is mentioning videogame bad in application?

[joonkimdds]

I am planning to talk about videogame experience in my personal statement and was wondering if it will make them frown on my application because they think I am immature? The main point I want to make here is how playing video game enhanced my hands on activity(I think that's why they like to see you with art or music class), and also I got used to 3D objects.

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[iJackTeeth]

I am planning to talk about videogame experience in my personal statement and was wondering if it will make them frown on my application because they think I am immature? The main point I want to make here is how playing video game enhanced my hands on activity(I think that's why they like to see you with art or music class), and also I got used to 3D objects.

i would definitely avoid that in your PS, but maybe mention it in the manual dexterity section of the app

 

[Dentgirl09]

I wouldn't put that...

 

[Quattro DMD]

I am planning to talk about videogame experience in my personal statement and was wondering if it will make them frown on my application because they think I am immature? The main point I want to make here is how playing video game enhanced my hands on activity(I think that's why they like to see you with art or music class), and also I got used to 3D objects.

Yeah don't mention that. Besides, do video games really improve your manual dexterity? I mean you're just pushing a few buttons with your thumbs.

 

[joonkimdds]

But dental school tests your ability to be familiar with 3D structure and almost all videogames now are using 3D characters and objects in them.

I was thinking that maybe schools that focus on PAT section of DAT and art/music classes like it.

When it comes to manual dexterity, I guess it doesn't help 🙁

 

[makushin]

.

 

[Blarelli]

I think that ethically I'll have to mention what a dominant force I am at Starcraft and Warcraft II. Just so nobody gets hurt, you know?

 

[joonkimdds]

I think that ethically I'll have to mention what a dominant force I am at Starcraft and Warcraft II. Just so nobody gets hurt, you know?

do you still play warcraft II? not III nor WoW? I think warcraf II has less competition going on than the other two so being a dominant force in that game won't make you a good applicant

 

[Blarelli]

do you still play warcraft II? not III nor WoW? I think warcraf II has less competition going on than the other two so being a dominant force in that game won't make you a good applicant

I just play it with a few friends sometimes. I was ranked #2 worldwide once. Probably shouldn't put that on an application either.😀

 

[joonkimdds]

I just play it with a few friends sometimes. I was ranked #2 worldwide once. Probably shouldn't put that on an application either.😀

That's amazing, when are you applying to dental school? I think I should avoid the year that you are applying 🙁 (little sarcasm here~)

But I think games are being underrated. RTS gamers can definitely prove that they have better dexterity than normal human beings.

 

[blissy07]

.

 

[tjdent]

That's amazing, when are you applying to dental school? I think I should avoid the year that you are applying 🙁 (little sarcasm here~)

yeah but it's sad how video games are still treated as just a child play when its competition can be sometimes higher than that of dentistry. This is why there should be more of M rated games that say we are "'M'ature!"🙂

Someone please tell me this is joke. Is this the type of person I have to look forward to in dental school? Someone completely out of touch with reality?

Also, yes video games are in 3D. Well, so is the real world, so maybe if you entered it you would realize that video games will in no way make you a better applicant.

On second thought, please please please mention video games on your application because that would be an absolute suicide move and there are probably about 2000 other applicants that I would rather have in my class.

 

[joonkimdds]

Someone please tell me this is joke. Is this the type of person I have to look forward to in dental school? Someone completely out of touch with reality?

Also, yes video games are in 3D. Well, so is the real world, so maybe if you entered it you would realize that video games will in no way make you a better applicant.

On second thought, please please please mention video games on your application because that would be an absolute suicide move and there are probably about 2000 other applicants that I would rather have in my class.

Hey~ just chill~ I already know that mentioning it is not something that will make me proud. I only asked it because I have been playing the flute over 15 years (private, class, band), took drawing, panting classes for a long time (private, and school) and I still believe that I grew more of dexterity, quickness, accuracy, and being familiar with 3D in games.


If I say I am gonna write video game in application, most people will say no but I think it's because there is little misunderstanding. I think games shouldn't be treated differently or less than that of musical instruments, and art classes. I know that the reality is not as it seems but I was just asking because I heard that dental schools like someone unique, and I thought I think about this in a different way than most people and in a positive way at the same time.

