Please Read This...!!!

[phosphorylation]

Okay everybody, this is gonna be one long post, but PLEASE PLEASE bare with me, I?m going nuts here.

Thanks to Eric, I had all my other questions answered, but this one is for everyone, because it needs a lot of input.

I applied to a total of 31 schools. Did I do a mistake? Maybe, I don?t know, but now that I?m thinking about it, I think I should have applied to 25 schools maybe. Basically 5 or 6 schools less.

I would like to try to take down some of my application fees. I already paid the AADSAS application fee, but what I?m left with is the individual school fees, and I was just wondering if you guys could please narrow down the list for me. I?m going to list all the schools that I applied to already and that require application fees that range from 45 to 75 dollars.

GPA 2.70, science, I?d say around 2.40 to 2.50
DAT? 09/22, I assume I?ll do reasonably above average to say the least.
Resident of Ohio, Microbiology major at Ohio State
I have exceptional extracurricular activities, a lot more then an average applicant (I assume). Shadowing? 1000 documented hours at least, and tons of volunteering hours. Basically, I was using the time I slacked off for volunteering or shadowing, and some nice hobbies. Please don?t think I?m bragging. Actually wait, there?s nothing to brag about.

OKAY! The list I would like you to please please help me narrow down?

University of the Pacific, 75 bucks
USC, 65 bucks
UCONN, 60 bucks
University of Maryland, Baltimore, 60 bucks
Boston University, 60 bucks
University of Detroit Mercy, 50 bucks
The University of Michigan, 50 bucks
University of Minnesota, 55 bucks
Creighton, 45 bucks
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 75 bucks
Columbia University, 60 bucks
New York U, 70 bucks
Case, 45
University of Oklahoma, 50 bucks
Virignia commonwealth, 70 bucks

That?s the list that wants money. I?m not gonna even bother giving you the ones that don?t want money because I already sent my application a month and a half ago, and it went with the sixth mailing, yesterday afternoon.

Don?t even bother asking me why I applied to OK, I was born in Tulsa, OK, and I thought it might somehow help. Okay, im just stupid, and I thought it would help, that?s all. Like I said, I?ve already submitted my app, so I cannot withdraw my app from these schools, but what I can do is not send them any money and just let it go. I figured if I could drop 5 schools from this list, I would save a couple of hundered dollars. I would have lost about 150 bucks for putting them on the list, but what the heck, better then losing a couple of hundred knowing I won?t get accepted there.

Okay, for whoever is still reading this, lol, please throw some input, anything?PLEASE....oh and please don't tell me I shouldn't have applied, because out of like 100 people, maybe two or three told me I should apply for the heck of it, and I want to apply, so its not gonna really change anything but make me feel like ****!!!

Thanks a lot people, I would be nowere without you all, i swear!



george

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Zurik5]

Ok? Take a deep breath?. That?s right, blow it out? Now repeat after me: ?everything is going to be ok..?

Now, out of the schools you?ve listed? I would strike off Pacific, Uconn, and Columbia first. That will save you almost $200?

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

I applied to a total of 31 schools. Did I do a mistake? Maybe, I don?t know, but now that I?m thinking about it, I think I should have applied to 25 schools maybe. Basically 5 or 6 schools less.

Dude, you gotta seriously chillax....

first of all, I dont even know if one is eligible for 31 schools, based solely on residence requirements....

Second, although you're GPA is quite low, I really cant tell you which schools not to send money to until you get your DAT scores...

just take it easy and concentrate on the DAT and stress out after

 

[phosphorylation]

i think i really am going nuts after all but thanks guys

 

[ecdoesit]

Since you have spent so much already, what's the extra money mean to you compare to a great chance that you will get accepted?

I agree that Columbia and UConn probably will not consider you.
And other state schools probably wont give you priorities.
If you want to leave some, these are the first to go.

Have you considered post-bac programs?

 

[hockeydentist]

phosyphorlyation dude

Schools from your list, that I think you should cut off your list

1. oklahoma, if your not a resident don't bother
2. Virginia same as above
3. UOP, your GPA is just not good enough (3 yr program, everyone and there mother wants to go to that dental school)
4. UCONN- GPA issue
5. Michigan-GPA issue

just my 2cents again, if you get a 25 DAT then the last 3 from list could possible sway in your favor.

Hd

 

[Sprgrover]

phosyphorlyation dude

1. oklahoma, if your not a resident don't bother
2. Virginia same as above
3. UOP, your GPA is just not good enough (3 yr program, everyone and there mother wants to go to that dental school)
4. UCONN- GPA issue
5. Michigan-GPA issue

I would also place U Maryland on the back burner. They like out of state applicants to have above average stats. 31 schools is a lot and I would seek to halve that number. Though you have already paid that hefty AADSAS fee you can help your wallet by not forking over that many secondary application fees.

Please take a couple of days off if you are feeling trapped by this whole process. Go outside, see a movie, eat a bowl of icecream without using your hands - whatever it takes to make you enjoy your summer and put this whole process in perspective. You still have plenty of time to study for the DAT. As long as you are true to your goals and good to yourself, you'll pull through. Hang in there!

