How hard is it to get into Nova??????

[EstherB]

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Hello

I'm just trying to get a feel for how hard it is to get into Nova. I haven't taken the DAT yet but I'm a pretty good student lingering between a 3.5 overall and a 3.8 science GPA... This is pretty much the only school i want to go to because it won't cause me to relocate my family out of state... UF isn't an option really for religious purposes....my kids need to go to a Jewish school, etc....

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I'm sort of at a fork in the road. not sure if to ditch everything (although I would be greatly disappointed) or just hope for the best.

 

[DMD 4 Me]

Nova is hard to get into.

Your GPA is good though, you should shoot for 20+ on the DAT.

Avg GPA has been about a 3.6-3.7 and a 20 DAT but it flucuates slightly every year.

Those are averages, people get in with stats below and above

Just to compare to UF, their stats were a 3.5 and a 19.

Even if I had a 4.0 and a 30, I wouldn't apply to just one school though...(its a personal choice, but I would not put my entire career choice on the location of a religious school for my kids..ESPECIALLY when these schools are very very hard to get into these days...just my opinon though)

Predents and that book the ADA publishes is really the only way you can get a decent picture of the applicant makeup.

 

[EstherB]

Thanks for your reply-

Ye my stats are okay...but I feel like nothing is guaranteed in this business- a person I know had amazing stats but something just didnt work out during the interview. Another, barely made 90 credits, had okay stats and was accepted.

I just don't know if to pursue my MBA, which is a sure bet, because I'm already in school working towards my bachelors in business + entrepreneurship... or to take the risk, spend a year and a half working on pre-reqs just to be turned down? I'll be worse of then I am know, more in debt (I'm at a private school) and barely making a dent in my degree.....

Any advice?

 

[dentalWorks]

honestly, every school in the USA is super hard to get into. I strongly advice you to apply to more than a few schools.

Nova gets what.... 2000+ applicants each year and they accept (not sure) but like 100 students or less....

 

[dentaldawg32]

I'm confused...there are no jewish schools near UF?

 

[FutureDent020]

Nova is hard to get into.

Your GPA is good though, you should shoot for 20+ on the DAT.

Avg GPA has been about a 3.6-3.7 and a 20 DAT but it flucuates slightly every year.

Those are averages, people get in with stats below and above

Just to compare to UF, their stats were a 3.5 and a 19.

Even if I had a 4.0 and a 30, I wouldn't apply to just one school though...(its a personal choice, but I would not put my entire career choice on the location of a religious school for my kids..ESPECIALLY when these schools are very very hard to get into these days...just my opinon though)

Predents and that book the ADA publishes is really the only way you can get a decent picture of the applicant makeup.

If you attend Nova then you know the statistics. But if 20 DAT and 3.6-3.7 GPA has been the average, then Nova has some of the highest statistics around. However, being a private school, Nova does have the benefit of selecting students from across the country.

 

[DMD 4 Me]

Thanks for your reply-

Ye my stats are okay...but I feel like nothing is guaranteed in this business- a person I know had amazing stats but something just didnt work out during the interview. Another, barely made 90 credits, had okay stats and was accepted.

I just don't know if to pursue my MBA, which is a sure bet, because I'm already in school working towards my bachelors in business + entrepreneurship... or to take the risk, spend a year and a half working on pre-reqs just to be turned down? I'll be worse of then I am know, more in debt (I'm at a private school) and barely making a dent in my degree.....

Any advice?

You have to decide whether you want dentistry or not. If you are going to commit to it, you need to take the pre-recs, do shadowing, and community service and then take the DAT.

I did not realize you hadnt even taken the pre-recs yet when you posted originally. I assume you havent shadowed either.

If I were you, I would shadow some dentists and specialists and make sure this is what you want. It is competitive and you need to be 100% in, because you may not get in on the first round.

 

[DownFracture]

You have to decide whether you want dentistry or not. If you are going to commit to it, you need to take the pre-recs, do shadowing, and community service and then take the DAT.

I did not realize you hadnt even taken the pre-recs yet when you posted originally. I assume you havent shadowed either.

If I were you, I would shadow some dentists and specialists and make sure this is what you want. It is competitive and you need to be 100% in, because you may not get in on the first round.

👍 Good advice.

 

[Hordel]

If you attend Nova then you know the statistics. But if 20 DAT and 3.6-3.7 GPA has been the average, then Nova has some of the highest statistics around. However, being a private school, Nova does have the benefit of selecting students from across the country.

The GPA sounds about right, from what I remember the year I got in. The DAT seems a little on the high side though, I think it was like a 19 not 20. Yet, I do know that this year they have about 3-4 students who scored in the a high 20 (28-30) on a couple of sections.

 

[kix08]

I have to say that at Nova, you cannot only have good grades. While good grades show that you can handle the work involved at dental school, they are more concerned with what kind of dentist you will be in the future. Do you communicate well with other people? Are you ethical? These personality traits are important for dentists.

Try and look at the big picture. When you are in practice, no one is really gonna care about your grades. You can teach the technical aspects of dentistry, but you can't teach character. This is what you should try and show the admissions committee. Show them that you are personable, friendly, and can talk to people. They want to see personality.

Best of luck!

Oh, and if Nova is the only school you will go to, don't waste your time applying to schools you would not attend. It's just a waste of time and money. Look at your application list and ask yourself if you would really go to those schools if you got it. Just reapply if you need to.

BUT also remember that sometimes a school may surprise you when you attend an interview.

 

[RNtoMD4sure]

Your post, every word so true. I plan on working at a community clinic (underserved area) to serve the poor. Nice to know that others are out there with this kind of character/heart.

I have to say that at Nova, you cannot only have good grades. While good grades show that you can handle the work involved at dental school, they are more concerned with what kind of dentist you will be in the future. Do you communicate well with other people? Are you ethical? These personality traits are important for dentists.

Try and look at the big picture. When you are in practice, no one is really gonna care about your grades. You can teach the technical aspects of dentistry, but you can't teach character. This is what you should try and show the admissions committee. Show them that you are personable, friendly, and can talk to people. They want to see personality.

Best of luck!

Oh, and if Nova is the only school you will go to, don't waste your time applying to schools you would not attend. It's just a waste of time and money. Look at your application list and ask yourself if you would really go to those schools if you got it. Just reapply if you need to.

BUT also remember that sometimes a school may surprise you when you attend an interview.