Secret Formula

[trypmo]

UTHSCSA provides the actual formula they use for the objective part of applicant evaluation, so I thought I'd post it here & ask whether anyone else knows of a specific formula that other schools use.

[science GPA x DAT-A Score/30 x 4 + Overall GPA] x 50 = Overall Score

DAT-A, I think, is what is mostly called the AA, or academic average.

There's a total of 1000 points available in the objective part, and at an interview you can get up to 500 more points, and apparently that's how they decide.

Seems kinda heartless when you just look at it numberwise, doesn't it?

Anyone else know of other secret (or not so secret (the one above is directly from the UTHSCSA website)) formulas?

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[krull]

yeah there is actually a really cool formula I learned in geometry. It goes a^2+b^2 = c^2

 

[trypmo]

D'OH!

 

[predentchick]

UNLV uses some kind of admissions formula. I don't know the details, but if you reach a certain number you are quaranteed admission.

 

[DcS]

UNC: 1/3 science DAT, 1/3 sci gpa, 1/3 interview score.

The top % of rankings automatically get in, the rest are discussed by the admissions committee to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Mo007]

Originally posted by DcS
UNC: 1/3 science DAT, 1/3 sci gpa, 1/3 interview score.

How about DAT (TS: 18), Sci GPA: 3.3... (and if this gets interview) plus good interview = how competitive at UNC?

 

[t12kim]

it is understandable that some dental schools focus more on science GPA and science DAT.

 

[sxr71]

I always suspected that the PAT was not important, now I know some schools don't even look at it.

 

[aileen]

Originally posted by sxr71
I always suspected that the PAT was not important, now I know some schools don't even look at it.

I agree with you, sxr. My PAT score was VERY low (17) compared to my DAT score. All the interviews I've been to, I was never asked to explain about that. They didn't seem to notice that my PAT score was bad.

 

[sxr71]

Originally posted by aileen
I agree with you, sxr. My PAT score was VERY low (17) compared to my DAT score. All the interviews I've been to, I was never asked to explain about that. They didn't seem to notice that my PAT score was bad.

Same here, I got a 17 PAT also. They didn't even bring it up at all.

 

[trypmo]

I had an adcom member tell me directly that unless I scored like a 12 on the PAT it wouldn't even be looked at.

But I'm sure this varies greatly from school to school... safer to practice for it and do better than a 12!

 

[Calculus1]

Originally posted by sxr71
I always suspected that the PAT was not important, now I know some schools don't even look at it.

Yep, most schools don't look at it (unless you REALLY tank it). I do know of one school that still does, LSU. An LSU representative came to our predental society meeting and showed us how to do the chalk carvings that they still do at your interview. He told us how the PAT and carvings correlate with a good clinician. It's all crap, they stopped doing the chalk carvings and taking the perceptual seriously at Baylor because they could find no real relationship between the people that scored well on the DAT versus those that scored mediocre.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by predentchick
UNLV uses some kind of admissions formula. I don't know the details, but if you reach a certain number you are quaranteed admission.

UNLV told us the formula when I interviewed last year, and when I got the acceptance they told me my overall score.

I've long forgotten what it was, but you could get it from Dr. Ancajas.

 

[Radioheadblue]

Originally posted by Mo007
How about DAT (TS: 18), Sci GPA: 3.3... (and if this gets interview) plus good interview = how competitive at UNC?

My stats(in state)= DAT (TS 21) + Sci GPA: 3.54 + Interview( thought I did well) = a big "screw you pal, go somewhere else or reapply"

 

[Thaxil]

[science GPA x DAT-A Score/30 x 4 + Overall GPA] x 50 = Overall Score

I am really interested in
this formula, but I think there is some thing wrong with it. Can you clear it up. I think it is [((sic GPA x DAT-A) / 30)4 + Ovr GPA]50 = score. The first time I tried it I got 9 points, the second time I got 541points.

This is pretty much how I thought they did initial selection. No consideration to personal statement or extracurricular activities. Is this formula used to for secondary app. or used to request interviews.

 

[Calculus1]

I interviewed and got accepted at UT San Antonio( the school that has that wacky formula). I saw that formula over the summer and played with the numbers a bit. It seems like 1000 points is the watermark that one is trying to hit. By the way, Thaxil, the 541 number is correct. What all you future applicants need to realize, esp. if it's not too late, is that most of the schools only really care about the numbers you put up. I can almost guarantee you that 90% of the accepteds at San Antonio got in strictly on their numbers (Formula + Interview) and only the final 10%(which I think is a conservative estimate) had their file picked through with a fine- toothed comb when decision time came around.

 

[sxr71]

I interviewed and got accepted at UT San Antonio( the school that has that wacky formula). I saw that formula over the summer and played with the numbers a bit. It seems like 1000 points is the watermark that one is trying to hit. By the way, Thaxil, the 541 number is correct. What all you future applicants need to realize, esp. if it's not too late, is that most of the schools only really care about the numbers you put up. I can almost guarantee you that 90% of the accepteds at San Antonio got in strictly on their numbers (Formula + Interview) and only the final 10%(which I think is a conservative estimate) had their file picked through with a fine- toothed comb when decision time came around.

Are you saying that an out of state applicant needs to hit 1000? Or is that number for someone from Texas? If it is for an out of state applicant, I wish I applied there.


