WAMC for 2026-2027 Cycle, Thanks!!

[dentalland]

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Date of submission: Mid-June (around June 15th)

Overall GPA: 3.743
Science GPA: 3.519
DAT score : 440 AA, 440 PAT, 420 QR, 440 RC, 430 Bio, 410 GC, 490 OC

State of Residence: California

Major: Public Health

Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 100 hours of mainly general dentistry shadowing with some pediatric and ortho shadowing. I have over 1,000 hours of general dentistry assisting experience.

Volunteering Experience: Around 550 hours of volunteering, though much of it is through my sorority

Research: 60 hours of public health research

Other Extracurriculars: held multiple leadership positions, including president (and two additional years of exec) of my university’s pre-dental club

Red Flags: worried about my low/average GPA and DAT scores. Also worried about my lack of research since I don’t have lab research or published papers


School list:
BU
A.T. Still University
LECOM
Midwestern
NSU
Tufts
UNLV
Western University
Midwestern - Arizona
Midwestern - Illinois
UNE
UCSF
UoP
University of Colorado
Touro
Loma Linda

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Volunteering Experience: Around 550 hours of volunteering, though much of it is through my sorority and dance

Please itemize these hours.

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: Mid-June (around June 15th)

Overall GPA: 3.743
Science GPA: 3.519
DAT score : 440 AA, 440 PAT, 420 QR, 440 RC, 430 Bio, 410 GC, 490 OC

State of Residence: California

Major: Public Health

Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 100 hours of mainly general dentistry shadowing with some pediatric and endodontic shadowing. I have over 1,000 hours of general dentistry assisting experience. I also participated in an international dental mission trip

Volunteering Experience: Around 550 hours of volunteering, though much of it is through my sorority and dance

Research: 60 hours of public health research

Other Extracurriculars: held multiple leadership positions, including president (and two additional years of exec) of my university’s dance company

Red Flags: worried about my low/average GPA and DAT scores. Also worried about my lack of research since I don’t have lab research or published papers


School list:
BU
A.T. Still University
LECOM
Midwestern
NSU
Tufts
UNLV
Western University
Midwestern - Arizona
Midwestern - Illinois
UNE
USC
NYU
UCLA
UCSF
UoP
University of Colorado

what is your TS?
how did you come up with this list?
are you planning on applying to the whole list?

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: Mid-June (around June 15th)

Overall GPA: 3.743
Science GPA: 3.519
DAT score : 440 AA, 440 PAT, 420 QR, 440 RC, 430 Bio, 410 GC, 490 OC

State of Residence: California

Major: Public Health

Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 100 hours of mainly general dentistry shadowing with some pediatric and endodontic shadowing. I have over 1,000 hours of general dentistry assisting experience. I also participated in an international dental mission trip

Volunteering Experience: Around 550 hours of volunteering, though much of it is through my sorority and dance

Research: 60 hours of public health research

Other Extracurriculars: held multiple leadership positions, including president (and two additional years of exec) of my university’s dance company

Red Flags: worried about my low/average GPA and DAT scores. Also worried about my lack of research since I don’t have lab research or published papers


School list:
BU
A.T. Still University
LECOM
Midwestern
NSU
Tufts
UNLV
Western University
Midwestern - Arizona
Midwestern - Illinois
UNE
USC
NYU
UCLA
UCSF
UoP
University of Colorado

don't worry about the research...

 

[dentalland]

what is your TS?
how did you come up with this list?
are you planning on applying to the whole list?

TS is 440, same as my AA and PAT. I came up with my list based on what schools were OOS friendly and taking into account that I ideally would like to stay in California (hence the UCLA, UCSF, UoP which I know is a reach for me). As of now, yes I am going to apply to the whole list, I'm worried that I won't get into one so I'm trying to maximize my chances though I know it looks like a lot of schools.

 

[dentalland]

Please itemize these hours.

.

