How Many Dental Schools Applied To/Will Apply To?

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Simply_Unique

Simply_Unique

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I have my top 5...but i'm also thinking about applying to 2 other schools. Should I just stick with 5 or apply to more (considering at least 1 or 2 in my top 5 are kind of picky about out-of-state students)?

How many have you guys applied to (or are thinking about applying to)?
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Simply_Unique said:
I have my top 5...but i'm also thinking about applying to 2 other schools. Should I just stick with 5 or apply to more (considering at least 1 or 2 in my top 5 are kind of picky about out-of-state students)?

How many have you guys applied to (or are thinking about applying to)?
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I applied to 12 schools with an above avg gpa and avg. dat, got 4 interviews and 2 acceptances so far.

Unless you have OUTSTANDING stats, definitely apply to more schools. I'd say the avg applicant applies to around 12 schools, maybe more. With the number of applicants breaking records each year, its getting ridiculously competitive. You might think you're saving a little money by applying to only 5 schools, but you'll double your expenses by having to reapply if you don't get in on your first try. In the long run you'll never regret applying to too many schools, but you'll hate yourself applying to too few and realizing you should have gotten in on your first try.
 
yeah, i heard the average applicant applied to 8. i only ended up applying to 8 schools and wish i would have applied to more. i guess you can only attend 1 school and i've gotten in for next year but i would recommend applying to MANY schools and many of my friends applied to 2 or 3 schools nearby and they wished they would have applied to more as well. the only reason NOT to would be because of money, but you might as well consider getting accepted into dent school somewhere a big investment so dont hold back if you dont have to.

And definitely do research about the schools that you are applying to. wish i would have known my state residence was not one of the 5 that UMKC was accepting students from... waste of money. what a joke. classy school right there...
 
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It is recommended that you apply to at least 10. I've met people who applied to 12 and 13 schools. You don't want to shortchange yourself. Apply to about 10-15 schools. It is no longer considered desperate to apply to that many. It can't hurt.
 
I applied to 8 schools, but certainly wish I had applied to 15+. Although, I have an acceptance, it is my only one and thus, I can't really afford to consider other (cheaper) options.

APPLY IN MAY! Make that a point!
 
I'm not saying that it's not a lot of money but applying to more schools is only marginally more expensive. AADSAS is set up in a way so that the more schools you apply to, the cheaper it is. The numbers elude me at the moment but traveling expenses are definitely the most expensive part of the process for me.

So my advice is to apply to 10-15 schools, pick and choose your interviews wisely, and who knows, maybe you'll be impressed with one of your not-so-top choices.
 
I agree with 10-15... If you have a few instate schools that you can apply to less. I would rather over apply than under apply so you don't have to re-apply in the future.
 
DrSmiles12 said:
I agree with 10-15... If you have a few instate schools that you can apply to less. I would rather over apply than under apply so you don't have to re-apply in the future.
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I agree a mix of state schools and private will be the best way to go.
 
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Let me put it this way... I got one acceptance this year. And if I wouldn't have applied to 14 schools, I wouldn't have applied to this one. (It was near the bottom of my list). But since I went to the interview, and realized I really enjoyed my time there, I am excited to attend IU. Moral of the story- apply to as many schools as possible. You never know where they'll like you and/or where you'd like to go. (well.. unless you fly out to every school to tour it.)
 
What is the average amount of money that you guys pay for (for those who have already applied or if you know) AADSAS, deposits, and all that other stuff if you apply for 10-15 schools?
 
Frederico Albin said:
What is the average amount of money that you guys pay for (for those who have already applied or if you know) AADSAS, deposits, and all that other stuff if you apply for 10-15 schools?
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for 12 schools ....

aadsas - 915
'application fees' - i think like 440 - these really pissed me off, i pay an aadsas fee for each school then i pay another fee just for applying
deposit - 350 for buffalo, but this goes towards 1st semester tuition so i don't mind that

you should also consider that by applying to more schools youll probably get more interviews, so you spend more money with traveling/hotels/meals etc.

looking back at this... wow, i really owe my dad big time, the only part i paid was the 350 deposit...
 
Danny0230 said:
for 12 schools ....

aadsas - 915
'application fees' - i think like 440 - these really pissed me off, i pay an aadsas fee for each school then i pay another fee just for applying
deposit - 350 for buffalo, but this goes towards 1st semester tuition so i don't mind that

you should also consider that by applying to more schools youll probably get more interviews, so you spend more money with traveling/hotels/meals etc.

looking back at this... wow, i really owe my dad big time, the only part i paid was the 350 deposit...
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My applications were more expensive in their secondary fees. Each school I applied to had about a 60$ fee, so 10 schools=$600+/-. Don't forget interview travel expenses can really get up there. My deposits were also more 1000$. I spent a lot of money...especially since I applied two times. My bank account is not happy...but my year off working has made up for it.
 
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I applied to 6, got interviews at 5, accepted at 3. It all depends on your state residence and how confident you are with your stats.
 
