Looking for some advice/direction

[mmerch4]

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Hi, I am looking for some perspective on what to do from here on.

Stats:
oGPA: 3.49; sGPA: 3.34
DAT: 23AA, 24PAT, 21RC
Strong extracurriculars in college; 5 yrs. of research background in a hospital lab, 2 publications with first authorship.
All prereqs completed (with the exception of anatomy)
A caveat: I don't have professor letters from college since it was 5 years ago and I can't get a hold of any of them this late.
Applied to: Harvard, Columbia, UPenn, UCLA, UOP, UCSF, UWash, NYU, UIC, USC, Maryland, UMich, OSU, and 3-4 state schools in the midwest.
Interviewed at: USC (early November)
Accepted: USC

I'm in my mid-20s, have a comfortable full-time job with benefits (no long-term prospects there, however) and I own my own place. I'm far OOS (IL) from USC, btw.
So, I was accepted to USC after a disappointing interview season, for which I still don't have a solid reason. I applied a bit late (end of August). Could that have hurt me so much that I wouldn't receive any other interviews?
In any case, I need help deciding if going to USC is worth it. I visited the campus and loved it, although I'm skeptical of PBL and the facutly there seems less enthusiastic than I expected. And, as I've read, a lot of people have similar opinions. USC estimated the entire cost of attendance at $480k, which is extremely daunting. And the COA matters a lot to me (shouldn't it?). While that number already scares me, I plan on doing a residency. Which doubly scares me since I recently learned a majority of them are tuition-based!
So I'm at a crossroads here, and I don't need reassuring words (unless they're from USC student/grads). What I'm hoping for is some guidance. Do I attend and not worry so much about the COA? Do I wait and hope for a state school, next cycle? I'm at a loss. From all the research on the forums here and at dentaltown, it seems that USC is not as worth it as it should be. The other thing is, I don't plan on staying in CA.

So please help me. I welcome any experienced thoughts, advice, concerns, questions. Anything. I just need someone to help me make a more thorough decision. It doesn't help coming across hate or love for the school from someone who didn't have firsthand experience.

Thank you for your time.

 

[cacazor]

Your stats are fantastic. I definitely think that you might have applied late, and would have a very good shot at getting more interviews if you reapply. If you reapply, yeah you lose out your income, but I think you have a really good shot at getting in a much cheaper school. That interest rate at 480k for 4 years is going to be HEAVY. Especially if you are considering doing a residency program that is tuition based, that interest rate at that principal will be really tough. Even if you factor in "lost income" people here to talk about so much, I think USC is not the school you want to take that big of a burden for. just my 2 cents. good luck with your decision OP!

 

[Chga]

The application asks if you were accepted to another Dental school before, when they find out that you turned down an acceptance offer from a school that YOU applied to. Schools will be hesitant from interviewing you when they can interview someone else. I would attend USC since who knows what the future holds. Most schools require you to have professor letters and you cant get a hold of any of them. ... GO....you'll eventually pay it off .... someday

 

[cacazor]

The application asks if you were accepted to another Dental school before, when they find out that you turned down an acceptance offer from a school that YOU applied to. Schools will be hesitant from interviewing you when they can interview someone else. I would attend USC since who knows what the future holds. Most schools require you to have professor letters and you cant get a hold of any of them. ... GO....you'll eventually pay it off .... someday

I dont think this is true?
I know the app (might even just be the secondary too ) asks if you're a reapplicant, but it doesnt ask if you have been accepted before.

 

[sjv]

I dont think this is true?
I know the app (might even just be the secondary too ) asks if you're a reapplicant, but it doesnt ask if you have been accepted before.

Q5. Have you ever applied to dental school prior to the present application cycle? (Yes/No) If "yes", include the name of schools to which you applied and year(s) of application. If accepted/enrolled, indicate dates of enrollment. You are limited to 600 characters, including spaces. Indicating “yes” to this item does not jeopardize your candidacy to dental school. There are many reasons why an applicant would have applied in previous years. Answer this question truthfully, providing all information requested.

www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/aadsas/applicants/generalinstructions/documents/adeaaadsasgeneralinstructionsbooklet.pdf

 

[joiedevivre86]

Hmm. Maybe call some schools you think you really want to attend and ask if you applied again next cycle would they look down on you for being accepted elsewhere this cycle and not attending. And just straight up ask how you can improve your app if you reapply (but really, great stats). If you know that won't hurt you and if you are ok going through this whole ordeal another year I say apply next cycle. I think you applied too late (especially because you're a non-trad). Get your app in the first week. I was almost in a similar situation (late 20s non-trad, no undergrad recs, accepted to PBL only school, nervous about the hefty loans, etc) but somehow by the grace of the universe I got the last interview at my state school and was accepted. But I hate my job so much right now there's no way I could last another year, and I'm living with my parents temporarily, so I would have attended my PBL school. But if I had a better job and living situation I may have applied again. Good luck with your decision.

