Talking to ADCOM members

[Mumbo4567]

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I've been a lurker on this site for some time and finally decided to post something and if anyone can relate or give their advice it'd mean a lot to me.

So I had a quick "advising appointment" with a person on the admissions committee of a dental school and .... it didn't exactly go how I expected it to. The person, although they gave me a little bit of advice, was what I'd call "brash" and seemed more annoyed and frustrated than anything about the whole appointment. I'm not sure if the person just had a bad day or they do this on purpose to see if I could handle it without getting angry... but it kind of turned me off from the school and I'm not sure if I'll be applying there because this person was rude and carried over to being unprofessional. This isn't me whining about someone and how I can't take constructive criticism... they were straight-out rude. I legitimately went into it with the hopes that they would offer me some advice on say "oh I see this area of your application needs more work or attention" but it started to seem like it was turning into a "yeah I don't know what you're thinking, but you'll never be a dentist and certainly not here" type of deal. Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? Am I taking it too personally and it's something I should expect from someone on an admission committee?

 

[Hawkteeth]

Well what does your application look like and what school was it? Maybe they were giving it to you straight up. Either way, it is one person in the school and may not be representative of the rest of the faculty. I would still apply and if you get an interview, it would give you a better idea about the school.

 

[UCSFx2017]

What are your numbers? And no I don't want your phone number.

Please don't tell us what school it was. It's too easy to figure out who exactly it is if you give the school name. Please don't.

 

[Hawkteeth]

I wasn't looking for any specific answers I was just saying maybe the stats weren't on par with the particular school.

 

[acoburn73]

I wasn't looking for any specific answers I was just saying maybe the stats weren't on par with the particular school.

Regardless, if this person really experienced this arrogance and condescending attitude from an ADCOM member, it would still be out of line. They should respect all applicants, not just the golden children of GPAs and DAT scores.

 

[JAWSSS]

Or maybe they were TOO "on par".... and the ADCOM was thinking to themselves, "Why do I have to talk to this overzealous applicant in the middle of trying to finalize our c/o 2017 roster, and graduation planning, and exam prep, and etc etc etc."

Because that is what I would be thinking.

 

[Glimmer1991]

If you have good stats and activities, I've always had the sneaking suspicion that these sorts of meetings could be an annoyance. It may seem like you're looking for compliments or something. On the other hand, though, it's a way to get your foot in the door and maybe the school would like to know that you're interested. Thoughts? I'm torn on meetings like this, but I've been told I should set some up with my top schools.

OP, I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Better you found out sooner than later about the school, but then again, you may have just gotten a dud. It still stinks either way.

 

[doc toothache]

So I had a quick "advising appointment" with a person on the admissions committee of a dental school and .... it didn't exactly go how I expected it to. The person, although they gave me a little bit of advice, was what I'd call "brash" and seemed more annoyed and frustrated than anything about the whole appointment. I'm not sure if the person just had a bad day or they do this on purpose to see if I could handle it without getting angry... but it kind of turned me off from the school and I'm not sure if I'll be applying there because this person was rude and carried over to being unprofessional. This isn't me whining about someone and how I can't take constructive criticism... they were straight-out rude. I legitimately went into it with the hopes that they would offer me some advice on say "oh I see this area of your application needs more work or attention" but it started to seem like it was turning into a "yeah I don't know what you're thinking, but you'll never be a dentist and certainly not here" type of deal. Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? Am I taking it too personally and it's something I should expect from someone on an admission committee?

Sounds like you were the one who had "a bad day". You think that if you do not apply to that particular school it is going to be their loss? He/she appears not have been impressed with your offer.

 

[LaughingGas]

OP I had similar situation. Regardless, it's just 1 person. Mine wasn't even an adcom. The person was just an admissions advisor. You shouldn't judge a school based on only 1 member. I know that feeling, but, forget about it and move on 🙂

 

[acoburn73]

Sounds like you were the one who had "a bad day". You think that if you do not apply to that particular school it is going to be their loss? He/she appears not have been impressed with your offer.

And this is justification for the person representing the school behaving like an a**hat? I'm sure it's possible that the OP may be telling us only one side of the story, but out of respect for them, I will allow them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they're not embellishing. If they were, wouldn't you think they'd spill the beans on who it was and what school, simply out of spite?

