Seeking advice - applying this June

[dymm]

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Hello all.
I have been lurking around on SDN ever since I started studying for the DAT, but never posted anything. Anyways, I am seeking some realistic advice on what I should be doing between now and June, 4th AADSAS application date. Any input on things I could be doing after I apply, and any advice/thoughts on the interviews/chances of matriculation would be greatly appreciated, especially if it is from Dental School students.

Okay, I will try to make my background info as concise as I can...

As a BIO major, I got a -- sci/oGPA mainly due to a bad freshman year, but I have shown an upward trend in my grades since then (getting 3.5++GPAs during my last two years of undergrad). I am currently enrolled in my 2nd quarter of formal post-bacc program, and have -- GPA taking 3-4 upper division science courses each quarter (only taking 3 classes this qtr, because I want to focus on the application). My DAT scores are --.

As for the ECs, I volunteered for 3 months (~40hrs week) at a general dentist's clinic during the summer after my junior year. I've also been volunteering at another clinic since Jan. 2012 averaging about 6-9 hrs a week. I also got my dental radio-graph license recently. But that's about IT! I don't have any other interesting ECs. I am not involved in clubs, research and things of that nature, because honestly I don't have the time to do non-school/dental related stuff 🙁, especially with me trying to do well on my classes b/c of my low GPA situation.

I will be getting pretty solid LORs from my 2 bio teachers, and one from the dentist who is giving me the opportunity to volunteer right now.

I am still in the process of finishing my PS, which is very intimidating to me since I am not a great writer and English is my second language.

Whew! That was long, but thanks in advance for reading through my "life story" 😛
I am not confident about my low undergrad GPA, and my lack of "well-rounded-ness" with regards to ECs. Also, I am really dreading the subjective nature of upcoming application procedures such as essays and interviews if I can get any.
Please let me know what you think. I greatly appreciate your input, thoughts, or advice.

 

[Davermz450]

Any manual dexterity related things you do as a hobby? Those are a plus!

 

[dymm]

Any manual dexterity related things you do as a hobby? Those are a plus!

I had an art teacher for about 3-4 years when I was still living in my native country, but I'd be lying to you if I told you that I still draw a lot till this day. That is not to say that I can't draw anymore, but yea 😎...

 

[sacapuntas]

Our numbers are very similar, down to the post-bacc and DAT scores (with a small diff in our sGPA as I wasn't a bio major so I could bring this up pretty quickly). I really don't know what to expect, but I have a good feeling for both of us👍.

 

[arash2012]

hey you know how you said you didn't do well in your freshman year and that is the reason why your cGPA AND sGPA is 3.1 which pretty low for DS but your performance in your last 2 years and your masters is pretty competitive so do you know if the dental schools really just focus on looking at your cGPA and sGPA and DAT scores or do they really look at your transcript and the trend of major improvement throughout your undergrad years to your master's. (because I am in a similar situation but even worse I did horrible my first 2 years so bringing up my cGPA and sGPA is even harder).

And for your forum 2 of my friends got accepted to dental schools last year and they said how they did a volunteer job in ISL in Tanzania Africa and worked with dentists there and they said that helped them stand out greatly during the interview.

 

[dymm]

Our numbers are very similar, down to the post-bacc and DAT scores (with a small diff in our sGPA as I wasn't a bio major so I could bring this up pretty quickly). I really don't know what to expect, but I have a good feeling for both of us👍.

Good to hear some words of reassurance from someone in a similar situation. I don't know what to expect either, and I feel like I'm just sitting around waiting (while taking classes and volunteering, of course) as opposed to putting my best effort into things that will directly affect the matriculation process (e.g. studying hard for the DATs). I guess I'm just being impatient... I just want to fast forward time and learn about dentistry already😱

 

[dymm]

hey you know how you said you didn't do well in your freshman year and that is the reason why your cGPA AND sGPA is 3.1 which pretty low for DS but your performance in your last 2 years and your masters is pretty competitive so do you know if the dental schools really just focus on looking at your cGPA and sGPA and DAT scores or do they really look at your transcript and the trend of major improvement throughout your undergrad years to your master's. (because I am in a similar situation but even worse I did horrible my first 2 years so bringing up my cGPA and sGPA is even harder).

And for your forum 2 of my friends got accepted to dental schools last year and they said how they did a volunteer job in ISL in Tanzania Africa and worked with dentists there and they said that helped them stand out greatly during the interview.

Well there is no clear cut answers to your questions, imo. From what I have learned from admissions people from various schools that came to our program to talk about that kinda stuff is that they look at the whole application, and the person as a whole. They also look at upward trends. I also remember some adcoms saying how you should address the circumstances/reasons for doing bad academically in personal statements.

As for your suggestion, I really should have done something like that last summer, but I decided to go back to my birthplace for a month and decided to study for the DATs after. I guess I'll just have to find something meaningful to do this summer.

 

[doc toothache]

After roughly 5 years in college, it is hard to use the excuse of English as a second language.

 

[dymm]

After roughly 5 years in college, it is hard to use the excuse of English as a second language.

I did not intend to use that as an excuse in the first place, but still.. thank you for your advice doc 👍. Please feel free to kindly provide me with any other advice you may have, since you have gone through the whole process yourself.

P.S. I just saw your post about personal statements. I don't know if I should send you my essay though... my life is sooo hard it might make you shed a tear or two, and I'm not sure if I want to put you through that unfortunate experience... 😍