Hopeful 3rd time re-applicant!

[Dental 4ever]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys 🙂! Most of you remember me from the past 3 years! Here I am again 😉! I never gave up on my dream to become a dentist. Last cycle, I applied with the following stats:

Science GPA= 3.23 and Overall GPA=3.07
DAT 2015= AA=19, Ochem=15, Gchem=21, Bio=18, RC=21, QR=18, & PAT=19

I got an interview last year and it was all about the 15 on ochem. I felt so down and I walked out determined to do better based on the advice I got from my interviewer. I re-took two classes that I do bad on, including Ochem I. I retook my DAT and these are my new stats:

Science GPA= Pending (In progress) and Overall GPA=Pending (In progress)
DAT 2016= AA=20, Ochem=20 (up 5 points!), Gchem=20, Bio=17, RC=21, QR=23 (up 5 points!), & PAT=19

I am so happy of the progress I did and I sent my unofficial scores to the school I have contacted earlier and told them about my progress plan. I need your advice if there is a specific place I should I apply to. I already got rejected from Nova, MWU-AZ, and Mehary. They didn't wait for my re-take. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I also want to give you guys hope and motivation because this forum has helped me a lot to push harder. NEVER give up! If you want something, work harder. The interview made me walk out with tears and I feel very disappointed . However, I can't forget how I never got a chance to express my love and passion for dentistry and how that "15" gave a bad image of "me". Never give up and try to always set higher goals. I know my scores are not the best, but I did the best I could. I am a full-time high school teacher, a mother of 2 (including an new born) and a student as well .

Anyways, I would love to hear your input. Thank you!

* I will post a breakdown soon about my scores and I how I improved on ochem and math! 😀

 

[Viva Terlingua]

Fellow third time reapplicant here - great job improving those DAT scores! I also got a 15 in OC the first time I took the DAT...I hated that class so much. Turns out that it wasn't until I was teaching myself the material that I found it interesting.

Try submitting an application to Detroit Mercy if you haven't already. They move pretty quickly through applications, and though pre-December is filled up, they interview a lot of people. Good luck! I bet you're going to make a great dentist.

 

[Dental 4ever]

Fellow third time reapplicant here - great job improving those DAT scores! I also got a 15 in OC the first time I took the DAT...I hated that class so much. Turns out that it wasn't until I was teaching myself the material that I found it interesting.

Try submitting an application to Detroit Mercy if you haven't already. They move pretty quickly through applications, and though pre-December is filled up, they interview a lot of people. Good luck! I bet you're going to make a great dentist.

Thank you for the advice! I checked out the website for Detroit Mercy and it said: An applicant should try to achieve competitive scores of 20 or higher in each section. I am worried they will reject me automatically cause of that. What do you think?

 

[Viva Terlingua]

Thank you for the advice! I checked out the website for Detroit Mercy and it said: An applicant should try to achieve competitive scores of 20 or higher in each section. I am worried they will reject me automatically cause of that. What do you think?

I don't think you will get an automatic rejection because of that - you have shown good improvement overall on the DAT and I think they like determined re-applicants. Keeping in mind that nothing is ever guaranteed during the application process as you know very well by now, I think you should give them a shot. I think you have a good story to tell, and that may resonate with the people reading your application.

I can't even imagine studying for the DAT as a full time HS teacher, a parent, and a student but you did a great job despite all that at improving your deficiencies on the test from the last cycle. Dental schools would be lucky to have you as a student, but they will never know about you if you don't apply. At the very least, UDM is a school that works relatively quickly on applications so you will likely get a resolution pretty quickly.

 

[shadowfax15]

Thank you for the advice! I checked out the website for Detroit Mercy and it said: An applicant should try to achieve competitive scores of 20 or higher in each section. I am worried they will reject me automatically cause of that. What do you think?

I got an interview at UDM (first interview date they held, in fact) with a 17 gchem. Give them a shot! I am a non-traditional applicant such as yourself, so they might like seeing your background.

 

[pgex2t]

Great improvement from last cycle! I'll be rooting for you this time around too :] I'd probably just continually express interest for the schools that still have you in contention.

 

[lemoncurry]

I had a 17 gchem when I took the dat. It got mentioned, but ultimately I got in on my second try. I'm pretty sure at least one of my classmates was a 3-timer.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

Why would Roseman interview you with a 15 and only discuss the 15 during your interview if the 15 was an issue? I'm just thinking out loud and trying to understand why would they invite you? Don't they have a 17 or higher cutoff in each section as a requirement for applying?

 

[Dental 4ever]

I don't think you will get an automatic rejection because of that - you have shown good improvement overall on the DAT and I think they like determined re-applicants. Keeping in mind that nothing is ever guaranteed during the application process as you know very well by now, I think you should give them a shot. I think you have a good story to tell, and that may resonate with the people reading your application.

