I'm so upset

[vixen]

so my sched date for the DAT is Aug 23rd....the school I am going to be teaching at in the fall said orientation for teaching would start on the 28th....today I get a letter in the mail from the board of Ed saying there is mandatory training on Aug. 19-23 and 28th (this one's all day), from 8am till 3pm....Soooooo....


this is going to mess up my DAT of course....so, this is what I plan on doing...tell me what you guys think....I should study as if I was going to take the DAT on the 16th...go to orientation, come back every day, review my ass off, keep taking practice DAT's, study all weekend, and take it the 27th? What do you guys think?

This is so frustrating , but I guess its a wake up call
I think I work pretty well under pressure luckily

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[nycdoc]

Here's a wake up call: Why don't you just stop wasting time and study?
You know, your life is going to get a hundred times more complicated once you're in dental school. While you were posting that, you could have learned another concept. Quick, what does oxytocin do? See how much time SDN takes away?

Here's some real no-nonsense advice: I know YOU have seen all the posts throughout the past couple of years to know the answer to your own question. Study day and night until the test. Get off SDN and STOP WASTING TIME. No more excuses. You're only creating more anxiety for yourself by constantly planning and re-evaluating everything.

 

[Beagle]

NYCDOC----a little harsh don't you think? Are you angry at someone today?
Vixen ---I think that taking it on the 27th will be fine. Your plan sounds good Do you think you would be ready for it earlier? Say on the 15th or so? I would take it as soon as you are ready. Just keep studying. Perhaps having the day training classes will put you on a regular schedule so you can study each and every day for a set number of hours.
Goodluck, I know how you are feeling right now. Anxiety at its worst

 

[nycdoc]

I'm not angry at anyone....I know it's harsh but it is straight forward honest advice. Am I wrong?

Ok, it's not sugar-coated and full of gentle encouragement but I think we've had tons of threads offering emotional support.

SDN can be a HUGE waste of time and takes away from your priorities. If you want to go to dental school, you have to put everything else on the back burner. Sorry if that sounds mean!

 

[vixen]

ok, I know you didn't want to see me post, but this is a quickie...yes, your advice is right on....on another day it wouldn't be harsh, but today it was a little cause i'm stressing out (being that I just found out the orientation stuff, and lots of family stuff )...anyways, I'm gonna work my ass off....HARDCORE baby...I'm gonna do my best!! I hope it works!!

 

[steiner19er]

NYC doc: that was a little harsh, even I wouldn;t deny. But What you say is true. procrastinating gets you know where. And anybody that states they are going to study on some tuesday night a month in advance is procrastating. The DAT isn;t fun to study for. I didn;t study. But I know that when I do study it isn;t usually planned. When I feel like studying I will, and Vixen should do the same, I think she needs to throw that DAT book on her coffee table, and when she gets the urge read it. And if she doesn't feel like reading it she can watch TV. Studying just cause you have it on your schedule gets you no where, the entire time you are studying you are thinking of better things to do.

 

[racemic01]

Just throwing my 2 cents around.

Sure, NYC's advice was harsh. Really just its tone. But the advice was dead on. It's great to hang out on SDN and get/give advice, but when you're DAT is next month, I agree with NCY, it's time to hit the books.

I also want to respectfully disagree with steiner's advice on studying. I think its important to use whatever study habits work for you: study at home or library, with friends or by yourself, etc. However, when studying something so dry you'll rarely be in the mood. You need to force yourself, especially if you are like most and have to struggle a bit to get a great score. Leisurely studying when you feal like it may work occasionally in college, but I have a hard time believing that it works in dental school given the volume of material to learn. I think studying just because it is on your schedule get's you very far. If you lack focus while studying, focus on getting into dental school and what it takes.. ie a good DAT score.

Good luck, vixen. I'm sure you can do it, especially if you start hitting that DAT book on a regular schedule.

 

[ibo man]

Vixen,
just curious would it be possible for you to reschedule the test. And take the test couple of days before your orientation? Just study study, the more you study the easier and more fun it gets. Good luck.