The formula as I used it: ((((Sci gpa*DAT AA)/30)*4) + Overall GPA) * 50 =

In a theoretical 4.00/4.00/30 situation you would get:

1. 4 x 30 = 120
2. 120/30 = 4
3. 4 x 4 = 16
4. 16 + 4 = 20
5. 20 x 50 = 1000

 

[Calculus1]

Sxr,

I'm saying that an in-state applicant needs about a 1000 pts (including the 500 interview pts). Out of state is obviously going to be a higher watermark. I was fortunate enough to be a Texas resident because they are very stingy with the out of stater acceptances.

 

[SloppyJoe]

Hard work + presevererance (sp??) + little bit of luck = acceptance

 

[Mo007]

Sxr,

I'm saying that an in-state applicant needs about a 1000 pts (including the 500 interview pts). Out of state is obviously going to be a higher watermark. I was fortunate enough to be a Texas resident because they are very stingy with the out of stater acceptances.

So, do you think the same formula is used in other state schools other than texas.

 

[Pro-Dentite]

Do you happen to know how the interview points are given? Of the 500 possible points, how many points would you expect the "average" applicant would get? Just curious. Thanks.

 

[Calculus1]

Do you happen to know how the interview points are given? Of the 500 possible points, how many points would you expect the "average" applicant would get? Just curious. Thanks.

Aha! See therein lies the rub, there's no way to tell. I have a feeling this is so they can admit people that fit into a certain quota easier. I mean seriously, to count GPA + DAT as = to Interview that's the only conclusion I can draw from it. I imagine most if not all schools have some sort of formula, but it's probably not as complex as the UT San Antonio one. But here's the deal, WORRYING ABOUT THE FORMULA IS A WASTE OF TIME. I think it's interesting because I'm already accepted and don't mind killing some time over it, but if I were still applying I would just try and do my best to make sure my grades and DATs were good. I didn't even know about the formula until after my interview(thank God) because if I did that would have put some undue pressure on it.

 

[NVDental]

I believe that UNLV's formula is [{(PAT/30) + (AA/30)} X { Sci GPA/4.0 + Overall GPA/4.0] x Interview score

 

[sxr71]

I believe that UNLV's formula is [{(PAT/30) + (AA/30)} X { Sci GPA/4.0 + Overall GPA/4.0] x Interview score

That scares me since it looks like there are doing no weighting for anything at all. In any case they have to add the interview and not multiply by the interview score.

 

[Mo007]

This so called formula (from the UTSA) gave me a score of 580 points! - how do I know if this is good or bad? It looks like I am short of 420 points from the 1000 mark, which means I better do good.. and get 84% of my interview score.

 

[gatorfan99]

That formula is a bunch of B.S.!

Here's gatorfan's guide to getting into dental school:

1. learn about the profession and see if its really what you would like to do for the REST OF YOUR LIFE
2. do well in your undergrad courses, especially those science courses (A- great, B- ok, C- dont have too many of these, D- never)
3. watch and cheer for gator basketball and football
4. take the DAT and get above a 19 or higher on all sections
5. apply EARLY, like in early August
6. apply to at least 3 schools
7. volunteer for a few hours, get a letter from the dentist
8. make sure you have an alternative plan to dentistry: grad school, job, porn star, etc


gatorfan.

 

[Calculus1]

I agree with everything that Gatorfan said except #3, esp. if you are a hogs fan. Anyway, I don't even understand why they would tell you what the formula is. It doesn't matter, because any way you slice it, you need to have what it takes to be a dentist i.e. grades, DATs, and people skills to be admitted. By the way SXR, in answer to your question, I think that your Interview pts include all the intangibles(shadowing hrs, extracirriculars, and people skills). I know dentists that have served on selection commitees and they've all told me that they really don't look at that intangible stuff unless you're on the bubble and they need to fill a few more spaces. In fact, some people that get accepted are never even brought up at the board meeting, they are just placed in a pile of accepteds. Think about it, these people are human, they don't want to sit there and go over every stupid detail of someone's file. That's why there are people that shadow 1000 hrs and still don't get in.

 

[sxr71]

^^^ I wasn't sure but I suspected as much. Who wants to sit and read a few dozen application essays every week? I think that if your numbers are high enough you just get an automatic acceptance letter unless you really said something vulgar during your interview. Very few schools seem to have a holistic approach to admissions, and I believe that UPENN is one of them.


Looking at the formula I get the impression that an out of state applicant probably needs closer to 1200 to get in (if not higher), but really I have no idea. When I calculated the formula for a theoretical 4.00 science GPA/ 4.00 overall GPA and 25 AA student the number was around 850. Only 10-15 people in the nation exceed that DAT AA every year (assuming 7000 unique test takers annually) so I took it as a practical maximum for our purposes. So in practice I'll bet that maybe one or two people in the history of the school have exceeded a 1350.

My theoretical maximum would have been around 1200 (if I got 500 on the interview), still I wonder if I had a chance. Then again, I think I missed all the deadlines for TX schools so it's a moot point. Texas is third on my list of perfect places to settle down after Florida and California.

 

[Calculus1]

Sxr, I wouldn't apply to UTSA if I were out of state. As a TX resident it was my 3rd choice of schools(I only applied to Baylor, UT Houston and UTSA). They are having a real problem with faculty shortages. Pretty much all dental schools are, but of the 3 TX schools theirs is the worst. They won't tell you that on the tour, but it's the truth. The problem is, they are now having to have people from different departments teach procedures they probably haven't done for years or since dental school. Don't get me wrong, UTSA is still a good school and I would have been just as happy to go there if it were the only school that accepted me. The thing is, if it looks like you're going to get a lot of choices and looking at the cost of applying I'd probably apply elsewhere.