*~*~*~* Official 2017-2018 Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread *~*~*~*

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HGAC said:
Interview #5
School: University of Pennslyvania
Notification date: 09/05
Method of notification: Email
Residency: CA
AADSAS Submitted: 6/25 (Supplemental submitted 7/25)
Coursework Verified: 7/6
GPA (Science, Overall): 3.45, 3.49
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 21/22/22/20/no
Click to expand...
Was 7/25 the day you mailed the supplemental or the day they confirmed it was received?
 
Interviews #1&2
School 1: UConn
Notification date: 8/14
Method of notification: Email
Residency: NH
AADSAS Complete: 8/4
App complete: 8/10

School 2: Touro
Notification date: 9/6
Method of notification: Email
Residency: NH
AADSAS Complete: 8/4
App complete: 8/15
GPA (Science, Overall): 3.42, 3.58
DAT(AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 22/22/21/21 no
 
DentalNucleicAcid said:
I recall seeing you apply last cycle and getting some interviews if I'm not mistaken. If you don't mind, out of curiosity, do you feel that your interview performance in the past is what kept you back or do you think it was your application itself? Have you done anything different from last cycle to this cycle? Congrats on your interview 🙂
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Thanks, I got 5 interview invites last year and I thought they went pretty smoothly. I was told afterwards by several people (including my current employer) that I don't show enough enthusiasm when interviewing, even though I've always felt like I have. 3/5 were group interviews, and it's a little difficult to stand out as a quiet/mellow applicant. Don't know what else it could be. Since last year, I've shadowed a few more dentists, gotten more work and volunteer experience, got a fourth LoR, and rewrote my personal statement. Unluckily, my BCP GPA dropped to a 2.99 since they reclassified some courses with the website overhaul, which has put me below the cutoff for some schools. Hopefully interviewing goes better this year. If anyone has any tips, I will gladly use them. Best of luck to everyone.
 
MolarBear_ said:
Thanks, I got 5 interview invites last year and I thought they went pretty smoothly. I was told afterwards by several people (including my current employer) that I don't show enough enthusiasm when interviewing, even though I've always felt like I have. 3/5 were group interviews, and it's a little difficult to stand out as a quiet/mellow applicant. Don't know what else it could be. Since last year, I've shadowed a few more dentists, gotten more work and volunteer experience, got a fourth LoR, and rewrote my personal statement. Unluckily, my BCP GPA dropped to a 2.99 since they reclassified some courses with the website overhaul, which has put me below the cutoff for some schools. Hopefully interviewing goes better this year. If anyone has any tips, I will gladly use them. Best of luck to everyone.
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If you have trouble with enthusiasm, try getting comfortable with the effects of coffee (do not get addicted and do not use too frequently) it can make you a bit more enthusiastic and sociable, although it might make you talk too much and just come off as annoying. It also may make you anxious and jittery which is why I recommend getting used to it. If you're already an avid user im out of advice
 
MolarBear_ said:
Thanks, I got 5 interview invites last year and I thought they went pretty smoothly. I was told afterwards by several people (including my current employer) that I don't show enough enthusiasm when interviewing, even though I've always felt like I have. 3/5 were group interviews, and it's a little difficult to stand out as a quiet/mellow applicant. Don't know what else it could be. Since last year, I've shadowed a few more dentists, gotten more work and volunteer experience, got a fourth LoR, and rewrote my personal statement. Unluckily, my BCP GPA dropped to a 2.99 since they reclassified some courses with the website overhaul, which has put me below the cutoff for some schools. Hopefully interviewing goes better this year. If anyone has any tips, I will gladly use them. Best of luck to everyone.
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I really dislike the fact that they base enthusiasm off of a stressful 30-60 minute interview. Some people are naturally better when it comes to talking to new people, and your enthusiasm should not be based on the interview. Instead, it should be based on your application and what dental related activities you've done to gain experience into the profession. I mean is someone that isn't interested in dentistry really going to shadow a dentist for 200 hours? Absolutely not. Therefore, your past experiences should display how enthusiastic you are about dentistry - not a superficial 30 minute interview.

