*** The Official Loma Linda U School of Dentistry Class of 2023 Interview/Acceptance Thread ***

[artist2022]

Last year's thread: **** The Official Loma Linda (LLU) Class of 2022 Interview/Acceptance Thread ****

Hey everyone! I applied here last cycle and was accepted. While I will not be attending, I'm still available to answer any questions, alongside sobertiger, who is attending and is an incoming D1! Also, LLU2021 is a rising D2!

Good luck everyone!

Link to interview prep: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry Interview Feedback
----> Be sure to give feedback on your interview to help future applicants! 🙂

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[xyzdds123]

I just finished my first year here, happy to help in any way as well. Good luck!

 

[Rayner15]

I do have a question, does LL close their lab on Saturday? How do students deal with the lost time if they observe Sunday as the sabbath if it is closed?

 

[xyzdds123]

I do have a question, does LL close their lab on Saturday? How do students deal with the lost time if they observe Sunday as the sabbath if it is closed?

It is closed on Saturdays.
Honest answer is that you're likely to be behind on projects, it's normal. It's up to you to decide if you want to stay the entire lab period, where most students instead try to dip asap. Come early hours before classes or in the evening after classes. Or Sunday if you are able to.
Also you have a lot of free time Tues/Thurs/Fri after morning classes, so you can use that time for lab as well.

 

[Firik]

Hi, I didn't know you need a spiritual leader recommendation letter. I have four letters of rec through AADSAS. Isn't enough for them. I should probably not complete a secondary application and avoid applying. Any thoughts?

 

[xyzdds123]

Hi, I didn't know you need a spiritual leader recommendation letter. I have four letters of rec through AADSAS. Isn't enough for them. I should probably not complete a secondary application and avoid applying. Any thoughts?

Did they say it wasn't enough? I have classmates who didn't even submit a spiritual leader rec letter and were able to get interviews/acceptances.

 

[Rayner15]

Hi, I didn't know you need a spiritual leader recommendation letter. I have four letters of rec through AADSAS. Isn't enough for them. I should probably not complete a secondary application and avoid applying. Any thoughts?

I thought that the additional letter from a spiritual leader was submitted separate from AADSAS. I called because my physics professor that is writing one of my letters was also a spiritual leader at one time, and the admissions made it sound like I could have an additional letter given via the supplemental app, but that it had to be from someone different (i.e. couldn’t write as my professor and spiritual leader, only one or the other). There is a place on the supplemental to put another letter request in separate from AADSAS

 

[artist2022]

Hi, I didn't know you need a spiritual leader recommendation letter. I have four letters of rec through AADSAS. Isn't enough for them. I should probably not complete a secondary application and avoid applying. Any thoughts?

The spiritual LOR is uploaded through their portal/secondary application. They give you one month to complete the application, so find someone who knows you well religiously, and ask them to do it. When I say "do it", it's just answering a couple questions about you (not a whole letter that they have to write).
As LLU2021 said, you can still have your application move forward without the letter. I received an interview invite without my letter being in (my recommender was taking a while). I think it's worth it to still fill the supplemental out.

 

[Firik]

The spiritual LOR is uploaded through their portal/secondary application. They give you one month to complete the application, so find someone who knows you well religiously, and ask them to do it. When I say "do it", it's just answering a couple questions about you (not a whole letter that they have to write).
As LLU2021 said, you can still have your application move forward without the letter. I received an interview invite without my letter being in (my recommender was taking a while). I think it's worth it to still fill the supplemental out.

Thank you for the responses. Good to know.
I called them and ask if they consider my application without spiritual LOR and they said I can ask my mentor who can talk about my spiritual stuff. Then I said I don't have that either and she was silent. Just to be clear I am not very religious because I don't have a community where Muslims are from my country. I am interested in school because of location and opportunity to gain new views such as those religious classes.
I also was shocked to see that their supplemental cost $150.
Here is the question, should I apply to this school despite not having spiritual LOR and not being a Christian?
I can try to answer this based on your reply that without a letter is okay and based on a phone call that they accept Muslim, but still something doesn't feel right once I saw a supplemental application.

 

[artist2022]

Here is the question, should I apply to this school despite not having spiritual LOR and not being a Christian?
I can try to answer this based on your reply that without a letter is okay and based on a phone call that they accept Muslim, but still something doesn't feel right once I saw a supplemental application.

As LLU2021 said though, some of their classmates got in without a spiritual LOR. I got an interview without one, but mine was uploaded by the time I got my acceptance.
As for religion, I'm not SDA/Christian/Catholic either (I believe in a really small religion found mostly/only in Asia-PM if you want to know) and I was accepted.
The fee is $150 yes, but its application fee is $99 which you've already paid, and you could've found out that it was $150 via a little research.

