Is dental school getting more competitive?

[doc wannabe]

Well seeing that BU considers a 3.3 competitive, clearly not that high, it is an increase from its previous years. My discussion is: do you guys think that next year dental school will increase in competitiveness? And the year after? With more and more people applying and the number of seats staying approx. constant, how much of a change do you expect in the following year? 2 years? Also do you think it might overtake medicine as in terms of competitiveness?

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[drill-and-fill]

of course; it's only gonna get tougher as time goes by, not any easier. prolly wont overtake meds anytime soon, unless the healthcare overhaul really screws medical doctors over in the upcoming years in which case more premeds would switch over to predents.

 

[DDS Perez]

I do not believe two years is a period that will dramatically cause a change, but it sure is getting more competitive. I have spoken to some dentist (recent graduates) and back in early 2000 a competitive DAT would be around 16 or 17. Admissions are pressuring students to perform better and better obviously increasing drastically the competition. Also, study aids are contributing big time to the competition. Now a days there are so many programs that can simulate almost exact DATs, without mentioning forums like these that truly make a difference. I believe we are at the border of a drastic change in admissions to dental school, scoping to 5-10 years down the road.

 

[John Durian]

It's a good thing. I believe more qualified candidates = better learners = better dentists in the end.

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=898305

 

[Parklife]

It's all the gunner Asians and Indians + URMs.


May the odds be ever in your favor.

 

[yappy]

Asian thing is a myth. Maybe our parents generation but not today.

It's all the gunner Asians and Indians + URMs.


May the odds be ever in your favor.

 

[sacapuntas]

I believe because of the economic downturn there are more and more people like me...career changers. We come in and do 4.0 postbaccs and get high DATs and hopefully get a few seats at schools. I know 5 or 6 that I met through my undergrad this last year that are doing dental school and never would have pre-2008. That alone takes up a handful of seats at most dental schools that never would have been taken before. To me that makes it more competitive, along with other factors.

 

[doc toothache]

I believe because of the economic downturn there are more and more people like me...career changers. We come in and do 4.0 postbaccs and get high DATs and hopefully get a few seats at schools. I know 5 or 6 that I met through my undergrad this last year that are doing dental school and never would have pre-2008. That alone takes up a handful of seats at most dental schools that never would have been taken before. To me that makes it more competitive, along with other factors.

And you believe you are the first generation of "career changers". At least for the last few, every decade has seen an "economic downturn".

 

[sacapuntas]

And you believe you are the first generation of "career changers". At least for the last few, every decade has seen an "economic downturn".

Here is a graph of percentage decline in employment after recessions after 1970. It speaks for itself.

Keep in mind this graph is only through 2010, would look a lot worse now if updated (i.e. the double dip). Also keep in mind this does not reflect those that are underemployed, which is double what it was in the 1980 recession.

A lot of potential for career changers.

Then add in the fact that schools have made it exponentially easier to attend classes while still employed and you have a 'perfect storm' of an influx of professionals into the ranks of pre-health.

 

[doc toothache]

I believe because of the economic downturn there are more and more people like me...career changers. We come in and do 4.0 postbaccs and get high DATs and hopefully get a few seats at schools. I know 5 or 6 that I met through my undergrad this last year that are doing dental school and never would have pre-2008. That alone takes up a handful of seats at most dental schools that never would have been taken before. To me that makes it more competitive, along with other factors.

A lot of potential for career changers. Then add in the fact that schools have made it exponentially easier to attend classes while still employed and you have a 'perfect storm' of an influx of professionals into the ranks of pre-health.

Whether or not the downturn in the economy has had any effect on the number of applicants that could be designated as "career changers" may be debatable. What is not debatable, notwithstanding the anecdotal evidence you presented, is that the statistical evidence on the number of applicants, applicants/enrollees ratio, the gpa, science and overall, and the AA scores do not support the claim of an increase in the competitiveness of the applicants/enrollees pool.

