PLEASE help me before I lose it

[ashley1994]

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I know theres a million and one posts asking about stuff like this but I think I may lose my mind (more than I already have) if I don’t get some guidance.

I’m assuming at this point that I have to reapply, which I understand and am dealing with. I didn’t get a single interview. My problem at this point is, I don’t know what to change on my application in order to better my chances for next round. I’m a New York resident and I really, really want to go to Buffalo. So when the ADEA recalculated my GPA it left me with a 3.38 total GPA (and a 3.1 science GPA). So I know those aren’t the most competitive but my grades do show an upward trend from freshman to senior year and the one science class that I did poorly in, I retook and did much better (but it still brought down the GPA a lot). As for my DAT, I have a 19AA and an 18TS and I didn’t get anything below an 18 if that matters.

I have a lot of volunteer hours in general (like a couple hundred) just because I do a lot of volunteer work. I had maybe 150-200 shadowing hours of my dentist who was a past president of the ADA and wrote my letter of rec. Additionally, I did an outreach program to Peru to set up free dental clinics. On the weekends I started shadowing an NYU dental professor at his practice. And finally, since graduation, I started working as a dental assistant.

SO the big question is, what do I focus on? I know I need to rewrite my personal statement but should I retake the DAT? Should I maybe try and take another science class online (I’m financially restricted so I’m trying not to have to take classes again but will do what I have to). Or maybe try and get a second dental assisting job? I don’t know where to go from here while still being realistic.

Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

 

[super frank]

I would retake the DAT and continue to volunteer occasionally if you don't get in this cycle. But really FOCUS on the DAT.

Taking classes will cost a pretty penny and will not move your GPA that much.

 

[C_BryantDDS]

I would really focus on retaking the DAT and doing extremely well. Ideally you'd do a post bacc or masters program but unfortunately those would cost money so your best bet is to improve your DAT. Good luck!!

 

[toothfairy107]

I would retake the DAT and show the improvement. Also, I dont think you need to be in a Master program or anything, just sign up for some advance science classes and ace them all if you can (to boost your GPA). Everything else seems fine to me, except Idk how your PS is. Maybe ask someone in the profession to take a look at it? Best of luck!

 

[DMikes]

Retaking the DAT is your best shot at improving your application, IMO.

 

[Charles_Darwin]

Which schools did you apply to? That is an important factor!
Also, maybe retake would be helpful. Your GPA isn't too bad- mine was around the same ballpark!

 

[Faefly]

Your GPa and the dat are the problem here. Retake the Dat, this time try way harder!
I mean study for 3 to 4 months, be a member of all the websites for dat out there, dat genius, bootcamp, dataqvalult, crack the data, acheiver, top score and also purchase math destroyer and dat destroyer and get cliff bio book.

Also, you can take some elective courses in a community college, my advice which will be very helpful in life anyway, is to take an associate degree in business or economics in your local community college, this will boast your degree, keep in mind business is not easy, but I am assuming you'll work harder this time, and after all they want dentists to know about business anyway.

As for volunteering, volunteering does not mean much without good grades, so focus on your dat and the classes that you will take at the college right now..

So yeah, my plan is kind of saying take 2 years of your life to better your chances and then re-apply, if you can't wait for 2 years, at least take a year to improve your gpa take some elective classes in business and science, english, art whatever you like! at an accredit community college or at your 4 years college and also retake the dat.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

I would retake the DAT and any broadky, and the reasoning is as follows:

You have a low-ish gpa, it's not terrible but it certainly is not helping you get into dental school.

Your DAT is decent, it is okay but slightly below the admittance point for almost every dental school.

If you had one or the other, you would probably be okay, but both of your major statistics are lackluster, raising the question of whether or not you can handle the academic load.

It would help if you listed where you applied, but I think you definitely need to improve the DAT score.

Your hours at this point are fine, so if I were you I would probably step back a little bit from your commitments on order to improve your DAT. If you dont raise your score but increase your hours you still won't be admitted most likely.

Good luck!

 

[tyjacobs]

I know theres a million and one posts asking about stuff like this but I think I may lose my mind (more than I already have) if I don’t get some guidance.

I’m assuming at this point that I have to reapply, which I understand and am dealing with. I didn’t get a single interview. My problem at this point is, I don’t know what to change on my application in order to better my chances for next round. I’m a New York resident and I really, really want to go to Buffalo. So when the ADEA recalculated my GPA it left me with a 3.38 total GPA (and a 3.1 science GPA). So I know those aren’t the most competitive but my grades do show an upward trend from freshman to senior year and the one science class that I did poorly in, I retook and did much better (but it still brought down the GPA a lot). As for my DAT, I have a 19AA and an 18TS and I didn’t get anything below an 18 if that matters.

