Hi everyone, I rarely post in this forum but I stop by frequently to check. I am in desperate need of help. I am so stressful right now. I am a non-traditional applicant, graduated in May 04, worked as a research assistant in NIH for a year, and now working as a full-time dental assistant. My undergraduate gpa is 3.82. I applied for 06 cycle and due to circumstances, I took my DAT late and had a low score and thus, got rejected from all 4 schools that I applied. I am determined to get in again and my question is how to improve my application besides the obvious thing is to retake the DAT again. Since I didn't have a low undergraduate gpa, do I need to enroll in a post-bac program? What to do in the extra year? Do you think working as a full-time dental assistant is good enough way to make use of my years? or do I need to do anything else? I know most people have been out of school have to make good use of their years to look good with adcom so I don't know what else to do in these years to strengthen my application. Please give me advice! Thank you very much.
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It depend on how low is low of your DAT score. If its really low, then yeah the obvious is take the DAT again. Your gpa is nice.
This is no big deal. You do not need to take a postbacc. Your GPA is solid. The most obvious path is to continue your job as a dental assistent.Qtn2x said:
As for applying. You need to apply no later than June of 2006. Which means have your DAT scores set and ready by May 2006. This is the most important thing. Work on raising your DAT score. Take a princeton review dat prep class. Hands down The best out there. You have plenty time to study so you should from here until May, study for the DAT.
Hi,
If you are determined to go to dental school, I advise you to take a Master's or post-bac (2 yr program) b/c if 1 yr you would have to apply again this summer and nothing on your application has changed. Continue working at your dental assistant job this summer or even during your new Master's/post-bac program if possible. Experience in the field is a huge deal. Also your undergrad GPA was wonderful, so i'm sure you will be able to do well in your Master's/post-bac. After that, apply to dental school again, I'm more than positive you will get in after some more solid GPA, better DAT scores, and lots of experience. Besides, when you do that, you can get new, better recommendation letters. You dont want your professors to drag their memories from 2 years ago to write an LOR for you-----they would probably say: "He/she was a great student, I enjoyed having him/her in my class. I think he/she will succeed in dental school. Sincerely yours." Anyway, then apply again - EARRRRRRLY!!!!!
Plan B is to retake the DAT and apply again. This way, however, it might be harder for you once you actually get into dental school b/c you might have forgotten 1/2 of the stuff you learned in undergrad already.
Well at any rate, I hope some of my advice help. Good luck!
If you are determined to go to dental school, I advise you to take a Master's or post-bac (2 yr program) b/c if 1 yr you would have to apply again this summer and nothing on your application has changed. Continue working at your dental assistant job this summer or even during your new Master's/post-bac program if possible. Experience in the field is a huge deal. Also your undergrad GPA was wonderful, so i'm sure you will be able to do well in your Master's/post-bac. After that, apply to dental school again, I'm more than positive you will get in after some more solid GPA, better DAT scores, and lots of experience. Besides, when you do that, you can get new, better recommendation letters. You dont want your professors to drag their memories from 2 years ago to write an LOR for you-----they would probably say: "He/she was a great student, I enjoyed having him/her in my class. I think he/she will succeed in dental school. Sincerely yours." Anyway, then apply again - EARRRRRRLY!!!!!
Plan B is to retake the DAT and apply again. This way, however, it might be harder for you once you actually get into dental school b/c you might have forgotten 1/2 of the stuff you learned in undergrad already.
Well at any rate, I hope some of my advice help. Good luck!
Here is the problem with your application in a nutshell: you applied late and didn't apply to enough schools. That's it. I wouldn't even worry about your DAT (what was your score?).
You've got to apply early and apply to more than 4 schools.
You've got to apply early and apply to more than 4 schools.
Why would you post on an internet forum and give us a long story and your GPA and not your DAT scores. How can you expect any opinion without your scores. No need to be shy, we don't know you! So if you want help, the first step is to give us the situation without bull$hit.
I think if your DAT is low, just retake it. Don't do a post bac or masters...it's a waste of time. If you've done all the science pre reqs, just keep working as a dental assistant...that is the best thing you could ever do. I think if you just take the DAT over and apply early, you'll definately be here next year on dec. 1 with a bunch of acceptances. Oh yeah, apply to more than 4 schools...pick around 7 i'd say. Better be safe than sorry. You don't want to waste another year! Losing a year of income at $150,000 is a lot worse than losing the extra $300 it costs to apply to a few more schools.
