WAMC- Applying early

[dentsunshine]

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Date of submission: first week of cycle (aiming June 4-5th)
Overall GPA: 3.74
Science GPA: 3.69
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.76 (upward trend after covid-era)
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
24 AA
21 BIO
25 GC
23 OC
23 TS
27 RC
23 QR
25 PAT
State of Residence: NJ

Undergrad Attended: Private school in Boston
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Biological Sciences
Minority? No. Trilingual
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No (undergrad 2024)

Shadowing Experience: general (70 hours), prosthodontist (80 hours)
Volunteering Experience:
sewing face coverings for essential workers during the pandemic (40 hours)
tutoring underserved students w non-profit (30 hours)
ESL lessons for children (100 hours)
leadership role/volunteering in educational non-profit (30 hours)
Employment:
Spanish tutor (50 hours)
Tennis instructor (200 hours)
Administrative assistant (130 hours)
Research #1 (~80 hours)
Research #2 (70 hours)
Dental assistant (over 200 hours)
Research:
research assistant in psych lab (80)
research assistant at Mass Gen (70)
no publications
Other Extracurriculars: general school club membership. leadership role in non-profit organization. EXTENSIVE manual dexterity section if that helps at all
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? meetings with admissions officers through pre-dental club
Relevant Honors or Awards: latin honors when graduating? not sure if that applies
LOR type and strength: Committee (science professor, humanities study abroad professor, dentist shadowed)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: n/a, lack of school involvement?
School list:
Rutgers (IS)
BU
Tufts
Touro
NYU
Columbia
Stony Brook
UConn
Temple
UPitt
UPenn
University of Washington
University of Michigan
University of Maryland
USC
UCLA
UCSF
Case Western
UNLV

Side note: I am aware this is a LONG list, lmk what I should remove or if I should add any schools. Thanks for your time! 🙂

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: first week of cycle (aiming June 4-5th)
Overall GPA: 3.74
Science GPA: 3.69
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.76 (upward trend after covid-era)
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
24 AA
21 BIO
25 GC
23 OC
23 TS
27 RC
23 QR
25 PAT
State of Residence: NJ

Undergrad Attended: Private school in Boston
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Biological Sciences
Minority? No (but lived in different countries, reflected in my PS/EC/community service)
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No (undergrad 2024)

Shadowing Experience: general (70 hours), prosthodontist (80 hours)
Volunteering Experience:
sewing face coverings for essential workers during the pandemic (40 hours)
tutoring underserved students w non-profit (30 hours)
ESL lessons for children (100 hours)
leadership role/volunteering in educational non-profit (30 hours)
Employment:
Spanish tutor (50 hours)
Tennis instructor (200 hours)
Administrative assistant (130 hours)
Research #1 (~80 hours)
Research #2 (70 hours)
Dental assistant (over 200 hours)
Research:
research assistant in psych lab (80)
research assistant at Mass Gen (70)
no publications
Other Extracurriculars: general school club membership. leadership role in non-profit organization. EXTENSIVE manual dexterity section if that helps at all
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? meetings with admissions officers through pre-dental club
Relevant Honors or Awards: latin honors when graduating? not sure if that applies
LOR type and strength: Committee (science professor, humanities study abroad professor, dentist shadowed)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: n/a, lack of school involvement?
School list:
Rutgers (IS)
BU
Tufts
Touro
NYU
Columbia
Stony Brook
UConn
Temple
UPitt
UPenn
University of Washington
University of Michigan
University of Maryland
USC
UCLA
UCSF
Case Western
UNLV

Side note: I am aware this is a LONG list, lmk what I should remove or if I should add any schools. Thanks for your time! 🙂

how did you come up with this list?

 

[dentsunshine]

how did you come up with this list?

location (I'd like to stay in the northeast so I'm applying widely here, wherever I have support systems), programs with research departments that interest me, and schools w good mission fit. debating not applying to the public california schools since OOS acceptances are low

 

[macsak]

location (I'd like to stay in the northeast so I'm applying widely here, wherever I have support systems), programs with research departments that interest me, and schools w good mission fit. debating not applying to the public california schools since OOS acceptances are low

how many schools are you willing to apply to?
your list is WAY too long...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

i'm trying to cut it down but want to be somewhat strategic and maximize the number of schools i have decent chances at. my advisor told me to aim for around 15 schools-
i'm set on applying to these (this is going to be a hot take, but I'm overlooking the high cost of attendance of some of the notoriously $$ schools since I have options to not move out and commute)
Rutgers (IS)
BU
Tufts
Touro
NYU
Columbia
Stony Brook
UConn
Temple
UPitt
UPenn

what do you think my chances are?

