WAMC 2026-27 Cycle Thanks!

Started by quid
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Q

quid

New Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Date of submission: June 2nd-June 6th
Overall GPA: 3.96
Science GPA: 3.94
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 4.0 (haven't taken physics yet)
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 460 AA 470 TS 530 PAT 450 QR 460 RC 450 BIO 450 GC 500 OC
State of Residence: Illinois

Undergrad Attended: 4-year private institution on the smaller scale
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Minority? Yes - North African
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: around 65 orthodontic, 150 general dentistry, and planning on os/endo in future
Volunteering Experience: around 500 hours volunteering for community and youth at my church. about 20 hours doing feed my starving children.
Employment: 3000+ hours dental assisting (half as an efda)
Research: Around 50 biochem and 250 chemistry; no pubs but a poster presentation and paper acknowledgment
Other Extracurriculars: 2 years as pre-dental president and biology honors board member
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? none but attended midwinter dental meeting
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List every semester, and a research presentation award
LOR type and strength: 2 general dentists, research professor/chemistry department chair, and genetics professor (all very strong; have known me for 3 years+)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Not anything I can think of

School list:
Midwestern Illinois
Tufts
UFlorida
UIllinois Chicago (#1 goal)
UPenn
Indiana University
Marquette
Ohio State
UIowa
Detroit Mercy
UMaryland
UMichigan
UNC Chapel Hill
UTennessee
UWashington
 
Last edited:
quid said:
Date of submission: June 2nd-June 6th
Overall GPA: 3.96
Science GPA: 3.94
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 4.0 (haven't taken physics yet)
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 460 AA 470 TS 530 PAT 450 QR 460 RC 450 BIO 450 GC 500 OC
State of Residence: Illinois

Undergrad Attended: 4-year private institution on the smaller scale
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Minority? Yes - North African
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: around 65 orthodontic, 150 general dentistry, and planning on os/endo in future
Volunteering Experience: around 500 hours volunteering for community and youth
Employment: 3000+ hours dental assisting (half as an efda)
Research: Around 50 biochem and 250 chemistry; no pubs but a poster presentation and paper acknowledgment
Other Extracurriculars: 2 years as pre-dental president and biology honors board member
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? none
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List every semester, and a research presentation award
LOR type and strength: 2 general dentists, research professor/chemistry department chair, and genetics professor
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Not anything I can think of

School list:
Midwestern Illinois
Tufts
UFlorida
UIllinois Chicago (#1 goal)
UPenn
Indiana University
Marquette
Ohio State
UIowa
Detroit Mercy
UMaryland
UMichigan
UNC Chapel Hill
UTennessee
UWashington
Click to expand...
how did you come up with this list?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
quid said:
It was a combination of things. Area, quality of schools, affordability, but most importantly my stats.
Click to expand...
every school is going to fit your stats
you get interview invites and acceptances by having mission fit with a program
"Area, quality of schools, affordability" are not mission fit...
 
macsak said:
why utenn?
why uw?

are you willing to pay to apply to all of these schools?
Click to expand...
U tenn has a ton of specialties and research-driven. Love the tennesee area. Seattle is more of a location-based pick more than a mission-based. I'm willing to pay for applications to these 15.
 
quid said:
They have a 98% pass rate on boards, residencies for perio, endo, and ortho. I've heard great things from doctors I've worked with who've attended.
Click to expand...
they also interview 2-4 times more students than any other school and then put most of them on the waitlist
you are going to get plenty of interest
i don't think you need to waste time and money on UDM
 
I would hope you would be a shoo-in for UIC. Why haven't you attended a recruitment event at UIC? I'd also hope Midwestern IL would give you a look. There is a decent likelihood that some of these schools could think you may have wandering eyes for other programs, but we'll see how this goes. I don't think it's good practice for an in-state program to "yield protect" against its resident applicants. You are an EFDA, and I consider it could be a plus factor for you at some schools where EFDAs are trained.

