Is it too late to start to apply for Fall of 2008?

[EW6]

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I'm accepted to Medical School for this coming fall and despite all of my best self convincing I am continuing to feel a pull towards dentistry. Sp much so that I am thinking of dropping my spot in Medical School to take a shot at going to dental school. I would need ~2 months of studying for the DAT and to take it along with filling out the appliction, I know it is very late to take on such an undertaking, but is it possible/probable/crazy to realistically think about actually succeeding for the Fall 2008 class? Additionally can a person start the application process without a DAT score yet on record? Thanks.

 

[Vapor1122]

Not too late at all. If you did well on the MCAT, you're pretty much set on DAT science. Just brush up on your geometry and algebra and do some PAT practice and you're golden. Obviously you'll want to take your DAT ASAP, but it's certainly doable. As far as the AADSAS application, you could take that out in a few hours, save for the personal statement, which, depending on how good of a writer you are, could be drafted in a few hours and polished within a few days.

 

[EW6]

How long from taking the DAT does is take to get your scores into the AADSAS? The MCAT was months, I assume with the electronic test this should be something like immediatly to weeks?

Is there a common time for the first selections to begin?

 

[lifeisgood]

It takes AADSAS 6-8 weeks to get your app to the schools (pretty sure) and only a few weeks for the ADA to get your scores to them. I even went as far as faxing my scores to the few schools that were important to me (be advised some schools do not want you doing this). You get your scores about 30 sec after you finish the test and you can enter them in to AADSAS once you get to a computer. Something else you might be interested in...I submitted July 18th, took my test August 30th and was accepted Dec 11th, so you definitely have time.

 

[reapply2007]

You'll also need shadow time and a dentist LOR. Congrats on med school. Good luck on AADSAS.

 

[dentaldentist]

Find a dentist immediately to shadow. Every school wants you to have at least some shadowing or working at a dentist office on your application and some schools require a minimum of about 40 hours worth. So, get some shadowing down in the next few weeks so you can have your application ready to submit by the end of June / early July. Also, start your application with AADSAS now and submit your transcripts as it takes them several weeks to process transcripts. Once you have your shadowing down and everything else filled out, submit your application because it takes 6 - 8 weeks for them to send your application to your selected schools. YOU DO NOT need to have completed the DAT to submit your application. Take your DAT by mid August and you should be good. You get your DAT scores right when you finish the test and the ADA sends your DAT scores directly to schools within 2 weeks - you don't have to wait for this to be processed by the AADSAS. Schools generally don't start reviewing applications until the begining of August so you have plenty of time. You can push everything back later, but the earlier you submit your application the better your chances are. If you have a high GPA and score well on the DAT, applying later will not affect you as much. For most schools you can apply all the way up until January or later, but most spots will already be filled if you wait to apply until then. Get your applilcation in earlier so you have a chance at some fall interviews. The first round of acceptances is December first. Good luck.