how important is DAT/GPA?

[faulknce]

I know schools look at more than just the DAT score and GPA. But would you say that the other stuff they consider (interviews, LORs, etc.) counts just as much or less than DAT/GPA. For example, suppose a dental school was considering two applicants: one has a 20/20 DAT and a 3.8, and average LOR and interview experience. the other has 18/18 and excellent LOR and interview. would they be on equal footing?

Just curious as to what you guys think.

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[ecdoesit]

assuming it is a competitive school,
the person with 3.8 and 20/20 is going to get a higher chance to get an interview than the other person.
once at the interview, everyone should be pretty much equal.
the final decision depends on your performance.

 

[NewNameForGoogleBot]

DAT/GPA is the most important. Everthing else is trimmings.

The interview will see if they like you, but you might be surprised at how little some schools look at your LORs and other activities.

 

[Edge]

I personally feel that GPA is even more important that your DAT score, but this is just my opinion.

 

[RaiderNation]

It depends on whether it is an open folder interview or closed folder interview. If they open up your records and ask why your GPA sucked and you have a crappy excuse..adios. But if they never open up your folder, it is possible that the interviewer doesn't know WTF your GPA was.

 

[Edge]

No, it is scored by GPA/DAT/Interview. Letters of recommendation and experience play a small part. One of the students at UT San Antonio school of dentistry told me that 95 percent of the focus of who is in and not in depends on DAT and GPA. BTW, her father was supposedly in the admissions committee of Baylor, so I think she would know.

 

[Brand]

I was looking through a book about 5 years ago when I was first thinking about applying to dental school. Every school assigned a value of 1-9 to each thing they considered when evaluating an applicant. Every school, and I mean all of them, had GPA and DAT between 7-9, 9 being the highest. Interview was between 1-4. Interviews, LOR, and experience truly isn't that important to them. It is nice, but not that big of a deal.

Some people argue that it is the most important, but I disagree(and so did all the adcoms 5 years ago). The school's main objective is to select a class that will succeed. The best way to measure that is grades and DAT. Truthfully, how many people do you think actually stand out in an interview? In my class of 107, not one comes across as a schmuck. The only way to get an advantage over someone else who is applying- get a better GPA and DAT.

I don't know the name of the book. It was a long time ago, and I sat down in the bookstore and read it.

 

[DATGuru]

Here is how you will be graded.

http://www.dental.uthscsa.edu/admissions/ddsgeninfo.html