Regionally, that list works. BUT ou are missing Buffalo (18 of 92 OOS) and UNE (56 of 71 OOS), which I would put in place of Stony Brook (4 of 44 OOS) and UConn (4 of 44 OOS).

Pittsburgh reports an increase in COA between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 in the DSE. Yipes! Non-resident D1 went from $110K to $122K alone!

 

[macsak]

i'm trying to cut it down but want to be somewhat strategic and maximize the number of schools i have decent chances at. my advisor told me to aim for around 15 schools-
i'm set on applying to these (this is going to be a hot take, but I'm overlooking the high cost of attendance of some of the notoriously $$ schools since I have options to not move out and commute)
Rutgers (IS)
BU
Tufts
Touro
NYU
Columbia
Stony Brook
UConn
Temple
UPitt
UPenn

what do you think my chances are?

your advisor is wrong IMO to recommend 15 schools

having NYU on your list is not overlooking high cost of attendance...

 

[dentsunshine]

your advisor is wrong IMO to recommend 15 schools

having NYU on your list is not overlooking high cost of attendance...

I meant overlook as in applying anyway despite high cost (specifically thinking about NYU, i would not have to worry about rent/living expenses)

Regionally, that list works. BUT ou are missing Buffalo (18 of 92 OOS) and UNE (56 of 71 OOS), which I would put in place of Stony Brook (4 of 44 OOS) and UConn (4 of 44 OOS).

Pittsburgh reports an increase in COA between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 in the DSE. Yipes! Non-resident D1 went from $110K to $122K alone!

Thank you, will do. Was only thinking about applying to Stony Brook because admissions did a panel at my university, but i was not aware the OOS number was that low.

Do you think I have enough target schools? I don't want to regret not applying to more schools a year from now

 

[macsak]

I meant overlook as in applying anyway despite high cost (specifically thinking about NYU, i would not have to worry about rent/living expenses)

Thank you, will do. Was only thinking about applying to Stony Brook because admissions did a panel at my university, but i was not aware the OOS number was that low.

Do you think I have enough target schools? I don't want to regret not applying to more schools a year from now

what is your list now?

 

[macsak]

I meant overlook as in applying anyway despite high cost (specifically thinking about NYU, i would not have to worry about rent/living expenses)

Thank you, will do. Was only thinking about applying to Stony Brook because admissions did a panel at my university, but i was not aware the OOS number was that low.

Do you think I have enough target schools? I don't want to regret not applying to more schools a year from now

ah, got it
that still does not change the fact that 15 is excessive

 

[dentsunshine]

ah, got it
that still does not change the fact that 15 is excessive

1 Rutgers (IS)
2 BU
3 Tufts
4 Touro
5 NYU
6 Columbia
7 Stony Brook*
8 Buffalo
9 UConn*
10 Temple
11 UPenn
12 UNE

thats 12 based mostly on my geographical location and OOS friendliness (* I know these schools aren't super OOS friendly but gonna shoot my shot). my goal is to get into rutgers since it's my state school and i want to stay in the NY/NJ area as a practicing dentist. other than that, am I being realistic with my school choices given my stats?

 

[macsak]

1 Rutgers (IS)
2 BU
3 Tufts
4 Touro
5 NYU
6 Columbia
7 Stony Brook*
8 Buffalo
9 UConn*
10 Temple
11 UPenn
12 UNE

thats 12 based mostly on my geographical location and OOS friendliness (* I know these schools aren't super OOS friendly but gonna shoot my shot). my goal is to get into rutgers since it's my state school and i want to stay in the NY/NJ area as a practicing dentist. other than that, am I being realistic with my school choices given my stats?

at first glance, 12 should be enough
but on a closer look, you have 2 reaches (more due to ivy than your stats), then 2 lesser reaches (more due to OOS acceptance than your stats)
then 4 safeties, which leaves 4 in-range
i like to see a few safeties, mostly in-range, and a couple reaches

on second thought, you should be ok
another way to think about it is as a 9 school list (3 safeties 4 in-range and 2 reaches), then you just added on a safety and 2 reaches to be sure
9 schools wouldn't be bad for someone with your stats

 

[potatokitten24]

I would go with a much cheaper school than NYU imo