Late Application Submitting, still OK?

[MasterMikeSC]

So some background: I had a herniated disk for the second time in 13 months, starting in February, and was on a cane, a lot of painkillers, and going to classes all summer to attempt to graduate in August. I wasn't so lucky, as the disk kept getting worse and I ended up having to have surgery again in July, after having my last one in August of 2012.

With these setbacks, I was unaware of the actual magnitude of what I needed for Dental School. My first DAT was scheduled for 4 weeks after my surgery (preset, didn't want to pay to reschedule). I was relatively unprepared, and as such ended up with a 15 PAT (never got my timing down, I deserved it), 16 TS/18AA. I am retaking in December and plan on being much more prepared.

My cGPA is a little above 3.2, my sGPA is probably somewhere around that, maybe a bit higher.

I have finally finished my personal statement, am in the process of getting my 4th LOE, and have over 2000 hours of community service with a church and a youth camp and over 800 shadowing hours easily.

I understand that this is late as hell in the cycle, but I plan on finalizing/submitting my AADASAS application in the next week or two.

My question, in a sense after all of that, is will schools still be interested in reviewing such a late application and inviting me for interviews? I know a lot of schools are actually full, but I know the schools send out X amount of acceptances but only Y amount of people accept.

I just really need the cold, hard truth and it would be much appreciated. I have researched all the schools I have a legitimate chance at GPA/DAT score wise, which is around 20, so would it be worth it?

Worst comes to worst I want to get at least one interview so I can get the "first interview jitters" out of the way.

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[free99]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's not looking good. Any one of these things - 18AA/16TS/15PAT, 3.2 o/s GPA, November application - might preclude you from an invite at many schools. All three? Your chances at this cycle are slim.

That said, I think with a bangin' DAT in December and an early application next cycle (20+ well-chosen schools), you'd have a totally reasonable shot for at least one interview.

 

[sjv]

Retake DAT and apply next cycle, not worth it at this point IMO.

 

[lwen5]

So some background: I had a herniated disk for the second time in 13 months, starting in February, and was on a cane, a lot of painkillers, and going to classes all summer to attempt to graduate in August. I wasn't so lucky, as the disk kept getting worse and I ended up having to have surgery again in July, after having my last one in August of 2012.

With these setbacks, I was unaware of the actual magnitude of what I needed for Dental School. My first DAT was scheduled for 4 weeks after my surgery (preset, didn't want to pay to reschedule). I was relatively unprepared, and as such ended up with a 15 PAT (never got my timing down, I deserved it), 16 TS/18AA. I am retaking in December and plan on being much more prepared.

My cGPA is a little above 3.2, my sGPA is probably somewhere around that, maybe a bit higher.

I have finally finished my personal statement, am in the process of getting my 4th LOE, and have over 2000 hours of community service with a church and a youth camp and over 800 shadowing hours easily.

I understand that this is late as hell in the cycle, but I plan on finalizing/submitting my AADASAS application in the next week or two.

My question, in a sense after all of that, is will schools still be interested in reviewing such a late application and inviting me for interviews? I know a lot of schools are actually full, but I know the schools send out X amount of acceptances but only Y amount of people accept.

I just really need the cold, hard truth and it would be much appreciated. I have researched all the schools I have a legitimate chance at GPA/DAT score wise, which is around 20, so would it be worth it?

Worst comes to worst I want to get at least one interview so I can get the "first interview jitters" out of the way.

I feel really bad for you. I can identify with your unfortunate bad luck. However, I do think it is best to just take your time and get a really good DAT. Apply later. If you do badly on the DAT and rush it, you will find yourself in a terrible situation. Just wait it out.

 

[slm266]

Don't waste your money applying this cycle. Invest the $ in solid DAT prep material. Don't take the DAT again until you are consistently scoring 20+ in all sections on practice exams. Spend some time in the DAT forum researching materials.
Might as well look into options as far as post bac just just to have a plan B, but hopefully you can score high enough on DAT to offset the GPA (aim for 22?)

 

[MasterMikeSC]

Yeah, a couple sections I just didn't have my timing down due to be incapacitated on a couch and having to take painkillers so what I thought I was learning/understanding I was just zonked unfortunately for 3 of the 6 weeks I was able to prepare.

I really appreciate the honest answers, and I see taking a year off if it comes to that, not as a bad thing, but as a way to earn even more interning/shadowing and hopefully have them hire me at some point.

But there's no realistic chance that I could actually matriculate in this cycle?

 

[doc toothache]

You seem to have a hard time taking advice, let alone facing reality. It looks like you should have spent more time studying and less time on shadowing and EC.

 

[Ionz]

So some background: I had a herniated disk for the second time in 13 months, starting in February, and was on a cane, a lot of painkillers, and going to classes all summer to attempt to graduate in August. I wasn't so lucky, as the disk kept getting worse and I ended up having to have surgery again in July, after having my last one in August of 2012.

With these setbacks, I was unaware of the actual magnitude of what I needed for Dental School. My first DAT was scheduled for 4 weeks after my surgery (preset, didn't want to pay to reschedule). I was relatively unprepared, and as such ended up with a 15 PAT (never got my timing down, I deserved it), 16 TS/18AA. I am retaking in December and plan on being much more prepared.

My cGPA is a little above 3.2, my sGPA is probably somewhere around that, maybe a bit higher.

I have finally finished my personal statement, am in the process of getting my 4th LOE, and have over 2000 hours of community service with a church and a youth camp and over 800 shadowing hours easily.

I understand that this is late as hell in the cycle, but I plan on finalizing/submitting my AADASAS application in the next week or two.

My question, in a sense after all of that, is will schools still be interested in reviewing such a late application and inviting me for interviews? I know a lot of schools are actually full, but I know the schools send out X amount of acceptances but only Y amount of people accept.

I just really need the cold, hard truth and it would be much appreciated. I have researched all the schools I have a legitimate chance at GPA/DAT score wise, which is around 20, so would it be worth it?

Worst comes to worst I want to get at least one interview so I can get the "first interview jitters" out of the way.

Raise DAT score significantly. Pref 22+ across the board.
Raise GPA (if you can).
800+ shadowing hours?! I think there's a limit past which the adcoms might actually look at it unfavorably... I mean what were you doing shadowing for more than 800 hours? More than a month's worth of just standing and observing? About 700+ of those hours would have been much better put to use at a local shelter volunteering, or studying for your DATs.............

 

[bigsuishan]

good,Retake DAT and apply next cycle, not worth it at this point IMO.

 

[Illfavor]

There are no schools you have a legitimate chance with. It takes a rare candidate to get in with bad stats, and one should never assume that they are such a candidate. Applying this cycle is a waste of time and money and you should work on improving your well below-average academics and DAT score.

 

[MasterMikeSC]

Thanks for the realistic answers, you guys are awesome.