Non Trad applicant in need of guidance

[NinerFaithful]

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Hello all, as the title states, I am a NT Applicant and I am in need of some advice or guidance. I've been out in the "real world" for 4 years now, working as a Personal Banker. I've always wanted to go to dental school so I've already completed a BS in Biochem (GPA 3.87) and gave the DAT a shot (scored in the 11th percentile, not as good as I hoped haha). Aside from that, I'm nervous about my Personal statement. I don't know how I should explain the lapse in time between college and applying to dental school. I honestly needed to save money for tuition and living fees, so I worked full time at a bank since graduation. I don't know how I can link personal banking and dentistry. I fear that adcoms won't take me seriously since I haven't been working in the field. Any feedback or tips on what I can say on the PS would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hungrydentist]

Hello all, as the title states, I am a NT Applicant and I am in need of some advice or guidance. I've been out in the "real world" for 4 years now, working as a Personal Banker. I've always wanted to go to dental school so I've already completed a BS in Biochem (GPA 3.87) and gave the DAT a shot (scored in the 11th percentile, not as good as I hoped haha). Aside from that, I'm nervous about my Personal statement. I don't know how I should explain the lapse in time between college and applying to dental school. I honestly needed to save money for tuition and living fees, so I worked full time at a bank since graduation. I don't know how I can link personal banking and dentistry. I fear that adcoms won't take me seriously since I haven't been working in the field. Any feedback or tips on what I can say on the PS would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, go Niners! California resident I presume?

As a NT applicant, you will stick out for adcoms. Your GPA is solid, but in order for you to apply to dental school, you're going to have to raise that DAT score for sure! Do you have to retake your DATs? How old are your prereq courses? Do you have any dental-related experience? Any other volunteer experience? What about letters of recommendations? If you're thinking about switching to dentistry and you have been out 4 years, those are some of the other questions I'd be asking as well.

In terms of your personal statement, you can always find something that relates to dentistry, and that's what I love about the profession. Dentistry is a people profession, so as a personal banker, I'm sure you've dealt with your share of customers. You can also discuss the business aspects of it, like owning your own practice. I'm sure you helped people finance their businesses and what not. Just throwing in some ideas!

 

[NinerFaithful]

First of all, go Niners! California resident I presume?

As a NT applicant, you will stick out for adcoms. Your GPA is solid, but in order for you to apply to dental school, you're going to have to raise that DAT score for sure! Do you have to retake your DATs? How old are your prereq courses? Do you have any dental-related experience? Any other volunteer experience? What about letters of recommendations? If you're thinking about switching to dentistry and you have been out 4 years, those are some of the other questions I'd be asking as well.

In terms of your personal statement, you can always find something that relates to dentistry, and that's what I love about the profession. Dentistry is a people profession, so as a personal banker, I'm sure you've dealt with your share of customers. You can also discuss the business aspects of it, like owning your own practice. I'm sure you helped people finance their businesses and what not. Just throwing in some ideas!

I am indeed from CA, haha, SF to be exact.
I intend on taking the DAT once more as my PAT was less than stellar at 18. Everything else was solid. My prereqs are not that old, I graduated in Jan 2009, and took the last few classes at a city college in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011. As far as dental experience is concerned, I don't have any new hours logged since 2009-2010. I know that sounds bad, but I have a number of Dental Clients who gave me an open invite to shadow for them whenever I need to. I plan on shadowing one of my clients as early as next week. Is there a certain number of hours I should shoot for by the time June rolls around? I was thinking around 40 hours. My Rec Letters are sound as I have kept in touch with two of my favorite professors.
Thanks for the tips on the PS! Those are the angles I was thinking of taking. I wanted to see if other people who are going through the Pre-dent journey thought those were worth expanding on.
Another thing I should mention is that I applied once before in 2010. I obviously didn't get in, I attribute it mostly to my late application (around Nov or Dec). Should I mention that in my PS as well?

