Just took the DAT Today!! Need some advice

[pwr_wrx]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post on here! I have gone through the forums here a couple times in the past. Now I really need help.

Here's my background.
I did my bachelors in accounting (2007) and had a very low gpa (2.2). Didnt really care about grades and just wanted to pass my classes and graduate. Now its coming back to me.

After Graduating I worked as a Radio Frequency Engineer for Ericsson. Pay was good but hours were horrible so I decided I will get my P&C license and work as an insurance agent while I do my Masters.
Then I did my MBA and made sure I got good grades. 3.9 GPA

After graduating and getting married I wasn't satisfied and I always had wanted to go into dentistry so I finally decided to take the plunge.

I met with dental school students and advisors and they said not to worry about old grades and focus on your current requirements. Schools want overall candidates rather than smart nerds.

My grades for my science pre-requisites:

Bio 1406 A
Bio 1408 B

Chem 1411 A
Chem 1412 B

Chem 2423 B
Chem 2425 A

Phys 1405 A
Phys 1407 A

Bio 2401 A
I'm currently taking Biochem.

My DAT score:
AA:18
TS: 18

Bio 19
Gen Chem 17
Ochem 18

Reading Comp 19
Quantitative Reasoning 18

Brief current work history:
I have worked as a dental assistant for over a year. I was the lead assistant and did clinical work as well as back office. I helped build a new practice into an established one. Currently I am working as a product analyst for a healthcare company. Plus I have lots of volunteer experience over the years.

So my questions is are my stats decent enough to get in anywhere? I don't mind the cost or location. Also is it too late to apply? I was looking at schools like NYU, USC, Howard. There was a list of top ten easiest dental schools to get into that I was looking at. Can anyone with similar stats guide me in their application process and acceptance?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

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[Coffeeisamust]

I had a 18 AA 19 TS and 23 PAT. With a 17 in bio and I had 5 pre dec interviews, 1 post dec, and 1 acceptance. My gpa is 3.3-3.4 ish

 

[CleverThought]

It is too late to apply this cycle.

However, I sincerely think that if you file your application in the first batch next cycle, you have a strong chance at getting an interview at a few schools.

I didn't realize when I applied is how essential it is to apply early - I think for applicants with lower end stats, such as your self, submitting in opening week is what makes it or breaks it.

 

[pwr_wrx]

will it hurt if i apply now but don't get in and apply to the same schools again next year?

 

[CleverThought]

will it hurt if i apply now but don't get in and apply to the same schools again next year?

Hurt? No.

But to be blunt, it'd be a waste of money. Even if the most competitive of application just submitted now it would be a slim to none shot of getting an interview.

 

[tootshey]

will it hurt if i apply now but don't get in and apply to the same schools again next year?

It won't hurt you but sure will hurt your wallet... Sorry I don't mean to sound negative but truth is It's a little too late in the cycle now. Early next cycle will be the best and advisable time to apply

 

[LFA20]

my advice is to apply to as many schools as you can afford.

 

[free99]

I would agree with the above posters that applying this cycle would probably be a waste of money. Despite the years you've put between your 2.2 GPA and today, it still exists and will bog you down. You did will in the pre-reqs, but an 18AA might not be all that convincing to admissions committees in conjunction with the low uGPA. I would consider a DAT retake and shoot for at least a 20 AA.

my advice is to apply to as many schools as you can afford.

I agree. If you look at the total costs of this entire process (DAT, AADSAS fees, secondaries, interview travel expenses, and in your case the tuition for post-bacc), adding 5-10 more schools is not all that significant. Do everything you can to statistically maximize your chances - apply (wisely) to as many schools as you can if you are willing to move there and enroll.

 

[pwr_wrx]

another question... If i apply, how long will it take AADSAS to send my application out? I remember reading somewhere it takes around 6 weeks. So if i sent it out this week it will be February before it gets to the school. Is this true?

