Quick question about application fees

[deleted738762]

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Hey everybody,
Im thinking about applying this cycle or just taking a GAP year. How much is the total cost of applying. I know the DAT cost around $400ish, not including the prep material. The cost of applying to 1 dental school is 245$. So lets say, HYPOTHETICALLY, I took the DAT and applied to 1 school would that just cost me a little under 700$? (not including test prep +supplemental for dental schools).
Thank you.

 

[743291]

Hey everybody,
Im thinking about applying this cycle or just taking a GAP year. How much is the total cost of applying. I know the DAT cost around $400ish, not including the prep material. The cost of applying to 1 dental school is 245$. So lets say, HYPOTHETICALLY, I took the DAT and applied to 1 school would that just cost me a little under 700$? (not including test prep +supplemental for dental schools).
Thank you.

I would say it would be more like 750 for 1 school and DAT because most schools send you a supplemental application which can cost from 50 to 100 from what i have experienced. If you can save up for it during the gap year do it, but if you can afford it without the gap I would suggest you make the sacrifice and apply this year. Good luck.

 

[PeachDMD]

Hey everybody,
Im thinking about applying this cycle or just taking a GAP year. How much is the total cost of applying. I know the DAT cost around $400ish, not including the prep material. The cost of applying to 1 dental school is 245$. So lets say, HYPOTHETICALLY, I took the DAT and applied to 1 school would that just cost me a little under 700$? (not including test prep +supplemental for dental schools).
Thank you.

So, yes, your math is fairly accurate (maybe $100 low due to supplementals) but the bigger picture is are you seriously just going to apply to one school? TBH, I actually know of a couple of did it, with success primarily due to their killer stats, but realistically 10+ schools is more the norm. It is just too super competitive to put all of your eggs in one basket. What if you apply to only one school and for whatever reason you end up just being another average joe for their cycle because a lot of other killer stat apps also applied there. If you can think of anyway at all to expand and apply to a broader spectrum, you should. Think of it this way......dental school is so darn expensive anyway, unless you're parents are super rich and are funding you (which must not be the case or you wouldn't have bothered with your question in the first place), then you will walk away from dental school with a nice load of debt. In the big picture, what's another $5-7k as an investment to allow you to apply to a broad number of school that fit your competitive profile. Best of luck.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

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[deleted738762]

Thanks everyone.

 

[1070752]

It's going to run at least $3,000. $245 or whatever to apply at all, $93 per addition school, $500ish for prep material (what I did for Bootcamp, didn't go around begging for free **** so this could definitely be lower), $50-75 in secondary fees per school, and the cost of AirBnB rooms (much cheaper than hotels please do AirBnb) at each interview, and gas/plane tickets/tolls/train tickets or whatever. Also, your suit + shoes is going to be at least $275 total, even from Men's Wearhouse the cheapest suit there. DAT + DAT Prep + applying to ten schools with $75 secondary fees + suit without taking into account the cost of traveling to interviews = $2,350.

It's very important to start saving for this stuff. I was lucky enough to have parents that paid for the suit and the DAT itself. I worked while studying for the DAT to pay off prep material, and obliterated my savings on the application and interviews (I was lucky enough to save all my money from working and not have to use it to support my family).

$245 + $93*(9 schools) = $1,082
Avg. $70/supplemental x 10 = $700
Avg. AirBnB/night $100 x (lets say you get 5 interviews and go to all) = $500
Avg. plane ticket $350 x 5 interviews = $1,750
Avg. food/uber per day $50 x 5 interviews = $250
TOTAL: ~$4,300 (excluding DAT, and suit since many probably already have suits).

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[1070752]

Yeah dude the car helps so much to avoid Uber and flights,$2,000 saved before taking away gas expenses which was maybe a quarter of that for 8 interviews. Also, damn where did you interview where you had to pay $100 for airbnb?

It does, but sadly I'm from Canada and that isn't really an option. I haven't interviewed yet (applying this cycle) but I just made up an average. Are airbnb's generally cheaper in the US? Here in Canada they're pretty expensive (although not as much as a hotel).

 

[ddentgee]

Make sure you apply for FAP (Fee Assistance Program), it gives you three free schools.

 

[fogorvostan]

Yeah dude the car helps so much to avoid Uber and flights,$2,000 saved before taking away gas expenses which was maybe a quarter of that for 8 interviews. Also, damn where did you interview where you had to pay $100 for airbnb?

Wish I could have driven to all of my interviews. Unfortunately, one was over 1,000mi away and the other was over 2,100mi away. My poor bank account.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[sumin5924]

Don't forget that money for transcripts. And letter of recs. Oh, wait..

 

[DDSNY15]

all these expenses: pure monopoly. wish the schools would remember what it is like to be a student, like we dont have enough by eating ramen soups......

 

[deleted446889]

$245 + $93*(9 schools) = $1,082
Avg. $70/supplemental x 10 = $700
Avg. AirBnB/night $100 x (lets say you get 5 interviews and go to all) = $500
Avg. plane ticket $350 x 5 interviews = $1,750
Avg. food/uber per day $50 x 5 interviews = $250
TOTAL: ~$4,300 (excluding DAT, and suit since many probably already have suits).

By supplemental do you mean secondaries?

 

[1070752]

By supplemental do you mean secondaries?

Yes