How to avoid more yield protection

[thankyouwell]

I’m not sure if I’m experiencing yield protection in my cycle so far. I had two interviews at selective schools and was waitlisted by both on Dec 15. Besides a letter of intent, what can I do to avoid further yield protection for post-December interviews? I plan to work on my interview skills although I am definitely not socially awkward. Poor interview skills also don’t explain my lack of interview invites.

- CA resident, biology major @ UCD
- GPA 3.6 / sGPA 3.5, graduated early, heavy courseload with an upward trend
- DAT: 26AA, 25TS, 22PAT (no sections under 22, multiple 30 sections)

- applied early July
- leadership positions and mentorship roles in multiple organizations all four years of undergrad
- leadership training workshops
- ~200+ hrs shadowing at a clinic for underserved pts
- ~100 hrs dental assisting
- ~ 100 hrs research
- ~150 volunteer hrs at food bank
- international work experience (not research/clinical)
- unique manual dexterity hobby

Applied to UCLA, UCSF, UOP, Columbia, Penn, Boston U, Tufts, Western U, USC

I am assuming no red flags in my written application/LORs since they were good enough for the selective schools I interviewed at. I had my personal statement reviewed and did a mock interview with dental students and received very positive feedback.

I’m honestly not sure what is going wrong with my application cycle. I know I could have applied to more schools but I didn’t think I needed to with a 99th percentile DAT, above average ECs, years shadowing at one of the dental schools I applied to, and submitting early June. I also didn’t think I would be yield protected by my safety schools because my GPA isn’t that high. All of my mentors (dentists and dental students) told me I’d pretty much be able to go wherever I want so I’m feeling a bit duped. Apologies if this sounds neurotic I don’t mean to come off as entitled.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Welcome to being an adult in a very unfair world.

If there are truly no red flags in your app, you just got unlucky. I’m very sorry. In 10 years from now, you’ll look back and this will be a minor setback in your life, and all will be well.

If you have to, apply again next year, and use this year to your benefit.

 

[macsak]

I am fairly confident I am being yield protected this cycle. So far my only interviews were at Columbia and UCSF and I was waitlisted by both on Dec 15. Besides a letter of intent, what can I do to avoid further yield protection for post-December interviews? I plan to work on my interview skills although I am definitely not socially awkward. Poor interview skills also don’t explain my lack of interview invites.

- CA resident, biology major @ UCD
- GPA 3.6 / sGPA 3.5, graduated a quarter early and took an average of 18 units/qtr (12 is full-time), upward trend
- DAT: 26AA, 25TS, 22PAT (no sections under 22, multiple 30 sections)

- applied early June
- leadership positions and mentorship roles in multiple organizations all four years of undergrad
- fraternity leadership award and leadership training workshops
- ~200+ hrs shadowing at a clinic for underserved pts at a dental school (no interview invite there)
- ~100 hrs dental assisting
- ~ 100 hrs research
- ~150 volunteer hrs
- international work experience (not research/clinical) during my gap year, lived overseas
- 10 yrs experience with my manual dexterity hobby (art-related)
- these aren’t even all of my extracurriculars just the major ones

Applied to UCLA, UCSF, UOP, Columbia, Penn, Boston U, Tufts, Western U, USC

I am assuming no red flags in my written application/LORs since they were good enough for a UCSF and Columbia interview. I had my personal statement reviewed and did a mock interview with dental students and received very positive feedback.

I’m honestly not sure what is going wrong with my application cycle. I know I could have applied to more schools but I didn’t think I needed to with a 99th percentile DAT, a ton of ECs, years shadowing at one of the dental schools I applied to, and submitting early June. I also didn’t think I would be yield protected by my safety schools because my GPA isn’t anything special. All of my mentors (dentists and dental students) told me I’d pretty much be able to go wherever I want so I’m feeling a bit duped. Apologies for the neurotic tone I don’t mean to come off as entitled.

you weren't "duped", you heard what you wanted to hear...

 

[macsak]

you weren't "duped", you heard what you wanted to hear...

your school list is the issue, i didn't even have to read your WAMC thread to guess you are a california resident
in range schools closer to california would have helped you immensely
unfortunately, i (and others) for some reason passed by your WAMC thread without commenting, sorry
that said, you should update your schools and see what happens...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

avoid further yield protection for post-December interviews

I'm sorry... what makes you believe this is yield protection? Your 3.6/3.5 GPA and research hours are satisfactory but lower than desired among the first round candidates (maybe). You snagged two very competitive interviews so I suggest you trust the process. Maybe the other schools will send you good news.

FWIW, I saw no red flags in your WAMC and still think you have a chance at UCSF and Columbia. You didn't answer my question BTW.

 

[Smile2thetop]

Your school list is interesting. They are either top schools or close to the bottom with nothing in between.

If you applied to more middle range OOS friendly public schools you would probably have some acceptances at this point.

 

[Bigjt1420]

You applied to hard schools and maybe you didn't interview well. It's how it goes. Be humble and keep improving yourself and see what happens

 

[thankyouwell]

I'm sorry... what makes you believe this is yield protection? Your 3.6/3.5 GPA and research hours are satisfactory but lower than desired among the first round candidates (maybe). You snagged two very competitive interviews so I suggest you trust the process. Maybe the other schools will send you good news.

FWIW, I saw no red flags in your WAMC and still think you have a chance at UCSF and Columbia. You didn't answer my question BTW.

That’s why I’m a bit confused. I got invites from the schools I least expected an interview from because of my lower GPA, but my safety schools (USC, the Boston schools) were the ones that ended up passing over me for pre-Dec interviews.

I acknowledge there’s still time left in the cycle though. In your experience how much of a difference do letters of intent make? If I were to reapply how could I improve?

 

[thankyouwell]

you weren't "duped", you heard what you wanted to hear...

Perhaps my wording was a bit strong but I was told (by dental students) that my DAT score would balance out my GPA and that schools would consider that I went to a more academically rigorous undergrad. In hindsight I should have been more critical of their advice.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That’s why I’m a bit confused. UCSF and Columbia were the schools I least expected an interview from because of my lower GPA, but my safety schools (USC, the Boston schools) were the ones that ended up passing over me for pre-Dec interviews.

I acknowledge there’s still time left in the cycle though. In your experience how much of a difference do letters of intent make? If I were to reapply how could I improve?

It's hard to say. I don't really think "yield protection" with your profile. In medical school admissions, you would need a much higher GPA and much more experience (not necessarily research). Maybe if your GPA were 3.8x or higher, but dental schools really don't play that game so much. Columbia and UCSF like high DATs, I think. High DATs don't offset low GPAs, but your GPA isn't bad.

Med school apps apparently dropped a little last year, so I expect a similar trend for dental (they looked like they hit a plateau a couple of years ago).

Let's see what happens this coming week or so as people with offers drop their post December interview spots.

Mission fit.

 

[salt_b]

I think your school list was the biggest issue here. My GPA was similar but I had higher DAT scores. I applied to 16 schools. I was ghosted by 7 of them, almost half. People thought I was crazy to apply to so many but I don't regret it at all since it led to 9 IIs and 9 As with a couple scholarships. But I definitely spread the application through a large spectrum of "prestige". I would have personally applied to more OOS public schools. I had a lot of success with OOS public schools. If you have high stats, a lot of them are very receptive to OOS applicants.

I am planning to drop my Boston acceptance though! You still have a very good WL chance.