Narrowing School Choices

[ccecil02]

I'm a freshman in my undergrad, but I know it's never too early to start planning an application to dental school. I'm from Ohio so I've only really looked at Ohio State, I know Case is here too, a little expensive from what I saw? But my question is, what's the best way to narrow down my list, and to find other schools that might be a good place for me to apply to, I know this is a very broad question so anything input would be very appreciated, also, is the curriculum for all dental schools relatively alike, that was another reason I wanted to have a brief idea of what schools I was looking at, to see their prereqs.
Thanks alot

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[DrReo]

I'm a freshman in my undergrad, but I know it's never too early to start planning an application to dental school. I'm from Ohio so I've only really looked at Ohio State, I know Case is here too, a little expensive from what I saw? But my question is, what's the best way to narrow down my list, and to find other schools that might be a good place for me to apply to, I know this is a very broad question so anything input would be very appreciated, also, is the curriculum for all dental schools relatively alike, that was another reason I wanted to have a brief idea of what schools I was looking at, to see their prereqs.
Thanks alot

You will be able to narrow or expand the schools you apply to by doing well now.It's too early to decide, but it's good to look at prereq info. Private schools are typically a better bet than instate schools with a few exceptions, buffalo, etc.

 

[theilleztpaki]

why is private schools a better bet?? in what aspects???

You will be able to narrow or expand the schools you apply to by doing well now.It's too early to decide, but it's good to look at prereq info. Private schools are typically a better bet than instate schools with a few exceptions, buffalo, etc.

 

[Plopper]

I'm a freshman in my undergrad, but I know it's never too early to start planning an application to dental school. I'm from Ohio so I've only really looked at Ohio State, I know Case is here too, a little expensive from what I saw? But my question is, what's the best way to narrow down my list, and to find other schools that might be a good place for me to apply to, I know this is a very broad question so anything input would be very appreciated, also, is the curriculum for all dental schools relatively alike, that was another reason I wanted to have a brief idea of what schools I was looking at, to see their prereqs.
Thanks alot

shadow a dentist over the summer break, then get back destroy your pre-req classes and get A's, make sure your GPA is around a 3.7 (higher is better) score at least a 20 AA on the DAT, do extra curricular/volunteering of some type, do research (dental related is preferable), get LOR from teachers that like you (3 science and 2 non-science is best), and shadow about 50-100hrs between freshman summer and sophmore summer

summer after sophomore start studying for the DAT, take the DAT in Feb/March (gives you the 3 month window if you score poorly, but score well the first time)

Do that and you'll be able to get into most any school you apply to.

 

[Zubnaya Feya]

UW rocks, although it is my instate school.

 

[Boat on the Chesapeake]

why is private schools a better bet?? in what aspects???

State schools accept mostly in-state applicants, so its harder to get in to other states' schools. Many private schools don't look at state residency and tend to have somewhat lower GPA/DAT requirements. On the downside they usually have much higher tuition than state schools.



Pittsburgh would be another good school to look at, it's not too far from Ohio and it accepts half of their class from other states.

 

[DrReo]

why is private schools a better bet?? in what aspects???

They typically don't have preference of one's residancy.

 

[DrReo]

They are not better, nor worse.

 

[Lurchdubious]

But my question is, what's the best way to narrow down my list, and to find other schools that might be a good place for me to apply to, I know this is a very broad question so anything input would be very appreciated, also, is the curriculum for all dental schools relatively alike, that was another reason I wanted to have a brief idea of what schools I was looking at, to see their prereqs.
Thanks alot

Many of the pre-reqs are similar between schools. Maybe start with schools that other people from your school have been accepted to? If you plan on specializing then you'll want to find a school that will prepare you for that road with higher board score averages and specialty acceptance rates. I would suggest ruling out schools in cities you would not want to live in for the next 3-4 years or that are crazy expensive. You might also rule out schools that don't really accept out-of-state students, but take a look at schools that accept several OOS students or have no preference. You're on the right track by thinking about this early.