 

[mike3kgt]

... eat a bowl of icecream without using your hands - ...

Now wouldn't take take all of the fun out of it?

-Mike

 

[phosphorylation]

thanks a lot for your input guys, i just crossed out:

USC
columbia
uconn
u of p
virginia
u of michigan
maryland

any thoughts?


sprgrover, thanks for the advice buddy...im going tonight for a midnight snack...

hockeydentist, you said I should keep those last 3 if I do decent on my DAT, now does that mean I don't have to send in my application fee just yet, and I could actually wait till 09.22 till i get my unofficial scores? just a thought, and i really appreciate your advice...

thanks again everyone...

 

[Sprgrover]

sprgrover, thanks for the advice buddy...im going tonight for a midnight snack...

No problem - been there myself. Find something nice to wash that snack down.

 

[phosphorylation]

hey guys, i just recieved the aadsas mailing thingee in the mail, and I just thought I should just copy them for you.

Hours Inc+/- w/o +/-
BCP 23.1 2.57 2.43
SCIENCE 35.7 2.48 2.39
NON SCI 40.3 3.19 3.37
TOTAL 76 2.79 2.81

And the cum. corner was exactly the same thing.

 

[demonicr]

u have a total of 76 credit hours, are you gonna have a degree by the time you start dental school next fall?

 

[ItsGavinC]

With a 2.8 GPA you shouldn't be applying to more than 10 schools. Rather than do a shotgun approach, which it seems you are convinced will work, you ought to seriously consider schools that will accept you with a lower GPA. Or, to phrase it another way, look into schools that will focus more on DAT scores.

To be brutally honest with you, MANY (if not most) schools will probably weed out your application prior to even sending you a secondary if they are running their applications through via computer. The cutoff at most schools seems to be a 3.0. I'm sure this can be worked around with splendid DAT scores, but with a 2.7 GPA even a 19 on the DAT isn't going to cut it. You need excellent scores to compete with the other candidates.

And of course, none of this really reflects what kind of dentist you'll be, but a cutoff is a cutoff and right now you haven't made it.

 

[ItsGavinC]

hockeydentist, you said I should keep those last 3 if I do decent on my DAT...

Just to clarify for you once again, "decent" on your DAT probably won't cut it. Not trying to belabor the point but the DAT can show adcoms how you are on a similar science playing field with other candidates. A 2.4 science GPA is real low.

 

[ItsGavinC]

OKAY! The list I would like you to please please help me narrow down?

University of the Pacific, 75 bucks
USC, 65 bucks
UCONN, 60 bucks
University of Maryland, Baltimore, 60 bucks
Boston University, 60 bucks
University of Detroit Mercy, 50 bucks
The University of Michigan, 50 bucks
University of Minnesota, 55 bucks
Creighton, 45 bucks
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 75 bucks
Columbia University, 60 bucks
New York U, 70 bucks
Case, 45
University of Oklahoma, 50 bucks
Virignia commonwealth, 70 bucks

My final post on this, I promise. I thought I ought to add my 2 cents on the list you have.

I'd eliminate: UOP, UConn, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Creighton, Columbia, Case, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Virginia.

So from that list that would leave: USC, Detroit, BU, and NYU.

 

[phosphorylation]

itgavin, thanks a lot for your reply buddy. You got me thinking here....i actually have 135 hours...now i know something is wrong, but the GPA is correct though, I'm puzzled here..but the unis that you told me to cross out, are you sure case should be one of them? im an ohio resident, don't you think its worth a shot? thanks in advance...

george


EDITED

oh, i think they converted my hours to semester hours...im on the quarter system , but im going to go to the registrar website tomorrow when it opens and see whats going on... but i do thank you again for your advice...

EDITED

oh by the way gavin, I got a letter from virginia saying they want a pic and a check, is that a good thing or a bad thing? should I not bother, or just take a long shot? THANKS!!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Photo,

I'm not sure what to tell you about VCU. There were schools I applied to where I sent them a check and then promptly got a rejection notice in the mail. I'm not saying that will happen to you, but it could.

They ask for the fees simply to "process" your application. It may be that they won't even look at your application (which means they won't reject you or move you further along in the process) until you send them the money.

I know you are an Ohio resident, but Case is a private school so that really doesn't play into effect at all. Once again, you may very well get in there, but your acceptance won't stand on your GPA--you've got to rock the DAT. Like I've said, that doesn't say anything about your dental abilities, but the harsh fact is that schools get so many apps they have to have some sort of cutoff in most cases just to narrow down the stack a little. I wish it weren't that way, but in most cases it is.

 

[phosphorylation]

thanks a lot gavin, I appreciate the feedback buddy, now I just have to sit down and try to think what the hell I'm gonna do....I just hope getting into dental school is the hardest part.....I really don't think it can get harder then this

 

[v&andy_yankee]

deep breaths phos,

right now, i'd say keep half an eye on the dental stuff, just making sure all the schools are receiving your information first and foremost.

and the other 1.5 eyes? turn it on your DATs! studying really does make a difference