Waitlisted at 4 schools, retake DAT?

[ducsdupwhatnext]

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I have been wailisted at 4 schools with the following scores:

GPA- 3.48, Science GPA 3.35
DAT- 19 AA, 20 TS, 20 PAT, 19 Bio, 20 GC, 21 OC, 18 RC, 18 QR

This is my second time applying; got waitlisted at a few schools last year and after getting denied I called some schools to see if I should retake the DAT. They said no, take more science classes and do well which I've done (3.78 over last three terms). But here I am again in the same position. Should I start studying and retake in March? Anyone recommend any good study materials for RC and QR? Didn't like Kaplan much.

 

[BiomajorPreDent]

Retaking the DAT is too big a risk. Even if you re-take in March, it will be no good for this cycle anyway.

I wouldnt risk taking the DAT again incase you do worse.

Remember, schools see every set of scores.

20 TS is a good score, and most schools don't care about QR. Yea your reading is slightly low too but I would not risk a retake.

If I were you, I would take a heavy science load this coming semester and if you don't get in, take some more science courses in the summer. That way it will be on your new AADSAS app for the next cycle. And your GPA will be higher.

Your GPA and DAT scores are good, it may be another part of your app thats hurting you. Have you shadowed? Got good LORs? Was your personal statement reviewed?

These may seem like small things, but added together can have a cumulative affect on your app. Plus theres so many people applying with 3.7+ and 22+ that it may just be bad luck.

 

[subdoc]

I have been wailisted at 4 schools with the following scores:

GPA- 3.48, Science GPA 3.35
DAT- 19 AA, 20 TS, 20 PAT, 19 Bio, 20 GC, 21 OC, 18 RC, 18 QR

This is my second time applying; got waitlisted at a few schools last year and after getting denied I called some schools to see if I should retake the DAT. They said no, take more science classes and do well which I've done (3.78 over last three terms). But here I am again in the same position. Should I start studying and retake in March? Anyone recommend any good study materials for RC and QR? Didn't like Kaplan much.

Your application goes beyond test scores and GPAs. People get in with worse numbers than what you have. Shoot, my GPA is about the same as yours, and test scores slightly lower and hopefully I will get in this year.

I would look back at your interviews. A LOT has been said if you are offered an interview, the school already likes you, and it's yours to lose. Or look at your shadowing/ECAs, volunteerism, leadership experiences, or personal statement. How you present these aspects of your application is JUST as important as your GPA/DAT. Schools are looking for diversity and "good fits" for their student body. How do YOU stand out from the pack?!? (rhetorical question-and ultimately what D Schools will try to ascertain from you and the thousand other applicants with similar numbers to fill their entering classes)

 

[sketo43]

I don't know anything about your ECs or other aspects of your application. But if you had 4 interviews this year, and some last year, and did not get any acceptances, then I think the problem may be the interview itself.

Are you nervous in your interviews? Are you able to engage the interviewer in small talk? What answers do you give to the questions "why do you want to be a dentist?," "what are your goals in X years?," and "why not medicine?"

 

[pbure]

I have been wailisted at 4 schools with the following scores:

GPA- 3.48, Science GPA 3.35
DAT- 19 AA, 20 TS, 20 PAT, 19 Bio, 20 GC, 21 OC, 18 RC, 18 QR

This is my second time applying; got waitlisted at a few schools last year and after getting denied I called some schools to see if I should retake the DAT. They said no, take more science classes and do well which I've done (3.78 over last three terms). But here I am again in the same position. Should I start studying and retake in March? Anyone recommend any good study materials for RC and QR? Didn't like Kaplan much.

Which schools are you waitlisted at?

 

[Oracle DMD]

sounds like more of an interview problem then an app problem.

 

[FutureDent020]

sounds like more of an interview problem then an app problem.

Yea, it's not your DAT. Those are pretty solid scores

 

[pbure]

Yea, it's not your DAT. Those are pretty solid scores

I don`t know about that. My US DAT scores are almost identical to the OP's and I'm definitely thinking retake. You should see some of the scores on predents! Even ones that didn`t get acceptances yet. Just unreal. I`m thinking at least a 20 academic and not a 19 is what the doctor ordered (no pun intended)

 

[Oracle DMD]

I don`t know about that. My US DAT scores are almost identical to the OP's and I'm definitely thinking retake. You should see some of the scores on predents! Even ones that didn`t get acceptances yet. Just unreal. I`m thinking at least a 20 academic and not a 19 is what the doctor ordered (no pun intended)

take predents with a grain of salt. even at best it is a very small sampling of everyone who applied and is accepted. retaking the DAT is def a gamble for this guy. he's done well enough to get 4 interviews. his numbers aren't superstar but they are 4 sure competitive. bigger is always better but not always neccesary ya digg? 😎

 

[Herme]

Your story is almost identical to me-actually your scores are a little better. Make sure you have a lot of shadowing and a good LOR from a dentist. If you don't get in this year, I would not retake the DAT, but call the schools like you did last year, do everything they say-and MORE. You need to stand out from the other applicants, not just meet the requirements. Make sure you have a strong personal statement as well, as was noted already. It'll happen. Persistence is key! 👍

 

[ducsdupwhatnext]

Waitlisted at Louisville, NYU, Nova and USC. Deferred at Western, Marquette and Kentucky.