 

[dentistaazzurro]

OP: Before you count this cycle as lost, I would call some of the schools you're interested in. The worst that can come out of it is they'll tell you what to do for next cycle to get in. And can I suggest a school? Roseman. I interviewed there this year and was really pleased with it. They have many non-traditional students and I think they would be most likely to eat up your story and give you a chance. Plus, even though they may have given out some acceptances, they are a growing school and will have plenty left. When I was there a current student talked briefly about how he had a "sob story" (his words, not mine) called the school and they put trust in him, let him in and now he leads the class. If it's worth it to you, you might give them a call tomorrow, talk to the dean of admission, tell them your story and see what they suggest. You never know...

 

[Dent35]

I do believe that it is too late in the cycle, however take this time from now until june 3rd which is the earliest you can apply and make your application look amazing, make sure you ask for letters of recommendation from people that you know/think will write a good letter.
i had a 18AA/19TS/20PAT but i have a high GPA and i think that's what helped me. Your story might be unique to a lot of schools and it definitely shows dedication and hard work and improvement (referring to your GPA) Now if you think that you could do better with a retake, then go for it, but if you want to take your chances with the 18AA ( like i did) go ahead.
Applying early in the cycle is very crucial, have good letters of rec, a unique personal statement and decent DAT score and GPA are what you really need. Of course shadowing, extracurricular activities and all that are needed as well but like you said you already have that covered.

Best of luck

 

[pwr_wrx]

OP: Before you count this cycle as lost, I would call some of the schools you're interested in. The worst that can come out of it is they'll tell you what to do for next cycle to get in. And can I suggest a school? Roseman. I interviewed there this year and was really pleased with it. They have many non-traditional students and I think they would be most likely to eat up your story and give you a chance. Plus, even though they may have given out some acceptances, they are a growing school and will have plenty left. When I was there a current student talked briefly about how he had a "sob story" (his words, not mine) called the school and they put trust in him, let him in and now he leads the class. If it's worth it to you, you might give them a call tomorrow, talk to the dean of admission, tell them your story and see what they suggest. You never know...

I called the Dean and left a message. Hopefully he calls back. Maybe I should write an email and explain my situation, since its a lot easier to write it all down than say every detail.

 

[pwr_wrx]

I do believe that it is too late in the cycle, however take this time from now until june 3rd which is the earliest you can apply and make your application look amazing, make sure you ask for letters of recommendation from people that you know/think will write a good letter.
i had a 18AA/19TS/20PAT but i have a high GPA and i think that's what helped me. Your story might be unique to a lot of schools and it definitely shows dedication and hard work and improvement (referring to your GPA) Now if you think that you could do better with a retake, then go for it, but if you want to take your chances with the 18AA ( like i did) go ahead.
Applying early in the cycle is very crucial, have good letters of rec, a unique personal statement and decent DAT score and GPA are what you really need. Of course shadowing, extracurricular activities and all that are needed as well but like you said you already have that covered.

Best of luck

Hey,

What i'm scared of is that my gpa from the past is going to keep my overall GPA really low and that's the first thing the admissions dept will see. If I calculate my GPA from when I recently started its a 3.7 but if i add all my old classes its going to be really low. Definitely way below a 3.0 Im scared everyone will just look at that and throw my application aside. I definitely have thousands of hours of community service and over a thousand hours of dental assisting. Im also very involved in the community in any way i possibly can. I have lots of professional work experience in many different fields from business to engineering to healthcare. I'm definitely going to apply early in the cycle and all the students and professors I have spoken to said that applying early is the best bet! So I really hope it works out! thanks for the advice

 

[doc toothache]

You got a job as an engineer with an accounting degree?

 

[pwr_wrx]

You got a job as an engineer with an accounting degree?

Yep! I had friends that were engineers and contracted for Ericsson and got me the position.

 

[dentistaazzurro]

I called the Dean and left a message. Hopefully he calls back. Maybe I should write an email and explain my situation, since its a lot easier to write it all down than say every detail.

That's not a bad idea. And if nothing else, it might help him remember you next year. Another school to think about is ASDOH. They have a low average GPA because they focus more on service etc. That might be more down your alley. Your concerns about your GPA are legitimate, but I think you still have a good shot. You the "strong upward trend" trend card going for you and that's something that the committee will consider. My best advice is to keep getting As as much as you can and if you have it in you, I know it's not fun, but retake that DAT to get something in the 20s. Not because 18 is bad, but because something like a 21 or better yet 22 will make them say, "wait, how did someone with a 2.something GPA get a 22?!" and they'll at least give you another look and give you the benefit of the doubt. It's a selling point and it shows promise. Stay up my friend! You can do it!

