Here is what you need to know:
1. if you are fairly intelligent, you need about 1.5 months to rock the DAT, my friend studied 3 weeks and got a 20./20/19? something like that. IF you are of average to little above average you'll need about 2 - 2.5 months to study. - IF i were you, i'd sit down through Christmas break - like not have ANY fun, just study all day approx 12-15 hours a day and then sleep and eat. THat's it. NO showering for that month. Just study. You'll get a good score...you need that break to really get studying done because with the interruptions of school i don't know a single person that did well if they took it in the midst of the chaos of school. ... ENSURE you get the best score you can the FIRST TIME you TAKE IT. trust me. IT sucks to have to re-study the material and it's UNBELIEVABLE how much you forget and HOW QUICKLY you forget. ALSO you have to wait 3 months for a retake and you forget about 80% of everthing you memorized, gauranteed. you want to aim for a 20 or above on every section...don't take the test until you are sure you can get a 20 or above...there is a lot of info on SDN about what materials to use. I used Kaplan ONLY. nothing else. I don't htink Kaplan can get you the math score or Bio score. but it can get you all the toher scores.
2. Make sure your extra curriculars are in order - there are liek 10 spots for "Extracurricular/Volunteer/Community Service" IF you want something to talk about take an international service trip - many ppl go through ISL -- Also, right now, create a resume so when the time comes to fill out your aadsas you have a resume to look off of, and you dont' forget anything.
3. For dental experience - there are liek 5 boxes - I reccomend about 100 hours so that NO school is barred to you - i knwo that some schools have prereq.# of hours they expect you to have done.
4. I think Work experience is the next section listed - this too has about 5 spots i think to fill in.
5. Awards and scholarship section also has 5 spaces - here I personally filled in a couple things from highschool - THis is why it helps to have a resume you have kept updated for a while.
6. Last but not least there are about 5 spaces for Research.
*** DOn't let this scare hte bajeezes out of you - if you are lacking in some areas, it's okay, make sure you shine in others... this is hte good thing about d schools- they look at you holistically - and not everyone can be a "perfect candidate" with something to fill in every box.*********
7. Around January or so, start asking professors if they would be willing ot write you a letter - at this point, assure them they have about 2 months to write the letter...they'll agree thinking they have a lot of time.
...anyhoos, at 1 month send them reminder letters - i've had teachers bail out on me - so I asked about 6 professors total. 2 from my major, 3 science teachers - and 1 random professor that loves me, or it could be a dentist... I personally feel that schools prefer academic letters. Ensure that they realize there is a letter to be written and not just a form that is filled out!!! Also, some schoools offer a letter managing service - go to your career center and check if they have such a service. IF they do, use it, it's more convenient and gauranteed. Also, if you don't get in the first year, they hold on to your letters - removing the hassle of having to ask professors all over again the next year.
***** THIS IS THE MOST IMP STEP - teachers bail often , make SURE you do it early and you ask more profs than you need!*********
8. OK, Last but not least, think about your personal statement - it took me about 15 drafts and about 3-4 weeks to perfect. I got a group of friends to edit it many many many times.
9. Next, open up your AADSAS on MAY 15th! remember that date. that is WHen applications start. Work on it, fill it out. All of your ground work is done. All you have to do is fill in the holes. I hit submit on June 2nd... I don't reccomend pushing it anythign past the first 2 weeks of June.
10. Once you hit submit, work on your secondaries...I created word documents with a protocol to follow for each school **********DON"T WAIT FOR A REQUEST FOR A SECONDARY!!!!!!!********DO it immediately. Send in the money checks, send in the appropriate secondary questions they are often posted on each school's website. Do it immedaitely.
If you follow this protocol you would be Dandy... now this may not be for everyone...
NOW FOR THE LATEST DEADLINES
- dont' submit AADSAS any later than the first 2 weeks of July. (the app takes 3-4 weeks to process)
- don't dip any lower than an AA of 18
- Don't get any lower than a 17 on any one seciton of the DAT
- IF you have high GPA you want your DAT to reflect appropriately - AKA dont' have a 4.0 gpa and a 12 DAT.
- Don't take the DAT any Later than mid first week of July. (it takes 1 week to get the DAT scores out to each indiv school by ADEA)
Finally, lean back, relax, and wait for interviews - but even now, stay on guard. Look at bankstatements to check when cheques have been cashed... If peopel have heard back from schools and you have not, somehting may be wrong, call up and check up (at schools that LET YOU) on the status of your application...
Then, go to interviews, prep off of the SDN database, go with confidence, dress to impress, and you will rock it.
