Reapplying this cycle or waiting a year?

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KumquatWrath

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Hi everyone,

Disappointingly, I don't think I will be getting an acceptance this cycle 🙁 Since I'm finishing undergrad in June, I'm thinking about trying to find either dental research or a dental assistant position to work and improve my experience (both GPAs ~3.3, AA: 22, PAT: 24, QR: 23, RC: 19 oops too much studying science..). My biggest question is should I just reapply this cycle and state on my application that I have a job (Assuming I get one) or would it be better to apply NEXT year and have 2 gap years? Also just to be safe, I took my DAT last summer (2013), so it should last even if I don't apply until the 2015 cycle right? From what I've seen, the majority of schools allow DAT scores to last 3 years. Thanks for your time!
 
I haven't done much since I have been focusing more on schoolwork. I did attend a dental lab course where we got to do some hands-on stuff with drilling and plastic teeth, although I don't know if that is very much to add.
 
your scores aren't too bad. Surprised you didn't get accepted. When and how many schools did you apply to?
 
I submitted mid-August and applied to ~15...only got interviews at Roseman and UNLV, waitlisted at Roseman and nothing back from UNLV yet. A couple schools haven't said anything, including UCLA, USC, OHSU, UoP and the rest are rejections. I did email asking for updates on interview times as well as my status application but there have been no useful responses either.
 
i would try to line something up like research jobs/dental assistant before you graduate. this way you can add it onto your application and indicate how many hours you project to have completed and be able to talk about it. your numbers seem good enough, maybe try to increase your volunteering during the last couple months of school. but dont give up hope yet, you still got a couple schools in play!
 
^ Yeah that's what I'm doing right now. I'm having some trouble with finding a dental assistant position though; other than Craigslist (which can be good or bad) do you have any recommendations? I've recently considered looking up dentists around areas where I would like to be and sending them emails seeing if they had spots open but don't know if that's considered rude or not.
 
revise PS, maybe add or update a LOR/make one of them better somehow
take some upper div bio classes, maybe get anatomy/biochem/microbio out of the way cause these courses cross over the line from being required to strongly recommended for d schools
 
I am surprised you did not get in with your stats as well, your DAT looks pretty solid.
 
Why do you think you didn't get in? (of course if you knew the exact reason you wouldn't be posting this) With your DAT compensating for your GPA, I would maybe think it is school selection? All of the schools you mentioned require high DAT and GPA other than Roseman and UNLV. Also did you apply to out of state friendly schools?
 
I applied to both MWU-AZ and IL, Case Western, the NY schools (rejected from SUSB and Buffalo but nothing from NYU), BU, Penn (nothing from them), BU, and OHSU, UNLV, Roseman. I have a feeling my experience might be lacking since I've only done some shadowing and a summer internship at an ortho office, which is why I'm definitely looking for a a year-long thing this coming cycle.

I would ideally like to reapply, I just want to be sure that if I apply, I can put down a dental job I will be doing after I submit rather than having to actually have already done it/be currently working on it.

At dieanotherday, I think my personal statement was pretty good but obviously can be better so I will definitely look into that - probably keeping my main points from the previous cycle but changing things to fit my new application. I've already taken anatomy and biochem as well since it's required for my major (Physiology) but microbio...that could be a possibility.

Thanks for the help guys!
 
KumquatWrath said:
^ Yeah that's what I'm doing right now. I'm having some trouble with finding a dental assistant position though; other than Craigslist (which can be good or bad) do you have any recommendations? I've recently considered looking up dentists around areas where I would like to be and sending them emails seeing if they had spots open but don't know if that's considered rude or not.
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Craigslist is a solid place to look for dental assisting or even laboratory jobs (if you have a science major)... otherwise try looking at your university's career board or something to find some research jobs
 
Doing a job that a high school drop out can perform is not exactly the best way to improve one's chances of getting an acceptance.
 
I don't think you're going to be able to find a dental assisting job right out of college. Dental clinics usually hire licensed dental assistants, and these people most likely would have completed a dental assisting program somewhere. They'd rather hire someone who already has training than someone who they'd have to train.
 
Myce said:
I don't think you're going to be able to find a dental assisting job right out of college. Dental clinics usually hire licensed dental assistants, and these people most likely would have completed a dental assisting program somewhere. They'd rather hire someone who already has training than someone who they'd have to train.
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Depends on the state, lot of state do not require license for assistant. I am an military trained assistant and never need a license to get a job. Check with ur local dentist and good luck!
 
I have a friend who just finished college last year and found a job with a dentist; he is taking his RDA exam soon so I'm pretty sure California doesn't have that requirement, I will look more into it though. Also, what are peoples' opinions on finding dental related volunteer work and then having a separate job instead? Although the job may not be directly related to dentistry, there are always job skills that can transfer over - something like customer service would help to improve communication skills?
 
Quick bump just to figure out this answer, then I'm set. Thanks for the help so far!
 
doc toothache said:
Doing a job that a high school drop out can perform is not exactly the best way to improve one's chances of getting an acceptance.
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I don't think that is necessarily true, and to make this statement is extremely unprofessional. If you were to find a job as a dental assistant, I think it would definitely help out your application. However, don't let that be your only improvement. Work part time, do volunteer work during your off hours or go shadow, take up a hobby that requires dexterity, then add that into your application when you reapply. Also, I don't think that it is very necessary to get a job in something dental related; a research position at your institution is a good idea.

Volunteer doesn't have to be dental related either. You gotta be an all around person too. Soup kitchens, highway trash pickups, nursing homes, free tutoring, big brother/big sister programs... any of these could work as long as you put in a decent amount of time. It shows the committee that you are compassionate about serving your community, and it allows you to see if you are up for a career in which you interact with a lot of different people everyday. Just show them that you actually tried to make yourself a better applicant by working hard rather than just spending a year doing very little. If you have the means to, try a summer dental/med mission trip. Make sure your LORs come from professors/advisors that know you pretty well. Go talk to them often before you graduate so they can get to know you.

Good luck! And don't be too down. You still have some schools to hear back from. When did you interview at UNLV and when do they start classes? Roseman starts in August, so you could hear something the week before they start since you're an alternate.
 
I interviewed at UNLV beginning of December, so that was a while ago, and they start September, according to the ADEA guide I have. Volunteering/job-searching are the two things I'd like to do most if I'm not accepted but I'm going to be calling schools to ask for personalized feedback on how to improve as well. Obviously I'd like to be accepted, and I've also heard of schools that accept that late, but how often does it happen?
 
Make a strong template email asking to join a researcher's lab. Tailor them specifically to each lab. Then send mass emails. Find a lab. Work on a project. That ought to suck up some time while you're waiting and it'll look great on your application. Almost every predent has shadowing and assisting hours, do something special as long as you have 100 hrs shadowing & assisting.
 
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sgv said:
Make a strong template email asking to join a researcher's lab. Tailor them specifically to each lab. Then send mass emails. Find a lab. Work on a project. That ought to suck up some time while you're waiting and it'll look great on your application. Almost every predent has shadowing and assisting hours, do something special as long as you have 100 hrs shadowing & assisting.
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Do you recommend to do this at the same time as applying (aka this June)?
 
Hm alright, I'll give that a go once I get in contact with some schools regarding improving my application. I was pretty sure you meant what I was asking since it made sense, but just wanted to make sure.
 
This post is making me nervous. I have the same stats (with a slightly lower sGPA) and haven't even taken the DAT yet. Guess I need to score higher than a 22AA to even stand a chance 🙁
 
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