[No Interviews] What can be done now?

[CANgnome]

So this is targeting people with no interviews or people giving advice on no interviews, not the people who have interviews and are waitlisted, etc <_<.... Welcome to share how they are doing this cycle.

Anyways, is there something else to do now besides wait and do the academic update? I still very much want a chance at getting more interviews this cycle.

Any thoughts or previous experiences? Advice? Next cycle recommendations?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[molar3]

im in the same boat, any advice anyone?

also cangnome when are you doing your academic update? Also are you in a postbacc (formal/informal?) or masters right now? Your predents said your post bac gpa is a 4.0. your killin it with your 4.0!! keep it up, hopefully youll hear from somewhere.

 

[CANgnome]

I am doing a post-bacc and Master's at the same time. I am finishing my master's right now at the same time as taking pre-reqs. I am staying behind at the University to get my transcript out as soon as possible, even if it means missing christmas My academic update should be 23 credits of 4.0 so I really hope it is my ticket to some more interviews

How about you, molar3?





I'm not sure about any other course of action though. Should we e-mail or call the school? Start preparing for next cycle? Send an update e-mail? Any success stories from anyone?

 

[molar3]

oh wow, thats intense. you took 23 credits worth of classes in one semester? thats impressive. how does that work? a masters and post bacc at once? how many masters classes do u take and how many post bacc do you take at a time?
also by pre reqs you mean like bio 1, orgo, gen chem etc?
if so, that should boost your bcp alot and schools may be into this and give you interviews. You still have all of spring to hear back so just keep working hard

 

[Alegna86]

I am wondering this too. Do you think we can update schools with additional extracurricular activities? Like more shadowing or research?

 

[molar3]

i feel like since your in a masters/post bacc right now, you basically are already preparing for next cycle if this doesnt workout. Youll have increased your gpa for next cycle and completed more classes which is always good.
Also if you'd like perhaps you can send a letter of intrest or something to the schools u really want to go to (ive never done this ive just heard about it). or just let them know if they dont already know, that youre going to do an academic update. Past that, i dont think theres anything you can do but wait.
was your DAT score good? or could it be better? If so, retake it maybe for next cycle.

Also, at alegna, Is it even possible to update your extracurriculars? I dont think it is. I feel like the only thing on your app you can change is your grades via an academic update at this point. Correct me if im wrong.

I havnt been accepted/rejected anywhere yet but i gave up hope and registered for 20 credits of upper level classes starting in january to help boost my gpa (postbacc). this is not an attempt to get in this cycle but to help my gpa for my next cycle. Im also retaking my DAT (last dat 20AA/20TS/16 pat--problem!!).

 

[tlj0805]

I am in the same boat with you. No interviews and no rejections. Ironically, I was in exactly same situation around this time for last cycle.

Fall of 2009, I was taking post-bacc courses (all upper levels like anatomy and histology) and I believed the academic update would do some magics for me. Because I was told that my GPAs were bit below average which was around 3.10 before Fall 2009, I had to do well. I aced 4 classes out of 5 so I had a high hope. I hand-delivered my transcripts to dental schools that were close to me and met several admissions staffs. They all told me to wait because they were going to interview for another 2-3 months till March 2010. My DAT scores were very mediocre (20TS/19AA) but most schools told me not to retake it because they were "good enough". so I waited. I made sure that I kept in touch with all of them. I even asked 2 of my professors to write separate letters of recommendation and they emailed schools directly. I waited till May but no news.

Then my friend told me something that I didn't expect to hear. He was interviewed in February 2010 and got waitlisted so he kept calling schools and asked them how to get off the waitlist or get an interview for people who hadn't been interviewed at that time. The director of admissions told him that the school was looking for stronger applicants after December and what distinguished between stronger applicants vs. mediocre applicants were DAT scores. They were looking for people with 20AA or higher. He retook his DAT in June and got accepted so he's in D1 now. I'm sure each school is different but one thing for sure is that post-December interview slots are very limited so they are looking for more competitive applicants and acceptance rate is low too.

After hearing his story, I retook my DAT in August but my scores were merely the same. I did improve non-science sections but overall, it didn't go up. I still got 20TS and 19AA. I am taking couple classes now and I have plenty of predental experiences and my extracurricular activities.