I am interested in school because of location and opportunity to gain new views such as those religious classes.

You could use this to answer the first supplemental essay question (why LLU) but...

Just to be clear I am not very religious

this won't help when you're trying to answer the second and fourth essay questions (discuss your spiritual origins etc, and why a faith-based education is beneficial to you).

I guess not having a letter is ok if you're able to answer the supplemental essay questions well, integrating your faith into them and how you'd be a good fit for LLU. If you aren't able to do this, then I guess don't apply.

 

[Firik]

As LLU2021 said though, some of their classmates got in without a spiritual LOR. I got an interview without one, but mine was uploaded by the time I got my acceptance.
As for religion, I'm not SDA/Christian/Catholic either (I believe in a really small religion found mostly/only in Asia-PM if you want to know) and I was accepted.
The fee is $150 yes, but its application fee is $99 which you've already paid, and you could've found out that it was $150 via a little research.

You could use this to answer the first supplemental essay question (why LLU) but...

this won't help when you're trying to answer the second and fourth essay questions (discuss your spiritual origins etc, and why a faith-based education is beneficial to you).

I guess not having a letter is ok if you're able to answer the supplemental essay questions well, integrating your faith into them and how you'd be a good fit for LLU. If you aren't able to do this, then I guess don't apply.

Thank you for a great response!

Well I finally found something huge to stop me to apply.
I found DAT cutouts for each school where I found this:
LLU: "To be competitive, scores of 20 or above in all areas are advised."

 

[armydentalgogo]

I just finished my first year here, happy to help in any way as well. Good luck!

Hey thanks for helping out here. When you filled out your secondary application do you remember how long each values essays was? I see that each essays are noted 4000 characters each. Thanks again.

 

[armydentalgogo]

Last year's thread: **** The Official Loma Linda (LLU) Class of 2022 Interview/Acceptance Thread ****

Hey everyone! I applied here last cycle and was accepted. While I will not be attending, I'm still available to answer any questions, alongside sobertiger, who is attending and is an incoming D1! Also, LLU2021 is a rising D2!

Good luck everyone!

I have a question. How long were each of your essays for the 2ndary. they say they are all 4000max. Thanks

 

[artist2022]

I have a question. How long were each of your essays for the 2ndary. they say they are all 4000max. Thanks

Questions 1-4 averaged out to be ~220 words/~1240 characters w/ spaces. My first two questions were my longest, and the last two were only about 115 words each.

 

[armydentalgogo]

Questions 1-4 averaged out to be ~220 words/~1240 characters w/ spaces. My first two questions were my longest, and the last two were only about 115 words each.

great. thank you, i was wondering how i was going to fill 4000 words per essay for all of them

 

[artist2022]

4000 words per essay

It's 4000 characters with spaces. My first question was 2000 characters.

 

[xyzdds123]

Hey thanks for helping out here. When you filled out your secondary application do you remember how long each values essays was? I see that each essays are noted 4000 characters each. Thanks again.

mine varied. i had maybe two which were almost capped at 4000, and the rest more than 2000. good luck!

 

[Patriot95]

Does anyone know when interviews start to be offered? Assuming June submission and finishing secondaries shortly after. Thanks 😀

 

[GalDental54]

Does anyone know when interviews start to be offered? Assuming June submission and finishing secondaries shortly after. Thanks 😀

My application went into review on 8/10 and I haven’t heard anything yet (I owed them my spiritual leader’s letter and just got it to them a couple of days ago and I’m not sure if they were waiting on that).

I think they were later last year too (September sometime?) before they sent out invites. Maybe someone who knows more can give us more info?

 

[xyzdds123]

Does anyone know when interviews start to be offered? Assuming June submission and finishing secondaries shortly after. Thanks 😀

interviews are already under progress. I didn't get an interview invite until november and i applied at the end of june

 

[Zekie'sWheel]

Hello. I hope all is well. I joined to get some insight about Loma Linda University's wait-list/ alternative list protocol. I'm not sure how to start a full thread that will allow me to invite more than two people. This is actually for Dental Hygiene. I have a family member who has been put on the wait-list and the program is actually starting very soon. Is there any chance of her being offered a position, realistically?

 

[GalDental54]

interviews are already under progress. I didn't get an interview invite until november and i applied at the end of june

Thanks for the info! I just haven't seen anyone post yet who has been invited to interview. Of course, that doesn't mean no on has 🙂

Do they send out interview invites in groups of emails or more one at a time invites? My feeling is that they invite as they read applications and after rating each applicant. Hope that makes sense and I'm not sure if it's accurate.

