My chances of acceptance as a re-applicant

[StephL26]

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Hiiii! 🙂

Ok, so basically I have lots of extracurricular activities- from sports, music, to community service and leadership positions- and I have shadowed dentists since high school, BUT my GPA is low, yet average at my Engineering school, and my first DAT AA was 17, which is average. I applied for cycle 2006 last year in February (right before the deadline, which was very very stupid on my part) and obviously "rejected" since all seats were already "filled" according to the letters.

Despite this horrible mistake, I am looking to apply one more time for cycle 2007, EARLY (yes, I learned my lesson) and go through my Pre-health Committee this time, which I didn't do last year ('cuz I have a pretty bad relationship with them my freshmen year...a long story), and retake the DAT and try to get over the 20s in all subjects and take on a research job, and a Biochemistry class.

What are your thoughts for my re-application? I am stubborn and refuse to take another year off. I just graduated this May 2006. Any ideas? Shall I go through my Pre-Health committee? or do you think I have a better chance without them, since my individual science professors & employers wrote pretty strong letters, I think.

What do you guys think about my chances this time...do I sound like a stronger re-applicant? 😕

 

[tiny2533]

I think the average AA is 18 nowadays so I would recommend retaking the dat. If your AA is 17 you may have sections of 16 and 15 which may raise some eyebrows. I had a 15 in QR and it did come up in some interviews. If you learned your lesson to apply early I hope you have already submitted your AADSAS application. I think your individual letters from professors are better than an employer and a committee letter isnt necassary but that is just my opinion. I wish you the best of luck this time around.

 

[iviikoivi]

I'll be joining you =)

 

[tinman831]

What do you guys think about my chances this time...do I sound like a stronger re-applicant? 😕

Applying early in the application cycle increases your chances tremendously from last year since you applied so late. However, your chances compared to the rest of the applicants depends upon what your GPA is and what your new DAT scores will be. Try and shoot for at least a 20 in all of the sections if you feel your GPA isn't as high as it should be. Good luck to you. 🙂

 

[StephL26]

Thanks for all your postings and comments. I definitely feel better and more motivated to pursue application. 🙂

I have signed up for DAT #2 this July 1st, and AADSAS application is going out in a few days after some touch-ups. 😎

Good luck, everyone!

 

[armorshell]

Thanks for all your postings and comments. I definitely feel better and more motivated to pursue application. 🙂

I have signed up for DAT #2 this July 1st, and AADSAS application is going out in a few days after some touch-ups. 😎

Good luck, everyone!

w00t for July 1st DAT'ers!

 

[Yeyyy]

if you were interested in dentistry and shadowed since high school, why'd you major in engineering?

just wondering...

 

[StephL26]

if you were interested in dentistry and shadowed since high school, why'd you major in engineering?

just wondering...

Haha, Biomedical Engineering curriculum at my school fulfills the premed-predental prerequisites, except for a physics lab course, and basically there are 90% of us BME's that are premed with 3 of us going predental (outta 60ish of us). I wanted the engineering background initially, and turns out I know a lot about dental implantation and biomaterials (ie. titanium-implants) now from those Tissue engineering courses I had to take as a BME student. 😉 I guess I have no regrets majoring in BME. 🙄 There's a use for engineering in everything. 🙂

 

[remify]

things you should do:

1) do very well on your DATs to compensate for the low GPA
2) continue shadowing or woking in the dental field
3) stress in your AADSAS applications how you have improved yourself as an applicant since last year's cycle
4) turn in your AADSAS as soon as possible. they take forever and a day to process your application and mail it out to the your schools of choice (mine took like 2 months to process).

good luck.

 

[EmanUT]

I think the average AA is 18 nowadays

How is that possible? Are you talking average for gaining admission or average on the exam (50th percentile). According to the ADA website, an 18 on the DAT is the 69.9%.

 

[mlle]

Steph, what is your gpa? you said low, but some ppl think their 3.4 is low....

 

[StephL26]

things you should do:

1) do very well on your DATs to compensate for the low GPA
2) continue shadowing or woking in the dental field
3) stress in your AADSAS applications how you have improved yourself as an applicant since last year's cycle
4) turn in your AADSAS as soon as possible. they take forever and a day to process your application and mail it out to the your schools of choice (mine took like 2 months to process).

good luck.

Thanks, Remify! Great advice. I will take your suggestions. 🙂

 

[StephL26]

Steph, what is your gpa? you said low, but some ppl think their 3.4 is low....

Yea, while when I use to say that Low= 3.5, now...I mean cum is now 3.0. BCP not calculated yet. Last senior semester GPAS were 3.3 and 3.5, and didn't pull the horrible cum GPA up enough... *tears* I will have to ACE the DAT's now... 😱

 

[prez_al]

Yea, while when I use to say that Low= 3.5, now...I mean cum is now 3.0. BCP not calculated yet. Last senior semester GPAS were 3.3 and 3.5, and didn't pull the horrible cum GPA up enough... *tears* I will have to ACE the DAT's now... 😱

If your grades increase over time, it actually looks good, so don't panic that much, but definitely try to get 20+ on AA

 

[galangvu]

from my research.... the DATs averages has been going up yearly. the c/o 2009 had averages scores of 17-18, c/o 2010 were 19-20 and for 2011... it might be higher. When i applied to BU, they said that we needed a 15 in all areas of the DAT to be considered. and i looked at it again today and it says "preferably 19 and up" so you can see that the competition is much harder. I'm glad i got in b/c my scores wouldnt get me anywere if i had to reapply!

another thing.... grades arent ANYTHING if you dont have experience and a personality!!!!