 

[macsak]

TS is 440, same as my AA and PAT. I came up with my list based on what schools were OOS friendly and taking into account that I ideally would like to stay in California (hence the UCLA, UCSF, UoP which I know is a reach for me). As of now, yes I am going to apply to the whole list, I'm worried that I won't get into one so I'm trying to maximize my chances though I know it looks like a lot of schools.

so you checked OOS acceptances, did you check for a long term history of CA acceptances?

you get interview invites and acceptances from having mission fit with a program, and to a lesser extent geography plays a role
"OOS friendly" is not mission fit...

 

[macsak]

so you checked OOS acceptances, did you check for a long term history of CA acceptances?

you get interview invites and acceptances from having mission fit with a program, and to a lesser extent geography plays a role
"OOS friendly" is not mission fit...

there are 2 at still campuses...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

60 hrs international dental volunteer, 80 hours volunteering at a shelter, 325 hours philanthropy team director for my sorority, 72 hours cancer fundraising event leader, 30 hours childhood cancer event volunteering

It's not an app-killer, but just my preference; maybe more time as a shelter volunteer would be great. I am not opposed to being a philanthropic fundraiser, but it's not quite the same as serving others. On the other hand, dentistry still runs on money. 🙂

I'm definitely not sure you fit with geographically distant programs. Have you ever been to Maine (UNE), Florida (NSU, LECOM), or Boston (Tufts, BU)? Standard COA warning with USC and NYU. That should help reduce your list down to about 10-12 schools. Not sure about Utah, but I need more information if a 3-year program (UoP, Roseman, or Yeshiva in NY) would be a good fit.

I don't get what your goal is as a future dentist (it's not "to get into any dental school"). What is your purpose as a dentist?

 

[macsak]

It's not an app-killer, but just my preference; maybe more time as a shelter volunteer would be great. I am not opposed to being a philanthropic fundraiser, but it's not quite the same as serving others. On the other hand, dentistry still runs on money. 🙂

I'm definitely not sure you fit with geographically distant programs. Have you ever been to Maine (UNE), Florida (NSU, LECOM), or Boston (Tufts, BU)? Standard COA warning with USC and NYU. That should help reduce your list down to about 10-12 schools. Not sure about Utah, but I need more information if a 3-year program (UoP, Roseman, or Yeshiva in NY) would be a good fit.

I don't get what your goal is as a future dentist (it's not "to get into any dental school"). What is your purpose as a dentist?

as much as i hate to disagree with msmile, i think the volunteering is fine
and i also feel like OP needs to apply to more than 10-12 schools, sorry

i agree about the east coast schools can be reduced some
and OP should look more into roseman, utah and ohsu...

 

[dentalland]

It's not an app-killer, but just my preference; maybe more time as a shelter volunteer would be great. I am not opposed to being a philanthropic fundraiser, but it's not quite the same as serving others. On the other hand, dentistry still runs on money. 🙂

I'm definitely not sure you fit with geographically distant programs. Have you ever been to Maine (UNE), Florida (NSU, LECOM), or Boston (Tufts, BU)? Standard COA warning with USC and NYU. That should help reduce your list down to about 10-12 schools. Not sure about Utah, but I need more information if a 3-year program (UoP, Roseman, or Yeshiva in NY) would be a good fit.

I don't get what your goal is as a future dentist (it's not "to get into any dental school"). What is your purpose as a dentist?

I had forgot to mention that I went to college in the Boston area! So I am very familiar with the east coast and why I am applying to those schools. My research and studies have all been about public health and addressing health disparities which is something I'm very passionate about.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I had forgot to mention that I went to college in Boston! So I am very familiar with the east coast and why I am applying to those schools. My research and studies have all been about rural health and addressing health disparities which is something I'm very passionate about.

Okay, that helps a bit, and it makes more sense with UNE. Would you want to study dentistry in Vermont (UDM)?

Most of the dental schools will give you experience working with underserved communities as that's the backbone of their dental school clinic clientele. Rural health may be a different matter, and you probably know better how UIC works with rural oral health disparities... ?

What support do you have from your prehealth advisors? What suggestions do they have?