Good luck this cycle! Wishing you the best 🙂
 
Interview #1! Exciting
School: Detroit Mercy
Notification date: 9/6
Method of notification: email
Residency: California
AADSAS mail-out date: 8/15
Application complete date: 8/21
GPA (science, overall): 3.08, 3.27 (low af, I know, strong upward trend)
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): AA 21/TS 19/PAT 21/ RC 25/none
 
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Clight96 said:
Interview #1! Exciting
School: Detroit Mercy
Notification date: 9/6
Method of notification: email
Residency: California
AADSAS mail-out date: 8/15
Application complete date: 8/21
GPA (science, overall): 3.08, 3.27 (low af, I know, strong upward trend)
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): AA 21/TS 19/PAT 21/ RC 25/none
Click to expand...

wwhat date is your interview ?
 
Interview #2

School: Western
Notification date: 9/7/17
Method of notification: Email
Residency: CA
AADSAS mail-out date: 7/1/17
Application complete date: 8/20/17
GPA (science, overall): 3.2 (BCP 3.37), 3.38
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 22/22/22/22/none
 
Last edited:
Life of Pablo said:
I really dislike the fact that they base enthusiasm off of a stressful 30-60 minute interview. Some people are naturally better when it comes to talking to new people, and your enthusiasm should not be based on the interview. Instead, it should be based on your application and what dental related activities you've done to gain experience into the profession. I mean is someone that isn't interested in dentistry really going to shadow a dentist for 200 hours? Absolutely not. Therefore, your past experiences should display how enthusiastic you are about dentistry - not a superficial 30 minute interview.

Good luck this cycle! Wishing you the best 🙂
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I disagree.
If you become a dentist, a patient won't care how you have been with other past patients. They care most about how you react with them. If you have a good reputation, you'll get people to come to you. But if you aren't personable and appropriately composed in difficult situations, you aren't as good as the dentist who CAN perform under that pressure.

It's the same with applicants. Yes, some schools make interviews very stressful, but you should be as resilient, professional, well-spoken, and confident as possible. Those qualities will only help you as a dentist.

Sent from my Lenovo YB1-X90F using Tapatalk
 
Axiomatician said:
I disagree.
If you become a dentist, a patient won't care how you have been with other past patients. They care most about how you react with them. If you have a good reputation, you'll get people to come to you. But if you aren't personable and appropriately composed in difficult situations, you aren't as good as the dentist who CAN perform under that pressure.

It's the same with applicants. Yes, some schools make interviews very stressful, but you should be as resilient, professional, well-spoken, and confident as possible. Those qualities will only help you as a dentist.

Sent from my Lenovo YB1-X90F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
When you're a dentist, you'll be able to practice your people skills a thousand times a day and continuously refine them. In terms of interviews, you really only get ONE chance to impress the school - make it or break it. So I wouldn't exactly compare being a dentist and talking to patients to an interview that, at this point, is the most important event in our lives.
 
Life of Pablo said:
When you're a dentist, you'll be able to practice your people skills a thousand times a day and continuously refine them. In terms of interviews, you really only get ONE chance to impress the school - make it or break it. So I wouldn't exactly compare being a dentist and talking to patients to an interview that, at this point, is the most important event in our lives.
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Agree, indeed the enthusiasm is an important merit for a good dentist, but to judge that only through a short 30-min interview for a dental candidate is not a comprehensive way. The interviews have the advantage to do things in other aspects more accurate, such as stats evaluation etc.
 