I have a lot of volunteer hours in general (like a couple hundred) just because I do a lot of volunteer work. I had maybe 150-200 shadowing hours of my dentist who was a past president of the ADA and wrote my letter of rec. Additionally, I did an outreach program to Peru to set up free dental clinics. On the weekends I started shadowing an NYU dental professor at his practice. And finally, since graduation, I started working as a dental assistant.

SO the big question is, what do I focus on? I know I need to rewrite my personal statement but should I retake the DAT? Should I maybe try and take another science class online (I’m financially restricted so I’m trying not to have to take classes again but will do what I have to). Or maybe try and get a second dental assisting job? I don’t know where to go from here while still being realistic.

Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

I'll be honest:
1. you want to take a bostbacc/masters to get your gpa up (this might be hard because of your financial situation but your GPA is low and you'll need to get that up somehow)

2. you want to retake DAT to get a higher score

thats how you can get into dental school

 

[wengerout]

Like everyone said, gonna need to boost that DAT. I think moving the GPA a little would help too.

 

[periopocket]

You'll have difficulty getting into buffalo without doing a masters/post bacc and getting a 20+ on dat

If you pull a 21 to 22 dat with no increase in gpa , you might be able to get NYU/Touro


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

Which schools did you apply to? That is an important factor!
Also, maybe retake would be helpful. Your GPA isn't too bad- mine was around the same ballpark!

Agree with @Charles_Darwin

 

[schmoob]

Also, do not mention your trip to Peru. It was not a good move.

 

[DC206R]

Retake DAT > Clinical experience > Volunteering.

 

[ashley1994]

Also, do not mention your trip to Peru. It was not a good move.

Wait why not? It was an outreach program?

 

[ashley1994]

I would retake the DAT and continue to volunteer occasionally if you don't get in this cycle. But really FOCUS on the DAT.

Taking classes will cost a pretty penny and will not move your GPA that much.

Thanks!

 

[schmoob]

Wait why not? It was an outreach program?

When the naive predent thinks its okay to extract a "almost coming out" tooth from the urging of the international dentist who says its okay. Then naive pre-dent brags about how he extracted a tooth on his AADSAS application. Little does he know, he just blacklisted himself from every dental school in the US.

If its not a an issue why would an admissions officer bring this up during one of her interview advice panels?

Read 2 threads on SDN alone that they did some very unethical stuff in other countries. They didn't even know it was not allowed until they came to SDN to ask if it would help them on their applications.

NYU, Dr Mejia. I'm not saying all outreach programs are like this. But paying $1,500 to $5000 to go abroad and do something really isn't going to make your application stand out more versus someone who spent that time volunteering at a local center from IHS. Its essentially the same thing.

However you run the risk of international dentists who do not know US policies. It is not malicious, it is just that international dentistry is completely different. Did you know some countries only require a bachelors? If you really want to experience working abroad, you can do it DURING dental school where supervision is done by your actual school.

You asked if there might be harm, i'm giving you an example of how harm can be done. Lets say an international dentist is working in a country where pre-dental students in that country are allowed to experience extracting a very loose tooth. Now you come along form the US and he reassures you that it is fine in their country. Now you just did something that is unethical in the eyes of US dental schools. I think it is very naive of you to think this is "rare". It actually occurs very often, where some pre-dental students will participate in unethical dentistry in countries with less regulations. It is enough of an issue that an admissions officer had to speak up about it. Now are all outreach programs poorly regulated? No. I would say the majority probably are not. But there is a risk someone does go on a shady one and ends up jeopardizing their future in dentistry.

You pretty much never want to tell a dental adcom that you went on a trip with Medlife.

Stay away from these trips. They are not looked upon favorably. Why? Because you are going abroad to provide care you cannot legally provide in the U.S.
Then you leave.
So what about complications? Follow-up? Some are left in worse shape than before the mission/outreach arrived.
There are tons of volunteer opportunities out there. Stay away from these.

 

[Likkriue]

I don't think it's a killer unless she actually did anything beyond passing out toothbrushes and shadowed.

 

[schmoob]

I don't think it's a killer unless she actually did anything beyond passing out toothbrushes and shadowed.

I agree wholeheartedly. The experience may have been harmless depending on what it entailed. But it's the risk of how it would be interpreted that's the issue.

 

[Faefly]

Thank you for sharing this with us. @schmoob