I can't even imagine studying for the DAT as a full time HS teacher, a parent, and a student but you did a great job despite all that at improving your deficiencies on the test from the last cycle. Dental schools would be lucky to have you as a student, but they will never know about you if you don't apply. At the very least, UDM is a school that works relatively quickly on applications so you will likely get a resolution pretty quickly.

thank you so much for your words! You gave me hope and made me feel better! 🙂 I will definitely follow your advice. THANK YOU! :')

 

[Dental 4ever]

I got an interview at UDM (first interview date they held, in fact) with a 17 gchem. Give them a shot! I am a non-traditional applicant such as yourself, so they might like seeing your background.

Ah that is great to hear. Congrats on that interview. I am sure you did great! 🙂 I will apply asap. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Dental 4ever]

Great improvement from last cycle! I'll be rooting for you this time around too :] I'd probably just continually express interest for the schools that still have you in contention.

THANK YOU! Your advice last year were great! I appreciate your support! I hope you are doing great at NYU! 🙂

 

[Dental 4ever]

I had a 17 gchem when I took the dat. It got mentioned, but ultimately I got in on my second try. I'm pretty sure at least one of my classmates was a 3-timer.

Awesome!!! That gives me hope. I hope this time I get in! 🙂

 

[Dental 4ever]

Why would Roseman interview you with a 15 and only discuss the 15 during your interview if the 15 was an issue? I'm just thinking out loud and trying to understand why would they invite you? Don't they have a 17 or higher cutoff in each section as a requirement for applying?

I was told my application was strong and this is the only thing holding me back. I am not sure why it was the main topic of the conversation, but that is how it turned out 🙁

 

[CareerNumTwo]

I am a full-time high school teacher, a mother of 2 (including an new born) and a student as well .

Anyways, I would love to hear your input. Thank you!

* I will post a breakdown soon about my scores and I how I improved on ochem and math! 😀

Wait, wait, wait... I must know: Were you pregnant while re-taking those courses? While studying for the DAT? IF so, I am impressed! I'm 7 months pregnant/future non-trad applicant and had to drop my a class because I couldn't focus (pregnancy brain/fogginess/general exhaustion). I look forward to reading your breakdown. While I'm very excited for the impending arrival of my #2, this one has take a lot of energy out of me and I'm worried about how to get back into the swing of things once he's born... Any recommendations you can make in this arena would be very helpful.

 

[lemoncurry]

I was told my application was strong and this is the only thing holding me back. I am not sure why it was the main topic of the conversation, but that is how it turned out 🙁

The problem is that they have so many applicants every year that they have to single out these kinds of things in order to make their process of elimination easier. The person who interviewed you might think you're a great candidate regardless of scores, but the committee as a whole may have trouble looking beyond the score. It stinks, but it's how they whittle down the pile.

 

[Dental 4ever]

Wait, wait, wait... I must know: Were you pregnant while re-taking those courses? While studying for the DAT? IF so, I am impressed! I'm 7 months pregnant/future non-trad applicant and had to drop my a class because I couldn't focus (pregnancy brain/fogginess/general exhaustion). I look forward to reading your breakdown. While I'm very excited for the impending arrival of my #2, this one has take a lot of energy out of me and I'm worried about how to get back into the swing of things once he's born... Any recommendations you can make in this arena would be very helpful.

Yes I was. It was so hard. I actually went to my interview last year and I was 6 month pregnant. I was so stressed out and I had a hard time focusing. I had support from my husband and I just had to take it easy. I was very nervous in the beginning and I found out that It's not helping. I had a hard time holding information in my mind. I couldn't memorize as good. After having the baby, I had some complications and I was not able to study for about a month. However, I kept my kids as my motivation. I wanted to be stronger and better for them. Having this thought made me push harder and try again and again. failure was NOT an option. Looking back at it, I feel so good being done with improvement. I know you can do the same and I am sure you want your kids to be proud. I will post my breakdown soon and hopefully that would help you. PM me if you have any questions 🙂

 

[Dental 4ever]

The problem is that they have so many applicants every year that they have to single out these kinds of things in order to make their process of elimination easier. The person who interviewed you might think you're a great candidate regardless of scores, but the committee as a whole may have trouble looking beyond the score. It stinks, but it's how they whittle down the pile.

I agree and I am glad I improved my score so I don't have to go through it again, hopefully 🙂

 

[RS2224]

Yes I was. It was so hard. I actually went to my interview last year and I was 6 month pregnant. I was so stressed out and I had a hard time focusing. I had support from my husband and I just had to take it easy. I was very nervous in the beginning and I found out that It's not helping. I had a hard time holding information in my mind. I couldn't memorize as good. After having the baby, I had some complications and I was not able to study for about a month. However, I kept my kids as my motivation. I wanted to be stronger and better for them. Having this thought made me push harder and try again and again. failure was NOT an option. Looking back at it, I feel so good being done with improvement. I know you can do the same and I am sure you want your kids to be proud. I will post my breakdown soon and hopefully that would help you. PM me if you have any questions 🙂

Aw this was so sweet to read! I really commend reapplicants with the strength and courage they have to reapproach this long and tedious cycle. I am a first time applicant and it's still such a tedious and draining process for me. Your situation makes me commend you even more. I definitely would not have been able to come this far like you, had I been pregnant/had complications.

Best of luck to you and I hope THIS is your cycle!