Looking for some advice on choosing where to apply...

[obeserabbit]

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[JAWSSS]

Hey guys, so I'm in the process of deciding on which schools to apply to and I'd appreciate some input. I'm a NY state resident, Asian male, and my undergrad gpa is around a 3.3. My masters (SMP) gpa is a 3.7...and according to my calculations, it works out to be a 3.4 cgpa/3.4 sgpa. My DAT is a 25AA/27TS/22PA.

So far, my list looks like this:
NYU, Tufts, Columbia, Penn, Pitt, Maryland, UoP, Harvard, Buffalo, Stony Brook, Roseman, UCSF, Case Western, Michigan

I understand that my gpa is lower than the average at most of these schools, and I'd like to have a decent balance of reach/match schools. Is this too many schools? Or not enough? I was also considering adding UNLV, Minnesota, UConn, UMDNJ, USC, or Temple to my list.

Are there any other schools I should be looking at?

I would consider removing Harvard, Columbia and UCSF (if you're not a CA resident) from your list. Based on your GPA I would say you are wasting your money on those three. IMO, I would add USC, Temple, Western, and UNLV. With those stats and a good application, you will get offers.

 

[Toothshucker]

You can keep Columbia on your list if it's a school you're really interested in. Your DAT is above the average of enrolled students, so you definitely have a shot at an interview. The avg GPA is lower at Columbia than Harvard, and also has a larger class size. I would skip Harvard. Look at the breakdown of available OOS seats for schools and use that to make your list.

 

[ATG20]

He has an MS though, with a higher GPA. I assume they were true graduate courses (versus those post-baccs that make you retake upper divs), so it'll show you did well. My biggest regret was applying to schools I wouldn't attend even if I got in due to cost of attending. It would've saved me a fortune in application costs. I think you could chop a couple off that list. Remember, in addition to the AADSAS fee, you'll be paying each school a secondary fee of (50-70$).

 

[UCSFx2017]

If I were you, I'd try my very best to get into (1) Stony Brook or (2) Buffalo. If I couldn't get into those schools, I'd consider schools that offer in-state residency after one year. That would include UConn and the UC's. If I couldn't get into those, I as might as well pay for the Ivy League than pay out-of-state tuition at a non-Ivy.

Once you get accepted to schools, make sweeping eliminations according to costs if you're paying for dental school. My threshold was $50,000 for choosing the more expensive school. If costs are nearly equal, consider P/F, medical school curriculum, research, duration of summer for studying for CBSE/whatever post-doctoral boards, etc.

 

[dentalWorks]

Hey guys, so I'm in the process of deciding on which schools to apply to and I'd appreciate some input. I'm a NY state resident, Asian male, and my undergrad gpa is around a 3.3. My masters (SMP) gpa is a 3.7...and according to my calculations, it works out to be a 3.4 cgpa/3.4 sgpa. My DAT is a 25AA/27TS/22PA.

So far, my list looks like this:
NYU, Tufts, Columbia, Penn, Pitt, Maryland, UoP, Harvard, Buffalo, Stony Brook, Roseman, UCSF, Case Western, Michigan

I understand that my gpa is lower than the average at most of these schools, and I'd like to have a decent balance of reach/match schools. Is this too many schools? Or not enough? I was also considering adding UNLV, Minnesota, UConn, UMDNJ, USC, or Temple to my list.

Are there any other schools I should be looking at?

If I have to guess.... 90% of schools you apply to will end up being an acceptance.

 

[Toothshucker]

He has an MS though, with a higher GPA. I assume they were true graduate courses (versus those post-baccs that make you retake upper divs), so it'll show you did well. My biggest regret was applying to schools I wouldn't attend even if I got in due to cost of attending. It would've saved me a fortune in application costs. I think you could chop a couple off that list. Remember, in addition to the AADSAS fee, you'll be paying each school a secondary fee of (50-70$).

100% agree. There is no point in applying to a school if you already know you won't go, for any reason. Once in a while, someone only gets accepted to the one school they applied to, but can't/won't attend. Then they have to explain the next cycle why they turned an acceptance down.

And you save application fees and travel expenses.

 

[obeserabbit]

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[UCSFx2017]

Appreciate all the advice. I think I'll swap UConn for NYU, and maybe cut out Harvard and UCSF? This would put me at around 12 schools.

UCSF accepts a good number of OOS. You don't have to be from a WICHE state either. In the Class of 2017 group there were several people from Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia.

 

[obeserabbit]

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