 

[joonkimdds]

.

 

[tjdent]

Hey~ just chill~ I already know that mentioning it is not something that will make me proud. I only asked it because I have been playing the flute over 15 years (private, class, band), took drawing, panting classes for a long time (private, and school) and I still believe that I grew more of dexterity, quickness, accuracy, and being familiar with 3D in games.


If I say I am gonna write video game in application, most people will say no but I think it's because there is little misunderstanding. I think games shouldn't be treated differently or less than that of musical instruments, and art classes. I know that the reality is not as it seems but I was just asking because I heard that dental schools like someone unique, and I thought I think about this in a different way than most people and in a positive way at the same time.

Clearly you have enough to demonstrate your manual dexterity.

But honestly, come on. Please try to work on your common sense. There are different kinds of intelligence. If you are good at memorizing facts so you can get good grades in school and get into dental school then thats great. But thats not the end of the road. A lot of your success will be based on convincing your patients that you are competent. Please do something to work on your sensibility. I dont know what to tell you, just have some sort of real world experience. Idk, go work the night shift at a recycling plant or something. I think it would serve you personally better than any research or dental experience you have in the future.

 

[tjdent]

Also, you want to improve your finger agility? Go hook up with a girl.

 

[Jimmy Choo]

Also, you want to improve your finger agility? Go hook up with a girl.

How naughty😡

Just to reiterate what others have said, I don't think it's a good idea to mention it in your personal statement.

 

[joonkimdds]

Yeah don't mention that. Besides, do video games really improve your manual dexterity? I mean you're just pushing a few buttons with your thumbs.

I will take the advice you guys gave me and won't put that on my application.

But here is just a couple of things that I want to say about how it increases dexterity. Plz don't read it if you don't like games 🙂

it's depending on what game we are talking about.

FPS = headshot is what most gamers want. Hardcore gamers buy good mouse with high precision, something that you can adjust the weight of the mouse(G5 for example), change the speed of the mouse movement, and this should be done with one hit due to recoil.

RTS = requires you to learn how to press all the buttons in keyboard with one hand without looking at the keyboard and it should be done with fast speed for unit management. Unlike most people who type keyboard with two hands, gamers can do it with one hand, and pressing 2~3 buttons on keyboard simultaneously, too.

Fighting = they are demanding on reacting with the eye and hand coordination. Precision, timing, speed and responsiveness are all very important. Hardcore gamers buy extra arcade fighting sticks that cost around $150 just to improve the control.

Music = have you guys played guitar hero or beat mania? guitar hero is for kids even at the highest level but beat mania is what dexterity is all about.

Anyway I guess I talk too much 😀 I will stop here.

 

[theskibumjohnso]

I am planning to talk about videogame experience in my personal statement and was wondering if it will make them frown on my application because they think I am immature? The main point I want to make here is how playing video game enhanced my hands on activity(I think that's why they like to see you with art or music class), and also I got used to 3D objects.

nerd. Do you have friends? and the playstation, x box, and online friends don't count.

 

[DrReo]

Absolutely mention video games.

 

[bennijai]

Don't mention video games in your PS. That would just make them laugh at you. If you want, just place it in the manual dexterity section and be prepared to explain yourself when they ask you about it.

And keep in mind, you're not going to be working on someone where the tooth is trying to dodge your hands, or you will need to input a thousand commands in a second, so it would be a waste to mention any of those reasons.

 

[dentisttobe42]

yea i'd definitely avoid it in ur personal statement... they may think that this will become a distraction while your time at dental school... HOWEVER, on a related note, I just downloaded super mario brothers 3 on the Wii and I am absolutely ADDICTED lol.. its so nostalgic

 

[DROCKINDAHOUSE]

Hey~ just chill~ I already know that mentioning it is not something that will make me proud. I only asked it because I have been playing the flute over 15 years (private, class, band), took drawing, panting classes for a long time (private, and school) and I still believe that I grew more of dexterity, quickness, accuracy, and being familiar with 3D in games.