I wish someone would tell me why my application is not competitive enough for an interview offer. My upward trend in GPA is not good enough or is it really DAT itself? I feel more anxious than last year because I'm feeling Deja vu. Many of my friends got interviewed for this cycle and they all got accepted already. I am happy for them but it does make me depressed a bit by the fact that I am not even interviewed anywhere.

If I don't hear from school by the 2nd week of January, I am retaking DAT again. I feel like that is the only thing that I can do at this moment. Life sucks bad...

 

[molar3]

tlj, what are your gpa's ? and when did you submit your app?

 

[Alegna86]

i feel like since your in a masters/post bacc right now, you basically are already preparing for next cycle if this doesnt workout. Youll have increased your gpa for next cycle and completed more classes which is always good.
Also if you'd like perhaps you can send a letter of intrest or something to the schools u really want to go to (ive never done this ive just heard about it). or just let them know if they dont already know, that youre going to do an academic update. Past that, i dont think theres anything you can do but wait.
was your DAT score good? or could it be better? If so, retake it maybe for next cycle.

Also, at alegna, Is it even possible to update your extracurriculars? I dont think it is. I feel like the only thing on your app you can change is your grades via an academic update at this point. Correct me if im wrong.

I havnt been accepted/rejected anywhere yet but i gave up hope and registered for 20 credits of upper level classes starting in january to help boost my gpa (postbacc). this is not an attempt to get in this cycle but to help my gpa for my next cycle. Im also retaking my DAT (last dat 20AA/20TS/16 pat--problem!!).

You are correct. I was thinking of doing more activities and emailing the schools about it. I just wasn't sure if this is a good idea or not.

 

[tlj0805]

tlj, what are your gpa's ? and when did you submit your app?

my oGPA is 3.30 and sGPA is 3.25 now. GPA's didn't go up that much because I took many courses so whatever I took last year and this year didn't make that much difference. But I thought the upward trend was gonna help...My post-bacc GPA (all upper science classes) is 3.60.

I submitted in July and it was updated with new DAT in August.

 

[kevinrho]

Hey all, i'm in the same boat! i don't know what to do, but keep up my hopes. I am thinking about applying for a post-bac program to improve my application. my DAT of 19aa.19ts.24pat can be improved as well to go along with a below average gpa. let's all keep our fingers crossed! goodluck!

 

[CANgnome]

I am wondering this too. Do you think we can update schools with additional extracurricular activities? Like more shadowing or research?

oh 18 this semester, 8 during the summer

 

[Alegna86]

I am also thinking of retaking the DAT. It seems (or maybe it is just SDN) that EVERYONE has a 22+ on all sections. If I have not heard anything next month I am going to retake and do whatever it takes to do that well.
Also, I am thinking about doing a Master's or 15 credits of additional science courses this spring. Good luck everyone!

 

[PreD]

So this is targeting people with no interviews or people giving advice on no interviews, not the people who have interviews and are waitlisted, etc <_<.... Welcome to share how they are doing this cycle.

Anyways, is there something else to do now besides wait and do the academic update? I still very much want a chance at getting more interviews this cycle.

Any thoughts or previous experiences? Advice? Next cycle recommendations?

I think you are panicing abit here my friend. You had one Pre-Dec interview from Nova, how did that go ?

Also, from what I remember, you had 2 application on hold , waiting for fall grade , that if you get anything more than 3.7 GPA, should give you an interview.

Plus, there are schools like Tuft, USC with more post Dec Interview left.

I think there are more interview from these big private schools in Jan. They will see that the high GPA guys are not going to their schools and will start giving interview with people with lower GPA and DAT Mark.

By the way, you don't have to stay behind to mail your transcripts. Talk to Admin in your school, you can give them a request now and they will post your marks , first day when it becomes official.

By the way, I am on the same boat as you, I have 2 post Dec Interviews, One in Dec and one in Jan .Plus two hold application waiting for fall.

 

[PreD]

.

My upward trend in GPA is not good enough or is it really DAT itself? ..\

The Upward trend is a myth in my opinion. I think very few schools look at. I am almost 4.0 in my last 57 Credits and 3.75 in my last 90 Credit. But I have two bad years, one a 2.0 and the other 2.7 almost 10 years ago that brings my GPA down and hence I am here.