Bottom line, it is assumed that the school representative obtained and keeps their employment because they behave as a professional, even in the face of someone they may deem "beneath" their typical school applicant.

And doc, as much as I appreciate your spreadsheets posted to assist those of us applying, your comments and "advice" in threads are regularly antagonistic and typically pompous in tone. But hey, maybe you're just having a bad day.

 

[lr2014]

I've been a lurker on this site for some time and finally decided to post something and if anyone can relate or give their advice it'd mean a lot to me.

So I had a quick "advising appointment" with a person on the admissions committee of a dental school and .... it didn't exactly go how I expected it to. The person, although they gave me a little bit of advice, was what I'd call "brash" and seemed more annoyed and frustrated than anything about the whole appointment. I'm not sure if the person just had a bad day or they do this on purpose to see if I could handle it without getting angry... but it kind of turned me off from the school and I'm not sure if I'll be applying there because this person was rude and carried over to being unprofessional. This isn't me whining about someone and how I can't take constructive criticism... they were straight-out rude. I legitimately went into it with the hopes that they would offer me some advice on say "oh I see this area of your application needs more work or attention" but it started to seem like it was turning into a "yeah I don't know what you're thinking, but you'll never be a dentist and certainly not here" type of deal. Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? Am I taking it too personally and it's something I should expect from someone on an admission committee?

THIS right here was me one week ago, I felt EXACTLY the same, I was even thinking about not applying to the school, I don't know if I am not going to but they way the advisor talked to me totally made me rethink I am not the applicant they are looking for.

 

[Mumbo4567]

Well what does your application look like and what school was it? Maybe they were giving it to you straight up. Either way, it is one person in the school and may not be representative of the rest of the faculty. I would still apply and if you get an interview, it would give you a better idea about the school.

I don't want to give my numbers directly to keep anonymity but I'll give the generalization that both my GPA and DAT are considered average -- not amazing, not low. The rest of my app should be ok too, nothing I can see that would be any red flag or something of the sort. I can't give the school name either, and I know you didn't mean that directly, but it's not my purpose to bash a school and maybe help form others' opinions for something I alone encountered.

My purpose in starting this thread was really to see if anyone else had experienced something like this but also if it's something I should expect. I just can't wrap my head around it's something I should expect though... like I said, maybe this person was just having a bad day and took it out on me.

I received a rejection letter from this school just recently and it says RIGHT in the letter to contact the school on how to become a stronger applicant if I wish to do so. It's not as if I'm trolling all the schools and calling them up when they're finalizing their head count. There's another part to this as well that was really unprofessional in setting up the meeting, but I don't want to go into it because someone might know what school I'm taking about, and again, I'm not trying to bash this school as it's somewhere I'd like to attend.

I was just left more confused than anything else and I'm trying not to let this one instance form my overall opinion on the school but I'm finding that's kind of hard to do now. I mean, if it was SUCH a huge hassle for them to speak to me and I was SO below their typical student... why would they put that in their rejection letter right out to contact them about it? I've received another rejection letter and it stated nothing at all about contacting them. I have average stats, and for this school, I am a little below their 'average' but certainly not by much at all. Regardless... they should treat any student with respect - whether someone has a 4.0 or a 3.0 - really has nothing to do with how you should address them. I spoke to this person with nothing but respect... there were multiple times throughout our conversation that I could have very easily gotten snotty or rude back to them, but didn't simply because that's not the type of person I am.

 

[Mumbo4567]

Sounds like you were the one who had "a bad day". You think that if you do not apply to that particular school it is going to be their loss? He/she appears not have been impressed with your offer.

You saying this like you're something really gets on my nerves. I know this particular school couldn't care less if I am in their class or not.. just like the next person. Stats are all that matters to them it seems and nothing else, which they have the right to do. But for you to make a statement that I was the person having a bad day when I was the one with an optimistic attitude and respectful sense of wanting advice... is really... sad of you to say.

Like aco has said, I appreciate your excel sheets but I think you need to stick to those.

 

[Mumbo4567]

THIS right here was me one week ago, I felt EXACTLY the same, I was even thinking about not applying to the school, I don't know if I am not going to but they way the advisor talked to me totally made me rethink I am not the applicant they are looking for.

