Reapplying.. Improving my chances

[JCLewis90]

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Ok, so i didn't get into dental school after applying and interviewing last year. I'm pretty positive that it is just because of my DAT score which was not great at all.

My overall GPA is 3.81 and my science GPA is 3.7something.
I have about 800 hours of work experience at an oral surgeon's office.
About 500 hours of shadowing
I've recently volunteered at a couple of places, which I didn't have on my application last year.

I spoke with the Admissions Specialist, Mr. Bill Liner, at MUSC and he advised me to try to retake the DAT, but he didn't say anything about taking additional courses or anything like that.
However, I just talked with the Dean of Admissions at MUSC, and he said that it is good to take some additional courses as well, but I don't think he had my file in front of him to see exactly what my stats are.

So now I'm just worried...Should I have been taking additional courses? I've just been studying for the DAT to try to increase my scores, while working full time at an oral surgeon's office, shadowing, and volunteering a little.

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for the help..

 

[LFA20]

Ok, so i didn't get into dental school after applying and interviewing last year. I'm pretty positive that it is just because of my DAT score which was not great at all.

My overall GPA is 3.81 and my science GPA is 3.7something.
I have about 800 hours of work experience at an oral surgeon's office.
About 500 hours of shadowing
I've recently volunteered at a couple of places, which I didn't have on my application last year.

I spoke with the Admissions Specialist, Mr. Bill Liner, at MUSC and he advised me to try to retake the DAT, but he didn't say anything about taking additional courses or anything like that.
However, I just talked with the Dean of Admissions at MUSC, and he said that it is good to take some additional courses as well, but I don't think he had my file in front of him to see exactly what my stats are.

So now I'm just worried...Should I have been taking additional courses? I've just been studying for the DAT to try to increase my scores, while working full time at an oral surgeon's office, shadowing, and volunteering a little.

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for the help..

What was your DAT scores?? Honestly I don't think there is any point of taking additional courses since your GPA is excellent.

 

[JCLewis90]

What was your DAT scores?? Honestly I don't think there is any point of taking additional courses since your GPA is excellent.

My DAT is an 18/17. Unfortunately, I studied mostly for the sciences, which I did really well on for the most part. But my RC, QR, and PAT suffered a little. I just took the first Crack DAT PAT practice test and made a 23 on it, so hopefully, if I keep working with it, my scores will pick up a little.

 

[LFA20]

My DAT is an 18/17. Unfortunately, I studied mostly for the sciences, which I did really well on for the most part. But my RC, QR, and PAT suffered a little. I just took the first Crack DAT PAT practice test and made a 23 on it, so hopefully, if I keep working with it, my scores will pick up a little.

Honestly your Scores are NOT that terrible. You should have gotten more interviews with a high GPA like that. How many schools did you apply first time around? Is that 18AA 17 TS?

 

[JCLewis90]

Honestly your Scores are NOT that terrible. You should have gotten more interviews with a high GPA like that. How many schools did you apply first time around? Is that 18AA 17 TS?

Oh no, sorry that is 18 AA/ 17 PAT. I only applied to MUSC last year, but I will be applying to more this year.

 

[LFA20]

Oh no, sorry that is 18 AA/ 17 PAT. I only applied to MUSC last year, but I will be applying to more this year.

yeah your biggest mistake was only applying to one school. Are you crazy?
You need to apply to at least 10
How were your sciences?

 

[JCLewis90]

yeah your biggest mistake was only applying to one school. Are you crazy?
You need to apply to at least 10
How were your sciences?

Haha I know, I know.. I had 19 Bio/20 GC/ 17 OC.. Need to pick up my OC some for sure.. I'm just worried because I've taken it twice already. I'm not sure if you can still take it more than 3 times. I know I need to do really well on it this time. I feel like I just need to take lots of practice tests.

 

[echo90]

I'm sorry man, but with your scores you could have gotten into other schools. Applying to one school was your problem.

 

[JCLewis90]

I'm sorry man, but with your scores you could have gotten into other schools. Applying to one school was your problem.

MUSC takes the highest AA and highest PAT into consideration. 18/17 was my highest. The last time I took the DAT, I had a 18/16 unfortunately. The 17 PAT was the first time I took the DAT. Also, the second time I had 16 on RC when I had a 23 the first time. Idk what happened. During the RC section, my passages were extremely difficult the last time I took it. I started to freak a little about my timing, and I couldn't concentrate on what I was reading or figure out the best strategy to use.. Anyway, those 16s are what really scared me

 

[LFA20]

I'm sorry man, but with your scores you could have gotten into other schools. Applying to one school was your problem.