 

[Dent35]

Hey,

What i'm scared of is that my gpa from the past is going to keep my overall GPA really low and that's the first thing the admissions dept will see. If I calculate my GPA from when I recently started its a 3.7 but if i add all my old classes its going to be really low. Definitely way below a 3.0 Im scared everyone will just look at that and throw my application aside. I definitely have thousands of hours of community service and over a thousand hours of dental assisting. Im also very involved in the community in any way i possibly can. I have lots of professional work experience in many different fields from business to engineering to healthcare. I'm definitely going to apply early in the cycle and all the students and professors I have spoken to said that applying early is the best bet! So I really hope it works out! thanks for the advice

Well, it would be best if you had one thing that stands out in your application, so i would say your extracurricular activities stand out. Also when you are working on your application always think from the adcoms point of view and how they would see it. Also, make sure you apply to schools that don't require a high DAT score or a high GPA because that way you would be wasting your time and money. I do think that in your case the adcoms will notice your improvement and give you a chance. Prayers always help good luck.

 

[pwr_wrx]

So I never ended up applying last cycle but I am going to apply this cycle. TMDSAS application opens next week. Do you guys think I should apply to Baylor or is there no point with my stats. The avg is a 3.7 gpa /20 dat.

 

[Glimmer1991]

So I never ended up applying last cycle but I am going to apply this cycle. TMDSAS application opens next week. Do you guys think I should apply to Baylor or is there no point with my stats. The avg is a 3.7 gpa /20 dat.

If you're going to apply to any schools at all, you might as well!

What is your oGPA nowadays?

 

[pwr_wrx]

I'm not sure what my exact gpa is since I have taken classes at both Uni and Community college. I calculated my gpa of only the classes I took since I started doing my prereqs and its 3.57

 

[pwr_wrx]

Does anyone know if "undergrad" is a proper term or do I need to write "undergraduate"? I'm trying to finish my PS so I can submit my application.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Does anyone know if "undergrad" is a proper term or do I need to write "undergraduate"? I'm trying to finish my PS so I can submit my application.

If you have the characters, I'd use undergraduate. The other is a little bit more "slang," but not terribly so.

 

[pwr_wrx]

If you have the characters, I'd use undergraduate. The other is a little bit more "slang," but not terribly so.

I amended it to fit undergraduate. Thanks for the info!

 

[pwr_wrx]

Here are the schools I am applying to. Its coming out to be $1919. Any advice on any of these schools and whether I should apply to a particular one or not, or if there is one that is not on the list that I should apply to?

Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (AZ) AZ 11/15/2014

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (MWU) AZ 01/01/2015

Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (WESTU) CA 12/01/2014

Howard University College of Dentistry (HOW) DC 01/15/2015

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Dental Medicine (LECOM-FL) FL 02/01/2015

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU) FL 12/01/2014

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (MWU-IL) IL 01/01/2015

Indiana University School of Dentistry (IND) IN 11/01/2014

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUF) MA 02/01/2015

Creighton University School of Dentistry (CRE) NE 02/01/2015

New York University College of Dentistry (NYU) NY 02/01/2015

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine (BUF) NY 12/01/2014

Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CASE) OH 01/01/2015

University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry (OKL) OK 10/01/2014

Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry (MEH) TN 12/15/2014

University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry (UTHSC) TN 09/30/2014

Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (USN) UT 12/01/2014

Marquette University School of Dentistry (MQT) WI 01/01/2015

West Virginia University School of Dentistry (WVA) WV 11/01/2014

 

[pwr_wrx]

added Loma Linda University

 

[yeslek88]

State residency? And are you an underrepresented minority?

 

[pwr_wrx]

I live in TX and I have already applied to TX schools. I am Pakistani so I doubt they would consider me a UM.

 

[pwr_wrx]

Im thinking of dropping Case Western, Loma Linda, and Tufts due to a higher DAT acceptance score? any input?