 

[DesiDentist]

Hang in there Seema. I'm in the same boat as you are. I've been studying off and on for the DAT for almost 4 months now and I still feel lost on some parts. I think the last month is the most crucial since the DAT is a cram exam. You have to take this exam seema, you can't get out of it. You need to show improvment if you don't show improvment you and I know how hard it will be for admittance. Take a deep breath and focus. No more excuses, no more alternatives. If you want to be a teacher you have to go to orientation, if you want to be a dentist you have to kick ass on this exam. I know it and everyone knows it. You are much better prepared now, you just took Ochem, and Microbiology so you should be very comfortable. Spend the next month day in and day out studying. No work, except DAT. Persistance pays off.

It's TIME!!!!

DesiDentist

 

[Yah-E]

Simseema:

I've known you and read your posts since I joined back in December 2001. To me, I feel that you are VERY passionate for the world of dentistry and your future dental education.

I've said this to you before and I'm going to say it the last time. As a second time applicant, YOU MUST demonstrate AND prove that your second application is above and beyond your first application.

Knowing your satisfactory grades in your current graduate work, I know that you're on the correct path to an admissions success. Although you have done well in your graduate work, that is only one component to your future admissions success. Do not underestimate the potent effectiveness of exemplary DAT scores (20s across the board). With great DAT scores, it will ONLY enhance your admissions chances if not secure it!

With that being said, no seeking for advices or suggestions. You simply do not need any really. I think that by now you have all the answers that you may possibly need! You need to simply study and study and study.

First it was the trip back to India, then now this teaching training...girl...those should all be secondary on your priority list. Your DAT scores are in your hands, you have the control on how well you can do on this exam!

Personally, if it was me, I would never even apply for this teaching thing, I know that I have a much more important task a head of me that will require all my attention.

For me, when I studied for my DAT, both of my Thanksgiving Break and Christmas/New Years' vacations were designated to my DAT studies. All my friends were out partying, traveling, sleeping in, and relaxing. Knowing that I could be very easily pursuaded to do all that, but I knew my admissions destiny is in my own hands.

No more other commitments, favors to others, and postponing DAT schedules. YOU MUST study and do well. You are a second time applicant, YOU MUST stand out!

I want you to succeed as I see the passion in your posts. Walk the talk, girl. I have faith in ya!

 

[Ronny]

Does a second time applicant have it harder than a first time applicant?

 

[DesiDentist]

Originally posted by Ronny
Does a second time applicant have it harder than a first time applicant?

To answer your question simply: YES!

A second time applicant was rejected for some reason. The mistakes should be corrected and the applicant should have a more stronger application than before. Admission commitees want to see change. If you got rejected due to bad grades, improve your grades. If you got rejected due to low DAT scores, retake the DAT. If you got rejected because you applied late, apply early. Don't make the same mistakes again.
Hope this helps.

DesiDentist

 

[cusp of carabelli]

to answer ronny's question...I think there are some advantages to being a second time applicant in that some schools look at these re-applicants as showing a sense of dedication to the profession and may rate you higher than before...but it is true that you should do anything and everything in your power to improve your current app. over your previous one...

and secondly....I think we should stop giving simseema advice/posting on this thread so that she won't be tempted to look on SDN and distract her from her DAT's...so...i'm suggesting a collaborative ignoring of vixen's posts until she finishes her DAT's and aces them....sorry...but gotta dish out the tough love in tough times!!!!...

 

[vixen]

ok, i'm avoiding SDN, but I had to read these replies...all of you are right, I know what I have to do, I was just freaking out yesterday....I'm going to be a middle school science teacher this year, so I have no control over the orientation, just wanted to clear that up....but either way, thats not going to stop me....I'm sticking to my guns....studying as if its on the 16th, then I'll keep reviewing and taking practice tests and take it the 27th.....thanks for all the help guys...I prob won't post unless its a DAT ? or an AADSAS ?.....ok, take care everyone

 

[groundhog]

Vixen, a middle school science teacher? You may have found your calling. My wife works at a middle school so I know it is normally a tough gig. However a babe like you will have all those rowdy boys eating out of the palm of your hand.