 

[indplayer]

Like the poster above me, your experience as a full time personal banker, in my opinion, can only help you stand out. there are thousands of applicants who have good stats and work at dental offices. Now its up to you to somehow tie in your banking experience to dentistry somehow. the above poster makes a great example of this in regards to people interaction.

one thing about your DAT. when you say 11%, are you saying your score put you in the top 11% of test takers (i.e. your score was a 89%), or are you saying you only did better than 11% of test takers?

 

[jnines]

It's perfectly normal and fine to be a nontraditional student. Your GPA is good but was wondering the breakdown for your DAT because every exam's percentile varies. AA/TS and any breakdown.
As for shadowing, the more the merrier. don't stop at 40 hours but continue to enjoy and LEARN from the procedures and operations. I think immersing yourself in the dental field will only help.
I think if you put your mind and work into getting into dental school, it will come true.
I'm a NT and a second time applicant as well so I'd like to share some of encouragement to you.
As for the whole application, just try to make a great application (PS, DAT, GPA, Recommendations, etc.)
I hope this helps.

 

[NinerFaithful]

Like the poster above me, your experience as a full time personal banker, in my opinion, can only help you stand out. there are thousands of applicants who have good stats and work at dental offices. Now its up to you to somehow tie in your banking experience to dentistry somehow. the above poster makes a great example of this in regards to people interaction.

one thing about your DAT. when you say 11%, are you saying your score put you in the top 11% of test takers (i.e. your score was a 89%), or are you saying you only did better than 11% of test takers?

Thanks for the reply, All the examples I can think of in terms of linking banking and dentistry together is the financial side of things. For example, selling yourself to clients, maintaining a book of business, working off of referrals, and the costs of owning one's practice. I guess the challenging part is linking the two in terms of caring for and treating people. As a personal banker, I do take a genuine interest in the financial well being of my clients, but is it too far of a stretch to say that my current profession gave me "training" in finding out the needs of people and how to remediate their issues?

Sorry for the confusion regarding my DAT scores, I scored 89%. I guess I made it sound backwards, haha. Again, my apologies. A major reason why I want to retake it is my pride, haha. I don't like thinking that the test beat me, so I want to go in for a "rematch", hopefully this time I will fare better.

 

[indplayer]

if you have all scores at least above an 18 on your DAT, i think you should seriously consider whether you NEED to retake it. with your gpa, i think your DAT is fine. unless you feel you didnt work hard preparing the first time around and you are confident you will do better, you have to consider you MIGHT to worse lol.

as for the other stuff you mentioned relating banking and dentistry...sounds great to me. I wish i had stuff like that to write about in my personal statement haha.

 

[NinerFaithful]

It's perfectly normal and fine to be a nontraditional student. Your GPA is good but was wondering the breakdown for your DAT because every exam's percentile varies. AA/TS and any breakdown.
As for shadowing, the more the merrier. don't stop at 40 hours but continue to enjoy and LEARN from the procedures and operations. I think immersing yourself in the dental field will only help.
I think if you put your mind and work into getting into dental school, it will come true.
I'm a NT and a second time applicant as well so I'd like to share some of encouragement to you.
As for the whole application, just try to make a great application (PS, DAT, GPA, Recommendations, etc.)
I hope this helps.

Thanks for your reply. One thing that I learned about this profession is that everyone involved in it is very kind and welcoming. It is very encouraging to interact with other people in the same boat. It does help a lot to get feedback from others and it eases a lot of my anxiety about being a NT/repeat applicant. As far as my DAT breakdown, I can post it tonight. I did not commit the scores to memory because I did not perform up to the expectations I have for myself. The year I took the test was a rough one. I had a surgery done without medical insurance, so I was reeling from the amount of debt I had incurred. I lost my grandfather that year and he was a father figure to me throughout my adolescence. It was also the year my father was diagnosed with kidney failure. Losing my grandfather and the threat of losing my father really took a toll on me. I tried my best to focus, but in all honesty, my mind wasn't fully dedicated to my dental application the first time. I don't mean to make excuses as I know that many people suffer obstacles and hardship, but I did want to shed some light into my circumstances during my first attempt at applying to dental school.

Again, thank you for your reply and your time, it is much appreciated.