 

[divinewind]

you might want to reconsider howard and meharry as you are not african american

 

[yeslek88]

Id probably drop Buffalo, Indiana, and Creighton as well. Buffalo isn't terribly OOS friendly; 22 enrollees out of over 1300 applicants means its extremely competitive. Similar situation for Indiana. Creighton describes itself as a "Jesuit institution" that adheres "to the fundamental principles set forth by the society of Jesus". They also asked my religion on the secondary app, and last year 61/84 enrollees were white.

 

[pwr_wrx]

Id probably drop Buffalo, Indiana, and Creighton as well. Buffalo isn't terribly OOS friendly; 22 enrollees out of over 1300 applicants means its extremely competitive. Similar situation for Indiana. Creighton describes itself as a "Jesuit institution" that adheres "to the fundamental principles set forth by the society of Jesus". They also asked my religion on the secondary app, and last year 61/84 enrollees were white.

thanks for the info. Whats the reason for Indiana? Their acceptance stats are around 3.6 gpa and 19 DAT

 

[shyfox9p]

You can apply, but you need to work QUICK!!! If you don't have your LORs, then it's probably too late.

 

[pwr_wrx]

You can apply, but you need to work QUICK!!! If you don't have your LORs, then it's probably too late.

I have everything ready and I am just waiting on one transcript. I will send the application in the next few days

 

[yeslek88]

thanks for the info. Whats the reason for Indiana? Their acceptance stats are around 3.6 gpa and 19 DAT

Thats their overall average. Its much less competitive for in state students than it is for OOS. They had 30 seats for 1200 OOS applicants, and in your case not a single person from TX enrolled. Im not saying don't apply just understand that the odds are slim.

 

[shyfox9p]

I have everything ready and I am just waiting on one transcript. I will send the application in the next few days

The application only takes 4-6 hours to complete! Just do it!

 

[DentalDoge]

Really, only 1 or 2 hours if you have everything ready.

 

[pwr_wrx]

I just need to figure out which schools i want to send my application to. I will have it out today

Any schools you guys think I should add?

 

[pwr_wrx]

This is the final list I probably am going to go with and send out my application

Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (AZ) AZ 11/15/2014

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (MWU) AZ 01/01/2015

Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (WESTU) CA 12/01/2014

Howard University College of Dentistry (HOW) DC 01/15/2015

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Dental Medicine (LECOM-FL) FL 02/01/2015

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU) FL 12/01/2014

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois (MWU-IL) IL 01/01/2015

University of Louisville School of Dentistry (UL) KY 12/15/2014

Boston University Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BU) MA 12/01/2014

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUF) MA 02/01/2015

New York University College of Dentistry (NYU) NY 02/01/2015

Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CASE) OH 01/01/2015

Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry (MEH) TN 12/15/2014

University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry (UTHSC) TN 09/30/2014

Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (USN) UT 12/01/2014

Marquette University School of Dentistry (MQT) WI 01/01/2015

West Virginia University School of Dentistry (WVA)

 

[yeslek88]

You can look at USC too if you want. Just curious (and sorry if you mention it above), but why aren't you applying to any of your state schools? Make sure to finish your secondaries ASAP. You are already up against the clock a bit.

 

[pwr_wrx]

You can look at USC too if you want. Just curious (and sorry if you mention it above), but why aren't you applying to any of your state schools? Make sure to finish your secondaries ASAP. You are already up against the clock a bit.

Hey, I already applied to Texas schools back in June. I took summer classes and I was waiting for my final grades to come in, that's why i waited until now. Wanted to bring my GPA up as much as I can.

 

[pwr_wrx]

I had a 18 AA 19 TS and 23 PAT. With a 17 in bio and I had 5 pre dec interviews, 1 post dec, and 1 acceptance. My gpa is 3.3-3.4 ish

which schools did you apply to?

 

[pwr_wrx]

You can look at USC too if you want. Just curious (and sorry if you mention it above), but why aren't you applying to any of your state schools? Make sure to finish your secondaries ASAP. You are already up against the clock a bit.

USC shows a really low OOS acceptance and a high DAT score. Both situations suck for me

 

[pwr_wrx]

Anyone know if I should apply to MOSDOH. They seem to be pretty new (first class was in 2013) Do new schools take a wide range of students(specially post bacc like me)