Life of Pablo said:
When you're a dentist, you'll be able to practice your people skills a thousand times a day and continuously refine them. In terms of interviews, you really only get ONE chance to impress the school - make it or break it. So I wouldn't exactly compare being a dentist and talking to patients to an interview that, at this point, is the most important event in our lives.
Click to expand...
Interview is only real meaningful way for school to determine who you are and what you are like as a person. Application is stack of paper. Your interviewer might not even bother to read it. If you are stressing about interviews you can practice talking to people. "Interviewing" not really any different from any other conversation. Dental schools expect you to have met certain requirements BEFORE admitting you. They do not want to admit socially inept individuals who plan on practicing their conversational skills while in school (or worse, only after they graduate). Some state this directly in their mission/values with terms like "collegiality." You have many opportunities to impress your schools. Interview is just one such occasion.

While volunteering I met a fellow volunteer who had hundreds of hours of dentistry shadowing. He also had hundreds of hours of pharmacy shadowing. Could not make up his mind, and was back at the dentistry shadowing again. Numbers do not add up to much if you can't express yourself. My application had less then 200 hours shadowing and a typo in it. I didn't let that, my advisor, or anyone on sdn discourage me from applying. Applying to dental school is a long process; your application and your interview are both important steps. Only you can truly know if you are ready.
 
Interview #2
School: UAB
Notification date: 9/8
Method of notification: phone call
Residency: AL
AADSAS Mail out: 6/20
Application status: Complete 8/11
GPA (science, overall) Undergrad: 3.14/3.28; Graduate: 3.71/3.71
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 21AA/20TS/21PAT/26RC

Actually called to confirm my application was complete because as of last week they didn't have my letters although they were verified three weeks ago. When I talked to Kathy at Admissions she said that she had pulled my file earlier and I was on her next batch of calls to schedule an interview. So I will be interviewing on Nov. 15!
 
Hey everyone! After over a month of waiting, I finally got my second interview! 😀 Don't lose hope

Interview #2

School: Western (CA)
Notification date: 9/7 at 9 AM PST
Method of notification: Email
Residency: CA
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/18
Application complete date: Supp complete 6/27, Marked complete 7/14
GPA (science, overall): 3.55, 3.63
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 22/21/20/22/(none below 17)
 
Interview #5
School: UNE
Notification date: 9/8
Method of notification: Email
GPA (science, overall): 3.76, 3.84
DAT (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 23/24/21/18/No
 
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Coming in kinda late... sorry!

Interview #1
MWU-AZ
Notification Date: 08/15 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #2
LECOM
Notification Date: 08/18 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #3
UNE
Notification Date: 08/22 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #4
University of CO
Notification Date: 08/22 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #5
UofU
Notification Date: 08/24 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

I saw that quite a few people have gotten interviews from Michigan and I haven't heard back yet, which bums me out. Does anybody know if they're still sending out interviews? 🙂
 
Interview #1
Touro
Notification Date: 09/6 email
Residency: CA
AADSAS mail-out date: 7/18
Application Complete Date: 8/18
GPA: 3.0, 3.2 science
DAT: (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 20/21/18/20/QR 16

Interview #2
Roseman
Notification Date: 09/6 email
Residency: CA
AADSAS mail-out date: 7/18
Application Complete Date: 8/18
GPA: 3.0, 3.2 science
DAT: (AA/TS/PAT/Reading/any section below a 17): 20/21/18/20/QR 16
 
That was a pretty awesome 9 day stretch! Congratulations! We've got 2 in common, Midwestern and Utah.

vagabondblonde said:
Coming in kinda late... sorry!

Interview #1
MWU-AZ
Notification Date: 08/15 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #2
LECOM
Notification Date: 08/18 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #3
UNE
Notification Date: 08/22 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #4
University of CO
Notification Date: 08/22 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

Interview #5
UofU
Notification Date: 08/24 via email
Residency: UT
AADSAS mail-out date: 6/27
Application Complete Date: 7/30
GPA: 3.8s, 3.9o
DAT: 21/21/20/23 - none below 17

I saw that quite a few people have gotten interviews from Michigan and I haven't heard back yet, which bums me out. Does anybody know if they're still sending out interviews? 🙂
Click to expand...
 