If I say I am gonna write video game in application, most people will say no but I think it's because there is little misunderstanding. I think games shouldn't be treated differently or less than that of musical instruments, and art classes. I know that the reality is not as it seems but I was just asking because I heard that dental schools like someone unique, and I thought I think about this in a different way than most people and in a positive way at the same time.

Single ladies better watch out for this stud...

 

[idealisstical]

Good god people are harsh. Personally, I don't think this is something you want to mention in the personal statement or on the application because, clearly, there could be a huge misunderstanding. I think this would be a great thing to bring up in the interview because you can really explain yourself and why you think video games have helped you (as you have in your last posts.. you have good arguments about how they have helped your dexterity and hand eye coordination). By explaining it in person, you can show them that you're unique and that you aren't a stereotypical gamer, like everyone else on here has pinned you as.

Does anyone realize that a lot of surgeries are done using video game-like technology? Surgeons actually use video games to warm up before they do procedures. There was a story about it on dateline.. look it up.

 

[harrygt]

IMO, even if the reality is that video games can help manual dexterity (I doubt, but let's assume it's ture), a 40-60 year old OMFS or any other professor reading you Personal statement won't digest this 99% of the time. As someone else mentioned, most of the time you have a conservative person, which has by the way never played a video game in his/her life and only heard about the negative sides of it, reading your PS and deciding on your fate. You think you can prove or even impress this kind of a traditional person by your video game abilities in a couple of lines, before he/she throws your PS in the garbage can? I doubt.
I mean talk to a current 40+ year old person these days about video games, and MOST of them will trash it right away.

 

[blissy07]

IMO, even if the reality is that video games can help manual dexterity (I doubt, but let's assume it's ture), a 40-60 year old OMFS or any other professor reading you Personal statement won't digest this 99% of the time. As someone else mentioned, most of the time you have a conservative person, which has by the way never played a video game in his/her life and only heard about the negative sides of it, reading your PS and deciding on your fate. You think you can prove or even impress this kind of a traditional person by your video game abilities in a couple of lines, before he/she throws your PS in the garbage can? I doubt.
I mean talk to a current 40+ year old person these days about video games, and MOST of them will trash it right away.

Exactly. You must never forget that the #1 rule is: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

 

[DrReo]

Include text messaging too!

 

[Quattro DMD]

Music = have you guys played guitar hero or beat mania? guitar hero is for kids even at the highest level but beat mania is what dexterity is all about. quote]

Don't get me started on Guitar Hero! That game builds manual dexterity like Dance Dance Revolution improves dance skills!

 

[Dentgirl09]

Include text messaging too!

Lets stop being mean he just asked a question, got his answer. People have all sorts of different hobbies, let it go.

Maybe if you REALLY want to mention it (not in your PS but somewhere else) you could say that it gave you the ability to not only do different things with both hands, but do different things with all of your fingers.

But in reality, I think you could correlate video games to typing skills or texting skills. And if you are going to claim it got you used to 3D objects moreso than others you better do REALLY well on the PAT.

Overall, it seems like it will hurt your app more than help. Or... if not hurt... it will waste space talking bout irrelevant things as opposed to using that space to express yourself as an individual and who you are as a person. I think they care more about that in your personal statement than your gaming habits. Good luck.

 

[doc toothache]

Why not include the ability to use both conventional and non conventional culinary utensils?

 

[JamesOSU]

Wouldn't mention it in your PS, but...

Video games rock ;-) I think you'll find the audience on SDN is a lot of over-stressed people so worried about their own image that they'd never be caught playing (or admitting) or enjoying video games. And what's wrong with being a nerd? A forum for student doctors and someone is throwing the word nerd around like an insult?!

I recently built my own computer from scratch basically just so I could finally play Crysis, I beat it in a week and now I scan forums on SDN on a 22" monitor with two SLI-enabled GEforce 9800s... silly me. Sexual frustration obv also runs pretty high on this forum, sheesh!

As far as mentioning this in an interview or claiming it helps with perceptual ability, that may be a stretch - but christ lets back off the hate about video games.

 

[JamesOSU]

Oh - and angle ranking (your signature) just look at it and go with first impression of biggest and smallest, narrow it down to those 2 and pick between them. Key is not to focus on one question too long or you'll waste time, go with first impression and move on. That section is a biotch on the DAT

 

[harrygt]

Wouldn't mention it in your PS, but...

