WAMC Reapplication

[handymanny13]

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[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums. I assume you attended the recruitment events at UCLA (as you mentioned).

Since graduating, I’ve been working full-time and volunteering at my local farmer’s market and food bank to boost my hours for a potential reapplication.

For a reapplication, how many hours will you have when you submit?

You should not retake the DAT unless it expires (outside of 3 years of your intended matriculation). Check with schools on your list.

So 100+ hours of dental shadowing is a lot. You probably should turn to more practical experience as a dental assistant (private practice or free/community clinics). You will be up against applicants with a couple hundred hours minimum of experience including working as a DA.

Your volunteering doesn't really stretch you outside your comfort zone. Activities should involve you addressing social service needs in-person. It's valiant that you are in charge of setting up health fairs. You should have at least 100 hours, so if you got that with your farmer's market/food bank work, you are probably okay here. I think that having zero hours was the significant factor holding your apps from an II.

What is your mission as a future dentist? I say this because your list is scattered (guessing you're leveraging metrics over mission, which is a bad idea). You did get rejected or ghosted from your in-state/regional options; check your writing (PS and activities). You did the right thing disclosing your IA, and while it might have dinged you for some schools, if you wrote your statement with the help of your student conduct office to show contrition and your actions to learn from this incident, you might be okay.

 

[macsak]

Hi everyone! I applied this current cycle with an IA (explained below) and after some discouraging results, I’m seeking advice on the next steps I should be taking for reapplying. For context, I was originally planning on applying for the 2023-2024 cycle, but due to my IA I felt that I needed another year to grow and mature from my mistake by taking on various leadership positions and volunteering to ensure that no student would ever feel the need to cut corners like I did. This was honestly a super low point in my life and I told myself I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t use this as a stepping stone for change.

Since graduating, I’ve been working full-time and volunteering at my local farmer’s market and food bank to boost my hours for a potential reapplication. I’m considering retaking my DAT (which I took April 2023) before this upcoming cycle because:
1. It could show persistence, with a better score reaffirming that I’m academically capable and dedicated to this process (I know it’s risky to retake a 23AA but a huge part of me is committed to this redemption arc)
2. I’m worried that my score will expire next year and now would be the best time to study

I can’t lie, this cycle has been extremely discouraging and I take full accountability for making a decision that would set me back so far. No need to sugarcoat anything, I truly appreciate any feedback and advice you guys could give for my circumstances.

Date of submission: 7/1/24
Overall GPA: 3.84
Science GPA: 3.88
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.87
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 23 AA, 22 TS, 20 PAT, 25 BIO, 23 GC, 19 OC, 27 RC, 19 QR
State of Residence: CA
Undergrad Attended: UCLA
Major: Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics
Minority? ORM
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 164 hours (spread across 4 different General Dentists)
Volunteering Experience: 500+ total, 160 as Crisis Textline Counselor, 160 as a Summer Camp Counselor, 90 as Volunteer High School Tutor, 100+ with various health fairs
Employment: 250 hours as a caregiver for individuals with developmental disabilities
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars: President of 2 heavily involved leadership positions, #1 organizing free health fairs for underserved communities + #2 mental health advocacy program
Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? Enrolled in my dental school’s 2 quarter-long enrichment course, culminated with poster presentation at their dental school
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean’s list for almost all quarters
LOR type and strength: 3 from science professors (okay, but not weak), 1 from general dentist (strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags:
At the end of my sophomore year in 2022, I was placed on academic probation for academic dishonesty. During a 24-hour online quiz I accessed other resources and was flagged by my professor. I immediately confessed, got reported to the dean and given a deferred suspension, which didn’t appear on my transcript. I still chose to disclose the incident on my app and even delayed applying for the 2023-2024 cycle which was my original plan.

School list:
ASDOH (rejected 7/31)
Midwestern-Arizona (rejected (10/1)
UCSF (rejected 10/7)
NOVA (rejected 11/12)
Western (rejected 12/19)
BU (rejected 12/16)

No answer since submitting secondary:
USC
OHSU
Buffalo
UCLA
UMich
UNLV
UPenn
UOP

what did UCLA admissions say about your app?

 

[LFA20]

There's nothing wrong with your DAT or GPA and it's absolutely pointless to retake the test. While it's courageous for you to disclose what you did on your app you might have also shot yourself in the foot...

 

[macsak]

Hey macsak! I haven't reached out to UCLA regarding a status update to my application if that's what you're referring to. Sorry if "no answer" threw you off, I meant to put "No status update".

no, i was asking what ucla said prior to applying about your IA and your app in general...