Should I do a masters or take a few science course ?

[modernfam]

So this is my 2nd cycle and I got waitlisted again. I have a 3.5/3.29 sgpa and took the dat 3x
1st: 17AA, 18 TS, 18 pat
2nd: 19 AA,19 TS,19 pat
3rd: 19 AA, 18 TS, 21 pat
I have been working as a da for the last year and before that a sterilization tech. I got 2 interviews last cycle and 3 this cycle but clearly struggling to get over the hurdle of acceptance. Would you recommend a masters or continue to just focus on dental experience?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ryxndek]

I think the hard part is that there isn’t much improvement on your DAT score, even after 3 attempts. I think maybe a masters or SMP could possibly get you over the hump. However even with 2-3 interviews did you feel that they went well? Usually once you get an interview your stats are set aside and it’s your interview skills that kinda push it over the edge. What kind of practice did you do for the interviews?

What schools waitlisted you this cycle?

 

[OncePreDent]

I don't think taking a few sciences classes will do too much for your gpa; if you really want to gain an acceptance look into Master/Post-bacc programs. These programs would significantly increase your chances of gaining an acceptance at the school you do the master's through. Have you contacted the schools you were declined from last year about ways to improve your application? What schools are you currently waitlisted at? I know plenty of people that took them +3 cycles to get their first interview (they had much lower stats than you), but they also did a master's to gain an interview & acceptance. Overall, you should start looking for a post-bacc/master's program, and if you get accepted off the waitlist this year, then that's perfect. I have a few acceptances (still not sure what school I am going to choose), but the waitlist will be moving on all schools for the next couple of months because of people like me who have a hard time deciding, haha.

I talked about a few programs here:

Should I do a post-bacc? Need advice applying after graduating at 2020

Hello all! I need help with my direction of where I should go. I got my B.S. of Biology in 2020 and since then I've been working mostly. My GPA was 3.1 scientific, 3.2 overall. I was in the pre-dental clubs, did volunteering, shadowing, was a peer mentor, did research in undergrad. But since I...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[modernfam]

I think the hard part is that there isn’t much improvement on your DAT score, even after 3 attempts. I think maybe a masters or SMP could possibly get you over the hump. However even with 2-3 interviews did you feel that they went well? Usually once you get an interview your stats are set aside and it’s your interview skills that kinda push it over the edge. What kind of practice did you do for the interviews?

What schools waitlisted you this cycle?

I honestly thought the interviews went well. Especially at my in-state school.

 

[modernfam]

I don't think taking a few sciences classes will do too much for your gpa; if you really want to gain an acceptance look into Master/Post-bacc programs. These programs would significantly increase your chances of gaining an acceptance at the school you do the master's through. Have you contacted the schools you were declined from last year about ways to improve your application? What schools are you currently waitlisted at? I know plenty of people that took them +3 cycles to get their first interview (they had much lower stats than you), but they also did a master's to gain an interview & acceptance. Overall, you should start looking for a post-bacc/master's program, and if you get accepted off the waitlist this year, then that's perfect. I have a few acceptances (still not sure what school I am going to choose), but the waitlist will be moving on all schools for the next couple of months because of people like me who have a hard time deciding, haha.

I talked about a few programs here:

Should I do a post-bacc? Need advice applying after graduating at 2020

Hello all! I need help with my direction of where I should go. I got my B.S. of Biology in 2020 and since then I've been working mostly. My GPA was 3.1 scientific, 3.2 overall. I was in the pre-dental clubs, did volunteering, shadowing, was a peer mentor, did research in undergrad. But since I...

forums.studentdoctor.net

I contacted schools last cycle and many just said to take some higher level science courses or retake the dat which i did. I got waitlisted at Nova, ASDOH, and Indiana.

 

[OncePreDent]

I contacted schools last cycle and many just said to take some higher level science courses or retake the dat which i did. I got waitlisted at Nova, ASDOH, and Indiana.

Did you interview pre-december, also ASDOH's waitlist moves quite a bit (I've been waitlisted at both ASDOH & Indiana as well). There are a few people that I know who were interviewed in January that have been rejected from ASDOH. You probably don't need to take a master's, but if you don't get in it this cycle, it would be a sure way of getting an acceptance (as long as you perform & choose the right program). Honestly, there is still plenty of time to get off the waitlist, they will be moving over the next couple of months. If you are considering a master's, it doesn't hurt to apply to a few that you would be interested in. They don't start until the summer/fall so you might as well apply. But I would interview the programs first, and ask them with your stats do you think you would have a good shot of getting in or find a program w/a guaranteed acceptance.

 

[modernfam]

Did you interview pre-december, also ASDOH's waitlist moves quite a bit (I've been waitlisted at both ASDOH & Indiana as well). There are a few people that I know who were interviewed in January that have been rejected from ASDOH. You probably don't need to take a master's, but if you don't get in it this cycle, it would be a sure way of getting an acceptance (as long as you perform & choose the right program). Honestly, there is still plenty of time to get off the waitlist, they will be moving over the next couple of months. If you are considering a master's, it doesn't hurt to apply to a few that you would be interested in. They don't start until the summer/fall so you might as well apply. But I would interview the programs first, and ask them with your stats do you think you would have a good shot of getting in or find a program w/a guaranteed acceptance.

They were all pre-Dec interviews

 

[Mr.Smile12]

OP: when you said waitlisted "again"... were the 3 schools you were WL'ed this year the same as in your first cycle?

Yes, you have baked yourself with the 3 DAT scores since they aren't too much different from each other so I am hesitant to have you take a 4th time. If you don't get in, a Master's in Oral Biology/SMP might be helpful, and your 3.2 sGPA makes you a good candidate. But you have 5 total interviews with no acceptances yet, so I would do my homework now to choose a program. You can always be pulled from the waitlist up until a school's matriculation date (or even by the week after), but you should have a plan in place and be ready to go.

 

[modernfam]

OP: when you said waitlisted "again"... were the 3 schools you were WL'ed this year the same as in your first cycle?

Yes, you have baked yourself with the 3 DAT scores since they aren't too much different from each other so I am hesitant to have you take a 4th time. If you don't get in, a Master's in Oral Biology/SMP might be helpful, and your 3.2 sGPA makes you a good candidate. But you have 5 total interviews with no acceptances yet, so I would do my homework now to choose a program. You can always be pulled from the waitlist up until a school's matriculation date (or even by the week after), but you should have a plan in place and be ready to go.

So I was waitlisted from nova last year but Indiana and ASDOH were additional schools I applied to this year

 

[doc toothache]

Alternatively, if you again fail to obtain an admission, you could ask the schools in question about how you could improve your application. With the batting average you have so far, the metrics, while possible, do not appear to have been the major factor in the results.