WAMC - Canadian Applicant

[Aditya Patel]

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[macsak]

Date of submission: July 4, 2024
Overall GPA:
- First year university: 3.9
- Following three years at different university (transferred): 3.96
Science GPA: 3.92
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.92
DAT score (include AA and all sections): CDAT: 21AA, 19 PAT, 19 Chem, 20 RC, 23 Biology (rewriting this middle of August but I applied with my old scores for now)
State of Residence: Canada
Undergrad Attended:
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: None
Minority? No
Reapplicant? Yes (applied mid November 2023 and was accepted into Touro and waitlisted at Tufts and UDM)
Nontrad? No
Shadowing Experience:
- General Dentist 1 (2023 + Current): 150 hours
- General dentist 2 (2023): 32 hours.
Volunteering Experience:
- Canadian Blood Services (current): 50 hours
- Hospital (2018-2023): 300 hours
- Open House Volunteer (2023-2024): 10 hours
- Volunteer Tutor (2023): 45 hours
Employment:
- Coca-Cola Merchandiser for about 480 hours (2021)
- Sobeys Produce Clerk for about 160 hours (2022)
Research:
- Math research student (2022, paid) for about 20 hours and 25 hours unpaid - no publications
- Biology research student (2022, volunteer) for about 64 hours - no publications.
Other Extracurriculars:
- Hospital internship (2023, recieved academic credit): shadowed general surgeon, anesthesiologist, neurologist and interventional cardiologist - 55 hours.
- Badminton club executive (2021/2022 & 2023/2024): about 240 hours.
- Local community badminton club member (2011-Current): around 1200 hours
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? No
Relevant Honors or Awards:
- Presidents Honour Roll (2024): graduated with cgpa of 80% or higher.
- Dean's Honour Roll (2021-2024): 80% or higher average for the academic year.
- Ontario Volunteer Service Award (2023): awarded by the province of ontario for my dedicated volunteering service at the hospital.
LOR type and strength:
- Math Professor: strong
- Biology Professor: medium strength I believe
- General Dentist: very strong
- Hospital Volunteer Coordinator: weak
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: I rejected my Touro offer. I do not know if other schools will look at this poorly or not as I am reapplying this year.
School list:
I know my list is extensive and alot of them do not accept many internationals however, my parents wanted me to apply to as many schools as possible that would accept the CDAT just so I have options if it comes down to it later on.
- Case Western
- Boston
- Creighton
- Howard
- Indiana
- Marquette
- Loma Linda
- Midwestern-Arizona
- Nova
- Rutgers
- UIowa
- Temple
- UBuffalo
- Tufts
- Uconn
- UDM
- UMaryland
- UMinnesota
- UNebraska
- UPittsburgh
- VCU
- Texas A&M (have not applied yet as I do not know if they take Canadians or not)

what was the reason for turning down touro?

 

[Aditya Patel]

what was the reason for turning down touro?

I did not realize before I applied that they asked for all four years paid upfront or two years with a US cosigner (which I also did not have). Besides it being too expensive all at once, I was accepted into the program where I spend two years in the New York campus and two years in their new New Mexico campus. I was hesitant with that because it is fairly new change.

 

[macsak]

I did not realize before I applied that they asked for all four years paid upfront or two years with a US cosigner (which I also did not have). Besides it being too expensive all at once, I was accepted into the program where I spend two years in the New York campus and two years in their new New Mexico campus. I was hesitant with that because it is fairly new change.

wow, that sucks
that's a good reason, but i am afraid that schools may be hesitant because you already got accepted and turned it down
did you address this in your application?

 

[Aditya Patel]

wow, that sucks
that's a good reason, but i am afraid that schools may be hesitant because you already got accepted and turned it down
did you address this in your application?

Where exactly do I address this in my application? I listed all the schools in the section they ask where I have applied before and filled out what has changed since my last cycle but that is all. I was hoping it wouldn’t matter too much as I am not applying there again and I also have added some more schools this cycle which I did not apply to last year. Some are repeating schools obviously but I was not accepted to them so hopefully it will be okay?

 

[macsak]

Where exactly do I address this in my application? I listed all the schools in the section they ask where I have applied before and filled out what has changed since my last cycle but that is all. I was hoping it wouldn’t matter too much as I am not applying there again and I also have added some more schools this cycle which I did not apply to last year. Some are repeating schools obviously but I was not accepted to them so hopefully it will be okay?

there's a spot where you have to say whether you have been accepted to any professional programs previously, what did you put there?

 

[Aditya Patel]

there's a spot where you have to say whether you have been accepted to any professional programs previously, what did you put there?

I’m sorry where does it say that? I just looked through my personal information section and the only things I see asked are whether I previously attended a health profession program (I haven’t), if I have applied before (yes), the year I applied (2023), what has changed since my last application and what schools I applied to. I do not see a questions asking if I have been accepted.

