WAMC 2025-2026 (4.0 Master’s student who took DAT three times)

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wishingwelld

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Date of submission: June 2025
Overall GPA: Undergraduate - 3.4. Master of Science - 4.0
Science GPA: Undergraduate ~ 3.1
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: Undergraduate ~ 3.1
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
First attempt DAT score
16 AA, 15 TS
21 PAT, 17 QR, 17 RC, 15 BIO, 16 GC, 15 OC

Second attempt DAT score
19 AA, 20 TS
23 PAT, 16 QR, 19 RC, 19 BIO, 19 GC, 21 OC

Third attempt DAT score
440 (21) AA, 450 (21) TS
530 (25) PAT, 440 (21) QR, 410 (21) RC, 450 (22) BIO, 480 (24) GC, 430 (20) OC
(FYI: I converted triple digit score to double digit score for easy reference)

State of Residence: MI
Major: Undergraduate - Human Biology
Minor: Undergraduate - Business
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience:
~ 180 hours 5x general dentist
~ 82 hours 1x prosthodontist
55 hours dental lab
5 hours 1x pediatric dentist
Volunteering Experience:
~ 381 hours providing free haircuts and food packages at a charity
37 hours dental sterilization technician
28 hours at city's food bank
Employment:
- 7,760 hours various jobs like dishwasher, food prep, server, host, cashier, assistant manager at restaurant, ride operator at an amusement park, student librarian, resident assistant, transcriptionist for oral surgeons, DoorDash, Walmart delivery, Costco, dental assistant
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars:
~ 65 hours, Pre-Dental Club (E-board)
~ 100 hours, Hall Government (E-board)
~ 120 hours, MRULE (Member)
~ 100 hours, Intramural basketball and soccer (Member)
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? None
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List (2x)
LOR type and strength:
1x Human Physiology professor (course director, master's program) - strong
1x Cell Biology professor (course director, master's program) - good
1x general dentist/prosthodontist - strong
1x volunteer coordinator - strong
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags:
1. First generation student in a single parent household with low income. Since 16, I've always had at least two part time jobs while being a full time student

2. Four people passed during my undergrad that caused me to lose focus
General Chemistry 1 (3.0, freshman year)
Took Biochemistry three times (withdrew two times sophomore year, passed with a 2.0 junior year)
Physics 1 and 2 (3.0 and 2.5, junior and senior year, respectively)

3. I’m a self taught barber. This is my manual dexterity quirk too

4. I enrolled into a masters program due to my low undergraduate GPA. This is my first semester with a course load of 10 credits. I will finish with a 4.0

5. I just got a full time dental assisting job in my new city! Will have about 400 hours when I submit applications

School list:
1. UofM
2. Detroit Mercy
3. Rutgers
4. UPenn
5. Boston U
6. Temple
7. Buffalo
8. Tufts
9. Ohio
10. Maryland
11. Touro
12. USC (most likely going to remove)
13. NYU (most likely going to remove)

Edit: school list, misc info, employment
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Last edited:
www.studentdoctor.net

2025 DAT Scoring Changes: What Pre-Dental Applicants Need to Know - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.
www.studentdoctor.net www.studentdoctor.net

Is your master's program associated with a dental school? When did you start because you are implying having your fall term finish with a 4.0. How are you doing this term?

Why do you want to be a dentist? Your activities check the usual boxes, but I don't get a strong sense of your purpose as a dentist. You've piled a lot of activities from undergrad to current that it's difficult to tease out how you came to the conclusion dentistry is what you want to make a living.

Furthermore, what are your plans for financing your dental education? Are you applying to HPSP or NHSC? The sticker price for USC and NYU given your low-income background should immediately put up red flags. How comfortable are you and your family with the management of a few hundred thousand dollars of debt for the next 10+ years? We can hope that loan forgiveness will return in 10 years, but no guarantees.

Without the third DAT score, your standing is very difficult for UM Penn, or Ohio State. I assume you have talked with Detroit Mercy about your prereqs to make your note. What you have left are some very challenging options with your academic record though you need to know which schools will look at just your master's program record. What schools did your master's program faculty suggest? Where have they had success with students with similar metrics and background as you?

You potentially show a pattern of not taking a break when something personal happens to you or family and posting significant results to your application profile using those other factors as context (i.e., you live by the sunk cost fallacy). At some point we have to trust that your 4.0 reflects your true abilities, but I'm not sure you have the resilience or support system to adapt to the next bad thing. I can understand you've gone through an insane number of bad things happening, but you have to still get up in the morning and provide high-quality care once you get into clinic. We don't award seats to dental school out of sympathy. You have some great community service on your profile, but you must show that you can connect those dots with a future dental career. If you intend to serve under-resourced patients as you and your family have been accustomed to, you need a reasonable plan on getting as many low-cost options or immerse yourself in a service-based loan forgiveness program like HPSP or NHSC.
 
Last edited:
Mr.Smile12 said:
www.studentdoctor.net

2025 DAT Scoring Changes: What Pre-Dental Applicants Need to Know - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.
www.studentdoctor.net www.studentdoctor.net

Is your master's program associated with a dental school? When did you start because you are implying having your fall term finish with a 4.0. How are you doing this term?

