Schools to Apply

[dmd1272]

Hi guys, I need a bit of advice...I'm having a hard times deciding where to apply. I'm a 29yr old male from Miami, with a degree from UMASS-Amherst on Political Science with a minor in LatinAmerican Studies and I currently work in an national accounting firm(ADP) doing tax stuff. I've worked full time ever since undergrad and I've gone back to the local univ. here FIU and taken all the required pre-dent. classes, I have to retake Phy.II and I'm currently finishing Orgo II this term...I'll go anywhere, I'm hoping right now to go to Nova, I've visited the school and I had a great experience that day but I'm willing to go anywhere as long as I can complete my goal of becoming a dentist...I'm sure you guys have similar thoughts but damn I can't wait to start, I'm so hungry for it, that that's all I think about...I'm applying to UFLorida,Nova, Marquette,Tufts,BU, and maybe Temple but I'd like to add a couple of more...I'm also going to shadow a dentist as well I want a some more hands on experience...What do you guys think ?

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[smile_doctor]

dmd1272:

Awesome! Sounds like you & I are similar applicants (I'm 27 and working/doing post bacc work) and are applying to most of the same schools. You might also want to consider the University of Louisville (Kentucky), Case Western Reserve, Tufts, BU, & UoP.

I live in Atlanta & will be applying to MCG (the only dental school in GA) as well as Nova, U of Louisville, Temple, Case, Tufts, Marquette (maybe), BU, Indiana University, & maybe UoP.

Good Luck!
Smile_doc

 

[smile_doctor]

...duh, just noticed that you are already considering Tufts & BU...

 

[Viraj]

Not many people talk about UPitt, but I would highly recommend, as the school is very nice. I hope u consider this school.

 

[dmd1272]

Hi smile_doctor,

I'll follow your advice and checkout those other schools, I would really like to stay local though, that way I can travel and see my family and friends....how are you preparing for the DAT, any specific setup you've got, for example like Mon. this, Tues. that, know what I mean ?

 

[quantumhead]

Talk to the pre-health committee people and see if they have stats for previous applicants from your school, i.e. where they applied and where they got in. This helped me the second time around. Also if you are applying out of state try to avoid public schools, they give preference to residents.

I will be attending VCU and was really impressed with the school and liked the city allot. I also like Case Western Reserve allot. U of M is a GREAT school but it seemed like too much of a Party town for my tastes, it also had expensive housing.

I really believe that it doesn?t matter what school you go to, you learn the same on a 100 year old bench as a brand new one.

 

[groundhog]

Hmmmmmmm, dmd1272 has a degree, works on tax stuff in a national accounting firm, and now wants to go to dental school. I would suggest that dmd1272's new goal provides empirical evidence that good economic futures are on the horizon for you aspiring dentists out there in SDN land.

 

[smile_doctor]

dmd1272:

I'd like to stay close to home as well. That's why MCG & Nova are my 2 top choices. As for studying, it all depends on what your strengths and weaknesses are. I haven't been in a Chem or O Chem class in years so I have to spend more time reviewing these sections. If you have a lot of time to study, you may want to rotate the sections so that you study a different one every night. If your time is more limited, you may want to consider heavy concentration on one subject at a time (from beginning to end) and then rotate nights when you're close to test day.
Whatever you do, don't take the quantitative & reading sections for granted. They may be easier than the science & PAT but they require quick thinking & endurance to do well on test day.

Best of luck!

 

[dmd1272]

groundhog,

Hmmmm, lol, I hear you, we all have our personal stories as to why we want to join this profession and I'm not here to judge anyone, my decision has been a long well thought one. I don't know your age but I'm 29 and I've been working in acctg for 5yrs already but I've always wanted to become a dentist. After being married and divorced(no kids) and sort of starting out with a clean slate, I decided to do what I've always wanted to do but never tried and so I began taking the pre-dents classes and like all of you out there studying hard and battling with all these classes while working and trying to stick to the goal. As far as economics, dentist make a very nice living I don't think many of you out there will complain... but besides the $$, considering its going to cost you about 100k or more to become a dentist, you have to really want to do this and that's why shadowing is so important...personally I feel like this is my calling, this is what I was born to do and it is now that my time had to come. I'm sure alot of you out there may feel the same but I feel like I'll be able to help a lot of people, if its one thing I've learned in acctg is how to talk to people ane people pay a lot of attention when you speak to them about taxes so I'm sure that will transfer over in dentistry...also one has to feel like an artist in way, don't forget and get lost on the high clouds that the profession can have, all we're going to be is highly trained skilled employee and eventually employer and we're ultimately performing a service and the patient has to feel satisfied and comfortable with you and the type of treatment you're putting patients thru...I think all these factors contribute to a patient having a pleasant experience at our future offices and there's no better advertisement than word of mouth and happy customers(patients) but going back again to economics from what I see in my city, one should make about a 100k or even more once you start working as dentist and I guess the sky is the limit, picture this, you're training coupled with good management skills and a good staff and you're up there, not only making people feel good about their dental care but being well compensated as well....

 

[pakgirl]

My advice is to look at the ADEA's Official Guide to Dental Schools available on the website <a href="http://www.adea.org." target="_blank">www.adea.org.</a> It is the best $35 I ever spent. It gives you an idea of what each school looks for in a candidate and which schools look at residency status more. For example, to get into a Texas school, you pretty much have to be a Texas resident. A general rule of thumb is that when applying outside your home state, apply to private schools which don't penalize you if you aren't a resident of their state.

I also applied to Temple and thought it was a great school. You might consider Columbia and Case Western as well. I am a non-traditional student as well and I got accepted to all three of these schools.

Good Luck!

Good Luck!

 

[groundhog]

dmd1272,
I knew you were a wise person.