Wow so thats about like $2000 for 12 schools, mannnnn
That's alot of money just for applications hahaha
Thanks for the advise danny0230
 
I applied to 23 schools... my dad made me really nervous about getting in so I bumped it up from my original 15, I applied mid cycle too so I was nervous about that also. It was pricey but IMO if you get in it's worth it, after you graduate the extra couple thousand you spent applying won't be a significant amount of money.
 
4 schools. Should have only applied to 3: my state school, a private school, and a school in a cool location. Seems if there's any doubt, though, the more schools you apply to the better.
 
If I remember correctly, last year on average applicants applied to 8 schools according to the ADEA official guide to dental schools.

But I agree with others, you should add a bit more just in case.
 
I am applying this spring and I have a 3.0sci and 3.15cum GPAm most likely will get at least 23s straight for DATs. Just to be safe, I'm going to apply to 20 schools. Is this a good idea or am I just being neurotic?
 
Suren911 said:
I am applying this spring and I have a 3.0sci and 3.15cum GPAm most likely will get at least 23s straight for DATs. Just to be safe, I'm going to apply to 20 schools. Is this a good idea or am I just being neurotic?
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That's a good idea. I applied to around 20 schools also just to be safe.
 
Suren911 said:
I am applying this spring and I have a 3.0sci and 3.15cum GPAm most likely will get at least 23s straight for DATs. Just to be safe, I'm going to apply to 20 schools. Is this a good idea or am I just being neurotic?
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please explain to me how you'll 'most likely get at least 23s straight for the DATs'

thats like 99th percentile... do not count on that, at this point you can't really apply to 20 schools 'just to be safe,' your dat expectations are pretty lofty
 
^I know I'm just talking big right now but I have to get at least 23s straight on all sections of the DAT. I've set this standard for myself and am gonna get there or die trying. Cause I know my GPA is not so competitive. I took a diagnostic test without any studying and got 18s across. So with studying, hopefully I'll get 23s across (REALLY hope so). 20 is quite a lot I think and I wonder if it's not enough... perhaps I should apply to 25?
 
Suren911 said:
^I know I'm just talking big right now but I have to get at least 23s straight on all sections of the DAT. I've set this standard for myself and am gonna get there or die trying. Cause I know my GPA is not so competitive. I took a diagnostic test without any studying and got 18s across. So with studying, hopefully I'll get 23s across (REALLY hope so). 20 is quite a lot I think and I wonder if it's not enough... perhaps I should apply to 25?
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When are you taking the DAT? If I were you I'd see how I did on the DAT before I decided how many to apply to. If you end up reaching your 23's, you won't need 25 schools, maybe carefully pick around 12 schools that select heavily based on the DAT. If you don't do as well as you're hoping, then apply to more.

I'm not trying to be discouraging or rude about the 23's across the board, I'm just saying that is very very difficult, and only a very select few people can pull that off, hence the 99 percentile.
 
^Yes, it's difficult to pull a 23 across, therefore I am going to pull my hair out and do my darn best. I am taking my DAT right before the application for the 2009 cycle comes out. So like mid May? I haven't scheduled yet but will in a couple of weeks.

And as I said, my GPA isn't all that great. At best, I graduate with a 3.0 sci GPA, and a 3.15 cum GPA approx. My school GPA has +/- so I don't know if it's going to make my grade look better or worse when ADSAS calculates my grade according to their formula. I really want to get into a dental school this upcoming cycle so I'm going to do everything I can to get there.
 
I applied to 13 schools. Apply to the schools that you could see yourself attending, which is exactly what I did. The number of schools you apply to depends on your situation as well. Don't forget to do some research before picking the dental schools out. Perhaps visit the school and take a look around if you are close by the school.
 
I totally agree with this...don't apply to schools that you will never attend...(I applied to Temple and I would never go there...even if it was the only school that accepted me...) so just apply to the schools that you would LOVE and dream of attending! 😍

Oh and please don't apply to like 20 schools that waaaay too many..LOL...:laugh:

I think a good 8-12 is more then enough...




beachsegalls said:
I applied to 13 schools. Apply to the schools that you could see yourself attending, which is exactly what I did. The number of schools you apply to depends on your situation as well. Don't forget to do some research before picking the dental schools out. Perhaps visit the school and take a look around if you are close by the school.
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20 sounds like too many to me...but if you have the $$$ to spend then I don't see a problem...

Okay, I got really bored at work so I called Temple last week and ask them about the status of my application ( I am "just curious" about it...this is the first time I have ever contacted them...)
and guess what they say????
They have NOT YET reviewed my application!!! my application was finished in June and they still have NOT YET reviewed it!! that is crazy!! Thanked god that's a backup school for me but still it makes me mad...I mean I pay the same amount of $$ as everyone else AND I applied earlier...Temple sucks.



TerpFan said:
I don't know if thats such good advice for someone with a 3.0 GPA. I'm on that same boat, and I've been told numerous times to apply to more that 15 schools because it'll increase the chances of getting interviews etc. Since your GPA is 3.8, its easy to pick and choose where you apply and where you accept the offer from. I think 20 schools sounds about right for him. Worst come to worst, he'll be accepted to a school he hates and he can decline or choose to attend if he doesn't want to waste a year.