Why do you want to be a dentist? Your activities check the usual boxes, but I don't get a strong sense of your purpose as a dentist. You've piled a lot of activities from undergrad to current that it's difficult to tease out how you came to the conclusion dentistry is what you want to make a living.

Furthermore, what are your plans for financing your dental education? Are you applying to HPSP or NHSC? The sticker price for USC and NYU given your low-income background should immediately put up red flags. How comfortable are you and your family with the management of a few hundred thousand dollars of debt for the next 10+ years? We can hope that loan forgiveness will return in 10 years, but no guarantees.

Without the third DAT score, your standing is very difficult for UM Penn, or Ohio State. I assume you have talked with Detroit Mercy about your prereqs to make your note. What you have left are some very challenging options with your academic record though you need to know which schools will look at just your master's program record. What schools did your master's program faculty suggest? Where have they had success with students with similar metrics and background as you?

You potentially show a pattern of not taking a break when something personal happens to you or family and posting significant results to your application profile using those other factors as context (i.e., you live by the sunk cost fallacy). At some point we have to trust that your 4.0 reflects your true abilities, but I'm not sure you have the resilience or support system to adapt to the next bad thing. I can understand you've gone through an insane number of bad things happening, but you have to still get up in the morning and provide high-quality care once you get into clinic. We don't award seats to dental school out of sympathy. You have some great community service on your profile, but you must show that you can connect those dots with a future dental career. If you intend to serve under-resourced patients as you and your family have been accustomed to, you need a reasonable plan on getting as many low-cost options or immerse yourself in a service-based loan forgiveness program like HPSP or NHSC.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. I will get back to you when I have time and formed a better answer
 
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Mr.Smile12 said:
www.studentdoctor.net

2025 DAT Scoring Changes: What Pre-Dental Applicants Need to Know - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.
www.studentdoctor.net www.studentdoctor.net

Is your master's program associated with a dental school? When did you start because you are implying having your fall term finish with a 4.0. How are you doing this term?

Why do you want to be a dentist? Your activities check the usual boxes, but I don't get a strong sense of your purpose as a dentist. You've piled a lot of activities from undergrad to current that it's difficult to tease out how you came to the conclusion dentistry is what you want to make a living.

Furthermore, what are your plans for financing your dental education? Are you applying to HPSP or NHSC? The sticker price for USC and NYU given your low-income background should immediately put up red flags. How comfortable are you and your family with the management of a few hundred thousand dollars of debt for the next 10+ years? We can hope that loan forgiveness will return in 10 years, but no guarantees.

Without the third DAT score, your standing is very difficult for UM Penn, or Ohio State. I assume you have talked with Detroit Mercy about your prereqs to make your note. What you have left are some very challenging options with your academic record though you need to know which schools will look at just your master's program record. What schools did your master's program faculty suggest? Where have they had success with students with similar metrics and background as you?

You potentially show a pattern of not taking a break when something personal happens to you or family and posting significant results to your application profile using those other factors as context (i.e., you live by the sunk cost fallacy). At some point we have to trust that your 4.0 reflects your true abilities, but I'm not sure you have the resilience or support system to adapt to the next bad thing. I can understand you've gone through an insane number of bad things happening, but you have to still get up in the morning and provide high-quality care once you get into clinic. We don't award seats to dental school out of sympathy. You have some great community service on your profile, but you must show that you can connect those dots with a future dental career. If you intend to serve under-resourced patients as you and your family have been accustomed to, you need a reasonable plan on getting as many low-cost options or immerse yourself in a service-based loan forgiveness program like HPSP or NHSC.
Click to expand...
Hi @Mr.Smile12. Sorry for the late reply. I've been studying and just finished taking the DAT. I'll update DAT scores when I get them

Yes, my master’s program is directly associated with their dental school and it offers a guaranteed interview if GPA and DAT benchmarks are met. I began the program in January 2025 and I’m currently on track to finish the semester with a 4.0 across 13 credits. My master's advisor told me that the only thing holding me back at this point is my DAT

Dentistry has become the intersection of everything I’m passionate about. Lifelong learning, hands-on technical skills, meaningful service, and the sciences. My interest started early but was solidified through shadowing multiple dentists in different specialties. Seeing the transformative impact of oral healthcare and working closely with underserved populations reinforced that this is where I see myself thriving long term

I’ve built a strong support system over the last few years and I’ve grown a lot through the challenges I’ve faced. I understand that life doesn’t stop when things get tough and I’ve had to learn how to keep going regardless. I’m not sharing my story to gain sympathy but to give background. I know that won’t earn me a seat. If that were my mindset, I would’ve walked away a long time ago. Instead, I’ve leaned into the adversity and used it to fuel my purpose

Additionally, I’m aware of the financial realities of dental school. Coming from a low-income background has made me even more conscious of making smart informed decisions. I’m exploring service-based loan repayment programs like NHSC and HPSP that align with my passion for working with underserved communities
 
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wishingwelld said:
@Mr.Smile12 @Ryxndek @macsak updated DAT scores!

