New to SDN - DAT/Application Help

[SmilesDMD]

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Hello everyone!

My name is Khoa Nguyen. I'm new to the SDN so here's a little background on myself. I'm a 4th year Neuroscience major at the University of Nevada-Reno. I spent the first three years as a Physical Therapy Tech for numerous practices as a Pre-PT student and realized it wasn't the career I saw myself loving forever. After shadowing an oral surgeon and orthodontist I instantly fell in love with dentistry. I will be graduating this December, and am currently at a 3.44 cumulative and a 3.25 science GPA and will most likely be graduating with a 3.55 cum and 3.35 science (Currently in OChem 2, evolution, cog psy, cell physiology lab, and undergrad research).

Today I applied to take the DAT and am seeking advice on when to take it and how to build the perfect application.
For extracurriculars I have three years of collegiate athletics, held an officer position in Lambda Chi Alpha, am a member of the Neuroscience club at my college, as well as having Neuro-imaging clinical research under my arsenal (EEG, fMRI, etc.).

I feel I clearly don't have enough clinical dental experience to "wow" admissions or recruiters and my physical therapy LOR's will do little to nothing so I'm aiming to find a few dentists that will allow me to shadow for the rest of the semester and all through summer.

Would it be best to submit an application for dental school in June before taking my DAT in July, or wait until after the DAT to start applying? From reading all the threads, I hear the earlier is better but I'm really hoping to be accepted for this next upcoming cycle and want to know if it's possible to balance applications and studying for the DAT. I'll be doing a 10 week study plan to ensure I do well on the DAT but is August too late to apply for schools like NYU, UofA, of UoP?

I was planning on registering for the DAT the last week of June so I can have 6 weeks of no school to interfere with studying, but would an August application be too late?

Any tips, suggestions, advice is GREATLY appreciated and thank you all for reading.

 

[Naphen]

The earlier the better. I wouldn't say August is too late, it's probably not late or early though.
I would definitely stress having everything sent in AND received by June or July (latest) for best chances to get interviews.
So I say send everything in by June, and then take your DAT in June and have your scores sent in July. if you can't have the DAT in by June as well.
Can answer more specific questions if you want to PM me.
Good luck

 

[SmilesDMD]

The earlier the better. I wouldn't say August is too late, it's probably not late or early though.
I would definitely stress having everything sent in AND received by June or July (latest) for best chances to get interviews.
So I say send everything in by June, and then take your DAT in June and have your scores sent in July. if you can't have the DAT in by June as well.
Can answer more specific questions if you want to PM me.
Good luck

Not too sure on how to PM on this forum haha! I will be out of the country all of July so I will have to take the DAT before I leave. I don't want the DAT interfering with my course load right now either which is why I want to wait until the last week of June to take it so it gives me the best opportunity to finish strong with my coursework and allows me the best opportunity to prepare for the DAT. So sending in an application without a DAT right away won't as bad as a late July application with a DAT?

 

[Naphen]

Not too sure on how to PM on this forum haha! I will be out of the country all of July so I will have to take the DAT before I leave. I don't want the DAT interfering with my course load right now either which is why I want to wait until the last week of June to take it so it gives me the best opportunity to finish strong with my coursework and allows me the best opportunity to prepare for the DAT. So sending in an application without a DAT right away won't as bad as a late July application with a DAT?

It's just more convenient or safer to send in all your other materials first. You can do it either way, but the processing time for your application on AADSAS may be time consuming if you post-pone it to July.
If you want to just be on top of things, I think if you send in your application on AADSAS on the first day possible (early June), and then send your DAT scores directly to schools as well as AADSAS in July you will be golden.
I would recommend sending everything plus DAT in, in June, but if it will effect your DAT score it's better to score higher and send it in a month later (of course)
and for Personal messages go to the top right "inbox" and "start conversation" and put my username in with the message. Personally, my application stats and timing was similar to yours and I just applied this past cycle. Willing to help you with whatever questions/concerns you have!

 

[SmilesDMD]

It's just more convenient or safer to send in all your other materials first. You can do it either way, but the processing time for your application on AADSAS may be time consuming if you post-pone it to July.
If you want to just be on top of things, I think if you send in your application on AADSAS on the first day possible (early June), and then send your DAT scores directly to schools as well as AADSAS in July you will be golden.
I would recommend sending everything plus DAT in, in June, but if it will effect your DAT score it's better to score higher and send it in a month later (of course)
and for Personal messages go to the top right "inbox" and "start conversation" and put my username in with the message. Personally, my application stats and timing was similar to yours and I just applied this past cycle. Willing to help you with whatever questions/concerns you have!