Video games rock ;-) I think you'll find the audience on SDN is a lot of over-stressed people so worried about their own image that they'd never be caught playing (or admitting) or enjoying video games. And what's wrong with being a nerd? A forum for student doctors and someone is throwing the word nerd around like an insult?!

I recently built my own computer from scratch basically just so I could finally play Crysis, I beat it in a week and now I scan forums on SDN on a 22" monitor with two SLI-enabled GEforce 9800s... silly me. Sexual frustration obv also runs pretty high on this forum, sheesh!

As far as mentioning this in an interview or claiming it helps with perceptual ability, that may be a stretch - but christ lets back off the hate about video games.

No one has mentioned yet that they don't like video games (on this thread).
I have not noticed "the hate about video games" on this thread either. Advising someone not to mention Video game skills in a PS does not come from any hate for those games. It comes from rationality.

 

[Persevere13]

Wouldn't mention it in your PS, but...

Video games rock ;-) I think you'll find the audience on SDN is a lot of over-stressed people so worried about their own image that they'd never be caught playing (or admitting) or enjoying video games. And what's wrong with being a nerd? A forum for student doctors and someone is throwing the word nerd around like an insult?!

I recently built my own computer from scratch basically just so I could finally play Crysis, I beat it in a week and now I scan forums on SDN on a 22" monitor with two SLI-enabled GEforce 9800s... silly me. Sexual frustration obv also runs pretty high on this forum, sheesh!

As far as mentioning this in an interview or claiming it helps with perceptual ability, that may be a stretch - but christ lets back off the hate about video games.

agreed dont act like any of you dont play video games -

madden 09, ncaa 09, nba 2k8 - so addicting

 

[y0ssarian]

Why is there so much hating on joon? You can answer the question without resorting to personal attacks and ******ed sarcasm.

To the OP, as everyone else has said, don't include video games. Mentioning the part about playing the flute would probably score the same points you were trying to make about manual dexterity.

 

[dentalplan]

Hey Joon - don't worry about some of the people on this thread - they are most likely similar to the noobs you and I consistently pwn in cod4 and starcraft. Noobs (non-gamers) are very common...and you can even find them on this thread - QQ'ing and bashing on gamers with insults such as haxor! no-life loser! imbalance!

One person on this thread called Joon a nerd and negatively attacked him by insinuating that he might not have any friends. Ya....great dentist he'll turn out to be...if he talks like that to his patients...

Another person nudged that Guitar Hero is not associated with manual dexterity. To that person: please post a video of yourself, stating your SDN name and achieving 90% or better on the last song on Guitar Hero 3 on the hardest difficulty.....Only THEN can you come on here and talk like that to your fellow SDN'er. Otherwise....YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!!! (another sign of a noob)

Another person claimed video games are out of touch with reality. Well...please explain to me the meaning of life and then you can come here and tell us what is real and what is not. Literature reminds us that there is always a blending (or intersection) between the real and the ideal. You live in an ideal world when you dream!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot really escape fantasy sometimes.....every human experiences it in their daily lives - if not in video games, then in other things like books and movies! As long as video gaming is in balance with other more "real" things in life, then I see no harm. Some of you guys are gonna have to open up your minds a little bit if you wanna become good dentists (and in general, good humans) one day. How are you going to deal with a patient who doesn't think the same way you do? Bash him? Make him feel bad about himself....like you did to Joon?

Anyways Joon, I would not mention video games in your PS because, like some people on this thread have already mentioned, your audience may not like it. But in your heart, you can still believe gaming will make you a better dentist - and believing in yourself and your abilities and their connections to dentistry is not a bad way of thinking.

 

[DiNoZeRo2o9]

I listed video games in my manual dexterity portion

 

[JamesOSU]

No one has mentioned yet that they don't like video games (on this thread).
I have not noticed "the hate about video games" on this thread either. Advising someone not to mention Video game skills in a PS does not come from any hate for those games. It comes from rationality.