 

[macsak]

I’m sorry where does it say that? I just looked through my personal information section and the only things I see asked are whether I previously attended a health profession program (I haven’t), if I have applied before (yes), the year I applied (2023), what has changed since my last application and what schools I applied to. I do not see a questions asking if I have been accepted.

oh
my apologies
i thought it said accepted
sorry

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I did not realize before I applied that they asked for all four years paid upfront or two years with a US cosigner (which I also did not have). Besides it being too expensive all at once, I was accepted into the program where I spend two years in the New York campus and two years in their new New Mexico campus. I was hesitant with that because it is fairly new change.

Have you redressed this problem this cycle? What you describe regarding getting all 4 years paid in an escrow account is, unfortunately, standard operations. You might get some slack with Touro if they offer you again; it's something not all Canadian applicants have fully prepared.

That said, your list is way too long. With your experience with Touro knowing you have to pony up 4 years of full COA, you need to pare your list down to the schools you know admit more than 3-4 Canadians in their classes. Connect with those students and how they could pay for their education. Howard is not a good match, for example.

 

[Aditya Patel]

Have you redressed this problem this cycle? What you describe regarding getting all 4 years paid in an escrow account is, unfortunately, standard operations. You might get some slack with Touro if they offer you again; it's something not all Canadian applicants have fully prepared.

That said, your list is way too long. With your experience with Touro knowing you have to pony up 4 years of full COA, you need to pare your list down to the schools you know admit more than 3-4 Canadians in their classes. Connect with those students and how they could pay for their education. Howard is not a good match, for example.

Thanks for the advice. I did not know that paying for all four years upfront was the norm unfortunately. I don't know why, but I thought most schools would ask year to year tuition. If you don't mind sharing what is the reason for Howard not being a good match? I saw that they had about 56 international students apply and 6 accepted in 2026 so I figured I could give it a shot.

 

[macsak]

Thanks for the advice. I did not know that paying for all four years upfront was the norm unfortunately. I don't know why, but I thought most schools would ask year to year tuition. If you don't mind sharing what is the reason for Howard not being a good match? I saw that they had about 56 international students apply and 6 accepted in 2026 so I figured I could give it a shot.

howard is an HBCU

 

[Aditya Patel]

howard is an HBCU

I see thank you I will probably cut that one off my list then. Do I still stand a reasonable chance for the other schools on the list?

 

[macsak]

I see thank you I will probably cut that one off my list then. Do I still stand a reasonable chance for the other schools on the list?

depends on how you define "reasonable"

reapplicants are held to a higher standard
international makes it difficult to judge also

did you indicate you are retaking DAT?

 

[Aditya Patel]

depends on how you define "reasonable"

reapplicants are held to a higher standard
international makes it difficult to judge also

did you indicate you are retaking DAT?

I guess by reasonable is if I would have a good shot at getting an interview at least. I did put on my aadsas app that I plan to rewrite mid August. I’ll update each of the schools afterwards with my new score but I wanted to still apply early with my old score.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I guess by reasonable is if I would have a good shot at getting an interview at least. I did put on my aadsas app that I plan to rewrite mid August. I’ll update each of the schools afterwards with my new score but I wanted to still apply early with my old score.

Be more confident... you said you had at least 3 interviews from last cycle. Where else did you apply?

 

[macsak]

I guess by reasonable is if I would have a good shot at getting an interview at least. I did put on my aadsas app that I plan to rewrite mid August. I’ll update each of the schools afterwards with my new score but I wanted to still apply early with my old score.

most, if not all schools will put your app on hold until the new scores come in...

 

[macsak]

I guess by reasonable is if I would have a good shot at getting an interview at least. I did put on my aadsas app that I plan to rewrite mid August. I’ll update each of the schools afterwards with my new score but I wanted to still apply early with my old score.

you have a shot, difficult to say if it's a good shot at any school that takes a reasonable amount of internationals
pending your new dat scores, of course
as a reapplicant and an international, you are going to have to apply broadly...

 

[Aditya Patel]

Be more confident... you said you had at least 3 interviews from last cycle. Where else did you apply?

I applied to tufts, Detroit, touro, temple, Minnesota, Boston, Buffalo, Nova, and Marquette. I only got interviewed for the first three but I think applying that late in the cycle played a significant role in my lack of for some of the other ones.

 

[Aditya Patel]

most, if not all schools will put your app on hold until the new scores come in...

I’m applying with my old scores so I don’t see why it would be put on hold. I just plan on letting them know myself afterwards.

 

[macsak]

I’m applying with my old scores so I don’t see why it would be put on hold. I just plan on letting them know myself afterwards

put yourself in their shoes, what would you do?
what if you offered someone an interview and then find out they got a way lower score?

you are correct in that you should send them your preliminary scores right away via email or fax
some schools may start to consider you then, pending your confirmed scores
others may wait until it is sent to them officially...

 

[Aditya Patel]

put yourself in their shoes, what would you do?
what if you offered someone an interview and then find out they got a way lower score?

you are correct in that you should send them your preliminary scores right away via email or fax
some schools may start to consider you then, pending your confirmed scores
others may wait until it is sent to them officially...

So Case Western is the only school so far that has said my application won’t be reviewed until my new scores come. They let me know in their first email to me saying my application was received. The rest of the schools so far seem to still have put my application under review as it says so on aadsas too.