Need Desperate Advice ?.

[DDS2008]

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First of all, this is my second time posting on this forum and I would like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences on this website. This has helped me tremendously during my application process. Special thanks to Yah-E, ItsGavinC, Stargirl and chrisdds .

This is my sitaution: I sent my application to AADSAS last year around July without having taken the DAT. Due to my work circumstances, I couldn?t take the DAT?s until the end of October. I wanted to apply early so AADSAS can start sending my application to the schools faster. But unfortunately, I didn?t end up doing so well on the DAT (18academic, 18 pat, 19 science), and since there is a three- month waiting period to retake it, I just took a chance and kept my scores knowing it would be too late if took it the second time. My preference from the beginning was to stay in California since I know for sure, I want to practice here in Cali and it would be much easier for me to establish connections and prepare for the board exams. I had some interviews, got accepted to UNLV and I am currently waitlisted at my 1st choice USC. From all the interviews attended, I felt that I fit best at USC and loved the PBL. Now, I am very fortunate to get into any dental school, but please give me your honest opinion:
1- Is it better for me to take a year off and retake the DAT hoping that I can do better the second time and get into a California school possibly USC or UOP?? (Maybe hope to get off the USC waitlist this year)
2- Just go to UNLV this year.


Since UNLV is a new school and partially accredited by the ADEA, I don?t know what are my chances if I want to specialize later in my career at UNLV. I just finished my degree in biology from UCLA, and my current GPA is 3.51 overall, 3.45 science, 3.55 BCP. Have over 800 hours of community service, and 9 months of assisting in a dental clinic. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.🙄

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by DDS2008

Since UNLV is a new school and partially accredited by the ADEA, I don?t know what are my chances if I want to specialize later in my career at UNLV.

I will respond to your entire post when I read it, but this statement jumped out at me.

UNLV (and Arizona, for that matter) is accredited. You'll have every opportunity to participate in post-grad programs, just like students from every other school. This point shouldn't be a factor at all in your decision.

Specifically, the type of accreditation awarded to UNLV (and Arizona) is the highest given to a new program. The accreditation designation provides the full benefits of accreditation for the next four years to all students including scholarship eligibility, student loans, the ability to sit for state licensure exams and the opportunity to apply to postgraduate programs.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I'd say go to UNLV. You can get cheap tuition there after getting residency.

Going to school in Cali won't do a whole lot as far as helping you network.

 

[Barry20]

You would have to be crazy to not go to unlv this year and go through the application process AGAIN next year. I mean, cmon, its not like you are going to the east coast, unlv is a hop-skip-and a jump from cali. Dont let the accreditation thing scare you. I can guarantee that if it wasnt going to get full accreditation, no one would waste their time/money in it. The new schools are going to have the latest and greatest in technology and they won't fall short of giving you the opportunity to specialize. Not much has been said about unlv on here, but if Im not mistaken, a lot of the same input that went into the arizona school came from many that helped get the unlv school going. That said, we know how great arizona is from what Gavin tells us. No one can decide but you, however, if it were me, I would already be at the card tables in vegas!

 

[marshall]

short and simple: go to unlv. dental admissions persons dont like to see that you refused a dental education. the advice i was given was do it right the first time. id say the only major drawback is your boards because youll have to get patients in california or at least to california.

 

[StarGirl]

that's a tough choice...don't let anyone make it for you... you want to go where you'll be happy...this is 4 years of your life...
i don't know if you're willing to push back your life another year... and you are right, you should be happy that you got into a school 🙂 Maybe you best bet is to call USC and ask them what your status is and if it's likely that you'll get off the waitlist. One girl left columbia two weeks into school to go to USC (even tho they had started a week already). It's possible that you might get called off the waitlist...there's still plenty of time...
if you're even thinking of reapplying... and you want to retake your DATs you better start studying soon...

good luck and best wishes 🙂

 

[grettlin2]

As soon as I saw his GPA, DAT, and community service hours, I think he should be a very competitive applicant even in CA schools. Are CA schools so difficult to get in even he has such good conditions? It really scares me. Are CA schools looking for 20+/20+ and >3.8 GPA students???
Please give your opinions, thanks.

 

[NewNameForGoogleBot]

Don't these new schools have to graduate a class and jump through some other hoops before they are fully accredited?

I am usually one who doesn't like to be the guinea pig, but in your case I would take UNLV over applying again and wasting a year. This is by far a better option.

 

[PERFECT3434]

DDS,

HERE IS MY HONEST OPINION ABOUT YOUR SITUATION. MOST PEOPLE JUST WISH THEY GET ACCPETED ANYWHERE. I WOULD EVEN GO TO A DENTAL SCHOOL ON THE MOON IF I GET ACCEPTED.

ANOTHER THING IS THAT IF YOU WAIT AND RETAKE THINGS AND HOPE YOU GET IN TO USC HERE IS WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU.

A FRIEND OF MINE GOT ACCEPTED TO NYU 2 YEARS AGO. SHE DEFERED NYU AND APPLIED TWICE TO USC TRYING TO GO TO USC. BOTH TIMES SHE DIDN'T GET IN TO USC. SO, BASICALLY SHE WASTED TWO YEARS OF HER LIFE. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HALFWAY THROUGH DENTAL SCHOOL. NOW SHE IS GOING TO NYU.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by jaap
Don't these new schools have to graduate a class and jump through some other hoops before they are fully accredited?

Yep, but those are typically formalities.

 

[Dentalist]

DDS2008,

If I were in your shoes, I would go to UNLV. Dental school is what you make it and if you are strongly determined to become a good dentist, you will succeed no matter where you go to. I may be wrong but sometimes it is good to try to like what you have found rather than try to find what you like. Good luck with your decision.

Dentalist

 

[NewNameForGoogleBot]

Originally posted by ItsGavinC
Yep, but those are typically formalities.

Still a little bit scary to me. I'm not trying to knock on any schools, and from what I have read from your posts, I am VERY impressed with Arizona. But for me personally, I would feel a little nervous. My personality has a less tolerance for the unknown and I can't consider one of these schools while I know there are 50 some fully accredited schools out there. If I were applying 4 years from now, I'd probably have no problems.