To BYU/LDS people...

[dut99002]

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For those of you who are returned missionaries, what kind of benefit to your competitiveness for acceptance did (or will) your mission give you? I know that these schools are looking for well-rounded applicants with at least some extracurricular activities and obviously your 1.5-2 years of service is significant. The reason I ask is that my best friend is currently in dental school and said he felt in his interviews at a few schools there was almost an expectation for BYU grads to have served a mission. That it was commendable, but the interviewers wanted to know what else he had done. I know that this is only one example, so it may not have much weight in representing what everyone else may know or have experienced.

I'm seriously thinking about trying dental school myself, but am at the very beginning of the whole process, plus it's going to be a major career change for me. I'm just a bit concerned that just because I'm an Eagle Scout and spent two years in Japan I won't get any "brownie points" because everyone else who went to BYU will be exactly the same. Not only would I be competing with every other applicant but I'd have to set myself apart from all the other BYU/LDS applicants. Does that make sense?

Just a thought, I don't know if it holds any water though.

 

[elderjam]

I remember Dr. Bloxham saying the same thing. I dont think any dental school will count your mission as community service probably since most people think we are "forced" to do it.

I have put in some hours tutoring at elementary schools and such which should be a good show of volunteering.

I expect to be in the same boat even though I'm not graduating from BYU or any other Utah school.

 

[jmick101]

Sorry to say, but your friend is right. When everyone else is an Eagle Scout and a returned missionary you will need more than that to set yourself apart. A good GPA, high DAT score, some shadowing and volunteer work should do.

 

[54807]

Sorry to say, but your friend is right. When everyone else is an Eagle Scout and a returned missionary you will need more than that to set yourself apart. A good GPA, high DAT score, some shadowing and volunteer work should do.

Yeah, I kinda agree also. But most mormons I've met are good people anyway so they naturally participate in ec, volunteer, etc. They tend to be straightedge with good grades and DAT score.

I wish I could be as focused and not distracted as the mormon kids in my classes! I would have graduated already if that were the case!

 

[dddsmack]

Great comments so far and I feel that this thread can be a very helpful tool.

Remember BYU is the largest feeder school for dental schools. over 300 predents made an app this year alone form BYU (according to aadsas). You do need to stick out. The competition for Utah Students is getting fierce.

(Side note- at my school most people that I know with 18's don't have any interviews as of yet. You need to be in the 20+ club to feel confident it seems)

I was asked specifically what I had done since my LDS mission to show that I care about the community at a few of my interviews. They want to see that you are still a good person and are still active in the community. For most of us our mission was four years ago. That is a long time ago. Go out and get involved with things to set you apart from all the other applicants from Utah.
Being a mormon won't get you in, you need to practice what the church teaches, and that is to care and serve others. It will show on your app and in your interview and you will get in.🙂

Good Luck

 

[Typo]

I remember Dr. Bloxham saying the same thing. I dont think any dental school will count your mission as community service probably since most people think we are "forced" to do it.

I wouldn't consider two years of proselytizing your religious beliefs to be two years of "community service." On a mission you are required to perform some sort of community service every week, which is true community service, but that doesn't add up to two years. In my opinion, it's far less misleading to give an estimate on the number of community service hours you performed while you were on a mission.

But dddsmack is right on - if you don't do very much community service during the 3-4 years after your mission, it might stand out. In this case it will especially look like you did "forced" community service.