prospectivedental said:
That was a pretty awesome 9 day stretch! Congratulations! We've got 2 in common, Midwestern and Utah.
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Thanks! Haha yea it was a pretty amazing feeling for those 9 days! But haven't gotten anything since so I still have my fingers crossed for a few schools. Maybe we'll end up as classmates! :highfive: My interview at Midwestern isn't til foreeeever though (Nov 30) so I'm not sure how good my chances are there.
 
vagabondblonde said:
Thanks! Haha yea it was a pretty amazing feeling for those 9 days! But haven't gotten anything since so I still have my fingers crossed for a few schools. Maybe we'll end up as classmates! :highfive: My interview at Midwestern isn't til foreeeever though (Nov 30) so I'm not sure how good my chances are there.
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That's good because it should be your last resort. The reason I say that is I remember reading midwestern- IL - was 500k. That's ridiculous. I'm sure you'll get into better and cheaper schools.

Edit: Maybe AZ isn't 500k? But I know Il is 500k.
 
Interview #1: University of Detroit Mercy (late august notification)
Interview #2: University of Michigan (this past Saturday notification)

Sent out my apps late June (right around the 25th, but don't hold me to that)
GPA: 3.68OA, 3.58 Science
DAT: 21AA/23TS/22 PAT nothing under 17 (QR is a straight 17 though lol)
Enough EC's to make your head explode, but no research
Michigan Resident
 
I'm seeing a lot of people with interviews from places that I've applied. Most people have similar or lower stats and similar submission dates.

Do I need to be contacting these schools to get on their radar?
 
knewstance said:
I'm seeing a lot of people with interviews from places that I've applied. Most people have similar or lower stats and similar submission dates.

Do I need to be contacting these schools to get on their radar?
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I would just hang tight. Best not to contact them because it might come off as sounding like you think you're entitled to an interview. I'm noticing the same thing with myself but they're probably just hanging on to our apps to compare us with some applicants that applied a little bit later in the cycle!
 
knewstance said:
I'm seeing a lot of people with interviews from places that I've applied. Most people have similar or lower stats and similar submission dates.

Do I need to be contacting these schools to get on their radar?
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It's not all about GPA and DAT. There are many, many other factors taken into account. Just because you have "better stats" doesn't mean you necessarily deserve an interview. Just hold tight.
 
shibedeleshibe said:
I would just hang tight. Best not to contact them because it might come off as sounding like you think you're entitled to an interview. I'm noticing the same thing with myself but they're probably just hanging on to our apps to compare us with some applicants that applied a little bit later in the cycle!
Click to expand...
I agree, but I just don't want to end up with post-Dec.1 interviews. I have a few so far, just not exactly at the places that I think I'd like to go. Then again, I'd be happy anywhere.

PS. I see your stats in your signature. Our numbers are just about identical.
 
knewstance said:
I agree, but I just don't want to end up with post-Dec.1 interviews. I have a few so far, just not exactly at the places that I think I'd like to go. Then again, I'd be happy anywhere.

PS. I see your stats in your signature. Our numbers are just about identical.
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Yeah, I totally understand. I'm in the same position as you. I say if you can get in contact and ask in a way that conveys your message, you should go for it. Also it seems like a few schools are really late this year because of the switch to the new application system!

PS: let me know what they say if you go for it! I'm curious to know.
 
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Well, hopefully we meet sometime. My interview with Utah is on 10/2 and Midwestern is 10/9. p.s. Midwestern-AZ is a great school. I know quite a few people that go there and I've attended several of their events. They have some of the best students!

vagabondblonde said:
Thanks! Haha yea it was a pretty amazing feeling for those 9 days! But haven't gotten anything since so I still have my fingers crossed for a few schools. Maybe we'll end up as classmates! :highfive: My interview at Midwestern isn't til foreeeever though (Nov 30) so I'm not sure how good my chances are there.
Click to expand...
 
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