I also get the feeling they are looking for a very specific type of applicant with definite characteristics and traits (along with having good stats as well, of course). I've read that they heavily weigh and consider the spiritual leader's LOR and the experiences applicants have had and attributes related to that as well.

Thanks in advance for any insight or additional help! I hope you're loving attending here!

 

[xyzdds123]

Hello. I hope all is well. I joined to get some insight about Loma Linda University's wait-list/ alternative list protocol. I'm not sure how to start a full thread that will allow me to invite more than two people. This is actually for Dental Hygiene. I have a family member who has been put on the wait-list and the program is actually starting very soon. Is there any chance of her being offered a position, realistically?

For hygiene, I do not know actually. But if the program is starting soon, it's very unlikely. But I do know last minute withdrawals do happen, but with the smaller size class for hygiene, it may be highly unlikely

 

[xyzdds123]

Thanks for the info! I just haven't seen anyone post yet who has been invited to interview. Of course, that doesn't mean no on has 🙂

Do they send out interview invites in groups of emails or more one at a time invites? My feeling is that they invite as they read applications and after rating each applicant. Hope that makes sense and I'm not sure if it's accurate.

I also get the feeling they are looking for a very specific type of applicant with definite characteristics and traits (along with having good stats as well, of course). I've read that they heavily weigh and consider the spiritual leader's LOR and the experiences applicants have had and attributes related to that as well.

Thanks in advance for any insight or additional help! I hope you're loving attending here!

They send out invites primarily to SDA candidates first. of course with any school they are looking for particular candidates who fits in with their school values and missions. You don't necessarily have to be Christian, but majority of the students are. spiritual LOR is a hit or miss, some classmates did not submit one and they are here.

 

[Zekie'sWheel]

For hygiene, I do not know actually. But if the program is starting soon, it's very unlikely. But I do know last minute withdrawals do happen, but with the smaller size class for hygiene, it may be highly unlikely

Thank you.

 

[GalDental54]

interviews are already under progress. I didn't get an interview invite until november and i applied at the end of june

Do you know how strict they are about getting the spiritual leader's letter submitted within 30 days after the application is submitted? I didn't realize mine was missing and have now sent it (last week as my leader took awhile to get it written as he was out of the country). So, it didn't get submitted within the 30 day time period (it was a few week after). Thanks for any help!!!

 

[xyzdds123]

Do you know how strict they are about getting the spiritual leader's letter submitted within 30 days after the application is submitted? I didn't realize mine was missing and have now sent it (last week as my leader took awhile to get it written as he was out of the country). So, it didn't get submitted within the 30 day time period (it was a few week after). Thanks for any help!!!

It should be okay, it won't make or break your application. If you haven't heard from the school, they probably haven't gone over your file yet

 

[Ani B]

Any updates on interview invites yet?

 

[GalDental54]

Any updates on interview invites yet?

I've heard nothing and haven't read of anyone getting an interview invite from them yet. I think they send out SDA invites first, so it may be a bit longer for me (I'm not SDA). I also know they send out a lot of rejections from reading past year's threads 🙁

 

[sobertiger]

I submitted my secondaries mid-July last year and heard back mid-September with an invite. I interviewed in early November and was accepted on December 1st.

That said, it's different for everyone. There was a person in our class who got accepted like a week before classes started. As long as you're not rejected, you still have a chance.

And as LLU2021 said, interviews are in progress. I caught a glimpse of an interviewee while passing by the admissions office.

 

[Punished Angeleno]

I submitted my secondaries mid-July last year and heard back mid-September with an invite. I interviewed in early November and was accepted on December 1st.

That said, it's different for everyone. There was a person in our class who got accepted like a week before classes started. As long as you're not rejected, you still have a chance.

And as LLU2021 said, interviews are in progress. I caught a glimpse of an interviewee while passing by the admissions office.

Do you know if that person also had a pre-December interview?

 

[MacAttack66]

I submitted my secondaries mid-July last year and heard back mid-September with an invite. I interviewed in early November and was accepted on December 1st.

That said, it's different for everyone. There was a person in our class who got accepted like a week before classes started. As long as you're not rejected, you still have a chance.

And as LLU2021 said, interviews are in progress. I caught a glimpse of an interviewee while passing by the admissions office.

Any idea if they've started sending out invites to those who are not SDA yet?

 

[someday112]

I also know they send out a lot of rejections from reading past year's threads 🙁

Has anyone received a rejection yet? I wonder if they’ve decided to hold off on rejections until later in the cycle due to the negative reactions from previous years

 

[GalDental54]

Has anyone received a rejection yet? I wonder if they’ve decided to hold off on rejections until later in the cycle due to the negative reactions from previous years

Yeah....reading some of the comments in past year's threads here are pretty discouraging. I've also wondered if not as many are applying here because of this?

