless you have a highly annoying personality then dont be yourself lol)

How am I different:

I played professional soccer in Colombia and Mexico for 3 years and I speak fluent spanish

 

[antidentite1]

I was also intimidated by SDN and the things people were saying about what it takes to get into dental school. I scored a 19AA, 19TS, 21 PA, 23 Reading, and a 16 in Gen Chem with a 3.4 sciGPA and 3.66 Total GPA. I applied September 30th and I felt (due to many threads on SDN) that I had a very slim chance to be accepted. However, I was accepted to my top choice, Midwestern-AZ, and I couldn't be happier.

SDN is a great source for information but it is also very dangerous for confidence because people are quick to judge others without having any idea what schools are really looking for. Most things on here are here-say and speculation.

Interview advice: Laugh, have fun, and be confident in yourself no matter what your shortcomings are; they are interviewing you for a reason. My first interview (at Roseman) didn't go very well. I was too up-tight and I thought to much about my answers; I was still put on their wait-list though. My next interview was with Midwestern-AZ and I knew I had to do better because it it my number one choice. I went into that interview much more relaxed, determined to have fun with my interviewer and to show my best side. I was accepted and I am sure it is partly because I showed who I really am, not who I thought they would want to see.

Trust in yourself and don't judge yourself too harshly based on things said here on SDN. 👍

 

[deleted323428]

Anti- Ill see you in Glendale!

 

[tianyuan19]

Thanks !!!

 

[bchang57]

mbkin07: how/when did you go about obtaining your rec letters? I was thinking either near the beginning of qtrs (or semesters) is better because your prof might be less busy? Also, do you think it's better to email them? or just go straight up to them and ask? (I'm already graduated though, I hope they remember me!)
And do they need to know how many schools you are applying to beforehand? Or just write 1 and ask them to make "n" # of copies for you for however many schools you are applying to?

 

[deleted323428]

I set up a meeting with the teachers that were going to write me a letter. This allows you to explain why you want tog et into dentistry and gives them a better idea of who you really are. Each of my meetings lasted from 30 minutes to an hour.. I alos gave them my personal statement before they wrote my letter of REC. I would email them asking them to set up a meeting with them. They do not need to know how many schools you are applying to, they submit their letter of REC through the AADSAS website and whichever schools you choose to apply to when the time comes their letters will be submitted along with your application.

 

[Davermz450]

Best thread on SDN!! How "hard" was the DAT? I'm taking it this summer, I would put it on a scale of 10 the hardest class you took as an undergrad and 1 being that GE class that you know you will get an A in no matter what. Thanks!

 

[deleted323428]

lol thanks Dave... I would say the DAT is as hard as you make it for yourself but if I had to use your rating system I would say an 8 or 9.. If you take the time to study just like with any other test you will feel more comfortable with it.. I feel like 7 to 8 weeks was the perfect amount of time to study.. I studied about 5 hours a day for 7 weeks.. so around 175 hours of studying in total.. I could have studied for the PAT more and I felt like I studied too much of the Gen Chem Math when most of the stuff on my test was very conceptual and very little math.. I def recommend Chads Videos!!!!

 

[KentUT]

When is the earliest you can start to fill out the application? I know the cycle opens on June 4th, so does that mean that's when you can start filling out the app? Or is that the day you can first submit? I have heard that you can actually start filling it out in may. Thanks in advance for helping us out.

 

[asdfray]

clap***

Just the thread I was looking for:

I'm currently applying this cycle and with a 19AA (20TS, 21PA), I didn't know where I stood, as to how competitive I would be or if I should retake my DAT.

Since you've been through it, any tips what I should do from now till June opens? Were you a bio major? What was the interviewing process like? did they pick weak points out from your gpa? your past? Thankyouuu =)