Stuck in the grey area in between cycles, help needed!!

[N24601]

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So my stat is 3.5 GPA 3.52 sGPA
AA: 20
PAT: 22
QR: 20
RC: 21
BIO: 18
CM: 20
OC: 20
TS: 19

I applied last year and got waitlisted to three schools. I applied around mid or late Aug, so it was kinda late, but not horribly late. My questions is being that the next cycle is starting just around the corner, what should I do? I kinda hope I can get a better DAT score, but that means i'll sacrifice my chances of early application. Can I applu with my score now, and retake it later to see if I do better or should i just forget about my score now and focus on the new one? If i do take it again, it wont be until 1-2 months later. So beginning of Aug again.

 

[ILLchief]

Do not retake your DAT... Your stats are not the problem. Your interviewing skills are the problem hence why you were waitlisted at 3 schools. Work on that and apply early

 

[jeffity]

I agree with no retake. Not now. Have you done anything to your app since last cycle?

 

[N24601]

Other than recieving a BS degree for my undergrad, I didn't do much to my app. I understand that my application is very avg though, I don't think I have a competitive edge comparing to the other students. Also I am an asian male, so that kinda puts a higher standard against my odds.

 

[N24601]

Also which schools do you guys recommend applying? I am deffinitely going to try for tufts and USC again. Thinking about adding Midwestern AZ on the list, and some other east coast schools. I am shooting for OHSU of OR and probably just going to apply to UW again as a long-shot. Any other schools I should take in consideration with my stats? (I tried lousiville and they straightup rejected me, so I am kinda unsure about that school now)

 

[predentalhopeful2015]

How did your interviews go? Do you remember anything you had a hard time with or that didn't come naturally?

I think you could take a number of schools into consideration with your stats. You should look over the ADEA Guide to see which schools fit and you're interested in.

 

[N24601]

I was quite nervous for my interviews. I was hard to hold my excitement and nervousness during it, so I think there are deffinitly improvements I can work on. I just didn't think that it would be a serious enough problem for them not to accept me. Maybe I am wrong though.

 

[predentalhopeful2015]

Well if nerves were your problem, set up as many mock interviews as possible with dentists/professors/dental students/etc you know and tell them to be hard on you and give constructive feedback. Also look at the interview feedback section of SDN. Not sure where else one could get interview practice...maybe another poster will have better ideas.

I do agree with the previous posters that it looks like you were weak in your interviews from the information you shared. GPAs look okay, DAT looks okay, and I saw in another thread you started that ECs look okay.

 

[dentalWorks]

So my stat is 3.5 GPA 3.52 sGPA
AA: 20
PAT: 22
QR: 20
RC: 21
BIO: 18
CM: 20
OC: 20
TS: 19

I applied last year and got waitlisted to three schools. I applied around mid or late Aug, so it was kinda late, but not horribly late. My questions is being that the next cycle is starting just around the corner, what should I do? I kinda hope I can get a better DAT score, but that means i'll sacrifice my chances of early application. Can I applu with my score now, and retake it later to see if I do better or should i just forget about my score now and focus on the new one? If i do take it again, it wont be until 1-2 months later. So beginning of Aug again.

Don't retake the DAT. You got waitlisted to 3 schools... how many total schools did you apply to?
This next cycle, you should aim at 15+ schools

 

[N24601]

I applied to 12 schools. I will deffinitely apply to more this cycle.
Thank you for your feedbacks, I will work on my interviewing skills.

 

[N24601]

I was quite nervous for my interviews. I was hard to hold my excitement and nervousness during it, so I think there are deffinitly improvements I can work on. I just didn't think that it would be a serious enough problem for them not to accept me. Maybe I am wrong though