+1

To be honest. I don't think it looks good retaking the DAT more than twice. You need to apply to at least 10 schools.

FYI, I have a 3.9 GPA overall/science with a 19 AA 19 TS 18 PAT and I am applying to 18 schools LOL

 

[gn4]

Your problem was that you didn't apply to more schools. You could have gotten in somewhere with those stats. Since you retaking it now, try to aim for 20+, and please, apply to more schools for your sake.

 

[JCLewis90]

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm definitely going to apply to more schools this year. My main worry is the DAT. I KNOW I need to take a lot of practice tests, because I didn't really do that before. Should I do Topscore and Achiever? Or DATqVault and Achiever? I'm using Crack DAT PAT and Crack DAT Reading.

 

[ROFL A PIGGY]

Hey man, you've got an impressive gpa and your working/shadowing hours look excellent! Like the others have said, you're crazy for only applying to one dental school lol. Especially with low DAT scores.

If you applied to more schools you definitely would have gotten some acceptances.

Good luck in your future! And yes it seems you just need to study your arse off for the DAT, I wouldn't worry about taking more classes because your gpa is already spectacular. And even more important than studying for the DAT: apply to at least 10 schools! What is a few hundred dollars in comparison to going to dental school and becoming a dentist? Even if you have to go to a dental school you don't want to for four years, experiences like that just make us stronger for the rest of our lives. Plus, it's only four little years in comparison to being a dentist for your whole life!

TL;DR: apply to many many schools (at least 10), study hard for the dat, dont worry about your gpa, ace all the interviews you will get.

Sorry for my long as heck post.

Good luck!

 

[JCLewis90]

Hey man, you've got an impressive gpa and your working/shadowing hours look excellent! Like the others have said, you're crazy for only applying to one dental school lol. Especially with low DAT scores.

If you applied to more schools you definitely would have gotten some acceptances.

Good luck in your future! And yes it seems you just need to study your arse off for the DAT, I wouldn't worry about taking more classes because your gpa is already spectacular. And even more important than studying for the DAT: apply to at least 10 schools! What is a few hundred dollars in comparison to going to dental school and becoming a dentist? Even if you have to go to a dental school you don't want to for four years, experiences like that just make us stronger for the rest of our lives. Plus, it's only four little years in comparison to being a dentist for your whole life!

TL;DR: apply to many many schools (at least 10), study hard for the dat, dont worry about your gpa, ace all the interviews you will get.

Sorry for my long as heck post.

Good luck!

Thanks for the kind words! I appreciate it. Yea it was really disheartening after that 2nd attempt at the DAT. I never really took any full length practice tests because I was too busy reading the study materials. But I'm going to make sure I take a lot of practice tests this time. Would early August be too late to take the DAT? I took it late October last year and still had an interview November 2nd.

 

[dentalWorks]

Oh no, sorry that is 18 AA/ 17 PAT. I only applied to MUSC last year, but I will be applying to more this year.

underlying reason (mistake) why you didn't get in.

People with 4.0 and 25+ DAT apply to about 4-5 schools because nothing is ever guaranteed..... why didn't you?

retaking the DAT is a good idea, but applying to 15+ schools is even better in your particular case

 

[JCLewis90]

underlying reason (mistake) why you didn't get in.

People with 4.0 and 25+ DAT apply to about 4-5 schools because nothing is ever guaranteed..... why didn't you?

retaking the DAT is a good idea, but applying to 15+ schools is even better in your particular case

Hey thanks for the comment. So do you think 4-5 schools should be enough in my case? Especially if I can get my DAT higher?

 

[LFA20]

Hey thanks for the comment. So do you think 4-5 schools should be enough in my case? Especially if I can get my DAT higher?

even if you break a 20 on your DAT, I would say 8 schools minimum

 

[nikond600]

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[JCLewis90]

even if you break a 20 on your DAT, I would say 8 schools minimum

Ok thanks. I appreciate it

 

[dentalWorks]

Hey thanks for the comment. So do you think 4-5 schools should be enough in my case? Especially if I can get my DAT higher?

no. you should aim at 15+

 

[jigabodo]

no. you should aim at 15+

That's about how many I would apply, even if you have good stats. Unless you are absolutely positive that there is only one school you can go to, I wouldn't take the chances and apply to too few. Application fees may be expensive but the fact that you are losing another year not being a dentist is a lot more costly.