Good luck, you'll be fine for next cycle. In fact, if you do well on your DAT, there isn't a school you couldn't get into. And you're not that much of a non-traditional
I think if your DAT is low, just retake it. Don't do a post bac or masters...it's a waste of time. If you've done all the science pre reqs, just keep working as a dental assistant...that is the best thing you could ever do. I think if you just take the DAT over and apply early, you'll definately be here next year on dec. 1 with a bunch of acceptances. Oh yeah, apply to more than 4 schools...pick around 7 i'd say. Better be safe than sorry. You don't want to waste another year! Losing a year of income at $150,000 is a lot worse than losing the extra $300 it costs to apply to a few more schools.
Good luck, you'll be fine for next cycle. In fact, if you do well on your DAT, there isn't a school you couldn't get into. And you're not that much of a non-traditional
Yo, whats happening. Enroll in school...its looks super bad not to (thats what they all say). I dont know where you are from but get into a Med. science masters or something. However, I am in a program like that and still can't get in, so I donno
Qtn2x said:
Thank all of you for your advice. WEll, my DAT is 17/16/16. I experienced a death in the family and things started to get chaotic when my grandmom got sick and needed surgery. ANd my family has below average income with no health insurance . And no, we don't have welfare or medicaid/medicare. I didn't want to tell much about my situation on my first post because it would sound lke I am making excuses or explaining too much. Since some of you asked so there's the answer. I just didn't say my DAT score because well, it's low enough to get me rejected, so I thought it ddidn't matter how low it is. I know the obvious thing to do next cycle is to apply early and retake DAT. I actually applied early this cycle, like submitted my AADSAS in May. But then that was when my family member started getting cancer and then passed away in August. Anyway, my biggest question is wether or not to get in a post bac program? or Should I just simply continue to do the full time dental assistant. Since some of you mentioned that I need to have some changes in my application, however, I would be applying again this cycle, I don't want to wait. Therefore, I do not want to commit to a one or two year program and THen apply just to show them I have made some changes, u know what I mean. Do you think these changes from the previous cycle are enough to get me a spot next cycle:
+ better DAT score
+ apply early by having DAT score early
+ apply to more schools
+ working as a full-time dental assistant
+ 2 papers got published (since last year, they were pending)
+ POST BAC????
How about letter of recommendations? I keep in touch with those professors that wrote me the letters for this cycle. What do I tell them to update? Or should I find different peopel to submit brand new letters? Please help. WHoever are reapplicant like me, also please share your experience and how did you reapply? WHat processes did you go through? Please, I am desperate! I really want to be a dentist.
By the way, this is my stat for 06 cycle:
+ Undergraduate GPA 3.8
+ submit AADSAS early in May but late DAT
+ Low DAT 17/16/16
+ research assistant at NIH
+ shadow dentist and volunteered in undergraduate
+research experience undergraduate
. And no, we don't have welfare or medicaid/medicare. I didn't want to tell much about my situation on my first post because it would sound lke I am making excuses or explaining too much. Since some of you asked so there's the answer. I just didn't say my DAT score because well, it's low enough to get me rejected, so I thought it ddidn't matter how low it is. I know the obvious thing to do next cycle is to apply early and retake DAT. I actually applied early this cycle, like submitted my AADSAS in May. But then that was when my family member started getting cancer and then passed away in August. Anyway, my biggest question is wether or not to get in a post bac program? or Should I just simply continue to do the full time dental assistant. Since some of you mentioned that I need to have some changes in my application, however, I would be applying again this cycle, I don't want to wait. Therefore, I do not want to commit to a one or two year program and THen apply just to show them I have made some changes, u know what I mean. Do you think these changes from the previous cycle are enough to get me a spot next cycle:+ better DAT score
+ apply early by having DAT score early
+ apply to more schools
+ working as a full-time dental assistant
+ 2 papers got published (since last year, they were pending)
+ POST BAC????
How about letter of recommendations? I keep in touch with those professors that wrote me the letters for this cycle. What do I tell them to update? Or should I find different peopel to submit brand new letters? Please help. WHoever are reapplicant like me, also please share your experience and how did you reapply? WHat processes did you go through? Please, I am desperate! I really want to be a dentist.
By the way, this is my stat for 06 cycle:
+ Undergraduate GPA 3.8
+ submit AADSAS early in May but late DAT
+ Low DAT 17/16/16
+ research assistant at NIH
+ shadow dentist and volunteered in undergraduate
+research experience undergraduate
I say reapply and wait a year before considering grad school. Make sure that you take the DAT NO LATER then April to give you enough time to take it again if it doesn't go as well as planned.
