Should I apply once again?

[coffinhaed]

I Took the DAT for the second time in October last year, applied to two schools in November. I did not even recieve any interviews. My cGPA is 3.47 and sGPA is 3.1 and decent ECs. This will be my third time applying.

DAT 2:
PA 20
QR 16
RC 18
BIO 17
GC 20
OC 19
TS 18
AA 18

DAT 1:

PA 19
QR 15
RC 17
BIO 19
GC 18
OC 17
TS 18
AA 17

Do you guys think I have a chance if I apply earlier this cycle?? or should I retake DAT one more time and wait till next year? If I apply, I will be applying to about 10+ schools this cycle.

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[premac]

I Took the DAT for the second time in October last year, applied to two schools in November. I did not even recieve any interviews. My cGPA is 3.47 and sGPA is 3.1 and decent ECs. This will be my third time applying.

DAT 2:
PA 20
QR 16
RC 18
BIO 17
GC 20
OC 19
TS 18
AA 18

DAT 1:

PA 19
QR 15
RC 17
BIO 19
GC 18
OC 17
TS 18
AA 17

Do you guys think I have a chance if I apply earlier this cycle?? or should I retake DAT one more time and wait till next year? If I apply, I will be applying to about 10+ schools this cycle.

If I were you, I would study hard until August, take the DAT, then apply this cycle.
Also, applying to 2 schools with those low stats is EXTREMELY risky. Apply to more schools next time.

 

[ajhalls3]

Your scores are decent and certainly people do get into school with scores like that. Your scores aren't a huge improvement over the first time and in order to be particularly competitive you should already have had your application turned in, not considering retaking it now and submitting in August / September. If the situation were in a vacuum and not influenced by things like delaying your life another year... I would say study hard for 3-4 months, get the score you need in Oct and have all your LoR, personal statement ready to go on the first day of next year for the "best" chances.

Your RC Score would be the one that would be most important to the Admissions office to improve IMO. There is a ton of reading in school and you need to show you can keep up.

That being said, there are new schools opening every year and usually the requirements are lower the first year or two at each school as they are out looking for the inaugural class to pave the way.

PS, I applied to 15 schools, had interviews at 3 and accepted into 1. Go the distance and apply to more schools.

 

[Member 8586]

Your scores are decent and certainly people do get into school with scores like that. Your scores aren't a huge improvement over the first time and in order to be particularly competitive you should already have had your application turned in, not considering retaking it now and submitting in August / September. If the situation were in a vacuum and not influenced by things like delaying your life another year... I would say study hard for 3-4 months, get the score you need in Oct and have all your LoR, personal statement ready to go on the first day of next year for the "best" chances.

Your RC Score would be the one that would be most important to the Admissions office to improve IMO. There is a ton of reading in school and you need to show you can keep up.

That being said, there are new schools opening every year and usually the requirements are lower the first year or two at each school as they are out looking for the inaugural class to pave the way.

PS, I applied to 15 schools, had interviews at 3 and accepted into 1. Go the distance and apply to more schools.

do you know what new schools are opening up this cycle and if we can apply to them on the ADEA site?

 

[SN1]

I Took the DAT for the second time in October last year, applied to two schools in November. I did not even recieve any interviews. My cGPA is 3.47 and sGPA is 3.1 and decent ECs. This will be my third time applying.

DAT 2:
PA 20
QR 16
RC 18
BIO 17
GC 20
OC 19
TS 18
AA 18

DAT 1:

PA 19
QR 15
RC 17
BIO 19
GC 18
OC 17
TS 18
AA 17

Do you guys think I have a chance if I apply earlier this cycle?? or should I retake DAT one more time and wait till next year? If I apply, I will be applying to about 10+ schools this cycle.

Apply to like 15+ schools and you should get some interviews.

 

[ajhalls3]

do you know what new schools are opening up this cycle and if we can apply to them on the ADEA site?

http://www.asdablog.com/asda-welcomes-3-new-u-s-dental-schools/

 

[coffinhaed]

We do not have a state school here so I am kinda screwed on that end. The reason I only applied to two schools is because I was broke as a joke at the time. Since then I got a job, started saving up and helping out my family. I am not working in a dental related field atm, I work in a Quality Assurance Lab, I hope it doesnt make adcoms think I am losing interest in the field?

The reason I cant take the DAT in August/Sept. is because I will be working full time and usually over time so studying would be a pain in the ass. and I have heard some schools only look at your first 3 scores so I cant screw this one up.

I was also thinking about moving to texas for a year and applying as a texas resident next cycle. they have 3 schools that take in-state students over out of state. If I move to texas I will have to get a job to establish residency, not sure what I can do that would be considered dental related. I am not an assistant or a hygienist.

Cant decide if I should shell out $2000 this cycle, or wait another year (hopefully do good on the DAT) and apply next cycle to all these schools and apply in state at texas.