 

[Frank22]

Keep your GPA around a 3.5, your DAT around 19 and have a good interview and LORs and you'll be fine.

 

[casiouser]

Interesting indeed. I think it is getting way more competitive, i know a dentist who had a 2.70 (B-) GPA and got in to a school, i forget which one exactly. Now a days i rarely hear of any sub 3.0 getting in (unless they cured cancer....)

 

[doc toothache]

Interesting indeed. I think it is getting way more competitive, i know a dentist who had a 2.70 (B-) GPA and got in to a school, i forget which one exactly. Now a days i rarely hear of any sub 3.0 getting in (unless they cured cancer....)

Just because you "rarely hear of any sub 3.0 getting in (unless they cured cancer" it does not mean it does not happen.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=901073

 

[casiouser]

I did use the word rarely, and your stats seem to second that.

 

[Parklife]

Asian thing is a myth. Maybe our parents generation but not today.

http://t.qkme.me/3oz597.jpg

Jokes aside, Asian and Indian American make up around 5% of the US population - yet a staggering 20-30% of the health profession. Asians also make up the highest earning bracket(doctors and engineers make money. Asians are culturally in tune to their financial needs. Plus prestige, so become a doc!) All top universities in the country are dominated by Asian students, and Indian Americans make up the highest percentage of Americans who hold at least a BS.

URMs..well..simplified it goes like this: URM with lower scores + you(not URM) with higher scores = URM getting in.

1+2 = we is getting more competitive

 

[BRZ24]

It's getting competitive every year but I still see people getting interviews with sub 3.0 GPA or sub 19 DAT score.

 

[znny19]

In my school's 3-4 BA/DDS program with NYU you initially needed a 18 on the DAT to be guaranteed acceptance. This was back in 2009 when I was a freshman. Now the average was raised to a 20. So from my experience i would say yes.

 

[Frank22]

If you get a 20 on the DAT you're guaranteed acceptance at NYU?

 

[casiouser]

Really, so a 2.7GPA is enough for acceptance or will that scrap you out instantly? Sorry im canadian, not really applying to "easy" schools, but i want an idea of how competitive the easiest school is...according to post above a sub 3 with a 20 is enough, really? i thought itd be harder than that....(aka more emphasis on gpa cuz it takes a lot more hard work and time to get a high gpa than a high dat...4 years for a good gpa and 4 weeks for a good dat)

 

[znny19]

If you get a 20 on the DAT you're guaranteed acceptance at NYU?

Yes....http://academics.adelphi.edu/jointdegree/dentistry.php

3.5 gpa, 20 DAT etc. I decided not to do it because it limits you to applying only to NYU since your first year of dental school counts towards your undergraduate degree.

** Edit: Not with a 2.7 gpa...

 

[sacapuntas]

Really, so a 2.7GPA is enough for acceptance or will that scrap you out instantly? Sorry im canadian, not really applying to "easy" schools, but i want an idea of how competitive the easiest school is...according to post above a sub 3 with a 20 is enough, really? i thought itd be harder than that....(aka more emphasis on gpa cuz it takes a lot more hard work and time to get a high gpa than a high dat...4 years for a good gpa and 4 weeks for a good dat)

Are you a student or an adviser as you have claimed in your other thread?

And no, a 2.7 gpa is not enough.

I smell a troll...

 

[casiouser]

Are you a student or an adviser as you have claimed in your other thread?

And no, a 2.7 gpa is not enough.

I smell a troll...

Clearly you misunderstood, i am a student adviser for students, like one on one student mentoring....its fairly common to be blatantly honest...

 

[wo5678]

If you get a 20 on the DAT you're guaranteed acceptance at NYU?

No, I have two friends that got waitlist from NYU last cycle. One got a 20 and the other got 22. So no, it is not a guaranteed acceptance.

 

[Adamsswag]

Stop speculating. If you truly have the passion to become a dentist, you will make it work