Guess I should've said "video gameRS", as in these brilliant and helpful responses. Not surprised the most arrogant/obnoxious ones are from Michigan, tjdent is the kind of person I don't want as a classmate...

tjdent:

"On second thought, please please please mention video games on your application because that would be an absolute suicide move and there are probably about 2000 other applicants that I would rather have in my class."

or bullethead's great advice:

"As a dental student, your free time will be better spent doing something else. Like DATING. The last thing a chick wants is an overgrown freak who sits glassy-eyed in front of a computer, armed with a telemarketer headset and 12-button mouse, talking trash to some 13 year old in Norway."

oh and "nerd. Do you have friends? and the playstation, x box, and online friends don't count."

 

[jrhodes870]

Ok i didnt take the time to read trough this whole thread, but from experience, i can tell you if you know anything about computer programming, then you know it is very hard. Knowing how to program in any language cannot hurt your chances at all. It involves problem solving skills as well as patience.

 

[bigstix808]

I just play it with a few friends sometimes. I was ranked #2 worldwide once. Probably shouldn't put that on an application either.😀

i wish that i was allowed to read through your app because if i read the above statement i would KNOW that you must not have a social life....denied!!!! sorry, but video games do nothing but promote non-activity and do virtually nothing for a person's health preservation.

 

[dentalplan]

i wish that i was allowed to read through your app because if i read the above statement i would KNOW that you must not have a social life....denied!!!! sorry, but video games do nothing but promote non-activity and do virtually nothing for a person's health preservation.

No social life? Maybe he's just skilled? Some people are just naturally more skilled than others....

You could practice all night and day and still probably not beat blarelli in starcraft or warcraft II. And even worse....that would make...YOU the person with no social life for practicing so much. LOL pwned....like a NOOB.

 

[prydA]

i play computer games and i embarrassed myself during the asdoh pinhole test, sigh

 

[tjdent]

Hey Joon - don't worry about some of the people on this thread - they are most likely similar to the noobs you and I consistently pwn in cod4 and starcraft. Noobs (non-gamers) are very common...and you can even find them on this thread - QQ'ing and bashing on gamers with insults such as haxor! no-life loser! imbalance!

One person on this thread called Joon a nerd and negatively attacked him by insinuating that he might not have any friends. Ya....great dentist he'll turn out to be...if he talks like that to his patients...

Another person nudged that Guitar Hero is not associated with manual dexterity. To that person: please post a video of yourself, stating your SDN name and achieving 90% or better on the last song on Guitar Hero 3 on the hardest difficulty.....Only THEN can you come on here and talk like that to your fellow SDN'er. Otherwise....YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!!! (another sign of a noob)

Another person claimed video games are out of touch with reality. Well...please explain to me the meaning of life and then you can come here and tell us what is real and what is not. Literature reminds us that there is always a blending (or intersection) between the real and the ideal. You live in an ideal world when you dream!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot really escape fantasy sometimes.....every human experiences it in their daily lives - if not in video games, then in other things like books and movies! As long as video gaming is in balance with other more "real" things in life, then I see no harm. Some of you guys are gonna have to open up your minds a little bit if you wanna become good dentists (and in general, good humans) one day. How are you going to deal with a patient who doesn't think the same way you do? Bash him? Make him feel bad about himself....like you did to Joon?

Anyways Joon, I would not mention video games in your PS because, like some people on this thread have already mentioned, your audience may not like it. But in your heart, you can still believe gaming will make you a better dentist - and believing in yourself and your abilities and their connections to dentistry is not a bad way of thinking.

Dentalplan you completely changed my meaning and that is unfair. Do not change my meaning. I was talking about using common sense, not about abstract philosophy. I did not make a blanket statement saying that video games or gamers are out of touch with reality. I did two things. I said that considering talking about video games in an application to dental school is a foolish thing to do and I commented on how Joon should develop such some semblance of logic before entering dental school. Blanket statements are full of prejudice and unfair judgement, such as suggesting that if you attend Michigan than you are arrogant. This is a blanket statement and it is petty and ignorant, especially when the poster denouncing my school as being arrogant is from a school that refers to itself as THE Ohio State University.