I wish the trend was right but It just has not happend to me.

 

[herkulease]

For me while I haven't been rejected from everywhere. Some where long shots, who accepted only a handful of out of state students. I'm not holding out much hope, as there are plenty of things I can do while I wait.

I've already begun studying to retake the dat. definitely to bring my 17 in bio up(which I think killed it for me). Try to bring up my 19 in RC and Ochem too. I'm not sure if I can improve on my 22 in gchem and 20 in pat. I knew going in the angles would be hardest section. CDP pretty much nailed it. with hard angles I averaged 20. with angles that weren't so hard but the other sections were harder(or time consuming) I averaged 23.

 

[BearBrick]

Hey all, i'm in the same boat! i don't know what to do, but keep up my hopes. I am thinking about applying for a post-bac program to improve my application. my DAT of 19aa.19ts.24pat can be improved as well to go along with a below average gpa. let's all keep our fingers crossed! goodluck!

I also had a below average gpa (cGPA3.18), but I was accepted to two schools. I suspect it had to do with my 23AA26PAT. I have heard (from at least one admissions officer) that a high DAT score can outweigh a below average to poor GPA.

 

[CANgnome]

That's certainly a good thing to hear that schools like high DAT individuals post-dec o____o

 

[hell0k1tty]

Same situation with you all.. applied to IU, Penn, Columbia, and NYU and no interviews yet. IU did notify me back in Sept that I'm invited for a spring interview but no word from them yet. my DAT was 22/22/21 but it didn't get sent to the schools until late August so I think that was one major hold up.

I know NYU has a lot of applicants so I understand why I haven't heard from them, but does anyone know anything about Penn or Columbia? Is there still a good chance for an interview and acceptance?

 

[iamgosu]

meh to be honest i think this whole dental school application process is a bit hit and miss. Some people can get interviews with below average stats, while others struggle to get interviews with above-average stats. I think luck is involved in this (as with everything else in this world). As for LORs, everybody's LORs are gonna be the same: complimenting and praising the applicant and how they'd be ideal d-school students. I guess the PS is important as well, but again, there's luck involved in that hopefully the AdCom didn't just read an exceptional PS followed by yours, which may not be as outstanding.

 

[KillaCam]

Hello K1tty, I applied late and my last letter of rec was not even received at schools until October 15th and I received an interview at Columbia two weeks ago and will be going on Friday the 10th. However, I have applied to 7 other schools and have not heard anything else from them, including UPenn.

 

[hell0k1tty]

Hello K1tty, I applied late and my last letter of rec was not even received at schools until October 15th and I received an interview at Columbia two weeks ago and will be going on Friday the 10th. However, I have applied to 7 other schools and have not heard anything else from them, including UPenn.

My last letter went out end of September.. blah, I hope I hear from someone soon! How did Columbia notify you? I've been checking my mail and email like a hawk. Good luck at your interview

 

[CANgnome]

Has anyone spoken to school representatives and asked what the best course of action is?

 

[iVTECdailyy]

I guess I am in the same situation unfortunately. I applied to 17 schools in August and haven't received an interview yet. I was rejected from 7 schools. I still have 10 left

my stats:
3.36 o GPA and 3.0 s GPA (bringing me down)
20/19/20 DAT. (one section at 18, one at 19, all others above 20)
All the extracurricular that everyone else has.

I don't know what to do --- i really don't want to go through the process of applying again.

 

[mooredge]

Hey all, just wanted to offer some advice and say i feel your pain. Took me a couple rounds of applying before i got accepted back in 2007.

If you find yourself without an acceptance as of now, i would recommend to immediately formulate and act upon a plan for how your can better your application for next cycle. Looking at the posts many of you have started doing this already, keep it up because next cycle will start before you know it. Don't give up on this cycle, but begin preparing for next.

The next best thing is to harass the hell out of your local dental school admissions peeps and/or call and harass all other dental schools you're applying to. So much of the admissions process is just luck of the draw. If your an average applicant the difference can be made by an admissions person simply remembering your name and taking a second look at your app. Obviously don't be obnoxious, but call or go into the school and just chat with whomever.

