High Match Rated Schools?

[MrSummerlin]

So I have too much time on my hands while waiting for summer school to start. When this happens I tend to over research dental related topics. 6 hours later I am watching this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_YqW_NNFlc&feature=related. That has to be the coolest specialty ever. I never wanted to specialize, but now I am interested. I now want to shadow a omfs. Fast forward 3 hours and I am learning about match rates and another 2 hours later finding out why Harvard, Columbia, UCLA, etc. are so sought after by those who want to specialize.

I then go to Pre-dents to see some stats on these higher match schools. I see that, on Predents, only people from UC schools, BYU, Stanford, Columbia,....big tier 1 schools, are accepted to high match rated schools.

So to my question.
Am I **** out of luck when it comes to attending a high match rated school since I am attending a tier 2 school?

If not, what does an ideal tier 2 candidate have on their resume?

I completely understand that anyone at any school can specialize. Just like any student from any undergrad school can attand D-school. However we all bust our as$ for the 4.0 to be a part of the higher gpa pool, which tends to have higher acceptance rates into d-school. I just want to bust my as$ even hard to be apart of the higher match rated schools, but just don't know how to or if we can even make it in.

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[Bereno]

Whoa, calm down there turbo. You have only been thinking about this for less than a day... Go shadow an OMFS for a while before you start looking at which schools have a strong specializing history.

 

[omnipoDent]

Whoa, calm down there turbo. You have only been thinking about this for less than a day... Go shadow an OMFS for a while before you start looking at which schools have a strong specializing history.

 

[timwatley]

OMFS is indeed a bad ass specialty. However, I wouldn't stress about it yet. The first thing you need to concentrate on is getting into dental school which is kind of a random, difficult process in itself.

Can you see yourself being a regular dentist? When I started college I wanted to be an opthamologist. It's crazy competitive though. You have to work hard just to get into a medical school. Once you're in medical school you need to work even harder to stay ahead of your class. Then the entire residency matching process doesn't always go as planned. Since I was an average 3.5 student at a state school I knew there was a good chance I would never become an eye doctor...and I couldn't imagine being a regular physician...so I ruled medicine out. The same thing goes with OMFS. It's hard to get into. You will literally stress yourself out for the next decade worrying about this stuff...it's not worth it!

Enjoy life, get into a school, and go from there.

 

[MrSummerlin]

Whoa, calm down there turbo. You have only been thinking about this for less than a day... Go shadow an OMFS for a while before you start looking at which schools have a strong specializing history.

LOL at the turbo...truly funny

I understand that I should shadow....thats a given and a guarantee.

But is it true that I would have a slim to no opportunity of attending a high match % school?

 

[MrSummerlin]

OMFS is indeed a bad ass specialty. However, I wouldn't stress about it yet. The first thing you need to concentrate on is getting into dental school which is kind of a random, difficult process in itself.

Can you see yourself being a regular dentist? When I started college I wanted to be an opthamologist. It's crazy competitive though. You have to work hard just to get into a medical school. Once you're in medical school you need to work even harder to stay ahead of your class. Then the entire residency matching process doesn't always go as planned. Since I was an average 3.5 student at a state school I knew there was a good chance I would never become an eye doctor...and I couldn't imagine being a regular physician...so I ruled medicine out. The same thing goes with OMFS. It's hard to get into. You will literally stress yourself out for the next decade worrying about this stuff...it's not worth it!

Enjoy life, get into a school, and go from there.

I would love to be just a GP and never had a thought about specializing but I literally have read probably every thread out on specialization and none of them discuss the questions I have presented. The question is not about my desire to ONLY become an omfs. It is more about the fact that IF I have 3.95 gpa/sgpa, 100+ of shadowing, tutor for a year, a part of clubs, 200+ hours of volunteering, a year of research at a Tier 2 school. "I believe" I would still not have a shot at going to a high match % rated school.

So I am basically asking if it is true that I am S.O.L. when it comes to attending one of these d-schools? If not, what would one do to increase their chances?

I try not to waste peoples time on the forum. I will do research using prior posts and the internet as much as I can. When I cant find any information I then post a question and I cant find any information on this. I dont ask questions on here to be told to focus on getting into d-school and a pat on my head. I worked hard before these omfs "dreams" and will continue to. But thanks.

 

[HAWKDDS2014]

The best answer anyone can give to that question is anecdotal evidence about a friend with such and such GPA/DAT/extra curriculars that went to such and such undergrad and got in/didn't get into one of those top-tier dental schools.

To me, it seems like you have put yourself in very good position to be accepted to a UCLA, UCSF, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, etc. pending your DAT scores (which is a HUGE component) and although you may not be looked at QUITE AS FAVORABLY as someone coming from a slightly more competitive undergrad school you should still be able to land interviews at just about everywhere you apply. From that point it's on you to do well on your interviews and get accepted .

Best of Luck !

 

[timwatley]

If you have those grades and a great DAT score then your chances will obviously be better than most. Great stats at a state school could definitely get you into one of those programs.

Nobody on here can really answer you questions though...we are pre-dents and not admissions officers. Calling the schools you're interested in would probably be best.

 

[MrSummerlin]

Very true Hawk, I completely agree with everything you said. thanks.

 

[MrLowKey]

I came out of a lesser known state school. You have a great chance but clearly there are no guarantees. Apply early and be patient and everythig will work out.

 

[DocHolliday1982]

Also make sure you know what you are getting yourself into with the OMS residency. It is four years of +80hrs (from what I hear it is more like 100hrs) a week hell where you can wave bye bye to any sleep or face time with loved ones (Not one OMS or Resident that I have talked to has painted a prettier picture than that, mind you they also all LOVE what they do). That kind of a four year stretch is not why a lot of people decide to go into Dentistry. Great advice has already been given: do some shadowing and try to get to know a Resident or two when you go to D-School to find out if you would be interested in doing the required residency.... Good luck

 

[MrSummerlin]

I came out of a lesser known state school. You have a great chance but clearly there are no guarantees. Apply early and be patient and everythig will work out.

Out of curiosity, what are your stats and ec's

 

[TheToothsayer]

OMFS life is a lot different from other dentists' lives. Fast passed and dirty. Little patient interaction. Almost always in a hospital or clinic.

 

[Bereno]

LOL at the turbo...truly funny

I understand that I should shadow....thats a given and a guarantee.

But is it true that I would have a slim to no opportunity of attending a high match % school?

OK, so it looks like you have the essentials lined up (like shadowing), and have solid grades. If you are wondering if you have no chance of getting into a school that specializes a lot of students, then no, you are not SOL. Undergrad prestige only goes so far when it comes to admittance (it is useful, but only marginally so). If you have great grades, rock solid DAT (an equalizer of sorts), and some well rounded ECs, then you have an awesome shot at getting into the schools you mentioned. Once again though, you can specialize coming out of most schools. One thing that you might want to keep in the back of your mind is this: does a high match rate school make you more likely to specialize, or does that same high match rate school simply accept students that are more likely to specialize? This is an important distinction.

Don't stress it man, your time will come.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

You can either like sleep or like OMFS. You can't pick both.