WAMC? International Student

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utchenx

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May 19, 2025
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Date of submission: ready to submit June 3
Overall GPA: 3.974 (4.0 from Main Undergrad, 3.5: 4 online courses from transfer credits that count towards gen-eds like art history, US history, and philosophy)
Science GPA: 4.0
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 4.0
DAT score: 27 AA, 30 TS; 27 GC, 30 OC, 30 BIO, 23 QR, 25 RC
State of Residence: International F-1, Connecticut
Undergrad Attended: UCONN - Rising Senior
Major: Physiology and Neurobiology
Minor: no
Minority? no
Reapplicant? no
Nontrad? no
Shadowing Experience: 800 hours (GP-private clinic, GP&OMFS-hospital setting)
Volunteering Experience: 200 hours (Undergrad TA, Food Service, etc. )
Employment: 300 hours (DAT tutor, IELTS tutor, Fitness Attendant, Military in my home country)
Research: 650 hours; 1 publications, 3rd author on Inorganic Chem + Material Science
Other Extracurriculars: 1000+ hours (Taiwanese Student Association VP, College Badminton Team Captain, Club Soccer, Pre-dent Society, Neurosci Society, Dental Meetings, other assisting experience, RAM, CTMOM free clinics)
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? yes, CTMOM
Relevant Honors or Awfards: Dean's List for 6 straight semester, 4.0 Scholars, Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Lambda Delta, Eastern Collegiate Badminton Championship (2nd place*2, 3rd place *2, 4th place *2)
LOR type and strength: strong committee letter
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: no
School list: BU, Columbia, IU, NYU, OHSU, Rutgers, Temple, Touro, Tufts, UCLA, UCSF, UCONN, UMaryland, UMich, UNE, UPenn, UofP, VCU
Should I add or remove any school? Recently removed Harvard due to the risk of visa.
 
Welcome to the forums.

I think Columbia (and frankly all Ivy schools) are subject to the SEVIS revocation if the White House gets its way with Harvard. The domino effect will impact all other schools.

Reach out to the schools on your list and express your concerns being an F1 applicant. I doubt you'll get any straight answers, but at the least, you can find out what they are doing to protect current students on F1. Report back with private messages to me when you can to help others in your similar situation this cycle.
 
Welcome to the forums.

I think Columbia (and frankly all Ivy schools) are subject to the SEVIS revocation if the White House gets its way with Harvard. The domino effect will impact all other schools.

Reach out to the schools on your list and express your concerns being an F1 applicant. I doubt you'll get any straight answers, but at the least, you can find out what they are doing to protect current students on F1. Report back with private messages to me when you can to help others in your similar situation this cycle.
Got it! Thank you for your response!
 
Okay... now to your list.

You can take your shot and shoot high. Other than UConn, I would be wary of many of the other public schools on your list because they will prefer people from their own state. I'm sure they would like an international student or two, but they also know with your stats, you are likely going after bigger fish. Specific strikes: remove IU, OHSU, UNE, Maryland, Rutgers, and VCU. Next group to consider excluding if you need to reduce your list below 10 would include NYU, Touro, and Temple. Again, that's my impression based on what you have provided, but you have a very strong and desirable profile. Add Harvard because you might as well; maybe Ohio State because everyone seems to want to go to Columbus (also check out their new clinic), so if they're international friendly...

That does remind me: check out the clinic spaces, technology, and patient management. If you're going for OMFS, how will each school get you there? I have no doubt the Ivy schools will position their graduates for the big-money opportunities, and to me it seems you can handle it if you're in the right place.

@macsak, your thoughts?
 
Okay... now to your list.

You can take your shot and shoot high. Other than UConn, I would be wary of many of the other public schools on your list because they will prefer people from their own state. I'm sure they would like an international student or two, but they also know with your stats, you are likely going after bigger fish. Specific strikes: remove IU, OHSU, UNE, Maryland, Rutgers, and VCU. Next group to consider excluding if you need to reduce your list below 10 would include NYU, Touro, and Temple. Again, that's my impression based on what you have provided, but you have a very strong and desirable profile. Add Harvard because you might as well; maybe Ohio State because everyone seems to want to go to Columbus (also check out their new clinic), so if they're international friendly...

That does remind me: check out the clinic spaces, technology, and patient management. If you're going for OMFS, how will each school get you there? I have no doubt the Ivy schools will position their graduates for the big-money opportunities, and to me it seems you can handle it if you're in the right place.

@macsak, your thoughts?
Thanks again. This really helps a lot!
I am thinking that I should strike out the CA schools. They're a little too far for me to travel for the interviews during the Fall semester.
Yes, if possible, I would want to go for OMFS, but I am also open to being a super GP. So I prefer clinical-based schools more than research-based schools.
 
Thanks again. This really helps a lot!
I am thinking that I should strike out the CA schools. They're a little too far for me to travel for the interviews during the Fall semester.
Yes, if possible, I would want to go for OMFS, but I am also open to being a super GP. So I prefer clinical-based schools more than research-based schools.
You can ask if they do virtual interviews, but you should be able to hitch a non-stop flight out to LA or SF if you wanted to visit the campuses (okay, out of the NYC airports, not from Hartford). I also recognize California is a historical destination of the Asian diaspora, so they would value your background.
 
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