Please chance me! Wondering how I stack up as an applicant

[deleted980811]

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Date of submission: Next Cycle 2020

Overall GPA: 3.8

Science GPA: 3.78

Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.75

DAT score (include AA and all sections): Taking this summer and shooting for 23 AA or better. Well see what happens though 🙂

State of Residence: California

Undergrad Attended: UC Santa Barbara

Major: Psychology and Brain Sciences (Will have taken Biochemistry, Physiology, and Microbiology in addition to pre-reqs by time of application)

Minority? Yes/No- No

Reapplicant? No

Nontrad? Yes/No- No

Shadowing Experience: 100 hours with 2 different general dentist and ~12 hours with an oral surgeon

Volunteering Experience: 100 hours volunteering as an elementary school tutor (accruing more), 50 hours volunteering in a skilled nursing facility for the elderly (accruing more), 8 day public health and dental mission in Nicaragua, and a 7 day dental mission in Panama.

Employment: Worked for 6 weeks as a lifeguard/camp counselor at a children's Jr. Lifeguard summer camp. Hope to work as a dental assistant all year next year.

Research: ~150 hours working as a research assistant in a psychology lab, with a poster presentation

Other Extracurriculars: Brotherhood chair of pre-health fraternity, treasurer of Pre-dental organization, Vice president of Pre-dental organization, Co-founder and Co-president of a chapter of an organization that goes on dental mission trips to Panama, and will be president of the Pre-dental organization next year.

Relevant Honors or Awards: Faculty Research Assistance Program Grant, (not sure if deans honor rolls count, but have many of those)

LOR type and strength: 1 good one from dentist, 1 average one from biochem professor who is pretty known in his department, 1 good one from biopsychology proffessor who's class of over 300 students I ranked first in, probably one more from my Physiology professor next year.

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere:
-Have done 3 days worth of tooth waxing workshops at UCLA Dental School.

School list:
-UCLA
-UCSF
-Harvard
-Columbia
-Penn
(obviously will be applying to many more programs, but wondering how I stack up for these)

Thanks in advance!

 

[averageasian]

DAT score..............................

 

[macsak]

DAT score..............................

YUP...

 

[deleted980811]

Yea, unfortunately I don't have the DAT score yet, which is huge for chancing me, but just wondering aside from that how I stack up for the time being. Thanks!

 

[deleted903013]

Yea, unfortunately I don't have the DAT score yet, which is huge for chancing me, but just wondering aside from that how I stack up for the time being. Thanks!

if you get a 22+ you'll more than likely be fine for the UC schools.

 

[deleted980811]

if you get a 22+ you'll more than likely be fine for the UC schools.

Sweet! Thanks for the peace of mind

 

[artist2022]

It also depends when you get your DAT score if you are taking it this summer keep in mind that once you get your score it will take schools a month to receive your score. If they get it by august it's a low chance of getting an interview.

Not necessarily. I took my test in August and only submitted my application at the end of August, so schools started receiving my info at the beginning on September and I still got 8 interview invites and ended up staying in CA, at UCLA.

OP, the rest of your application looks fine, but the 5 schools you have up are extremely competitive to get into. I'd add like 6-7 not-as-competitive schools that you could see yourself attending.

 

[deleted980811]

Not necessarily. I took my test in August and only submitted my application at the end of August, so schools started receiving my info at the beginning on September and I still got 8 interview invites and ended up staying in CA, at UCLA.

OP, the rest of your application looks fine, but the 5 schools you have up are extremely competitive to get into. I'd add like 6-7 not-as-competitive schools that you could see yourself attending.

Thanks, I appreciate the response! I'll be applying for the next cycle, not this one. Also, I'll be applying to ~15 schools to be safe, but these are the ones I very badly want to go to.

 

[artist2022]

Thanks, I appreciate the response! I'll be applying for the next cycle, not this one. Also, I'll be applying to ~15 schools to be safe, but these are the ones I very badly want to go to.

Oh. Then next cycle would be the 2021 cycle, not 2020 😛 Good luck!

 

[WOGTSTMK]

It also depends when you get your DAT score if you are taking it this summer keep in mind that once you get your score it will take schools a month to receive your score. If they get it by august it's a low chance of getting an interview.

You gotta stop handing out this advice. On a previous thread you mentioned this and people agreed it was wasn’t accurate.

 

[Dental4LYFE]

You gotta stop handing out this advice. On a previous thread you mentioned this and people agreed it was wasn’t accurate.

Yeah, I realize that now. However the person who asked it has pretty high stats so for them they can get an interview with a gpa like that after improving their DAT. I deleted the advice.