 

[mmerch4]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I'm going to try and ask a few schools what I can do to improve my app. Perhaps it was only that I applied late. Or I overlooked some minor detail. My state school called me with concerns that I've been out of school for so long and that it could impact my performance in school. I thought that was a terrible argument on their part considering the DAT is a standardized test, one that I took while working full time.

It's just hard moving across the country leaving everything behind for 4 years, maybe more, knowing you don't want to settle in the area your expensive, expensive school is in. In any case, thanks again.

And if more people want to chime in, please do so. I'll keep checking this thread regularly.

 

[deleted659902]

Go to USC.

 

[doc toothache]

Let's see:
1. you have an outstanding DAT score-some schools are more impressed than others; gpa and dat are out of sync.
2. there are only a dozen schools that have mean gpa scores lower than yours
3. the cost for some of the ds on your list is well within range of that of USC
4. you were already told why you were not accepted by the state school, but you seem to have issues with the answer
5. contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that August was your problem
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2013-ranking-of-ds-based-on-gpa-dat-other.1064713/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2014-cost-of-us-dental-education.1102338/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/acceptances-with-pre-and-post-dec-interviews.582154/

 

[mmerch4]

Let's see:
1. you have an outstanding DAT score-some schools are more impressed than others; gpa and dat are out of sync.
2. there are only a dozen schools that have mean gpa scores lower than yours
3. the cost for some of the ds on your list is well within range of that of USC
4. you were already told why you were not accepted by the state school, but you seem to have issues with the answer
5. contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that August was your problem
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2013-ranking-of-ds-based-on-gpa-dat-other.1064713/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2014-cost-of-us-dental-education.1102338/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/acceptances-with-pre-and-post-dec-interviews.582154/

Thanks for breaking it down, doc toothache. My issue with the "answer" provided by my state school bothers me more than it should because it implies that if you're older and have had a change of heart, there's no place for you here since you've been out of school for so long. I don't believe that's fair at all. In fact, aren't a large portion of applicants in the their mid to late 20s? Does the dental school think these applicants were enrolled into school this whole time?

As for the cost of some of the other schools being the same as or close to USC's, I'm hoping someone can provide input on how much the reputation of the school plays into effect for residencies. If UPenn and USC cost the same, but one is a more reputable school, I would think it more logical to go to UPenn rather than reapply if UPenn was the only school I got into. Some of the other expensive schools I applied to were my preferred choice; USC was more of a back up. So it makes sense to me to at least entertain the thought of reapplying.

 

[toothexplore]

I would still go to USC because not having reputable LORs is a big deal to most schools except USC. You are not guaranteed admissions next year, and "lost income" is a real thing you should consider. I would look into placing a deposit and deferring if that's an option if you're really keen on reapplying.

 

[mmerch4]

wzhu, the LORs are reputable since they are from an established MD and two DDSs who I worked very closely with and are presumably well known in their field.

Anyway, from all the info in this thread, it seems I should not waste a year and definitely take the USC route. I am very excited about starting dental school, but just nervous about moving away and spending so much. But I suppose it's inevitable.

Thanks to everyone who replied!

 

[Greyangel6]

, the LORs are reputable since they are from an established MD and two DDSs

What about letters from professors (especially science professors)? I think it is highly recommended to have those because it shows a track record of your academia over the course of many years. An adcom once said to me during an interview is that he/she looks at candidates like looking at stocks because they're essentially investing in the candidates. A good track record is a good indication of a sound investment and letters of rec from professors among other things allow them to have a better scope into what they're investing. Like @doc toothache said, there is also a disparity between your GPA and your DAT so the letters will kind of fill in the space.

So my $0.02 is that if you think you can pull off a better app for the next cycle and confident that you will get in, then go for it. But if you are uncertain, I say go with what you have, it's not the end of the world if you don't get into your choice school, that's why there are backups. Being unhappy with your backups when things don't go your way is just a waste of time.

 

[Chga]

wzhu, the LORs are reputable since they are from an established MD and two DDSs who I worked very closely with and are presumably well known in their field.

Anyway, from all the info in this thread, it seems I should not waste a year and definitely take the USC route. I am very excited about starting dental school, but just nervous about moving away and spending so much. But I suppose it's inevitable.

Thanks to everyone who replied!

Wise decision, Good Luck at USC.

 

[Otelar]

It looks like the decision has been made. So to make you feel better about it, assuming becoming a dentist is your passion, I have some anecdotal evidence from a family member regarding reapplying after acceptance(s) a prior cycle. This particular in-law decided that he needed a gap year after having already been interviewed and accepted at multiple schools. When the second round of interviews came around the next cycle, he was not invited to interview at any of the schools which had previously accepted him, save for one school after he called and begged to be considered a candidate once again. Take your acceptance and run with it my friend!