 

[GalDental54]

interviews are already under progress.

Do you have any update regarding interviews? Have you seen more groups on campus who are there to interview or is it more individuals invited (rather than in groups)?

Thanks for any info you can share 🙂

 

[Boise State Bronco]

Just got an interview invite! I'm not SDA.

Sent from my SM-N950U using SDN mobile

 

[Patriot95]

1. Does anyone know what kinds of things they ask you to write about during the interview?
2. Or do you have any specific interview prep for LLU?
Thank you so much 🙂

 

[sobertiger]

Do you have any update regarding interviews? Have you seen more groups on campus who are there to interview or is it more individuals invited (rather than in groups)?

Thanks for any info you can share 🙂

the interviews are conducted individually

 

[kiwiturkey]

Rejected today. sGPA 3.26 cGPA: 3.34

AA: 25 TS: 25

Really bummed out because I didn’t get any CA school interview and only have Columbia so far. Honestly would’ve thought I’d get any of the CA schools and not an Ivy League... I’m a CA resident.

 

[Llamapower]

Rejected today. sGPA 3.26 cGPA: 3.34

AA: 25 TS: 25

Really bummed out because I didn’t get any CA school interview and only have Columbia so far. Honestly would’ve thought I’d get any of the CA schools and not an Ivy League... I’m a CA resident.

When did you apply?

 

[MavsFanForLife]

Rejected today.
3.2 sgpa/3.4 cgp
21 AA/TS
LLU was one of my top choices, I loved the school and the environment they created. I am lucky enough to have 3 other interviews so hopefully one of those will work out. Good luck to everyone!

 

[Punished Angeleno]

Rejected today.
3.2 sgpa/3.4 cgp
21 AA/TS
LLU was one of my top choices, I loved the school and the environment they created. I am lucky enough to have 3 other interviews so hopefully one of those will work out. Good luck to everyone!

Good God, this makes me so nervous. We have nearly identical stats and LLU is my top choice. Good luck with the other three programs!

 

[GalDental54]

Rejected yesterday (email). I'm a bit surprised because I have good DAT scores and a 3.7 GPA (and excellent LORs, 300+ community service hours and close to 200 shadowing hours). Oh well....

I talked to a couple of my friends who applied with similar stats (one had a 25 on their DAT!!) and they got rejected yesterday too 🙁

 

[Punished Angeleno]

Rejected.

Date: 10/16/2018
Residency: CA
3.45 oGPA / 3.1 sGPA
21AA / 22TS

This one stung a bit 🙁 Best of luck to everyone else!

 

[GalDental54]

Rejected.

Date: 10/16/2018
Residency: CA
3.45 oGPA / 3.1 sGPA
21AA / 22TS

This one stung a bit 🙁 Best of luck to everyone else!

Sorry....I feel your pain. I really wanted to interview here and thought I had a good chance.....it really hurt to get rejected 🙁

 

[Ani B]

Rejected.

Date: 10/16/2018
Residency: CA
3.45 oGPA / 3.1 sGPA
21AA / 22TS

This one stung a bit 🙁 Best of luck to everyone else!

So sorry to hear it..when did you submit your supplemental application?

 

[Punished Angeleno]

So sorry to hear it..when did you submit your supplemental application?

I got an email saying my application is under review on July 13, 2018. If you don't mind me asking, did you apply as an orthodox Christian? I'm only guessing that because you have an Armenian name, lol.

 

[GalDental54]

I got an email saying my application is under review on July 13, 2018. If you don't mind me asking, did you apply as an orthodox Christian? I'm only guessing that because you have an Armenian name, lol.

I am very Christian and had an excellent letter from my Pastor (he's known me almost all of my life). The feedback I'm getting is that there were more SDA applicants this year and they highly favor them (which is their prerogative since they are a private SDA school, so I'm not criticizing) and so unless you have very high stats (for those who are not SDA), along with being the type of religious applicant they're looking for (also with high community service hours, shadowing hours, etc.)....they are rejecting the applicant.

 

[Ani B]

I got an email saying my application is under review on July 13, 2018. If you don't mind me asking, did you apply as an orthodox Christian? I'm only guessing that because you have an Armenian name, lol.

Oh no! I jist made up this name. I am an Indian. My application went under review on August 10. This is my dream school too but I am so stressed out after seeing so many rejections. Good luck to you!!

 

[Tigerwoods10]

are there any more updates from admissions? I applied mid -August and have not heard back from them.