Extracurriculars:
I played four years of college athletics with some good achievements, participated in student-government, and was involved with several community service organizations. I have 200+ shadowing hours, (general dentists and specialists).

Feel like I had really good LOR's this year. And I don't think it's an interview problem. I've done mock-interviews with some doctors and family members who have gone through the process so I've had plenty of feedback. I feel very comfortable talking to people (thought that was my strong point) and from what my interviewers told me at the end of the interviews they've liked me. I also spent a lot of time on my personal statement with several good writers revising.

So if don't retake the DAT what do I do to get off a waitlist?...besides calling/emailing/writing letters?

 

[ducsdupwhatnext]

I don't know anything about your ECs or other aspects of your application. But if you had 4 interviews this year, and some last year, and did not get any acceptances, then I think the problem may be the interview itself.

Are you nervous in your interviews? Are you able to engage the interviewer in small talk? What answers do you give to the questions "why do you want to be a dentist?," "what are your goals in X years?," and "why not medicine?"

Small talk is fine...had discussions about random stuff like racquetball, art, motorcycles.
Haven't gotten the "goal in x years?" question but my answers to the other two are summed up here:
1)Dentistry because it fuses three things I really enjoy studying/doing: art, biology and interacting with people
2)Chose dentistry over medicine because I had great experiences with my dentists growing up, and not so much with medical doctors who were terse and seemed as if they always needed to be somewhere else. My dentists interacted with me and were friendlier so naturally I was more inclined to lean towards dentistry. My shadowing experiences of both doctors and dentists reaffirmed this notion.

 

[Oracle DMD]

Small talk is fine...had discussions about random stuff like racquetball, art, motorcycles.
Haven't gotten the "goal in x years?" question but my answers to the other two are summed up here:
1)Dentistry because it fuses three things I really enjoy studying/doing: art, biology and interacting with people
2)Chose dentistry over medicine because I had great experiences with my dentists growing up, and not so much with medical doctors who were terse and seemed as if they always needed to be somewhere else. My dentists interacted with me and were friendlier so naturally I was more inclined to lean towards dentistry. My shadowing experiences of both doctors and dentists reaffirmed this notion.

yep. def the interview. let me guess. you love working with people and you're great with you're hands! 🤣

 

[printer21]

yep. def the interview. let me guess. you love working with people and you're great with you're hands! 🤣

Lol.. those answers are cookie cutters but they should get you in with solid scores. Did you say them in your own words and use examples of each statement?

 

[Oracle DMD]

Lol.. those answers are cookie cutters but they should get you in with solid scores. Did you say them in your own words and use examples of each statement?

depends at what school really. at MWU numbers alone will NOT get you in. i have watched some heavy hitter applicants blow some interviews and get straight up rejected. not every school out there weighs the interview so heavily, but at some schools numbers are not good enough without a decent interview. the OP should have gotten in, so it IS his interview. he must be coming off the wrong way somehow.

 

[sketo43]

OP-
Which schools interviewed you? Look them up on this chart:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=563195

At some schools, once you get an interview, it's your spot to lose. At other schools, you still have to persuade them to accept you. Figure out which category your schools fall under.

When they ask "why not medicine?," I would also incorporate some of the reasons you gave for liking dentistry. Talk about interacting with people, and getting to know them over time. This is a huge part of dentistry. In medicine, I feel that primary care involves getting to know patients over time, but for many specialties, you treat the patient once, fix their problem, and never see them again (of course, this could also be true for OS and endo in dentistry, so if you're telling the interviewer you want to go into these specialties, then my advice does not apply). Then you could talk about what separates dentistry from primary care medicine: performing procedures, and the artistic quality that you mentioned.

That's my advice, do with it what you will.

 

[ducsdupwhatnext]

Sketo43, I hit on some of those points but missed some so thanks for the suggestion. If I get another chance I'll be sure to talk about it.

The answers that I posted were giving you the jist of what I was saying in interviews; so yes, I gave examples and related them back to me. I know to some degree those are cookie cutters but I do have something on my app to back up each one of those reasons (next time maybe I'll bring in my art porfolio).

I'd guess if I am coming off wrong in any way it's that I'm "fake"?...After all I am giving these answers to people who know me only through some ink on paper, so they think it's bs, which I understand. Probably a good percentage of applicants are saying these answers and IT IS bs so how would they know who's telling the truth? Too bad for me.

Don't have much to lose at this point, might just retake to prepare for cycle 3. Anyone know of any good pre-dent advisors anywhere in the country? Thanks to everyone for your input.

 

[coralteeth]

hang in there OP. my story is similar to yours. 3.53 cgpa and 3.34 sgpa, 19 AA and 19 TS. i also had to reapply and got accepted the 2nd time around. actually, i was waitlisted at my 2 state schools and got accepted off the waitlisted to one of them a couple of weeks before orientation. miracles happen!

in the meantime, i took the advice of a admissions office lady and took more upper level bio classes, worked part time, and continued to volunteer. work hard pays off!