Please help! WAMC: worried about DAT and schools list

[djidjie]

Date of submission: I am planning to submit around June 15
Overall GPA: 4.04
Science GPA: 3.97
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.98
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Test is scheduled for July 10th
State of Residence: Nevada

Undergrad Attended: I am attending school in Nevada
Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? Yes
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 200 hours- 100 general dentist, 50 specialty, 50 private office dentist
Volunteering Experience: 78 hours- My volunteer experience focuses on volunteering with underserved communities
Employment: I am a TA for an introductory biology course
Research: probably around 300 hours, Inequality in access to healthcare (topic), no publications
Other Extracurriculars: vice president of the dental club for 1 semester, working on research fellowship with my schools honors college
Relevant Honors or Awards: N/A ( I don't know if this counts but Deans list?)
LOR type and strength: 2 science professors, 1 dentist, 1 pre-health program. I know one of the professors very well so that one will be strong. I am not sure about the strength of the rest, probably ok.
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: I am originally from California but after high school, I moved to Nevada for college so my current residency is in Nevada. But I am miserable here and I really want to go back to California. I need help with my school list because I have no idea where to apply. I also know it is difficult to choose since I don't have my DAT score yet which is another thing I am worried about. My GPA is high but I am worried I will get a low DAT score. I am currently studying for the DAT every day and trying really hard, I just hope I don't get any super low scores. Historically, I do not perform well on big exams (in high school I had a high GPA but low SAT and AP scores) so I am really scared. I will probably apply to my state school and surrounding states. I found something called WICHE, I am not sure if these schools would be more likely to accept me since they are around the same area and Nevada only has 1 school. I am going to put a big list of schools I am interested in and a reason. Any advice about which to apply to and my DAT situation would be highly appreciated.
School list:
These first ones are probably my top since they are in cities I would want to live in

ATSU ASDOH

Midwestern AZ

Loma Linda

UCLA

UCSF

USC

University of Pacific

Western University

Boston University

NYU

Stony Brook

Oregon Health and sciences OHSU

University of washington

These schools are the ones that participate in WICHE and my state school (I really do not want to stay in Nevada but I feel like I should apply here?)

University of Colorado

University of Nevada

Roseman University

University of Utah

These are schools I would want to go to because of their location but they're not my top choices

Touro dental NY

University at Buffalo

Rutgers

Midwestern IL

Southern IL

University of IL at chicago

Dental Georgia at Augusta university

LECOM

I don't know anything about these schools, just that they accept a high percentage of out of state students so I made this list

University of Kentucky

University of Louisville

University of New England

Tufts

ATSU MO

Creighton

Case Western

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

Meharry college

Marquette University

It's probably easy to just say to apply to my first list but I don't want my list to just be full of reach schools so I would appreciate any advice.

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[Bigjt1420]

You have essentially a 4.0 and are this worried about getting in? Relax, sheesh! If you get a 20 or 21 on the DAT (or higher), you'll almost definitely get into a dental school. If I were you, I would narrow your list by price and not by location. And given you have in state in Nevada, I would HIGHLY recommend UNLV. I just graduated from there, so I'm biased, but paying $260K in tuition at UNLV vs. $400K+ somewhere else is a MASSIVE difference. I know you want to leave Vegas, but you're so busy in dental school it won't even matter where you live. I went out to the Strip maybe 5 times my entire 4 years, it's not like you have tons of time outside school (I mean you do get time but I would just suck it up and live in Vegas for 4 more years but that's just me).

- I would take Midwestern AZ off your list (I went there for a masters -- talk about awful place to live (in my opinion).. Glendale, AZ is the worst place I've ever lived) ((and it's expensive))
- Take Loma Linda off (unless you're religious, it's not going to happen)
- NYU, USC <-- Why are you even thinking about these schools? Prestige? I'm a newly graduated dentist -- nobody gives a rip where you went. Why would you pay $450/$500K+ to go to dental school when you could go to UNLV for $260?
- Roseman is expensive -- had a buddy who went there and he complained about the clinic -- take off the list
- Don't know about the rest of the schools, sorry

You can do whatever you want, don't let an internet stranger control your life of course. However, I HIGHLY recommend going to UNLV due to the cost. But if you want to get out of Vegas that bad, I would make cost of tuition my most important aspect and then go from there. You have listed 36 dental schools above, more than half the total schools in the US. You have essentially a 4.0, have tons of research, volunteering, etc. Focus on your DAT, chill out a bit, and make a wise decision on where you apply. If I were you, I would be applying to 6-8 schools MAX. Good luck!

