WAMC: 25-26 cycle 3.5GPA 470DAT; LOR concerns

[genchemmade]

Hi all! I would like to thank you so much for any advice in advance. I'm going to be applying as early as I can this cycle and will submit my application the first day that I can. My concern is with my LORs. I have decent ones from my recommender and my dentist, however I didn't really have a strong connection to any of my past professors because of their large class sizes. One had agreed, but won't have time to complete it until late July and I am still searching for a second professor. How will 2 generic (and late) letters affect my chances?

Date of submission: 2025-2026 Cycle
Overall GPA: 3.52
Science GPA: 3.55
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: BIO - 3.64, CHEM - 3.11, PHY - 3.92
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
470AA, 500TS, 580PAT, 460QR, 410RC, 540BIO, 480GC, 480OC
(23AA, 24TS, 27PAT, 22QR, 21RC, 26.5BIO, 23.5GC, 23OC - Conversion)
State of Residence: California

Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 300+ Hours - General; 40+ Hours - Pediatric
Volunteering Experience: 110+ (continuing accrual); Hospital patient dispatching
Research: 480 hours, cancer clinical research
Other Extracurriculars: NA
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's Honor List
LOR type and strength: Dentist - Strong; Research Supervisor - Strong; Science Prof. - generic; Science prof 2 -NA
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Got an F in Immunology, retook and got a B
School list:
Western U (IS)
UCLA (IS)
USC (IS)
Midwestern - IL (preferred!!)
Midwestern - AZ
Marquette
Louisville

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[macsak]

Hi all! I would like to thank you so much for any advice in advance. I'm going to be applying as early as I can this cycle and will submit my application the first day that I can. My concern is with my LORs. I have decent ones from my recommender and my dentist, however I didn't really have a strong connection to any of my past professors because of their large class sizes. One had agreed, but won't have time to complete it until late July and I am still searching for a second professor. How will 2 generic (and late) letters affect my chances?

Date of submission: May 30 (planned)
Overall GPA: 3.52
Science GPA: 3.55
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: BIO - 3.64, CHEM - 3.11, PHY - 3.92
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
470AA, 500TS, 580PAT, 460QR, 410RC, 540BIO, 480GC, 480OC
(23AA, 24TS, 27PAT, 22QR, 21RC, 26.5BIO, 23.5GC, 23OC - Conversion)
State of Residence: California

Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 300+ Hours - General; 40+ Hours - Pediatric
Volunteering Experience: 110+ (continuing accrual); Hospital patient dispatching
Research: 480 hours, cancer clinical research
Other Extracurriculars: NA
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's Honor List
LOR type and strength: Dentist - Strong; Research Supervisor - Strong; Science Prof. - generic; Science prof 2 -NA
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Got an F in Immunology, retook and got a B
School list:
Western U (IS)
UCLA (IS)
USC (IS)
Midwestern - IL (preferred!!)
Midwestern - AZ
Marquette
Louisville

why marquette?
why louisville?
why is MW-IL your preferred!! school?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm a bit worried you have no other extracurriculars and no community service.

 

[genchemmade]

why marquette?
why louisville?
why is MW-IL your preferred!! school?

Hi! I have close family members in some of these areas that would house me and essentially pay for all of my living expenses. With MW-Il specifically, I would be only 10 minutes away. I hear that they have a heavy focus on clinical experience along with updated tech and I would think they have a very diverse population that I would like to gather experience with. The main driver behind that choice is because i'm just in love with Chicago, and living in the burbs is preferred for me. I'm aware that this school comes with a higher tuition, but I'm willing to bite that cost.

 

[genchemmade]

I'm a bit worried you have no other extracurriculars and no community service.

Hello, I am worried about that too. I didn't do many clubs in university because I worked as a server most days after classes. As for community service, if I start this week, and get around 50+ by the time of my submission, would the hours be enough for admissions to look past?

 

[macsak]

Hello, I am worried about that too. I didn't do many clubs in university because I worked as a server most days after classes. As for community service, if I start this week, and get around 50+ by the time of my submission, would the hours be enough for admissions to look past?

if you were an adcom, what would you think about someone who was only able to obtain 50 hours in the last month and a half of applying?

 

[macsak]

Hi! I have close family members in some of these areas that would house me and essentially pay for all of my living expenses. With MW-Il specifically, I would be only 10 minutes away. I hear that they have a heavy focus on clinical experience along with updated tech and I would think they have a very diverse population that I would like to gather experience with. The main driver behind that choice is because i'm just in love with Chicago, and living in the burbs is preferred for me. I'm aware that this school comes with a higher tuition, but I'm willing to bite that cost.

you need to have mission fit to get interview invites and acceptances
"close family members in these areas" is not mission fit...

 

[genchemmade]

you need to have mission fit to get interview invites and acceptances
"close family members in these areas" is not mission fit...

You are completely right, I will aim for more hours and tailor my mission statement more. But I genuinely do love the fact that they have a smaller student to faculty ratio, and having that close guidance really strengthens my confidence when in school. I was very involved in high school, however not so much during undergrad, but involved or not, I felt a little isolated in my community. MW-IL emphasizes a community setting with staff that are very empathetic. I found that professors I've taken with those characteristics were the courses I excelled in the most even when those classes had 300+ students. Really any school can teach me dentistry, but it's this type of teaching helps me to stay motivated throughout.

 

[macsak]

You are completely right, I will aim for more hours and tailor my mission statement more. But I genuinely do love the fact that they have a smaller student to faculty ratio, and having that close guidance really strengthens my confidence when in school. I was very involved in high school, however not so much during undergrad, but involved or not, I felt a little isolated in my community. MW-IL emphasizes a community setting with staff that are very empathetic. I found that professors I've taken with those characteristics were the courses I excelled in the most even when those classes had 300+ students. Really any school can teach me dentistry, but it's this type of teaching helps me to stay motivated throughout.

it's not about "more hours"...

 

[macsak]

Hi all! I would like to thank you so much for any advice in advance. I'm going to be applying as early as I can this cycle and will submit my application the first day that I can. My concern is with my LORs. I have decent ones from my recommender and my dentist, however I didn't really have a strong connection to any of my past professors because of their large class sizes. One had agreed, but won't have time to complete it until late July and I am still searching for a second professor. How will 2 generic (and late) letters affect my chances?

Date of submission: 2025-2026 Cycle
Overall GPA: 3.52
Science GPA: 3.55
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: BIO - 3.64, CHEM - 3.11, PHY - 3.92
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
470AA, 500TS, 580PAT, 460QR, 410RC, 540BIO, 480GC, 480OC
(23AA, 24TS, 27PAT, 22QR, 21RC, 26.5BIO, 23.5GC, 23OC - Conversion)
State of Residence: California

Major: Biological Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 300+ Hours - General; 40+ Hours - Pediatric
Volunteering Experience: 110+ (continuing accrual); Hospital patient dispatching
Research: 480 hours, cancer clinical research
Other Extracurriculars: NA
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's Honor List
LOR type and strength: Dentist - Strong; Research Supervisor - Strong; Science Prof. - generic; Science prof 2 -NA
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Got an F in Immunology, retook and got a B
School list:
Western U (IS)
UCLA (IS)
USC (IS)
Midwestern - IL (preferred!!)
Midwestern - AZ
Marquette
Louisville

you are probably going to need to add more schools
your GPA is around the average matriculant, but your DAT scores are pretty good
UCLA is going to be a reach for everyone, and MW-IL, marquette, and especially louisville are going to tough due to geography...