Let's be Honest

[kerrydental]

I am starting my senior year in Fall 2020 where I plan to take my DAT and apply to dental school Summer 2021 when applications start. Yes, this means I am planning to take a gap year. That's because I have not been shadowing my first 3 years as I was on a dance team that took up most of my time. My overall GPA by senior year is projected to be 3.5/3.6 with BCP to be 3.2/3.3 Assuming my DAT is around average do I have a chance to get in. My original plan was to shadow my senior year but, of course COVID-19 came around. The dental school at my university is currently closed and it would limit my shadowing but the reason why I thought I had a good shot was because I was taking gap year JUST to shadow and gain more experience. However with COVID I might have a very limited amount of shadowing hours to put on my application by the summer 2021. Do I still have a chance and will they take into consideration that I am spending a year shadowing even though its not on the application.

My other option is to take two gap years so that I can apply after a year of shadowing after graduating from undergraduate, but I feel that the second gap year would be too much time wasted for me on a personal growth level. I don't know what to do.

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[BeggarsCantBeChoosers]

1 or 2 years gap years don't make much of a difference. I took 2 gap years. Got to work and learn at a couple dental offices and saved up to cover living expenses for first year of dental school. After I was accepted, I quit the job, enjoyed life and traveled quite a bit. I grew alot as a person during the time between undergraduate and dental school. Just take the DAT first and see how well you do then go from there. If you ace it, apply 2021, if not, take it again and maybe work on that low BCP GPA a bit and apply 2022.

 

[NJ_Doc]

you will have plenty of time if you are applying next cycle for only needing one gap year. IMO the easiest way to get exposure right now is to get an assistant or sterilization job and ask the Dr. if you can log "volunteer" hours that count as shadowing. It can be hard to just shadow right not because that's the last thing offices want but there should be no problem getting 100-200 hours within a year even with COVID. But to answer your question you need some time shadowing in order to get look at or even meet the requirements for some schools.

I also am taking a gap year this year and applying this cycle with a 3.6 and 3.5 sGPA, and 22AA. Most of my clinical experience was within the last year and one of the reasons I took a gap year. Take the one year off and get some experience but 2 years is not needed if that is not what you want. You can also work on other aspects of your app if you are below average in volunteering, leadership, etc to improve your chances.

 

[S_Diamond_DDS]

One gap year will be all you need.