WAMC - Another low GPA/High DAT, Nontrad

[OldFashiond]

Hello! I plan on applying next cycle, but wanted to get feedback early so I know what I can work on to increase my chances of getting in anywhere. A quick background, I've worked full-time since I was a sophomore in college (graduated 2011), and part-time (20hr/wk) during my freshman year. Financial reasons drove the necessity for me to work (to help support my newly single mother and younger brother and sister). Obviously balancing a full-time job and college was difficult for 19-22 year old me, and my grades reflect that. Since I've graduated, I took time retaking many of the core science courses as well as supplemental courses (anatomy/human gross anatomy/calculus/stats) all while maintaining my full-time job.

Date of submission: Next cycle (but intend to submit early June)
Overall GPA: Using the AADSAS guidelines I calculated my oGPA to be 3.13. The last 39 unit hours have been a 4.0, and the last 72 unit hours have been a 3.57 (could have been a 3.70 if not for a single class I thought would be okay to retake)
Science GPA: 3.10; the last 72 units referenced above are all science courses
DAT: PAT 25; QR 23; RC 21; BIO 23; GC 25; OC 30; TS 25; AA 24
State of Residence: California

Major: Biology
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? I believe so

Shadowing Experience: 100+ hrs with a general dentist (I intend on doing more once COVID restrictions let up).
Volunteering Experience: ~100 hrs mostly volunteering to help a local STEM fair arrange chemistry presentations each year, and then additional hours volunteering at my local church at community cleanups/food pantries/etc (I intend on doing more once COVID restrictions let up).
Employment: >25,000 hrs. Again, 11 years full-time and a year prior part-time. All starting when I was a freshman in college. Started part time as a student aid in a college chemistry lab, full time as a lab technician for a few years, and then the last ~7 years have been as the sr. laboratory technician.

Research: Virtually no official research
Other Extracurriculars: Aside from leadership at work, I was the leader of a bible study group for about a year.
LOR type and strength: None yet, but have 3 strong letters lined up from a former o-chem professor, a dentist, and employer (dean of my college). With a fourth from my anatomy/human gross anatomy professor whom I'm still in touch with (although I cannot vouch for the strength).

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere: Obviously my work as well as being a student limited my availability for overwhelming shadowing/volunteer/extracurriculars, but once I decided to get serious about my dental future I tried to (and still plan on) increasing those hours.

School list: I haven't compiled a complete list yet since I just started looking at prereqs, but at least all CA schools, UW, Oregon, UNLV, Midwestern-AZ, AT-Arizona, Midwestern-IL, UIC, NYU. This list will grow once I do more research. I was more curious what I could do to strengthen my application to increase my chances of getting in anywhere.

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[S_Diamond_DDS]

You’re a nontrad student which is a plus, so be sure to sell the unique experiences that separate you from the average applicant 23 yo who's coming straight out of school with a bio major. Be sure to explain in a positive way in your personal statement why your grades were initially low and how you have overcame your adversities and are now doing great in classes, etc (the upward trend will be viewed as a positive). Be sure to have everything ready before the application opens, letters, personal statements, know how to send transcripts, do your write-ups for each section of the aadsas app, etc, and submit your app within the first 2-3 weeks next cycle. This will give you the greatest chance. Apply to 14-15 schools. Your school list is good, except UW and UIC are out of state unfriendly.