WAMC 26-27, CA resident

[ace27]

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Date of submission: haven't submitted yet but very likely tonight/tomorrow
Overall GPA: 3.762
Science GPA: 3.648
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.6443 (only difference with sci gpa is excluding 1 microbio class, starts with MICR)
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 440 AA, 420 BIO, 430 CHEM, 390 OCHEM, 410 TS/NS, 430 RC, 520 QR, 530 PAT
State of Residence: California

Undergrad Attended: a California State University
Major: BS Biological Sciences (Concentration in Molecular Biology)
Minor: Chemistry, Business, Communication Studies (3 minors)
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 250 with 4 different GPs, one old school + 3 newer/recent grads
Volunteering Experience: 150 hrs dental related, 72 hrs non-dental related (I will continue non-dental after app submission)
Employment: 350 hrs dental assisting (I will continue after app submission)
Research: 210 hrs in molecular bio + microbio, no pubs/presentations (I will continue after app submission)
Other Extracurriculars: Member of pre-dental, ceramics, biology student association, and student associates of the america chemical society clubs. Hobbies include hiking(beginner), skiing, research, knitting, crocheting, scenic photography, reading(part of a reading group)
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? attended an SNDA impressions day
Relevant Honors or Awards: 4x Dean's Scholar
LOR type and strength: biochemistry lecture prof, ochem lab prof, PI/biological sciences department chair, dentist employer
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: bilingual(awarded state seal of biliteracy in high school)? currently dental assisting in both english and that second language
School list:
BostonU
A.T. Still Arizona
Midwestern IL
Midwestern AZ
OregonU
Temple
Touro
Tufts
Louisville
UNLV
Western CA
UNE
Marquette
NYU
UCSF
Colorado
UDM
UoP

Edit: Added extracurriculars that I actively participate in, even if less so recently.

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: haven't submitted yet but very likely tonight/tomorrow
Overall GPA: 3.762
Science GPA: 3.648
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.6443 (only difference with sci gpa is excluding 1 microbio class, starts with MICR)
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 440 AA, 420 BIO, 430 CHEM, 390 OCHEM, 410 TS/NS, 430 RC, 520 QR, 530 PAT
State of Residence: California

Undergrad Attended: a California State University
Major: BS Biological Sciences (Concentration in Molecular Biology)
Minor: Chemistry, Business, Communication Studies (3 minors)
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 250 with 4 different GPs, one old school + 3 newer/recent grads
Volunteering Experience: 150 hrs dental related, 72 hrs non-dental related (I will continue non-dental after app submission)
Employment: 350 hrs dental assisting (I will continue after app submission)
Research: 210 hrs in molecular bio + microbio, no pubs/presentations (I will continue after app submission)
Other Extracurriculars: none that I can think of, in a pre-dental club but not an officer
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? attended an SNDA impressions day
Relevant Honors or Awards: 4x Dean's Scholar
LOR type and strength: biochemistry lecture prof, ochem lab prof, PI/biological sciences department chair, dentist employer
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: bilingual(awarded state seal of biliteracy in high school)? currently dental assisting in both english and that second language
School list:
BostonU
A.T. Still Arizona
Midwestern IL
Midwestern AZ
OregonU
Temple
Touro
Tufts
Louisville
UNLV
Western CA
UNE
Marquette
NYU
UCSF
Colorado
UDM
UoP

why not ucla?
why not usc?

why louisville?

 

[ace27]

why not ucla?
why not usc?

why louisville?

UCLA: I'm barely above the 5th percentile of enrollees and well below the avg stats of past enrollees based on boosterprep's data. However I'm still on the fence about it as a reach school, just didn't include it because I'm not for sure applying.
USC: CoA
Louisville: research areas are pretty interesting + they're known for clinical skills from what I've read

 

[ace27]

why not ucla?
why not usc?

why louisville?

But any thoughts on my chances? Thanks for the reply.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Where did you attend impressions day?

Why are you afraid of USC's costs but not NYU's?

Your hours are a little light. I would like much more non-clinical community service (with details), and having no other extracurriculars is a little worrisome. Being a dentist ultimately means being somewhat outgoing when hustling to get more patients, and not having much in your bag to connect with others who are not like you is going to be a weakness in your future.

OHSU may not be crazy about taking Californians unless they are serious about leaving California.

 

[ace27]

Where did you attend impressions day?

Why are you afraid of USC's costs but not NYU's?

Your hours are a little light. I would like much more non-clinical community service (with details), and having no other extracurriculars is a little worrisome. Being a dentist ultimately means being somewhat outgoing when hustling to get more patients, and not having much in your bag to connect with others who are not like you is going to be a weakness in your future.

OHSU may not be crazy about taking Californians unless they are serious about leaving California.

I attended Impressions Day at UoP. You definitely have a point about NYU, I glossed over it more than USC because everyone around me knows about USC and the first thing anyone says is that it's expensive. My hours are very light but used to be even more so, I started seriously volunteering this year while working/school/studying for the DAT but it's been increasing more quickly over the summer. I volunteer at a food sorting site in both front office and in the back as a food sorter, I encounter parts of the community who both give and receive help very frequently. As for extracurriculars, I have hobbies outside dentistry and am active in a few clubs but my activity has stagnated due to getting my hours up + staying inside to study until very recently (took the DAT June 27). I would probably mention them if the opportunity comes up in interviews, but its not anything huge/noteworthy like school sports or club leadership. I've gotten better at connecting with others while volunteering (many volunteers are older and have very different lives than me) if that counts for anything... I don't mind leaving California at all. Thank you for the reply.