Unfortunately so much of the admissions process seems to be based on who you know and some sort of black magic. I still have no idea how my own school chooses who they do. Stay positive.

 

[DDSsc]

i think what helped me was my LOR's and extracurricular. i got a lot of advice from current dentists/doctors that helped me to think 'outside the box.' for example, one doctor suggested i start a dental organization to reach out to under-priviliged kids in the community. so, i started one by conducting surveys, taking photographs, giving seminars, and handing out toothbrush/toothpaste kits. a plus i think would be to do it in an under-served community. something dental-related would help you stand-out from the rest of the pool.

another is LOR. it might be tough, but if there is a particular dental school you have in mind, try to research one of the dental prof's there and try to work for him/her. after a couple months or a year, depending on the personality of the prof, their letter could help you a lot. one of my friends did that for his med school app. i had 4 LOR's, and one of them was from the dean of a university (i got really lucky with this one!).

to the remarks about it being about luck, i agree to some degree. i think that with a little bit of 'luck', and standing out you have a better chance.

i just got accepted this year to the school of my choice, and really this is just my two cents. my gpa before was really, really bad. my post-bac gpa was a decent 3.50. my scores were 20/20/20. also, i applied back in 2008 and i did not even get an interview from all but one school.

it takes time, but with hard work and prayer, i think it can work out.

hope this helps and good luck!

 

[CANgnome]

Who would have imagined, it is already the middle of January now

Did anyone hear anything from schools or have more stories to share?

 

[glo1984]

Who would have imagined, it is already the middle of January now

Did anyone hear anything from schools or have more stories to share?

If you were from the US, with those stats, you'd be accepted so that of course complicates things. Awesome DAT scores!!

 

[yappy]

Really! I was thinking the same thing the whole thread. Does being international challenge the process a bit? It seems with all of his great accomplishments he should be offered some interviews.

If you were from the US, with those stats, you'd be accepted so that of course complicates things. Awesome DAT scores!!

 

[mprs]

I was wondering, do you have to give an academic update? I have a few full year courses, so I only have marks for 2 classes, and they aren't exactly show-boat worthy. I don't want that to diminish my chances (unless of course not giving an update will disqualify me)

 

[mcchuster]

So this is targeting people with no interviews or people giving advice on no interviews, not the people who have interviews and are waitlisted, etc <_<.... Welcome to share how they are doing this cycle.

Anyways, is there something else to do now besides wait and do the academic update? I still very much want a chance at getting more interviews this cycle.

Any thoughts or previous experiences? Advice? Next cycle recommendations?

Just wait right now. They can still be sending out interviews. The schools need to wait to see if people from DEC. accepts or not. Also, Email them to ask about your situation.
If you planning on applying next cycle: apply really early, get more volunteer hours, Email each schools after about 2 months after you send in your app and state who you are and what is your situation. Even ask them on the phone. You need to separate yourself from the mass. Make yourself known, but don't annoy them by calling all the time. just make sure you make an impression.

 

[PreD]

CANgnome

If I remeber correctly, you application was "ON HOLD FOR FALL GRADE" at Indiana? Did you hear anything back from them ?

Mine was on hold as well but I got rejected today since they hav given out all their interviews and have already people on waitlist and ...

 

[wizkhalifa]

The Upward trend is a myth in my opinion. I think very few schools look at. I am almost 4.0 in my last 57 Credits and 3.75 in my last 90 Credit. But I have two bad years, one a 2.0 and the other 2.7 almost 10 years ago that brings my GPA down and hence I am here.

I wish the trend was right but It just has not happend to me.

so what exactly is your GPA?

 

[CANgnome]

CANgnome

If I remeber correctly, you application was "ON HOLD FOR FALL GRADE" at Indiana? Did you hear anything back from them ?

Mine was on hold as well but I got rejected today since they hav given out all their interviews and have already people on waitlist and ...

Unfortunately I knew it was coming because there is a lot of people on the waitlist.

 

[PreD]

so what exactly is your GPA?

around 3.4

 

[wizkhalifa]

around 3.4

3.4 and your having a difficulty? are you in CA?