 

[PerioDont]

I totally agree. Take those crap expensive schools off your list, and focus on UNLV as your #1

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: I am planning to submit around June 15
Overall GPA: 4.04
Science GPA: 3.97
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.98
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Test is scheduled for July 10th
State of Residence: Nevada

Undergrad Attended: I am attending school in Nevada
Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? Yes
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 200 hours- 100 general dentist, 50 specialty, 50 private office dentist
Volunteering Experience: 78 hours- My volunteer experience focuses on volunteering with underserved communities
Employment: I am a TA for an introductory biology course
Research: probably around 300 hours, Inequality in access to healthcare (topic), no publications
Other Extracurriculars: vice president of the dental club for 1 semester, working on research fellowship with my schools honors college
Relevant Honors or Awards: N/A ( I don't know if this counts but Deans list?)
LOR type and strength: 2 science professors, 1 dentist, 1 pre-health program. I know one of the professors very well so that one will be strong. I am not sure about the strength of the rest, probably ok.
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: I am originally from California but after high school, I moved to Nevada for college so my current residency is in Nevada. But I am miserable here and I really want to go back to California. I need help with my school list because I have no idea where to apply. I also know it is difficult to choose since I don't have my DAT score yet which is another thing I am worried about. My GPA is high but I am worried I will get a low DAT score. I am currently studying for the DAT every day and trying really hard, I just hope I don't get any super low scores. Historically, I do not perform well on big exams (in high school I had a high GPA but low SAT and AP scores) so I am really scared. I will probably apply to my state school and surrounding states. I found something called WICHE, I am not sure if these schools would be more likely to accept me since they are around the same area and Nevada only has 1 school. I am going to put a big list of schools I am interested in and a reason. Any advice about which to apply to and my DAT situation would be highly appreciated.
School list:
These first ones are probably my top since they are in cities I would want to live in

ATSU ASDOH

Midwestern AZ

Loma Linda

UCLA

UCSF

USC

University of Pacific

Western University

Boston University

NYU

Stony Brook

Oregon Health and sciences OHSU

University of washington

These schools are the ones that participate in WICHE and my state school (I really do not want to stay in Nevada but I feel like I should apply here?)

University of Colorado

University of Nevada

Roseman University

University of Utah

These are schools I would want to go to because of their location but they're not my top choices

Touro dental NY

University at Buffalo

Rutgers

Midwestern IL

Southern IL

University of IL at chicago

Dental Georgia at Augusta university

LECOM

I don't know anything about these schools, just that they accept a high percentage of out of state students so I made this list

University of Kentucky

University of Louisville

University of New England

Tufts

ATSU MO

Creighton

Case Western

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

Meharry college

Marquette University

It's probably easy to just say to apply to my first list but I don't want my list to just be full of reach schools so I would appreciate any advice.

you need to research more about how WICHE works...

 

[artist2022]

Date of submission: I am planning to submit around June 15
Overall GPA: 4.04
Science GPA: 3.97
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.98
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Test is scheduled for July 10th
State of Residence: Nevada

Undergrad Attended: I am attending school in Nevada
Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? Yes
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 200 hours- 100 general dentist, 50 specialty, 50 private office dentist
Volunteering Experience: 78 hours- My volunteer experience focuses on volunteering with underserved communities
Employment: I am a TA for an introductory biology course
Research: probably around 300 hours, Inequality in access to healthcare (topic), no publications
Other Extracurriculars: vice president of the dental club for 1 semester, working on research fellowship with my schools honors college
Relevant Honors or Awards: N/A ( I don't know if this counts but Deans list?)
LOR type and strength: 2 science professors, 1 dentist, 1 pre-health program. I know one of the professors very well so that one will be strong. I am not sure about the strength of the rest, probably ok.
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: I am originally from California but after high school, I moved to Nevada for college so my current residency is in Nevada. But I am miserable here and I really want to go back to California. I need help with my school list because I have no idea where to apply. I also know it is difficult to choose since I don't have my DAT score yet which is another thing I am worried about. My GPA is high but I am worried I will get a low DAT score. I am currently studying for the DAT every day and trying really hard, I just hope I don't get any super low scores. Historically, I do not perform well on big exams (in high school I had a high GPA but low SAT and AP scores) so I am really scared. I will probably apply to my state school and surrounding states. I found something called WICHE, I am not sure if these schools would be more likely to accept me since they are around the same area and Nevada only has 1 school. I am going to put a big list of schools I am interested in and a reason. Any advice about which to apply to and my DAT situation would be highly appreciated.
School list:
These first ones are probably my top since they are in cities I would want to live in

ATSU ASDOH

Midwestern AZ

Loma Linda

UCLA

UCSF

USC

University of Pacific

Western University

Boston University

NYU

Stony Brook

Oregon Health and sciences OHSU

University of washington

These schools are the ones that participate in WICHE and my state school (I really do not want to stay in Nevada but I feel like I should apply here?)

University of Colorado

University of Nevada

Roseman University

University of Utah

These are schools I would want to go to because of their location but they're not my top choices

Touro dental NY

University at Buffalo

Rutgers

Midwestern IL

Southern IL

University of IL at chicago

Dental Georgia at Augusta university

LECOM

I don't know anything about these schools, just that they accept a high percentage of out of state students so I made this list

University of Kentucky

University of Louisville

University of New England

Tufts

ATSU MO

Creighton

Case Western

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

Meharry college

Marquette University

It's probably easy to just say to apply to my first list but I don't want my list to just be full of reach schools so I would appreciate any advice.

Couple things -
1) A+s are counted as 4.0, so you can't have a GPA higher than 4.0. What are your GPAs when you recalculate them?
2) WICHE only applies if your state does not have its own dental school. Nevada does, so it will not apply to you.
3) You may be attending undergrad in NV, but are you actually a resident? Did you get an NV license, etc.?
4) A school list will be really difficult to put together without a DAT score. I would suggest applying to 2-3 schools early (like when you mentioned) to get your app verified, and then add the remainder of your schools once you have your DAT scores.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Nail the DAT (20+ or higher across all sections), and come back. You have already received great advice above.