 

[dentalplan]

Dentalplan you completely changed my meaning and that is unfair. Do not change my meaning. I was talking about using common sense, not about abstract philosophy. I did not make a blanket statement saying that video games or gamers are out of touch with reality. I did two things. I said that considering talking about video games in an application to dental school is a foolish thing to do and I commented on how Joon should develop such some semblance of logic before entering dental school. Blanket statements are full of prejudice and unfair judgement, such as suggesting that if you attend Michigan than you are arrogant. This is a blanket statement and it is petty and ignorant, especially when the poster denouncing my school as being arrogant is from a school that refers to itself as THE Ohio State University.

Did you even read my paragraph?

And no...I did not change your "meaning...." You said someone who plays video games is out of touch with reality. That is what I am talking about, and made a response to. L2Read (Learn to read for you noobs out there) before you come back with a counter-argument. It's really worthless if you can't argue with someone who can't read.

 

[dentalplan]

Someone please tell me this is joke. Is this the type of person I have to look forward to in dental school? Someone completely out of touch with reality?

Also, yes video games are in 3D. Well, so is the real world, so maybe if you entered it you would realize that video games will in no way make you a better applicant.

On second thought, please please please mention video games on your application because that would be an absolute suicide move and there are probably about 2000 other applicants that I would rather have in my class.

You just flagrantly contradicted yourself within the paragraph that I highlighted bold. You say video games and the real world are both 3D. So if video games are in 3D, and so is the real world, wouldn't playing video games help you in 3D procedures in the real world, and therefore make you a better applicant, not a worse one?????

It's like saying, Yes you get to shoot a gun at a skeet shooting range. Well, you also get to shoot a gun in real life while hunting for deer. So maybe if you entered the real world you would realize that the practice shooting range in no way made you a better shooter in the real world.

You see how your thinking is a little bit clouded?

 

[dentalplan]

Dentalplan you completely changed my meaning and that is unfair. Do not change my meaning. I was talking about using common sense, not about abstract philosophy. I did not make a blanket statement saying that video games or gamers are out of touch with reality. I did two things. I said that considering talking about video games in an application to dental school is a foolish thing to do and I commented on how Joon should develop such some semblance of logic before entering dental school. Blanket statements are full of prejudice and unfair judgement, such as suggesting that if you attend Michigan than you are arrogant. This is a blanket statement and it is petty and ignorant, especially when the poster denouncing my school as being arrogant is from a school that refers to itself as THE Ohio State University.

Earlier in this thread you said: "Someone please tell me this is joke. Is this the type of person I have to look forward to in dental school? Someone completely out of touch with reality?"

You contradicted yourself again.

 

[mantraman1010]

Ea sports...it's in the game!

 

[Blarelli]

i wish that i was allowed to read through your app because if i read the above statement i would KNOW that you must not have a social life....denied!!!! sorry, but video games do nothing but promote non-activity and do virtually nothing for a person's health preservation.

Whoa, that isn't a very nice thing to say. I was exceptionally good at a certain game about 10 year ago when I was 14 years old. That MUST mean I have no social life, and that I will immediately be denied from any school I'm applying to. They will overlook my cumulative 4.0 GPA, and 1000+ hours of volunteer work, and straight up deny me because playing a computer game makes me a terrible applicant.🙄

 

[DrReo]

agreed dont act like any of you dont play video games -

madden 09, ncaa 09, nba 2k8 - so addicting

I agree here. I haven't updated to NCAA 09... yet.

 

[tjdent]

Did you even read my paragraph?

And no...I did not change your "meaning...." You said someone who plays video games is out of touch with reality. That is what I am talking about, and made a response to. L2Read (Learn to read for you noobs out there) before you come back with a counter-argument. It's really worthless if you can't argue with someone who can't read.

No. I said that someone thinking that video games are going to be in any way appealing to an adcom is out of touch with reality.

You changed my meaning because you took a statement referring to Joon's situation and you blew it up into a generalization that says "anyone who plays video games is in some fantasy world". Changing the meaning of my posts so that they fit into the logic of your little rant is pathetic.

And that little insulting line at the end. Read it again bc it doesn't make sense. You essentially said that its only a worthwhile argument if its against someone who can't read. I know what you were attempting to say, but why don't you come find me when you learn how to get your points across. Otherwise, as you tried so hard to say, arguing with someone like you is worthless.