Let's look at the rest of your list. Your limited research experience could work against you at the Ivys (i.e., Penn). You aren't from the Pacific Northwest, so UWashington is a mismatch. Have you lived in Memphis (UTHSC)? Gainesville (Florida)?
 
macsak said:
they also interview 2-4 times more students than any other school and then put most of them on the waitlist
you are going to get plenty of interest
i don't think you need to waste time and money on UDM
Click to expand...
you don't think it would be wise to apply broadly regardless of my qualifications?
 
quid said:
U tenn has a ton of specialties and research-driven. Love the tennesee area. Seattle is more of a location-based pick more than a mission-based. I'm willing to pay for applications to these 15.
Click to expand...
can you also afford the time and money to attend 6-9 interviews?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
quid said:
U tenn has a ton of specialties and research-driven. Love the tennesee area. Seattle is more of a location-based pick more than a mission-based. I'm willing to pay for applications to these 15.
Click to expand...
If you want to live in the Pacific Northwest, try PNWU. They are a new program (so there's that "risk"), but I don't think they would be restricted with WWAMI. But they have a preference for Pacific Northwest applicants. Read...

www.studentdoctor.net

Ask the Expert: Fotinos Panagakos, Dean, PNWU SDM | SDN

Fotinos Panagakos, founding dean of Pacific Northwest University School of Dental Medicine, describes the new school.
www.studentdoctor.net www.studentdoctor.net
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
I would hope you would be a shoo-in for UIC. Why haven't you attended a recruitment event at UIC? I'd also hope Midwestern IL would give you a look. There is a decent likelihood that some of these schools could think you may have wandering eyes for other programs, but we'll see how this goes. I don't think it's good practice for an in-state program to "yield protect" against its resident applicants. You are an EFDA, and I consider it could be a plus factor for you at some schools where EFDAs are trained.

Let's look at the rest of your list. Your limited research experience could work against you at the Ivys (i.e., Penn). You aren't from the Pacific Northwest, so UWashington is a mismatch. Have you lived in Memphis (UTHSC)? Gainesville (Florida)?
Click to expand...
I have lived in illinois my whole life. I do have some family friends in both florida and maryland. I guess it makes sense to remove Tenn and Wash from pool
 
quid said:
I have lived in illinois my whole life. I do have some family friends in both florida and maryland. I guess it makes sense to remove Tenn and Wash from pool
Click to expand...
its a start
i think you should take off tufts and UDM too, but you do you
why not SIU?
 
macsak said:
its a start
i think you should take off tufts and UDM too, but you do you
why not SIU?
Click to expand...
I've heard that it favors rural applicants and overall not the most advanced program. I live in the chicago suburbs and want to stay near the city if in Illinois.
 
quid said:
I've heard that it favors rural applicants and overall not the most advanced program. I live in the chicago suburbs and want to stay near the city if in Illinois.
Click to expand...
ok cool
please keep us informed how your cycle goes
good luck to you
you set yourself up well...
 
quid said:
Thanks I appreciate the feedback regarding oos and valuing mission over certain other considerations.
Click to expand...
Yes, mission is important. Next should be dental school clinic management (technology, patients, specialties access, competencies/requirements/grading) that is necessary for you to graduate and get experience to reach your goals and purpose as a physician. You better get the amount you are willing to go into debt for with your education. (Which gets to the question: how are you planning to pay off that debt?)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bearlucky
WAMC 2026-27, Low Stats -- Thanks so much!
Replies
4
Views
741
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
WAMC for 2026-2027 Cycle, Thanks!!
Replies
11
Views
1K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
R
WAMC for 2026-2027 Cycle
Replies
6
Views
817
macsak
M
M
WAMC- Dental school cycle 26-27
Replies
5
Views
880
Merilyn24
M
U
  • Locked
WAMC for 2026-2027 Cycle
Replies
5
Views
1K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12