 

[NinerFaithful]

Here is my DAT breakdown;

PAT 18
QR 20
RC 24
Bio 18
GC 19
OC 20
Total science 19
AA 20

Again, I'd like to retake for pride's sake, but I'm also afraid that working full time would cause me to get a lower score. Should I retake?

 

[LaughingGas]

With your GPA you will get in. Please don't retake

 

[NinerFaithful]

With your GPA you will get in. Please don't retake

I did some reading and some of the schools I want to go to (UCSF and UOP) won't accept my scores since they're from 2010👎

Oh well, back to the grind stone, I was initially encouraged by your reply to keep those scores, but looks like I have to retake anyway.

 

[LaughingGas]

awww 🙁. Good luck.

 

[Athaloo]

I was also an NT applicant after spending many years in a different profession. My personal experience with the application process that helped me get into dental school was to take higher level sciences courses the year before I applied and to do well at them. I think even though your GPA is great, schools like to see that you can challenge yourself in science five years later and still do well. Also, you can get updated LORs. This will also give you something new to put on your application that wasn't on it the first time. Good luck!

 

[Obey]

You are in very good shape. No need for retake.

 

[NinerFaithful]

You are in very good shape. No need for retake.

I wish that was the case 🙁 I didn't know that some schools place a time limit on those scores, some say 3 years and others say 2 years...I guess I dropped the ball on this one.

 

[NinerFaithful]

I was also an NT applicant after spending many years in a different profession. My personal experience with the application process that helped me get into dental school was to take higher level sciences courses the year before I applied and to do well at them. I think even though your GPA is great, schools like to see that you can challenge yourself in science five years later and still do well. Also, you can get updated LORs. This will also give you something new to put on your application that wasn't on it the first time. Good luck!

Thank you! After spending time as a banker, it just reaffirmed my decision to become a dentist. I love both aspects of it, treating patient and running my own business. I really hope I can do well on the DAT, in spite of having to study while working full time.

 

[jnines]

Here is my DAT breakdown;

PAT 18
QR 20
RC 24
Bio 18
GC 19
OC 20
Total science 19
AA 20

Again, I'd like to retake for pride's sake, but I'm also afraid that working full time would cause me to get a lower score. Should I retake?

i really dont think u shuld worry too much with those scores. i can totally understand u wanting to retake.
but in the end its ur decision... if u feel like u can do better GO FOR IT! 😀

if you apply broadly, u can get in especially because you are overall 19~20 AA/TS with a high RC score.
some schools really emphasize that and u did very well there. the only thing that is a MINOR yellow flag is the bio 18. other than that everything is good. very good DAT and good GPA.
if you don't mind me asking, how are ur BIO classes?
hard to go wrong with this score but only if u can do better next time around, u can retake...
i hope i make sense...

 

[NinerFaithful]

i really dont think u shuld worry too much with those scores. i can totally understand u wanting to retake but u have to ask urself will you do better?
if you apply broadly, u can get in especially because you are overall 19~20 AA and TS with a high RC score.
some schools really emphasize that and u did very well there. the only thing that is a MINOR yellow flag is the bio 18. other than that everything is good. very good DAT and good GPA.
if you don't mind me asking, how are ur BIO classes?
hard to go wrong with this score but only if u can do better next time around, u can retake...
i hope i make sense...

You guys actually make me feel proud of my first score, haha thanks for all the kind words. I was initially kind of embarrassed about my score but you all have done a lot to reassure me. I just wish UOP and UCSF would take those scores even though they are from 2010.

 

[Obey]

i really dont think u shuld worry too much with those scores. i can totally understand u wanting to retake but u have to ask urself will you do better?
if you apply broadly, u can get in especially because you are overall 19~20 AA and TS with a high RC score.
some schools really emphasize that and u did very well there. the only thing that is a MINOR yellow flag is the bio 18. other than that everything is good. very good DAT and good GPA.
if you don't mind me asking, how are ur BIO classes?
hard to go wrong with this score but only if u can do better next time around, u can retake...
i hope i make sense...

her scores are about to expire.