I get this place is neurotic, but does anyone here feel hopeless?

[Sad man]

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This website sure makes me feel pretty down sometimes, there's a couple parts of my application that certainly stand out, but I fear that the less than ideal parts overshadow my accomplishments. For example, I have a 3.94 GPA but my DAT score isn't even close to consistent with what you would expect, I plan to retake the DAT but I'm afraid it will just be a waste of time and money and that I wont improve. I have good work experience but my extracurriculars suck (partly because I never stuck with anything due to work, money, and maintaining my GPA). I'm pretty prone to loneliness and my fiancée has made it clear she really doesn't want to relocate so that narrows me down to about two schools I could count on having her around to be with me.

I worry I made a wrong decision, my brothers went different paths (blue collar/military) and have moved out/ gotten married, and are certainly living better/happier than me. I'm already a reapplicant and do love my time spent shadowing, I just fear that will never be me and I'm wasting years of my life and killing my self esteem and confidence in myself. But then again, I'm prone to depression and lately I've been feeling real down.

I guess I just want to know I'm not alone, and hope someone can provide me with a little encouragement.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Hey man, everyone feels down sometimes. You're not alone in whatever you're feeling. If you think it's more than just "feeling down" though, you might want to consider seeing a therapist. And trust me, there's no shame in that at all. If you feel in your heart that dentistry is right for you, I'd say keep going for it. If you regret not doing the military, you can still apply for HPSP and service as a military dentist.
As for the DAT, if you study hard and study smart, you should improve. Check out the DAT discussion section of SDN to see some DAT breakdowns which will help you figure out what to use to study. Your GPA is awesome!! Anything that's a 19+ should be plenty fine.
If you've worked a lot, schools will likely cut you some slack extracurricular-wise.
Make sure your personal statement is fantastic and really explains how much you want to go into the field.
Hope that helps a little. It'll be ok 🙂

 

[JLT223]

You're not alone . Applying to dental school, or any doctorate program, is one of the most stressful things. It's not easy on the mind.

 

[Advance]

The path of becoming a dentist is tough and lonely. Don't be discouraged though, re-take the DAT and score higher! Set backs are normal. I didn't get into dental school my first time either and I shared the same feelings that you're having now. If this is something you really want to do keep at it! It will be worth it in the long run I promise! I would try to talk your SO into letting you apply to more schools though. Who knows, maybe if you applied to more schools you might get in somewhere!

Keep up the good work and never give up.
👍

 

[Sad man]

Thank you everyone for the kind words, sometimes I forget the good things and just focus on the bad.

The path of becoming a dentist is tough and lonely. Don't be discouraged though, re-take the DAT and score higher! Set backs are normal. I didn't get into dental school my first time either and I shared the same feelings that you're having now. If this is something you really want to do keep at it! It will be worth it in the long run I promise! I would try to talk your SO into letting you apply to more schools though. Who knows, maybe if you applied to more schools you might get in somewhere!

Keep up the good work and never give up.
👍

I don't want to paint my fiancée as a bad guy, she knows the difficulty of dental admissions, and has never told me not to apply anywhere, she is just going into a selective line of work that is likely geographically based in her case and bringing significant educational debts of her own. I can pursue my education wherever I want, I might just be alone in doing so.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Thank you everyone for the kind words, sometimes I forget the good things and just focus on the bad.


I don't want to paint my fiancée as a bad guy, she knows the difficulty of dental admissions, and has never told me not to apply anywhere, she is just going into a selective line of work that is likely geographically based in her case and bringing significant educational debts of her own. I can pursue my education wherever I want, I might just be alone in doing so.

What type of work? Maybe there are jobs for her in other areas that would just be a far move but still manageable

 

[pgex2t]

Your gpa allows you a wide breadth of acceptable DAT scores; seriously, like others have said, 19+ is fine in your case. Since you're a re-applicant, what happened your first cycle? Did you apply to too few schools? Ask the schools what you could do to improve on your application; it might not just be the DAT.

 

[jokersmiles]

dang you have a fiancee and a strong GPA? I got neither, I wish I was you.

 

[Incis0r]

First of all, you're not alone. TBH, I face the same doubts myself, although I have a weaker GPA so I suppose I should worry more xD.

