Take a year off/accepted next round

[Arti Mistry]

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For those of you that have taken a year off and have been accepted the following year, what are some productive things you could suggest a dental applicant do in order to better their chances of being accepted the following year?

 

[sjv]

Working, Research, Volunteering, Shadowing, retaking classes/DAT if necessary.

 

[hitmans45]

I just worked and volunteered a lot. I also took a large chunk of the year to just study for the DAT. Instead of intense studying for 2 months, I just studied a few hours/ 5 days a week for about 6months. First time I've ever studied in such a relaxed way and it paid off. Taking a year off was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Trying to get everything ready by early June during school really was stressing me out and as soon as I made the decision to wait, it felt like all the pressure was gone. I submitted my app the first day it opened with my committee letter and DAT scores...but then came a whole different kind of stress. Make sure you make a schedule as far as DAT, personal statement, LORs, and the like. Assuming you haven't already taken the test. Best of luck.

 

[Longcatislong]

I took 3 months off of work and school to study for the DAT. The rest of the year I worked full time, in a completely unrelated field.

If you can afford it, however, I would recommend doing some traveling and volunteering. Have fun, see your friends and family often. Just don't travel during interview season, as it puts you at risk of missing important dates.