in need of expert advice!

[dentalman83]

I graduated in Spring '05 planning on applying in '06. My overall GPA is 3.3, Science 3.0 B.A. Human Bio (claremont colleges). I'm currently taking Ochem at community college, expecting A's in both semesters.

-i've shown improvements in my grades
-Plan to score well on DAT's, lets assume i get 20+'s
-currently interning at a dental clinic
-no research experience
-Uncle is a dentist (does this help?)
-expecting great letters of rec. from prof's

What are my chances of getting in to ANY school? which schools should i be applying to? and what should i be doing with my free time. I am willing to do anything and everything to get myself into a dental school at this point. I know i'm in a bad/ borderline situation please help, this is my life!

Thank you all

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[rambo2006]

I dont think any1 here would claim to be an expert. I would advise you to discuss the matter with a pre-dentistry adviser and discuss the points you mentioned. Sometimes dental schools have these sessions or lectures on what makes a candidate stand out or the crowd. Also, dont 4get that people in this forum are your competitors, so if I where you I wouldnt always rely on everything that is said, or base my decisions soley on them either.

good luck.

 

[Richnator]

I graduated in Spring '05 planning on applying in '06. My overall GPA is 3.3, Science 3.0 B.A. Human Bio (claremont colleges). I'm currently taking Ochem at community college, expecting A's in both semesters.

-i've shown improvements in my grades
-Plan to score well on DAT's, lets assume i get 20+'s
-currently interning at a dental clinic
-no research experience
-Uncle is a dentist (does this help?)
-expecting great letters of rec. from prof's

What are my chances of getting in to ANY school? which schools should i be applying to? and what should i be doing with my free time. I am willing to do anything and everything to get myself into a dental school at this point. I know i'm in a bad/ borderline situation please help, this is my life!

Thank you all

Having relatives who graduated from a dental school is definitely a plus. Apply there and you should have an advantage if they have a good reputation there. Also, do well on your courses, as well as having a great DAT score and your chances will definitely be much better.

 

[superchris147]

I graduated in Spring '05 planning on applying in '06. My overall GPA is 3.3, Science 3.0 B.A. Human Bio (claremont colleges). I'm currently taking Ochem at community college, expecting A's in both semesters.

-i've shown improvements in my grades
-Plan to score well on DAT's, lets assume i get 20+'s
-currently interning at a dental clinic
-no research experience
-Uncle is a dentist (does this help?)
-expecting great letters of rec. from prof's

What are my chances of getting in to ANY school? which schools should i be applying to? and what should i be doing with my free time. I am willing to do anything and everything to get myself into a dental school at this point. I know i'm in a bad/ borderline situation please help, this is my life!

Thank you all

a 3.3 isn't horrible, but the best thing for you to be doing is either volunteering at a dental office or research, but i think at a dental office would be better (i had a ton of research and it only helped me during my interviews at more research oriented schools ie: michigan and buffalo). the best thing you can do for yourself is to rock the DAT and that is no easy task. but you have enough time to study and take it twice if need be. But i think doing really well on your DAT would be the obvious way for you to go . . . but then again i'm not expert

but seriously if you get like a 21/20 on your DAT i'm sure you can get into at least one school and all it takes is one acceptance

 

[mcshow2]

My highly UNEXPERT advice would be to not get cheap and apply to a lot of schools. Like said earlier, your gpa is not bad at all and good DAT's will help.

volunteer work would also help you... volunteering in the dental field would be optimum. there are schools such as arizona who put a lot of ephasis on dental volunteer work. I would frequently call schools, ask questions, email their admissions people asking questions you might even know the answer to, tour any nearby schools.

You also mentioned that you have some time on your hands, you might consider retaking some of your lower grade classes for better grades. anything you can do to show your committment to dentistry will be helpful.

Keep doing what you are doing, and like i said earlier, i am no expert, but I would put a lot of money that you will get in to more than one dental school. Especially if you get 20's across on the DAT. STUDY STUDY for that!!!! Good luck!!!

 

[drengineer]

dentalman83, I don't think Dental schools are very impressed if you take your pre-req courses at a community college. I would encourage you to take them at a university.

 

[donkeywhisperer]

Get invovled with some kind of activity that requires good hand skills, and study for that DAT, like everyone has said. I really wish I had studied harder for that thing, I only had a week to prepare.
Oh, and grow a mustache. Adcoms love them. Remember the answer to the mustache question is always YES!

 

[dentalman83]

dentalman83, I don't think Dental schools are very impressed if you take your pre-req courses at a community college. I would encourage you to take them at a university.

is this true?! my college advisor told me that it did not matter.

 

[dentalman83]

Get invovled with some kind of activity that requires good hand skills, and study for that DAT, like everyone has said. I really wish I had studied harder for that thing, I only had a week to prepare.
Oh, and grow a mustache. Adcoms love them. Remember the answer to the mustache question is always YES!

what kind of activity would be optimal?

 

[VegasBabyVegas]

is this true?! my college advisor told me that it did not matter.

Did your dental advisor work at the community college? Hmmm...I don't think he'd tell you to take your business somewhere else. Take them at a university if you can.

what kind of activity would be optimal?

Things that involve your hands like my favorite, picking my nose with my pinkys when I'm driving and then placing them as far under my seat as I can, all while shifting, talking on my cell phone, and putting on my seatbelt. Harvard really liked that one...I'm a shoe-in.

 

[dentalman83]

Did your dental advisor work at the community college? Hmmm...I don't think he'd tell you to take your business somewhere else. Take them at a university if you can.




Things that involve your hands like my favorite, picking my nose with my pinkys when I'm driving and then placing them as far under my seat as I can, all while shifting, talking on my cell phone, and putting on my seatbelt. Harvard really liked that one...I'm a shoe-in.

comeon man, lets be serious here. i heard that ceramics and pottery are good to take. do schools look for this?

more advice guys, like which schools will i have the best chances of acceptance? and is research necesarry?

 

[jeanniebluebird]

Research is not necessary. Focus on shadowing, preferably with someone that is not your uncle. He probably has colleagues that you can shadow.

The hands-skill thing.. Hmm. Pottery and ceramics is okay but its not exactly what theyre looking for. I was asked "what do you do with your hands" at one interview and I was just honest and said nothing. We'll see if that hurt my chances on dec 1st.

WHat someone said about community college is true. An advisor at Upenn said that they prefer prereq taken at a 4yr institution. It can be a city college/university, but not a community 2yr college. You should email or call some of the schools that you are interested in and ask them.

 

[Richnator]

Research is not necessary. Focus on shadowing, preferably with someone that is not your uncle. He probably has colleagues that you can shadow.

The hands-skill thing.. Hmm. Pottery and ceramics is okay but its not exactly what theyre looking for. I was asked "what do you do with your hands" at one interview and I was just honest and said nothing. We'll see if that hurt my chances on dec 1st.

WHat someone said about community college is true. An advisor at Upenn said that they prefer prereq taken at a 4yr institution. It can be a city college/university, but not a community 2yr college. You should email or call some of the schools that you are interested in and ask them.

Yah, I go to a 4 year city college. Didn't stop me from getting interviews. However, if I took courses at a 2 year community college, then I think adcoms will be asking questions. Just follow your heart in the end. If you get a 24 AA on the DAT, I doubt they will question your abilities even though you took your pre-reqs at a 2 year community college.

Good luck,
Rich

 

[food4thots]

try to add community service onto your list.