Joking aside, one of the things I like to do when I'm feeling a little down is get some perspective. It's easy to get into the nitty gritty GPA/DAT/ECs rut and to be focused on them. It's good that you do that because that is what makes you a competitive applicant. The trick, I've found whenever I get bogged down in the details, is taking a pause every once in a while and just looking at things from a different viewpoint.

So here's the thing- I went through your opening post, and picked it apart line by line to show you that, in the grand game of Life, you're doing pretty amazing. Check out, in your own words (with my comments in blue) how awesome your life is:

This website sure makes me feel pretty down sometimes - You're not infected by SDN over-stressing, neurotic syndrome. You're NORMAL! Congratulations.

For example, I have a 3.94 GPA - You're also clearly a brilliant and hardworking guy. It takes dedication to keep a GPA that high.

I have good work experience - You know what it means to work for a living, and you understand the value of money. You've also got some experience dealing with bosses and customers which could be a good asset to you in the future.

my brothers went different paths (blue collar/military) - You're setting an example for your family by having come so far. 3.94 GPA, preparing to go into a rigorous dental education track, dedicated to your goals. You'll be unique among your family, and they and people all around will look to you for advice on dental care which will be so fulfilling.

I do love my time spent shadowing - THIS IS HUGE. You have found something you LOVE to do. Many people, both in the US and overseas, spend their entire lives treating work as just a chore and not enjoying it. You "love" dentistry. That's a good connection to have.

I guess I just want to know I'm not alone, and hope someone can provide me with a little encouragement.

All this said, I would advise you to figure out a way to apply to more schools. Being limited to just two schools is not a good thing. You need to decide whether dentistry means enough to you that you're willing to do what it takes to become a dentist. And that may involve making some hard decisions that could displease other people in your life. Read the quote by Steve Jobs in my signature (right below), and feel free to PM me if you ever need another boost.

Peace!

 

[BioForLife]

I think almost everyone feels this way at one point or another, but, as cliche' as it sounds, you can definitely make it if you're willing to put in the effort. Your 3.96 GPA is an excellent start that WILL help you stand out. Focus on that DAT retake and do your best but know that it's not as absolutely critical that you get a very high score since your GPA helps you as well. That said, always aim as high as you can. A solid DAT with your GPA will be extremely impressive. Don't pay so much attention to others around you and how far ahead you think they are. Just focus on doing your personal best. Everybody has weaknesses, even if they seem like Newton reincarnated.

 

[fogorvostan]

Everybody struggles. Some people are just better at hiding it than others. My friends from undergrad used to tell me that they were so jealous of me because I was "so smart". Little did they know that I was about to fail out of school because of horrible, crippling depression. I just hid it and never let anyone know.

As cliche as it sounds, just keep working towards your goals and everything will eventually fall into place.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Everybody struggles. Some people are just better at hiding it than others. My friends from undergrad used to tell me that they were so jealous of me because I was "so smart". Little did they know that I was about to fail out of school because of horrible, crippling depression. I just hid it and never let anyone know.

As cliche as it sounds, just keep working towards your goals and everything will eventually fall into place.

Are you okay now, friend?

 

[Faux]

There are people here struggling to fix the damage on their GPA that requires semesters worth of work + A's. Some of them won't even make it. You just need to study a bit harder and take a 5 hour exam.

Regarding your fiancée, school comes first in my opinion, especially if you're young. You shouldn't limit your school options. I met my current gf a year before I applied to dental school and made it clear that relocation was a very real possibility for me and that I was willing to do long distance if it came to that since she had her own plans. I'm about to become a D2 and we're still going strong doing long distance. So be open to other schools, and if she can't relocate or do the distance, it wasn't going to work out anyway.

No offense to your brothers, but more likely than not, there're going to peak a lot faster than you will in your future career and certainly take more crap from superiors. Play your cards right and you'll be the one calling the shots.

 

[fogorvostan]

Are you okay now, friend?

Yep 🙂 Nothing therapy and a few SSRIs couldn't fix!

 

[darklordzz]

It's better to be neurotic than to be led on by some false hope. In either event, your GPA is more than good and you just need a month or two of serious commitment to the DAT. It is a memorization test, which just means you need time.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Yep 🙂 Nothing therapy and a few SSRIs couldn't fix!

Glad to hear! 🙂

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

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