 

[steiner19er]

Originally posted by cusp of carabelli
to answer ronny's question...I think there are some advantages to being a second time applicant in that some schools look at these re-applicants as showing a sense of dedication to the profession and may rate you higher than before...but it is true that you should do anything and everything in your power to improve your current app. over your previous one...

B.S. Dental schools don't care if you are a first time applicant, or a 4th time. They want the best students that they can get. They could care less how you have wanted to be a dds since grade school. On the other side they could care less that you chose dentistry after not getting accepted to med school. They want the academically best students that they can get.
While a re-applicant might be wiser the next year, lets say not apply to some out of state schools, and be more knowledgeable the admissions process. Overall there is no advantages, in fact there might be some disadvantages. For example: the private schools may wonder why you were not chosen by your own state school the prevous year. They may think that if you weren't good enough for your state school the previous year, you aren't good enough for theirs.

Speaking as a 3 time applicant I found it hard to re-apply. After the two previous discouraging years, I grew to hate my 2 illinois schools. Not to mention the money that I threw away, the frustrations, and the dashed hopes.

 

[cusp of carabelli]

Originally posted by steiner19er


B.S. Dental schools don't care if you are a first time applicant, or a 4th time. They want the best students that they can get. They could care less how you have wanted to be a dds since grade school. On the other side they could care less that you chose dentistry after not getting accepted to med school. They want the academically best students that they can get.
While a re-applicant might be wiser the next year, lets say not apply to some out of state schools, and be more knowledgeable the admissions process. Overall there is no advantages, in fact there might be some disadvantages. For example: the private schools may wonder why you were not chosen by your own state school the prevous year. They may think that if you weren't good enough for your state school the previous year, you aren't good enough for theirs.

Speaking as a 3 time applicant I found it hard to re-apply. After the two previous discouraging years, I grew to hate my 2 illinois schools. Not to mention the money that I threw away, the frustrations, and the dashed hopes.

ummm...i too had to reapply before i got into dental school..(several of them too) and I discussed this question with one of the admissions committee profs. at a school that shall remain unnamed. I did not say all schools look favorably upon reapplicants...I said some....and btw....the times i did reapply...i got interviews (to some of the same schools too....) Of course it would be good to improve your application from the year before and show the committee that you can do the work and aren't wasting your time and theirs...just like nobody can be admitted only based on their essay or gpa or dats...they aren't gonna solely admit you/give you interviews based on being a reapplicant....but it a factor some schools take into account when looking at your file and making a decsion on it....now i admit when i first got interviews it was my fault for not getting in b/c i was too cocky to prepare for the interview...but i've learned from my mistakes and will be living my starting school in the fall...

 

[Pi__Guy1]

I swear, Steiner and I are twins. Growing up in Chicago, I can now say that I hate all Illinois state schools. I totally agree with Steiner: there is no advantage with reapplicants. It all comes down to your numbers. You can have a 3.999, 24/24 and have absolutely 0 social skills/personality and will get in most (if not all) dental schools.

Yes, I probably could've had a higher GPA, but with a 19/19 plus a masters degree you'd think one of the Illinois school would have accepted me rather than dickin around w/ me on a waiting list.

Seema, don't sweat it. I took the DATs only once (thank God) and I only did the Kaplan thing. Granted, my scores weren't stellar (19/19) but it was enough for UIC and SIU's dean to say that I didn't have to retake them...it's all about practice exams.

One other advice for you: take any advice you get from dental school deans with a grain of salt. I did as they asked and went for a masters (with A's) and they didn't follow up with their word. You're on the right track...apply to as many schools as you can afford. Once you get in, you can be like me and work at Banana Republic for the summer and get a regular priced wool pants ($98) for $42.08. (Chicago taxes are hefty). Good luck!