Things that make you stick out as an applicant?

[Doctorman45342]

I am currently a Freshman in undergrad and I am trying to think of some things I can do to help me stick out when it comes to be application time.

I am shadowing/volunteering right now which is pretty normal. I am just trying to find something that will really set me apart from other applicants. What are some good suggestions?

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[kingenamel]

Getting involved in research can help.

 

[Jungerr]

Be dashing and fashionable.

 

[Doctorman45342]

Be dashing and fashionable.

hmmm...

 

[techyguy]

Research.
Take a trip abroad where you actually do some service (most pre-health clubs have these opportunities)
Get a minor or second major in something that makes you seem cool, like computer science.
Learn a foreign language.
Make straight-A's.

You know what the students around you are doing, so do better than them, or just do something productive where they usually say, "oh I didn't have the time."

 

[LaughingGas]

Being well rounded and not just being an antisocial 4.0 student

 

[djd0516]

Research for sure. A surprising number of pre-dental students skip research. Most everyone at your interviews will have a good GPA, good DAT, shadowing and volunteer work. Try to participate in some kind biomedical research through your university. A publication will help even more.

 

[larrylu]

A friend of mine, his father was one of the admission officer at a med school. He told me as far as EC, everyone has volunteer hour, what makes you stand out is you go to places that no one even wants to go, places like hospice, that way you learn the bad side of a career. If you mention it in your PS, that will make you stand out.
Or, another friend of mine got into optometry school had more than 8000 hours of shadowing under 7 different optometrist+opthamologist.
Dental school admission is the same.
Just my 2cents.

 

[ModifiedBass]

If you shadow for 8,000 hours, you're wasting at least 7,500 hours of your life. That translates to about 3 years of full time work, just observing and making no money... But to answer your question, research is always a positive, I was asked about it at every interview and they seemed impressed with it. Also, get involved with athletics or other ECs, adcoms like to see diversity. My UPenn interviewers specifically pointed out my athletics and research in my application.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Holy moly. If you shadow more than, say, 300 hours... Admissions officers are going to think you are CRAZY! Don't do that. Just don't. Your time would be MUCH better spent volunteering at dental offices once you get to 100-150 shadowing hours.

I believe in quality over quantity. If you find one or two activities you LOVE, devote the bulk of your efforts to them. It will definitely be okay if you don't fill in every little activity slot on the application.

A super high GPA and/or DAT will definitely make you stand out. Sure, everyone who gets interviews has "good" stats... but "great" stats are something different.

 

[larrylu]

If you shadow for 8,000 hours, you're wasting at least 7,500 hours of your life. That translates to about 3 years of full time work, just observing and making no money... But to answer your question, research is always a positive, I was asked about it at every interview and they seemed impressed with it. Also, get involved with athletics or other ECs, adcoms like to see diversity. My UPenn interviewers specifically pointed out my athletics and research in my application.

I agree 8000 hours is way overkill, the reason that she had that much was her mom and dad are both optometrists and she's been shadowing for a long while.
But I was just trying to say that having lots of hour of either shadowing or volunteering + incorporating the experiences and why you would that over a long period of time into your personal statement will help you stand out.
But 8000 hours is ridiculous. peace.

 

[beanie5]

Everyone is going to be trying to do the same things for volunteering, shadowing, GPA, DAT score, etc.

Research is good - requires you to actually demonstrate a capacity for science/scientific thinking and the ability to apply it.

Just grow as person. Know yourself, figure out what is meaningful to you and go all out with it (show dedication, productivity, sincerity), even if it isn't directly related to dentistry. At one interview, we were asked to go around the room and share something about ourselves that we wanted everyone to know. Almost all the answers were something predictable - captain of the debate team, treasurer of "X" club, tutor for inner city school children, etc. Not bad answers by any means, but your usual sort of superficial "I excel at this, I'm involved in that" type answers that don't really reveal much about who a person is other than that they're smart and participate in things that look good on resumes. The couple truly revealing answers elicited collective "oooohs" because they were unique and genuine and conveyed something about the person's personality/who they were.

 

[Contach]

Being well rounded and not just being an antisocial 4.0 student

Bitter much?

And I bet all jocks are stupid right? Have you left highschool yet?

 

[y3nd0]

Tossing those without research a bone here. I was an applicant without a shred of research that was accepted.

Honestly, the best way to make yourself stick out is to do things you like. Don't force yourself to do research just because you think it will impress the adcoms. It will be much harder to stick with the commitment if you're disinterested in it.

Or do something extremely unique extracurricular. Start a non-profit organization, a business, etc. If you play a musical instrument, try taking some time to play for the public (visit an old folks home or a hospital). For me, I like to do origami, and I managed to contribute to a couple good causes through that. You bet that came up in all three of my interviews, and I'm sure it left a positive impression with all my interviewers.

 

[Dgeorg6]

Bitter much?

And I bet all jocks are stupid right? Have you left highschool yet?

He isn't being bitter. He is being truthful. I know of atleast two cases at the school I got into where people with 3.7+ GPA and 23+ on the DAT didn't get in because they came off as antisocial at the interview.

You need to be well rounded and not just a smart guy who has a difficult time interacting with others.

 

[Glimmer1991]

But you can have good grades and not be a recluse.

I also didn't have any research, and I don't think it was an issue.

 

[ktran17]

If you do anything with conviction, it will more than likely stick out in your application. For example, I did 3 years of research and got a couple publications. Do what you love and the rewards will soon follow! Dont worry about following some cookie-cutter build as long as you have the basics down. Good gpa, dat, and shadowing hours.

 

[BabyShades]

If research disinterest you, then I wouldn't do it. Just because I was involve research at my school, and I did not like it at all. I was literally forcing myself to do the experiments, I acted more of a technician than a scientist.

What I did instead was start one of the biggest non-profit organization at my university. That's something that made me stand out, also I was involve in two other non-profit organization leadership roles too. I think by this, I have contributed a lot to the community monetarily and physical.

 

[Illfavor]

Be interesting. Do stuff. Live life. Take trips. Help people (if you want to. If you don't, why are you here?). Love. Get into trouble (just a little). Have too much fun. Have too little fun. Work hard. Stop making excuses. Everyone is wired to make excuses. Just ****ing stop. Take responsibility for your future. Do research (I guess?), but ONLY if it interests you. Be passionate about your life. Work and play. Have as much sex as possible. Be comfortable with yourself. Just get outside. Do something new every single day. I don't know.

I think what I mean is to be happy. Do what makes you happy. I'm pretty sure there aren't all that many people who do that. If you do, it'll come through.