 

[horns2001]

Pakgirl,

I read your post earlier on your stats. I have very similar numbers (overall GPA - 3.10) (Science GPA-2.85) as well as being a non-traditional student since I will have been out of school for one year before applying (graduated summer 2001), but I have yet to take the DAT. I am planning on taking it May 31st so I can have my application in early with a great score as it will be extremely helpful. I have been studying well so far, but I want to know how you studied for your DAT because your 22 all around is a real good score, and something I'll be shooting for, since you were offered many interviews. Did you take a Kaplan type review course or did you just buy the study material and use that?( I am using the Kaplan Review notes w/CD and top score pro CD to prepare-you think I need more to help freshen up?)Please give your feedback thanks-

 

[pakgirl]

horns2001,

You are definitely on the right track...your DAT should be 20+ to bring up your gpa. Also, don't forget to have some dental experience.
I didn't take Kaplan or Princeton Review...I took Kaplan years before for the MCAT course and decided that for the DAT I would do the self-study thing...The Kaplan DAT book wasn't available when I was studying (took DAT 3/01) so I used the Barron's book and the DAT 2000 book for the practice tests and for a general overview (the material on the DAT is way more detailed than what is given in those books!). I studied using the outline given by ADA in the registration booklet and supplemented with the detailed outline in the DAT 2000 book. Since I didn't keep my college notes, I used my old Kaplan MCAT books for Bio, Chem, OChem for the sciences. For the math I ended up using a Cliffs notes book for college math b/c I needed to refresh on probabilities,etc. Before taking the actual test, I just made sure that I had gone thru every topic on my self-made outline.

The key for me was that I always practiced the tests simulating the actual test environment and always took each test with a timer. I used Scholarware's CD exams only after really studying all the material.

After I took the first test for example on the CD-rom, I went over each and every question to understand why I got it right and wrong and then studied that before taking the next test. I took the Barrons' exams even though they are full of mistakes just to get used to taking a half-day exam.

I hope that helps! Good luck to you!

 

[Mayra]

Hi,
I would love to help...but it really depends on your goals......what are your numbers in DAT and GPA.......I can give you advice on where to apply if what your looking is to just get in...If your looking for more than that then it really depends on stats although not always accurate... From the ones I've seen already I liked ALOT UPitt and BU I'm going to marquette to see it next week. Tufts was nice also , but too big of a class for me plus $$$$. Temple has a good env., vut I don't like the city. Maryland was ok, not much too say from my view.

 

[dmd1272]

Mayra.... gpa around 3.00 and the science about 2.75 or so, I'm retaking Bio I and Phy II, yeah, my first goal is NOVA, I'm shadowing two dentist friends of mine that went to high school with me[their writing 2 rec. for me], and I'm studying for dat, I'm thinking of taking it in late July, just in case I may have to retake[i hope not] it. I'm also trying to do some research that relates to pda's and dentistry[ still thinking how i'm going to start this]. let me know what u think when u get a chance. :wink:

 

[Mayra]

Ok...you plans sound very good...keep it up.......Are you a minorit?y....Some schools are big on giving chances to minorities like marquette for example. Believe it or not being a minority has great advantages. Anyways, some good bets with your stats are BU and Marquette. If your doing research, then you might want to apply to schools that are big on research like michigan. Try to bring uo your GPA .1 oe.2 more to increase your chances and make sure you study for your DATs (Aim for the 18 or above). Other than that it sounds good. See if you can take some advance biology courses like biochem or anatomy, which will also help you. About the letters of rec....the more the better....get some from bio profesors, comittee, dentists, and other non bio professors. I'm sure you'll do great. I applied to a whole bunch just because I wanted to make sure I got in at least one. If you have the budget ....do it...it's an investment. Good luck to you and let me know if I can help in any other way

 

[Mayra]

Ooopppsss...I forgot something...if you're looking into research and you want to go to NOVA...then your best bet is to call Nova. Talk to them and tell them that your looking to participate on research. They might have something you can do...maybe a summer intern or something....ALthough I don't know if you have to taje courses there...but I'm guessing no..Call them, it also helps on the networking part!

 

[dmd1272]

 

[dmd1272]

Mayra, thanks so much, well I'm going to retake PHY II, I kinda of choked in the final and I don't know if to retake Bio I[C] or take a more advance Bio class, perhaps an anatomy or biochem like u suggest, so for this summer its PHY II and some kind of upper Bio or retake Bio I, what do you think its better? Yes, I'm a minority, I grew up in Puerto Rico until I was 12 yrs old and then my family moved over to Miami(I'm from the Dominican Republic though) and I've been here ever since&#8230;for undergrad I went to Umass-amherst, does it help if your father is an attending physician at a major hospital like Jackson Mememorial the teaching hosp for U of Miami Med School. Yeah, I'm hoping to achieve those scores on the dat, I think I have a good chance to score over 18 with my current study plans. I just ordered the Minority guide that the ADA sells for $10 to compare and contrast the schools listed, my ultimate goal is to just get in anywhere, I don't really care, if I had to choose I would stay at Nova though or Univ. of Fl. As far as my dental contacts, I can get two great recs one from a friend of mine who just graduated from Univ. of Fl 2 years ago and one from a dentist here whom I've been shadowing for a long time now(she's actually my brother's godmother and great friend of the family) what else, I've asked people and some of them have been doing research for 2-3 years already, am I little late to start research and also be able to list it as part of application, don't know myself, ah, wow, I also have access to visit to Nova's restorative dentistry lab and shadow actual 2nd year students but my job sched. Keeps this a bit limited cuz I have to arrange to take a day off, know what I mean, but I'm planning on visiting again soon and start networking with some the prof. What do you think Mayra ?