 

[macsak]

UCLA: I'm barely above the 5th percentile of enrollees and well below the avg stats of past enrollees based on boosterprep's data. However I'm still on the fence about it as a reach school, just didn't include it because I'm not for sure applying.
USC: CoA
Louisville: research areas are pretty interesting + they're known for clinical skills from what I've read

you're worried about COA and you have NYU on your list?

 

[macsak]

UCLA: I'm barely above the 5th percentile of enrollees and well below the avg stats of past enrollees based on boosterprep's data. However I'm still on the fence about it as a reach school, just didn't include it because I'm not for sure applying.
USC: CoA
Louisville: research areas are pretty interesting + they're known for clinical skills from what I've read

you get interview invites and acceptances by having mission fit with a school
interesting research and known for clinical skills are not mission fit
next consideration is geography
you have a better shot at than UCLA than louisville IMO...

 

[ace27]

you get interview invites and acceptances by having mission fit with a school
interesting research and known for clinical skills are not mission fit
next consideration is geography
you have a better shot at than UCLA than louisville IMO...

Thanks for the feedback, I'll consider UCLA more before submitting. In Louisville's supplemental questions I talked more about their service and specific community engagement alongside my own experience with societal issues, but I'll admit I first became interested due to the before mentioned reasons.

 

[macsak]

I attended Impressions Day at UoP. You definitely have a point about NYU, I glossed over it more than USC because everyone around me knows about USC and the first thing anyone says is that it's expensive. My hours are very light but used to be even more so, I started seriously volunteering this year while working/school/studying for the DAT but it's been increasing more quickly over the summer. I volunteer at a food sorting site in both front office and in the back as a food sorter, I encounter parts of the community who both give and receive help very frequently. As for extracurriculars, I have hobbies outside dentistry and am active in a few clubs but my activity has stagnated due to getting my hours up + staying inside to study until very recently (took the DAT June 27). I would probably mention them if the opportunity comes up in interviews, but its not anything huge/noteworthy like school sports or club leadership. I've gotten better at connecting with others while volunteering (many volunteers are older and have very different lives than me) if that counts for anything... I don't mind leaving California at all. Thank you for the reply.

there are seven dental schools in CA and you have only attended one impressions day?
did your predental club meet with any dental school's admissions staff?

 

[macsak]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll consider UCLA more before submitting. In Louisville's supplemental questions I talked more about their service and specific community engagement alongside my own experience with societal issues, but I'll admit I first became interested due to the before mentioned reasons.

schools get 2500-3500 applicants typically
they may offer 250-300 interviews to fill 100 slots
put yourself in their adcoms shoes
would you extend a valuable invite to someone from all the way across the country that has slightly below average stats?
you missed one public school that is very close to california that you have a MUCH greater chance of an interview/acceptance at...

 

[macsak]

18 schools is probably too many
especially since you only have 2 reach schools
you need far less privates and i can think of one midwest private that is much better than the ones you have, especially UDM
in addition MW-AZ and -IL are up there in cost with USC and NYU...

schools get 2500-3500 applicants typically
they may offer 250-300 interviews to fill 100 slots
put yourself in their adcoms shoes
would you extend a valuable invite to someone from all the way across the country that has slightly below average stats?
you missed one public school that is very close to california that you have a MUCH greater chance of an interview/acceptance at...

 

[ace27]

schools get 2500-3500 applicants typically
they may offer 250-300 interviews to fill 100 slots
put yourself in their adcoms shoes
would you extend a valuable invite to someone from all the way across the country that has slightly below average stats?
you missed one public school that is very close to california that you have a MUCH greater chance of an interview/acceptance at...

If you’re referring to UNLV, it’s there in my list. Yes, I only attended one impressions day because it was the only one I could go to. Yes, our club met with UCSF and USC admissions staff.

 

[macsak]

If you’re referring to UNLV, it’s there in my list. Yes, I only attended one impressions day because it was the only one I could go to. Yes, our club met with UCSF and USC admissions staff.

i can see unlv on your list

what did the uop, ucsf, and usc admissions say about your chances?
have you kept in touch with them since you met them?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

UCLA: I'm barely above the 5th percentile of enrollees and well below the avg stats of past enrollees based on boosterprep's data. However I'm still on the fence about it as a reach school, just didn't include it because I'm not for sure applying.
USC: CoA
Louisville: research areas are pretty interesting + they're known for clinical skills from what I've read

you get interview invites and acceptances by having mission fit with a school
interesting research and known for clinical skills are not mission fit
next consideration is geography
you have a better shot at than UCLA than louisville IMO...

Adding to this... dental schools aren't places where many "do research." If research is something you must do to become a dentist (especially in an academic sense), you should look into DDS/PhD programs. This isn't undergrad. The main point of dental school is to give you basic skills in general dentistry.

I finished putting in the secondary essay prompts into the dental school database here, and I urge you to look them over. You must complete those questions for individual schools to submit ADEA AADSAS (though you can always add, it's best to submit them with your AADSAS); you will see many ask for your geographic connections to the school. This doesn't necessarily mean they only want students who have connections (though many of the public schools will), but you need to be sure you would be happy in that location of the country for four years of your training.