P.S.- wow, you hate Temple that much?
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SHC1984 said:
20 sounds like too many to me...but if you have the $$$ to spend then I don't see a problem...

Okay, I got really bored at work so I called Temple last week and ask them about the status of my application ( I am "just curious" about it...this is the first time I have ever contacted them...)
and guess what they say????
They have NOT YET reviewed my application!!! my application was finished in June and they still have NOT YET reviewed it!! that is crazy!! Thanked god that's a backup school for me but still it makes me mad...I mean I pay the same amount of $$ as everyone else AND I applied earlier...Temple sucks.
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That means they haven't reviewed mine either, since I didn't take the DAT till mid August. 😳
 
^So I'm guessing Temple is an uber slow poke then? Are they like this with other applicants too?
 
Suren911 said:
^So I'm guessing Temple is an uber slow poke then? Are they like this with other applicants too?
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Some schools are just a little bit slower than others. If I remember correctly, Tufts and USC are kinda like that too.

Case and Nova start really early though.
 
As much as I'd like to go to somewhere I want to, someone with my stats probably shouldn't be choosey of locations... should I?
 
^Apply broadly? Like 25?? 25? 25? 25? *trembles like a Chihuahua*

I think I need to take a loan or something now, so that I can apply to that many schools. I opened my wallet and a moth flew out.
 
Suren911 said:
^Apply broadly? Like 25?? 25? 25? 25? *trembles like a Chihuahua*

I think I need to take a loan or something now, so that I can apply to that many schools. I opened my wallet and a moth flew out.
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25 if you want to be safe. My GPA is slightly higher than yours and I applied to 20 because I wasn't confident enough that I'd get in somewhere. Make sure you apply to private schools with lots of seats. That'll help out a ton.
 
^Oh I see. What were your stats and how many interviews and acceptances did you get? If you don't mind me asking... Yeah. I'm not afraid to take loans out to apply though. But I've never taken loans in my whole life. I need to look into it. And how much did it cost you approx? Applications and interviewing and whatnot.
 
Suren911 said:
^Oh I see. What were your stats and how many interviews and acceptances did you get? If you don't mind me asking... Yeah. I'm not afraid to take loans out to apply though. But I've never taken loans in my whole life. I need to look into it. And how much did it cost you approx? Applications and interviewing and whatnot.
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I have 8 interviews. 5 were before december 1st - I got accepted to 4 and waitlisted at one. I didn't go to the rest though since I already got into my first choice.

My stats were alright. GPA is a bit on the low end - 3.3 overall, 3.4 sci and 3.6 BCP. I did pretty well on the DAT though.

Took me over 4000 bucks altogether.
 
^Impressive. And so is the money sum. Looks like I'll be looking at $7,000 probably. That makes my heart bleed a little but that's okay. Congratulations on your acceptance!

EDIT: One more question, what is your BCP GPA? And how did you do on the DAT?

Sorry I'm so nosy. I'm just antsy. >_<
 
Jeez Jigabodo,
You were that unsure of yourself?

All I have to say is only one acceptance will do. You can apply to as many but if you get just one acceptance then its game over!👍 Beyond that it is about giving yourself options but the bottom line is you got into dental school.
I'm glad I got mine. I thought I was going to come across as desperate with 16.
But since I have met other interviewees with 10 to 15 schools it doesn't come across as that nowadays.
 
blankguy said:
Jeez Jigabodo,
You were that unsure of yourself?

All I have to say is only one acceptance will do. You can apply to as many but if you get just one acceptance then its game over!👍 Beyond that it is about giving yourself options but the bottom line is you got into dental school.
I'm glad I got mine. I thought I was going to come across as desperate with 16.
But since I have met other interviewees with 10 to 15 schools it doesn't come across as that nowadays.
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I was very unsure indeed. Probably because I applied back in May, yet didn't take the DAT until August so I did't know where I stand. 😳
 
^Oh I see. You didn't take your DATs til Aug... I'm taking it in May. I didn't check when applications open up for the 2009 cycle but I want to schedule my DATs right before that so I take the exam, and apply ASAP. Like within the first week when applications are out.
 
jigabodo said:
I was very unsure indeed. Probably because I applied back in May, yet didn't take the DAT until August so I did't know where I stand. 😳
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I retook my DAT on the last week of August.
 
3.21 science, 3.46 overall, 3.36 BCP, taking the DATs in August. Right now, I applied to 10 schools, and I'm panicking a little. How many schools should I have on my list?
 
3.45 overall (3.96 in last 3.5 years), 3.44 science (3.95 in last 3.5 years), and 3.43 BCP. Retaking the DAT in August. I applied to 22 schools. Don't want to risk anything this cycle!
 
apply from 10 to 15 and if you get an interview atone of your top choices that's good and if you don't you can still have a hope to got accepted at other schools and even attend them
 
Can anyone offer any current information on how many schools they applied to?
 
jacbbc said:
Can anyone offer any current information on how many schools they applied to?
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10. In hindsight, knowing how many interviews/acceptances I got, I would have applied to fewer. However, I would still suggest around 10 if your stats are about average or above because you never know....
 
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