TS +1
AA +2
PAT +2
QR +5
RC + 2
BIO +3
GC +5
OC -1
compared to 2nd attempt
Click to expand...
amazing job!
i am not familiar with which schools are international friendly, so i am not able to help as much with the list
but as long as you are close to 4.0 this semester, your chances are not bad...
 
macsak said:
amazing job!
i am not familiar with which schools are international friendly, so i am not able to help as much with the list
but as long as you are close to 4.0 this semester, your chances are not bad...
Click to expand...
Thank you!

I am not international. Did you mean out of state?
 
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wishingwelld said:
No worries

Yes. This is my first semester. Taking 10 credits, 4 classes, 4.0
Click to expand...
nice
you said you were taking 13 credits earlier, it's only 10 now
that's kind of a red flag since it's such a light load
but that gave you the time to improve your dat

your best shot is at the linkage school, of course
your list is very broad, and has many privates, so i think you have a chance
i don't like your choice of publics, though rutgers and buffalo are very competitive for OOS because you can get in-state after the first year
i would suspect you might get more interest at midwest publics...
 
macsak said:
nice
you said you were taking 13 credits earlier, it's only 10 now
that's kind of a red flag since it's such a light load
but that gave you the time to improve your dat

your best shot is at the linkage school, of course
your list is very broad, and has many privates, so i think you have a chance
i don't like your choice of publics, though rutgers and buffalo are very competitive for OOS because you can get in-state after the first year
i would suspect you might get more interest at midwest publics...
Click to expand...
You are correct. I am enrolled into 13 credits but have final grades back for only 10 credits. Sorry for the confusion. My masters advisor recommended less than 15 credits, especially for the first semester

I am OOS at my linkage school but moved there to take in person classes. I'm thinking about changing my residency to give me an even better chance. What do you think?

Midwest -> Northeast
 
wishingwelld said:
You are correct. I am enrolled into 13 credits but have final grades back for only 10 credits. Sorry for the confusion. My masters advisor recommended less than 15 credits, especially for the first semester

I am OOS at my linkage school but moved there to take in person classes. I'm thinking about changing my residency to give me an even better chance. What do you think?

Midwest -> Northeast
Click to expand...
is your masters at a public school

what means "midwest-->northeast"?
 
macsak said:
is your masters at a public school

what means "midwest-->northeast"?
Click to expand...
Yes, my masters is at a public school

I will clarify. From my understanding if I keep my current residency in MI I should apply to schools in the Midwest. However, I’m considering changing my residence to a state in the Northeast region (where my masters program is) to give myself a better chance to their dental school through the linkage program. Is it a good idea?
 
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oh, ok
that question is probably outside the knowledge of most people on this forum...

wishingwelld said:
Yes, my masters is at a public school

I will clarify. From my understanding if I keep my current residency in MI I should apply to schools in the Midwest. However, I’m considering changing my residence to a state in the Northeast region (where my masters program is) to give myself a better chance to their dental school through the linkage program. Is it a good idea?
Click to expand...
 
wishingwelld said:
I understand. Thank you for your input and time
Click to expand...
even 13 credits is kind of light
i would caution you that some schools might not view that as long enough to prove you can handle a rigorous upper div science curriculum and want to see you succeed longer in your special masters

that said, what have your advisors in the program told you?
 
macsak said:
even 13 credits is kind of light
i would caution you that some schools might not view that as long enough to prove you can handle a rigorous upper div science curriculum and want to see you succeed longer in your special masters

that said, what have your advisors in the program told you?
Click to expand...
Ya that is something that I was concerned about too. My advisor recommended that I apply to dental schools after finishing the program. I could but I don’t want to wait for the next cycle (2026). We concluded that if I were to perform well in my classes and improve on the DAT then to test my chances now

Studying for the DAT on top of being a full time masters student was difficult. Hopefully admissions can understand
 
wishingwelld said:
Yes, my masters is at a public school

I will clarify. From my understanding if I keep my current residency in MI I should apply to schools in the Midwest. However, I’m considering changing my residence to a state in the Northeast region (where my masters program is) to give myself a better chance to their dental school through the linkage program. Is it a good idea?
Click to expand...
I don't know exactly which state would easily give you residency. I do think you should focus on your linkage eligibility and not worry so much about the residency issue. If you don't feel it is your purpose to be a dentist in Michigan, then you probably haven't lost anything. That said, you can't change your history; I think you have to disclose where you grew up or graduated from high school/college.
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
I don't know exactly which state would easily give you residency. I do think you should focus on your linkage eligibility and not worry so much about the residency issue. If you don't feel it is your purpose to be a dentist in Michigan, then you probably haven't lost anything. That said, you can't change your history; I think you have to disclose where you grew up or graduated from high school/college.
Click to expand...
I understand

With my updated DAT scores, do you or @Ryxndek have any thoughts on my school list
 
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wishingwelld said:
I understand

With my updated DAT scores, do you or @Ryxndek have any thoughts on my school list
Click to expand...
Outside of your linkage school, I don't have much of a change from any list I would suggest, which tends to be geographic focused. Any input from your program director or advisor? Their support letters will be the most important.
 
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