Yeah, I'm starting to think that maybe it's a way to tell me without directly saying it that they're not interested in me and will probably never be. What a shame. 🙁

I haven't made my mind up if I'm going to apply there again or not...

 

[Mumbo4567]

And this is justification for the person representing the school behaving like an a**hat? I'm sure it's possible that the OP may be telling us only one side of the story, but out of respect for them, I will allow them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they're not embellishing. If they were, wouldn't you think they'd spill the beans on who it was and what school, simply out of spite?

Bottom line, it is assumed that the school representative obtained and keeps their employment because they behave as a professional, even in the face of someone they may deem "beneath" their typical school applicant.

And doc, as much as I appreciate your spreadsheets posted to assist those of us applying, your comments and "advice" in threads are regularly antagonistic and typically pompous in tone. But hey, maybe you're just having a bad day.

Thanks for giving me the benefit of doubt. OF COURSE what I'm saying is only one side of the story, but I really don't think I'm embellishing anything. I'm old enough to know when someone's mistreating me and I certainly didn't deserve it. I expected for them to pick on points of my application... after all that was the purpose of the appointment... but that's not what I was talking about here. The person DID give me a little bit of advice on what I can do better and I thanked them for that, but I'm not an idiot in realizing helping me didn't seem to be the "adviser's" objective.

 

[Glimmer1991]

I doubt it was anything you did, Mumbo, unlike what Doc said. I have had many encounters with rude professors and faculty, including an instance that occurred today. Don't let it get to you.

 

[Davermz450]

Hey don't worry! I had a very similar situation. I have to do 3 interviews for my committee process 2 of which were with dentsit and they went excellentt! The other interview was with a PhD d bag and it went terrible I mean terrible. Point being this whole process to become a dentist is tough and some people are going to doubt you the whole time. Screw that adcoms d bag try to not let it get to you!

 

[sparky450r]

.

 

[Cello]

Sounds like you were the one who had "a bad day". You think that if you do not apply to that particular school it is going to be their loss? He/she appears not have been impressed with your offer.

And I think we know who the adcom was now! 😀

 

[doc toothache]

Kind of like Ragady Anne and Scarecrow showing up at the Ball and expecting-no, demanding-to be treated like Cinderella and Prince Charming.

 

[Hawkteeth]

Kind of like Ragady Anne and Scarecrow showing up at the Ball and expecting-no, demanding-to be treated like Cinderella and Prince Charming.

When did Ragady Anne dump Ragady Andy?

 

[Teeths]

I've been through something similar and I just shrugged it off at the end of the day. Maybe you're not someone they're looking for but so what? There's plenty of other dental schools 😛

 

[jmorgan28]

When did Ragady Anne dump Ragady Andy?

haha!👍

 

[Toofly01]

When did Ragady Anne dump Ragady Andy?

I'm sorry, this literally made me lol. 😀

OP, even at interviews you encounter profs and adcoms who are less than friendly (okay, even downright rude). Honestly, in the moment just maintain your composure and try to get through the meeting (which I'm sure you did). Afterwards, it's totally fine to reflect and/or vent (I sure did after one of my interviews) but in the long run you have to develop thick skin and let it roll off yo' back. People are rude- everywhere- especially when they are in a position of authority over us, AND they deem us needing something from them. Take what you can (good advice, criticism) and just keep walking with your head up. You'll be a dentist one day and that is the best payback (not to sound too vindictive!) lol. Basically, there will be a happy ending so just try not to dwell too much. Best of luck! 🙂

 

[UCSFx2017]

I'm sorry, this literally made me lol. 😀

OP, even at interviews you encounter profs and adcoms who are less than friendly (okay, even downright rude). Honestly, in the moment just maintain your composure and try to get through the meeting (which I'm sure you did). Afterwards, it's totally fine to reflect and/or vent (I sure did after one of my interviews) but in the long run you have to develop thick skin and let it roll off yo' back. People are rude- everywhere- especially when they are in a position of authority over us, AND they deem us needing something from them. Take what you can (good advice, criticism) and just keep walking with your head up. You'll be a dentist one day and that is the best payback (not to sound too vindictive!) lol. Basically, there will be a happy ending so just try not to dwell too much. Best of luck! 🙂

I just keep my expectations really low. That way I'm either not surprised by other people's rudeness or I'm delightfully surprised by their politeness. 😀