 

[coffinhaed]

Your scores are decent and certainly people do get into school with scores like that. Your scores aren't a huge improvement over the first time and in order to be particularly competitive you should already have had your application turned in, not considering retaking it now and submitting in August / September. If the situation were in a vacuum and not influenced by things like delaying your life another year... I would say study hard for 3-4 months, get the score you need in Oct and have all your LoR, personal statement ready to go on the first day of next year for the "best" chances.

Your RC Score would be the one that would be most important to the Admissions office to improve IMO. There is a ton of reading in school and you need to show you can keep up.

That being said, there are new schools opening every year and usually the requirements are lower the first year or two at each school as they are out looking for the inaugural class to pave the way.

PS, I applied to 15 schools, had interviews at 3 and accepted into 1. Go the distance and apply to more schools.

Have to ask! Are you AJ halls from ***********s? I think I met you at sim course at Midwestern last year.

The only two schools that I applied to last year were MWU and ATSU here in Arizona. I really don't want to move, but I guess I have no other choice anymore. I would love to go MWU, its right down the street. When I finished the DAT up last year with RC of 18, I knew midwestern was outa the picture.


I heard ATSU is starting a dental program in Missouri this year?

 

[Member 8586]

http://www.asdablog.com/asda-welcomes-3-new-u-s-dental-schools/

thanks...are there numbers/stats for any of those schools anywhere being that they seemed to have opened last year? are there any new ones opening up 2012 or 2013 cycle ?

 

[clcrdh08]

Never give up, you will get in! Find out from schools what you need to improve on.

 

[ajhalls3]

Have to ask! Are you AJ halls from ***********s? I think I met you at sim course at Midwestern last year.

The only two schools that I applied to last year were MWU and ATSU here in Arizona. I really don't want to move, but I guess I have no other choice anymore. I would love to go MWU, its right down the street. When I finished the DAT up last year with RC of 18, I knew midwestern was outa the picture.


I heard ATSU is starting a dental program in Missouri this year?

I am that same Ajhalls The Midwestern sim course is a great experience for those who can afford it. I have seen people come from all over the world to attend. I know Dr. Polk there strongly believes in a strong RC score, but not all schools are the same. I also know the requirements for gaining an interview at MWU has been upgraded in recent years, I personally wouldn't have been granted an interview the year after I was accepted with the DAT scores I got (would have missed it by a point). I don't doubt ATSU is opening other schools. I also applied there as I lived just down the street from there myself. I am grateful for the opportunity I did get to attend MWU instead though.

 

[mohammed1]

I got a question, I have a gpa 3.01, and 16 on my DAT. Do you think if I have a killer application, and have a lot of volunteer work, would I be at least considered from some school that might have a min of 16 on DAT?

 

[theleatherwalle]

Are you a URM or somewhat disadvantaged?

If the answer is yes...meharry and that other school

if the answer is no....You have two choices.

1: Bump up the DAT to a 21+

2: Bump up the GPA to a near 4.0....

I always use a sliding scale to

GPA DAT
3.9+ 17
3.7 18
3.5 19
3.3 20
3.1 21+

When you go below these ranges it becomes much more difficult to get in. Also you want to stay near the median. if you are in the 3.3-3.7 range you are fine, but when you start going to extremes people begin to wonder why one score is much higher than the other. It is much easier to explain away a poor GPA than a poor DAT. My suggestion is to study insanely hard for the DAT

 

[coffinhaed]

That sim course was really fun, I actually started working in a lab at a denturist after that.

I think I will apply this year as well, if it doesnt work out I will just save up take the DAT again. The only thing I am worried about is applying with the same scores to Midwestern and ATSU. Plus other than being a part of ASDA at MWU and working full time (not in the field), I dont have much improvement on my application. Should I just forget about these two and apply here next year?

http://www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/aadsas/Applicants/Pages/What'sNewofADEAAADSAS.aspx

There is the list of new schools AADSAS will let you apply to this year.

Never give up, you will get in! Find out from schools what you need to improve on.

I really hope so! Thanks.

 

[coffinhaed]

Are you a URM or somewhat disadvantaged?

If the answer is yes...meharry and that other school

if the answer is no....You have two choices.

1: Bump up the DAT to a 21+

2: Bump up the GPA to a near 4.0....

I always use a sliding scale to

GPA DAT
3.9+ 17
3.7 18
3.5 19
3.3 20
3.1 21+

When you go below these ranges it becomes much more difficult to get in. Also you want to stay near the median. if you are in the 3.3-3.7 range you are fine, but when you start going to extremes people begin to wonder why one score is much higher than the other. It is much easier to explain away a poor GPA than a poor DAT. My suggestion is to study insanely hard for the DAT

I am from Pakistan, not sure if that is gonna help with applying to Meharry or (im guessing) Howard?

 

[clcrdh08]

Meharry is taking 17's across the board.

 

[coffinhaed]

Meharry is taking 17's across the board.

I don't meet their pre reqs. They require Biochem with Lab, and Calculus or statistics. I took Biochem (w/o lab) and Biometry (statistics). Had i known I wouldn't get in anywhere around here, I would have definitely taken it.

I heard acceptance chance for people from Pakistani, indian, or asian is worse than Caucasians?

Not sure if I qualify as a URM.