Thank you! This helps a lot. Time to start drafting a personal statement and getting LOR's then!

 

[CleverThought]

Because your GPA is on the lower side of things (although it's really not a bad GPA), I would recommend taking the DAT as soon as you can, while feeling prepared. When you have average or below average stats it is absolutely to your benefit to apply and have everything done/together AS SOON as the cycle opens. Also, I saw that you shadowed a ortho and OS, I would recommend getting a few hours, at least, in of shadowing a general dentist. Especially given that you changed your professional aspirations late in the game, the admissions committee wants to know that you are fully aware of what you are getting into. Plus, having a GP write your LOR will be the best way to go.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. Everyone around here is really helpful.

 

[Hellokioo]

Deft apply as early as possible and then submit your DATs, LOR, etc after.

I submitted my AADSAS application in June and took my DATs in November (I know super late) and still got 6 interviews invite and 4 acceptances! So deft apply early and take your DAT whenever you feel ready!

 

[Glimmer1991]

Applying early is good, but I think people put too much emphasis on being in the VERY first batches. I only skimmed all of the responses, but here is my advice.

Have everything ready as soon as the cycle opens. That means you'll need to have your letters secured by then. Go ahead and write your PS. Make a list of schools to which you will be applying, and make sure you have all of the necessary requirements for them (some schools require a dentist's recommendation, some schools require a physics professor's recommendation, etc.). Make sure you have 100 shadowing hours by the time you apply.

Submit everything on the first day of the application opens and have that part over with. Send your transcripts so your GPA can get verified by AADSAS.

Take the DAT early July. I'd suggest the first week of the month. When you are done, send an scanned copy of your score report to all of the schools you applied to.

You're application will be finalized by mid-July after your DAT scores are verified. That's early enough. August is starting to push it a little bit.

 

[SmilesDMD]

Thank you everyone! This place is awesome.

I think my best bet will be taking the DAT the last week of may therefore I have about a week to finish all necessary requirements for the primary application and can get all my stuff in as early as possible?

I'm worried about LOR's because I never really went to professors office hours or anything. I kind of just kept to myself or got help from other colleagues so how should I go about that? I know those are really important and want to put myself in the best possible situation to get accepted.

Again thanks everyone, it's been a huge help already.

 

[ILLchief]

Brother! LXA over here too my man

Don't be shy about your LOR's. the professors know students need these and will be willing to do it as long as you made a good grade in the class. its part of their job. try to make more of an effort to stop into office hours, send email etc to leave a good impression. you should try to set up an meeting with them to discuss the process as well as have a chance for them to get to you know you better.

Your EC's look pretty good. love the research aspect too. but definitely need to boost your dental experience with more shadowing/volunteering of dentists! this way you can get at least 1 good LOR from a dentist.

Your GPA isn't bad at all. especially if you end up with your projected stats. keep it up!

As for application timeline, i agree with @Glimmer1991. send in your preliminary things take your DAT at end of June/early July and go from there. i took my DAT August 1st, and was just fine with everything submitted/verified in August. just take it when youre most comfortable.

Good luck to you!

Χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά
X1902

 

[Glimmer1991]

I think my best bet will be taking the DAT the last week of may therefore I have about a week to finish all necessary requirements for the primary application and can get all my stuff in as early as possible?

As I have said multiple times on SDN, being in the VERY first batches is highly overrated. A better score will pay off 100x more.

Take your test mid-June at the very earliest. Scores take about 2 weeks to be verified. The first batch isn't even sent out until the end of June/early July (which is about a month after the application cycle opens). I think people misunderstand this--the first batch is NOT sent out the week the application opens.

You want ample time to study. You should aim for a good score to help with your slightly below average sGPA. I'd aim for 2 solid months, honestly. It is worth it, and applying a week or two later isn't going to make or break you.

Lots of schools don't even start reviewing applications until early August. Trust me. You'll be fine if you aren't in batches 1, 2, or 3.

 

[SmilesDMD]

As I have said multiple times, being in the VERY first batches is highly overrated. A better score will pay off 100x more.

Take your test mid-June at the very earliest. Scores take about 2 weeks to be verified. The first batch isn't even sent out until the end of June/early July (which is about a month after the application cycle opens). I think people misunderstand this--the first batch is NOT sent out the week the application opens.

You want ample time to study. You should aim for a good score to help with your slightly below average sGPA. I'd aim for 2 solid months, honestly. It is worth it, and applying a week or two later isn't going to make or break you.

Lots of schools don't even start reviewing applications until early August. Trust me. You'll be fine if you aren't in batches 1, 2, or 3.

Alright. Will do! Thank you. Looks like I'll go for first week of July or last week of June for the DAT.