I got into 4 schools with a 3.3 GPA, sub 3.0 sGPA and an 18 AA. AMA?

[bitewing5053]

With the cycle opening up, I just wanted to let my fellow "low-stat" applicants know that there is hope!!! Good luck preparing for application szn soon!!

Besides those stats, I also had 400+ volunteer hours and tons of shadowing and clinic hours. I worked as a peds DA and an endo DA, have been in two research labs, had lots of leadership positions, and presented my research at a national conference in undergrad. I took a gap year too. 🙂

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[Ryxndek]

Did you also do a post bacc? I saw you were admitted from the Illinois-Chicago post bacc program if I read that correctly. How did your post bacc go? Do you think it influenced your success from last cycle?

What do you think stood out the most on your application that gave admissions hope that, even with your lower stats, you would succeed in dental school?

I think some applicants can get discouraged by their stats, but that’s just what helps get your food into the door. You’ve certainly shown through your ECs that you have a well rounded application!

Congrats on your acceptances, hopefully others can gain some advice and hopefulness from what you’ve gone through!

 

[bitewing5053]

Did you also do a post bacc? I saw you were admitted from the Illinois-Chicago post bacc program if I read that correctly. How did your post bacc go? Do you think it influenced your success from last cycle?

What do you think stood out the most on your application that gave admissions hope that, even with your lower stats, you would succeed in dental school?

I think some applicants can get discouraged by their stats, but that’s just what helps get your food into the door. You’ve certainly shown through your ECs that you have a well rounded application!

Congrats on your acceptances, hopefully others can gain some advice and hopefulness from what you’ve gone through!

Sorry if my reply on the UIC thread didn't make any sense! I wasn't really aware of what the program was until I actually sat down and read the docs they sent with the acceptance email.

I didn't do a post-bac. During my gap year I just worked (endo) and did research (on eating disorders in dentistry). My acceptance to UIC is for the 2024 incoming class and they want me to do the post-bac next school year through them. This is my first cycle applying! 🙂

I think the amount of experience/how well-rounded my app was. A lot of my leadership positions were through orgs that weren't dental-related, and same thing with volunteering. My GPA took a HUGE dip during 2020/covid semesters because they were online and that's when I was taking Ochem and Biochem. I also didn't know I had ADHD at the time, but after that I had a really great upwards trend. After I was diagnosed with ADHD, I began meds. The semester I began meds I was super nervous for because I was still in school FT and was working FT in 3 different jobs, but I did the best I ever did in school (I'm talking like 3.9 semester GPA). I talked about that on my app and I think that semester really saved my butt this cycle lol.

I totally agree with you- stats get you noticed, but they are not going to make or break your app (...sometimes). Especially when a student shows their commitment to the field and being a health care professional in other ways!

In my WAMC I was told by everyone who commented said that I was not going to get in this cycle. I got into every school I interviewed at. There is hope!!

And congrats to you too!! A fellow Big 10 Dentist!!

 

[macsak]

Sorry if my reply on the UIC thread didn't make any sense! I wasn't really aware of what the program was until I actually sat down and read the docs they sent with the acceptance email.

I didn't do a post-bac. During my gap year I just worked (endo) and did research (on eating disorders in dentistry). My acceptance to UIC is for the 2024 incoming class and they want me to do the post-bac next school year through them. This is my first cycle applying! 🙂

I think the amount of experience/how well-rounded my app was. A lot of my leadership positions were through orgs that weren't dental-related, and same thing with volunteering. My GPA took a HUGE dip during 2020/covid semesters because they were online and that's when I was taking Ochem and Biochem. I also didn't know I had ADHD at the time, but after that I had a really great upwards trend. After I was diagnosed with ADHD, I began meds. The semester I began meds I was super nervous for because I was still in school FT and was working FT in 3 different jobs, but I did the best I ever did in school (I'm talking like 3.9 semester GPA). I talked about that on my app and I think that semester really saved my butt this cycle lol.

I totally agree with you- stats get you noticed, but they are not going to make or break your app (...sometimes). Especially when a student shows their commitment to the field and being a health care professional in other ways!

In my WAMC I was told by everyone who commented said that I was not going to get in this cycle. I got into every school I interviewed at. There is hope!!

And congrats to you too!! A fellow Big 10 Dentist!!

first of all, you never had a WAMC thread
(edited, my fault for not reading more closely)
second, you hadn't taken the dat at the time of your "is 6 schools enough" thread
third, not everyone told you that you weren't going to get in...

 

[bitewing5053]

first of all, you never had a WAMC thread
(edited, my fault for not reading more closely)
second, you hadn't taken the dat at the time of your "is 6 schools enough" thread
third, not everyone told you that you weren't going to get in...

Firstly, thanks for correcting your mistake.
Secondly, I mentioned that in my post, right? Not sure why this matters unless you're implying that could've been a reason for people to say that my stats (at the time) weren't going to cut it last cycle.
Lastly, each comment prior to my first interview stated either I was not going to get in without *insert suggestion* or that an application last cycle was not a good idea...

 

[macsak]

Firstly, thanks for correcting your mistake.
Secondly, I mentioned that in my post, right? Not sure why this matters unless you're implying that could've been a reason for people to say that my stats (at the time) weren't going to cut it last cycle.
Lastly, each comment prior to my first interview stated either I was not going to get in without *insert suggestion* or that an application last cycle was not a good idea...

that's not "everyone telling you are not going to get in"...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My acceptance to UIC is for the 2024 incoming class and they want me to do the post-bac next school year through them.

Ah! That's a different ballgame entirely! Kudos to qualifying for the bridge program, and kick butt this year!

We deal in probabilities, but credit the school's support for a bridge track, some astute admissions professionals, and the committee for giving you a shot! (Networking matters as well as mission fit.)

Tell us more what you can of how you found out, or refer us to where you describe your experience with the process.

Also wasn't your other acceptance straight into the entering 2023 class? What made you choose the "D-zero" (others say D-0.5)? I suspect I can surmise the answer but I wanted to hear...

 

[doc toothache]

It has the vibe of a premature victory lap.

 

[PerioDont]

Sorry if my reply on the UIC thread didn't make any sense! I wasn't really aware of what the program was until I actually sat down and read the docs they sent with the acceptance email.

I didn't do a post-bac. During my gap year I just worked (endo) and did research (on eating disorders in dentistry). My acceptance to UIC is for the 2024 incoming class and they want me to do the post-bac next school year through them. This is my first cycle applying! 🙂

I think the amount of experience/how well-rounded my app was. A lot of my leadership positions were through orgs that weren't dental-related, and same thing with volunteering. My GPA took a HUGE dip during 2020/covid semesters because they were online and that's when I was taking Ochem and Biochem. I also didn't know I had ADHD at the time, but after that I had a really great upwards trend. After I was diagnosed with ADHD, I began meds. The semester I began meds I was super nervous for because I was still in school FT and was working FT in 3 different jobs, but I did the best I ever did in school (I'm talking like 3.9 semester GPA). I talked about that on my app and I think that semester really saved my butt this cycle lol.

I totally agree with you- stats get you noticed, but they are not going to make or break your app (...sometimes). Especially when a student shows their commitment to the field and being a health care professional in other ways!

In my WAMC I was told by everyone who commented said that I was not going to get in this cycle. I got into every school I interviewed at. There is hope!!

And congrats to you too!! A fellow Big 10 Dentist!!

So you got into the dental school at UIC or to a post-bacc? I'm not sure I understand

 

[macsak]

So you got into the dental school at UIC or to a post-bacc? I'm not sure I understand

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