Apply to a few more schools. WHere did you apply this time? Definately apply to like 8 or so. Good luck to you this time.
And I'm sorry about your grandmother. That sucks so bad.
Apply to a few more schools. WHere did you apply this time? Definately apply to like 8 or so. Good luck to you this time.
And I'm sorry about your grandmother. That sucks so bad. Forget post bacc, that's moron advice. Re-take DAT, apply to more schools next time, you should be fine. keep working, no need to really go out there and do something completely different.
You have to keep in touch w/ the LOR writers, AADSAS doesn't keep jack **** from prior cycles.
You have to keep in touch w/ the LOR writers, AADSAS doesn't keep jack **** from prior cycles.
I, too, totally don't see a reason for you to do Post-bacc work. Just do better on the DAT at least by the summer of 2006. Best of luck to you!
Stop, breathe, relax.Qtn2x said:
Since you stated you have already applied, I am assuming you have taken all the science prerequistes. Therefore, in my opinion, a post bac wouldn't be the best choice of action here. I would retake the DAT, and re-apply, being careful to submit my application very early in the game.Qtn2x said:
Apply to more schools next time.Qtn2x said:
After you have applied, enjoy life (you won't have much of that for the next 4 years). A dental assisting job may be good for some, however, I know I personally wouldn't want to work any job pertaining to dentistry right before I enter 4 years of grueling dental school. Instead, I would opt for more "fun" jobs that you may not get a chance to pursue again.Qtn2x said:
Just my thoughts... PM if you have any more questions.
pce,
bus.
It would be interesting knowing what schools you applied to becuase your DAT score isnt tooo bad for some schools. In regard to the post-bac...dude dont even waste your time with that. Hopefully u have taken some appealing upper division electives that dental schools like to see. As for the DAT retake, I'm not sure if Kaplan or Princeton is the better, I just baught the Kaplan book and read it. Top score CD is really good, it has 3 simulated tests. It sounds like you will make it. Make sure you do your homework on selecting appropriate schools to apply to. No need applying to a school who extremely favors only in state residents.
Good luck, I hope this helps
Good luck, I hope this helps
If you just continue working and raise your DAT score, apply to a few more schools, you will get in..... the DAT is the most important part of the application (not to mention applying super early).... but seriously... I graduated in May of 2004... I've worked since I graduated and I was admitted this cycle because I raised my DAT from an 18 to a 20.... If you can get your DAT to a 20... you will get in somewhere...
Your gpa is solid. Retake the DAT and study like a maniac. Kaplan, Topscore, AcetheDAT, DATprofessor and princeton review are a combination of study aids that will help you rock the test and get in next year. I also recommend doing all the problems at the end of your text book chapters (intro. Bio, Inorg. Chem, Org. Chem). Apply early! Dental assisting experience is really good to have. It shows you have some idea of what a dentist's day to day life is like. Good luck!
I hope you get in!!
I hope you get in!!
Well, seems like most ppl in this forum do not think you should take post-bac, it's your choice but i still don't see a problem with it. So what if you get in but only know the basics from the DAT, you'll be drown with the material and the intense courseload in dental school. Post-bacc and masters offer similar courses as dental or medical schools, I'm pretty sure those will help a great deal. You have the passion and the motivation, I just think post-bacc and masters show further commitment and dedication. Also, get some connections from your dentist. Maybe you can get in without doing anything, beside just raising your DAT.
i agree... raise your DAT scores and apply to more schools... you should be fine!!phremius said:
Schools will see by your previous GPA, which is good, that you know how to be studious. What they dont know is if you know how to roll up your sleeves and WORK. If you get plugged in enough, you can learn a whole lot of impressive things as an assistant. A Masters would probably be more helpful to you if you were interested in a PhD. DDS or something. Thats just my opinion. If you look at the ADEA book, very few of those accepted had masters.JPdent said:
I would add to the list of application improvements volunteeer work. I know when I interviewed at UW most of my interview centered around my volunteer work, they really seemed to like that. I would also take some upper div. science classes such as biochemistry, physiology, micro, anatomy since not only will it look good in your app, but will ultimately help you when you get here, believe me!!
Good luck. I'm sure improving your DAT score should suffice for gaining acceptance.
Good luck. I'm sure improving your DAT score should suffice for gaining acceptance.