Strong ART Background a huge plus?

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DKBuono said:
Hey guys I am now a sophomore in college, and by the time I apply to dental school lets say I have average stats 3.3-3.4, 18-19 DAT, how much would a heavy background of art help in admissions? I was curious to know if it would be a great supplement to add to my application as I do life size portrait drawings and sculpting. I have a portfolio since high school that consists of many of my drawings and drawings I will want to continue to add, with regional and statewide art awards.

Lets say I get an interview, do you think it would be a good idea to bring my portfolio to show the interviewer my work? As I plan on using art as a strong basis for my personal statement etc. Thanks for our time.
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I mean, it is obviously a plus, but it won't make up for the GPA/DAT.
 
DKBuono said:
Hey guys I am now a sophomore in college, and by the time I apply to dental school lets say I have average stats 3.3-3.4, 18-19 DAT, how much would a heavy background of art help in admissions? I was curious to know if it would be a great supplement to add to my application as I do life size portrait drawings and sculpting. I have a portfolio since high school that consists of many of my drawings and drawings I will want to continue to add, with regional and statewide art awards.

Lets say I get an interview, do you think it would be a good idea to bring my portfolio to show the interviewer my work? As I plan on using art as a strong basis for my personal statement etc. Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

Bringing your art could have huge negative effects. Interviewer may see you as very arrogant.
BUT, it is definitely something to talk about at the interview.
 
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denniss1 said:
I mean, it is obviously a plus, but it won't make up for the GPA/DAT.
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I agree. As long as your DAT and GPA numbers are up to par, having a strong background in art can only help you. Definitly talk about it in your personal statement and at interviews.
 
doc3232 said:
Bringing your art could have huge negative effects. Interviewer may see you as very arrogant.
BUT, it is definitely something to talk about at the interview.
Click to expand...

I completely disagree. I wouldn't consider myself and artist by any means, but throughout high school and early college I ending up doing a lot a miniature painting for games like Warhammer. I took a few examples of things I had painted (25mm and 10mm scale miniatures) with me on interviews, and during several of them I was *asked* if I had any examples with me (as I had put it on my application).

During one of my interviews (Columbia), the interviewer was so impressed he actually got up from the table and interrupted another interview to show the other interviewer.

I definitely think taking a few choice pieces with you on interviews, and mentioning your art in your application could be a very good thing. Additionally, the best dental student I know was an artist before dental school.
 
Any time you mention something like that in your application, it will only benefit you to provide examples. I did a lot of painting before dental school, which I talked about on my application. On one of my first interviews, they asked if I had a picture of my work, and I did not. On all the later interviews I brought along photographs and they were very impressed.

I would not bring your entire portfolio, but pick your favorite and bring that one. I took pictures of my work as they were too large, so use good judgement. It is still a dental school not an art school interview, but always play up your assets.
 
doc3232 said:
Bringing your art could have huge negative effects. Interviewer may see you as very arrogant.
BUT, it is definitely something to talk about at the interview.
Click to expand...

I can't imagine it ever being at all negative. I picked up a BA in art studio (to go with my bs in bio) and it was always a huge positive in all my interviews. Most dentists consider themselves to be artistic, so they respond well to artists. If there was a downside for me it was that they might decide I wasn't fully commited to doing dentistry over art, which meant I had to back up my app with good DAT scores. In the end that wasn't a problem though, so I think my BA in art studio helped make the difference between getting rejected and accepted, if only because it helped set me apart and make me seem "balanced" as a student. Just make sure you have the classes and numbers to reassure them that you can handle all the science content of d-school.

They'll only think you're "arrogant" if you really arrogant. The art background has absolutely nothing to do with that- you can give that same negative impression talking about your research or even your GPA.
 
I would think you need more than 3-6 credits of art. From what I have herd schools do look at but not a requirement to have.
 
My girlfriend sent in four of her art pieces to the schools she applied to. She had stellar DAT with a decent GPA. Either way she was asked to interview at every school she applied to (7 schools) and was accepted at every school she interviewed at (4 schools). It's all just guess work, but she feels like the art gave her a more 'unique' edge.
 
zoom12 said:
My girlfriend sent in four of her art pieces to the schools she applied to. She had stellar DAT with a decent GPA. Either way she was asked to interview at every school she applied to (7 schools) and was accepted at every school she interviewed at (4 schools). It's all just guess work, but she feels like the art gave her a more 'unique' edge.
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Maybe her "unique edge" came from the "stellar DAT".
 
doc toothache said:
Maybe her "unique edge" came from the "stellar DAT".
Click to expand...


The stellar DAT surely helped, but interviews go alot better when you have something unique and fun to talk about, and thats where bringing in some of your own pieces helps so much. No one's saying that they'll admit a great artist with low DAT's, but its tough to set yourself apart, and the art really helps there. Besides, from what I've heard (and this is very secondhand and I don't know of there's much to back it up, but it comes from some good sources inside schools) schools are getting pickier and pickier about getting students that they know can handle the manual dexterity because that can be the hardest thing to teach when its not there to begin with. With the disappearance of the chalk test from most school's applications it can help to have something to reassure them, and the advantage of falling back on art is that you can actually show them what you mean, as opposed to just saying "I play guitar" which can mean anything from amateur to professional. Its not that art is the only, or even the best way to go to show them what you can do, but it can be really helpful.
 
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doc toothache said:
Maybe her "unique edge" came from the "stellar DAT".
Click to expand...

Quite possibly, that's why I said that it was guess work and that she felt like the art helped her. It's hard to concretely say exactly what an adcom is looking for.
 
being an under-represented sex or minority helps too...
i knew 3 females and a minority guy from my undergrad school that got in last year that had lower gpa's, dat's, and far less volunteer time than i did, being a white male. while we all applied to the same school and had great interviews. but i got in this year...i just got stuck feeling sorry for himself last year. lol im a product of un-affirmative action!............................sux :(
 
armorshell said:
I completely disagree. I wouldn't consider myself and artist by any means, but throughout high school and early college I ending up doing a lot a miniature painting for games like Warhammer. I took a few examples of things I had painted (25mm and 10mm scale miniatures) with me on interviews, and during several of them I was *asked* if I had any examples with me (as I had put it on my application).

During one of my interviews (Columbia), the interviewer was so impressed he actually got up from the table and interrupted another interview to show the other interviewer.

I definitely think taking a few choice pieces with you on interviews, and mentioning your art in your application could be a very good thing. Additionally, the best dental student I know was an artist before dental school.
Click to expand...

Off Topic: Wow, that would really suck have your interview interrupted by another person's interviewer like that. Haha I would feel so inferior :(. Good job though!

On Topic: I think bringing a portfolio is a very good thing. It adds diversity and makes you more rounded, IDK if it will make up for any type of stat deficit, but it is a nice positive and unique aspect to your application.
 
Taking props makes you more look more like a brown noser than a d-bag. This is actually good, because its the brown nosers that will excel in dental school
 
:idea:

this thread is about as productive as a day in dental school.

brown nosers get better grades. it's a fact of life. just don't be a d-bag as previously suggested and you'll get grades that are better than you deserve.
 
SaxyDucky said:
:idea:

this thread is about as productive as a day in dental school.

brown nosers get better grades. it's a fact of life. just don't be a d-bag as previously suggested and you'll get grades that are better than you deserve.
Click to expand...

sorry for confusing you, thebozz and I mutually agreed that our posts were unproductive and there is no delete function.
 
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