Hello Dexadental:
I am too lazy to find where I originally posted that on SDN. So I will do a "short" (haha) recap for you!
🙂
My stats: GPA 3.9-4.0 Science and AA. DAT: Highest 21 RC, lowest QR 17. Most scores were 19, 20, 20 or so. So degree wise I have 2 Associates (Science and Liberal Arts) and BS. Again please don't quote me because I posted the actualls on the stat page but again "too lazy" today to pull up that thread.
I only applied to one school last year, and was waitlisted after getting "the first" interview day. I was never chosen off it obviously, because here I am again for round 2. I didn't find out till this month why I wasn't chosen last year. Something to do with the interviewer not liking me and therefore did support me to other commitee members. The dean of Admissions and not to mention my advisor were at a loss to tell me why I wasn't accepted and could offer NO suggestions in improving my application. This made me really very sad about the whole thing. I personally had NO IDEA I had made such a bad impression. I think the fact that he knew that (because I told him) that they were the only school I applied to that they probably didn't take me serious in my application. So this year, I applied to 13 schools and have gotten 7 plus invites so far. (not including Creighton because they don't interview, but I got secondaries from 12 schools.) I will go anywhere I am accepted I really enjoy dentistry I want to be one with all my heart.
My history is this: 99 graduated top of my class with a BS in Dental hygiene, I have been working as one since. I was a hairdresser before that. I was a single parent from the time I was 17 till like I was 22. I worked and went to school while I was a single parent to get the pre-reqs for the dental hygiene program. I worked for 3/4 of my dental pre-reqs as well but the last year I have been able to focus just on school and not work. (I feel very lucky, since I have worked most of my life-while going to school-while being a single mom). I am married now and have 2 kids.
As far as "excessive" time to volunteer: I have volunteered at my kids school and some college and ADHA functions. But in no way do I have many volunteer hours..... where would I have put them?
The only thing I can offer you of value is this:
Your stats aren't going to get you accepted. They will get you an interview (in most cases) and how the interview goes will determine whether or not they choose you. While some schools have formulas to help them decide, other rely heavily on their observations of you while you were there. I think it also depends on the quality of people that interview with you around the same time makes some impact as well. I don't believe there is one right answer here, and by no means do I mean to tell you this is the only way people get in. Some people get in because their parents are alumni and dentists of that college (although unfair, it happens). So I wish you the best of luck, because believe me, luck is involved some how.
