WAMC reapplying for next cycle?

[Dentati]

Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.3
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA: 22 / TS: 23 / PAT: 25 / RC: 21 / QR: 21 / Bio: 23 / Chem: 25 / OC: 22
State of Residence: IL
Undergrad Attended: UIUC
Major: Biology
Minority? Asian
Reapplicant? Yes
Nontrad? no
Shadowing Experience: 200
Volunteering Experience: 200
Employment: Dental assistant for 900 hours
Research: 90 hours in freshman year
Other Extracurriculars: Volunteer in hospital, predental club, and stopping hunger club
LOR type and strength: 1 bio professor (strong), 1 physics, 1 nonscience, 1 dentist (strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Low freshman year GPA (2.7), upward trend, B+ in gen chems then later C- and C in accelerated gen chems. Was a half-time student for the last semester of my senior year.

School list
Western U
USC
UIC
SIU
MWU-IL & AZ
UNLV
NYU
OSU
Temple
Marquette
LECOM
Rutgers

I would appreciate if you can critic my application as what I can improve! Thank you!

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[macsak]

Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.3
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA: 22 / TS: 23 / PAT: 25 / RC: 21 / QR: 21 / Bio: 23 / Chem: 25 / OC: 22
State of Residence: IL
Undergrad Attended: UIUC
Major: Biology
Minority? Asian
Reapplicant? Yes
Nontrad? Yes
Shadowing Experience: 200
Volunteering Experience: 200
Employment: Dental assistant for 900 hours
Research: 90 hours in freshman year
Other Extracurriculars: Volunteer in hospital, predental club, and stopping hunger club
LOR type and strength: 1 bio professor (strong), 1 physics, 1 nonscience, 1 dentist (strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Low freshman year GPA (2.7), upward trend, B+ in gen chems then later C- and C in accelerated gen chems. Was a half-time student for the last semester of my senior year.

School list
Western U
USC
UIC
SIU
MWU-IL & AZ
UNLV
NYU
OSU
Temple
Marquette
LECOM
Rutgers

I would appreciate if you can critic my application as what I can improve! Thank you!

what have you done since last cycle?
which schools did you apply to and when?
interviews? waitlists?

 

[Dentati]

what have you done since last cycle?
which schools did you apply to and when?
interviews? waitlists?

I have been working in the dental office as a full-time dental assistant, and I took an anatomy course and received an A. I earned 50 more hours of volunteer work since I applied and earned a strong letter from a science professor that I missed last cycle. I got a certificate for coronal polishing which allows hands-on experience with patients if that matters to the admission offices.
Applied to: MWW-IL &AZ, VCU, KCU, SIU, UIC, MOSDOH, BU, UTAH, IU, Marquette, Tufts
I am currently waitlisted at KCU and SIU.

Thank you!

 

[macsak]

I have been working in the dental office as a full-time dental assistant, and I took an anatomy course and received an A. I earned 50 more hours of volunteer work since I applied and earned a strong letter from a science professor that I missed last cycle. I got a certificate for coronal polishing which allows hands-on experience with patients if that matters to the admission offices.
Applied to: MWW-IL &AZ, VCU, KCU, SIU, UIC, MOSDOH, BU, UTAH, IU, Marquette, Tufts
I am currently waitlisted at KCU and SIU.

Thank you!

where did you interview?
how did they go?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Good luck on the WL wait.

 

[artist2022]

Overall GPA: 3.4
Science GPA: 3.3
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA: 22 / TS: 23 / PAT: 25 / RC: 21 / QR: 21 / Bio: 23 / Chem: 25 / OC: 22
State of Residence: IL
Undergrad Attended: UIUC
Major: Biology
Minority? Asian
Reapplicant? Yes
Nontrad? Yes
Shadowing Experience: 200
Volunteering Experience: 200
Employment: Dental assistant for 900 hours
Research: 90 hours in freshman year
Other Extracurriculars: Volunteer in hospital, predental club, and stopping hunger club
LOR type and strength: 1 bio professor (strong), 1 physics, 1 nonscience, 1 dentist (strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Low freshman year GPA (2.7), upward trend, B+ in gen chems then later C- and C in accelerated gen chems. Was a half-time student for the last semester of my senior year.

School list
Western U
USC
UIC
SIU
MWU-IL & AZ
UNLV
NYU
OSU
Temple
Marquette
LECOM
Rutgers

I would appreciate if you can critic my application as what I can improve! Thank you!

Why are you a nontraditional applicant?

 

[Dentati]

Why are you a nontraditional applicant?

I am unsure if this is what non-trad means, but I graduated last year and have been working as an assistant. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Dentati]

where did you interview?
how did they go?

I interviewed for KCU and SIU. I thought the KCU interview went well because the interviewers and I had a good time. The interview at SIU is more intense, which I think I did average.

 

[macsak]

I interviewed for KCU and SIU. I thought the KCU interview went well because the interviewers and I had a good time. The interview at SIU is more intense, which I think I did average.

when did you submit your application?

 

[Ryxndek]

I am unsure if this is what non-trad means, but I graduated last year and have been working as an assistant. Please correct me if I am wrong.

usually non traditional means career changer or military. Taking a gap year isn't non traditional, there are many applicants that take a gap year!

 

[Dentati]

when did you submit your application?

Around early September for most of my apps

 

[Dentati]

usually non traditional means career changer or military. Taking a gap year isn't non traditional, there are many applicants that take a gap year!

Thank you for sharing this!

 

[macsak]

Around early September for most of my apps

are you ready to apply right when the cycle opens this year?

 

[Ryxndek]

Around early September for most of my apps

That’s pretty late, apply in June you may have more success

 

[Dentati]

are you ready to apply right when the cycle opens this year?

Yes! I have my personal statement ready and I'm working on my secondary essays.

 

[macsak]

Yes! I have my personal statement ready and I'm working on my secondary essays.

how come kcu is not on your list this year?

why the california, arizona, and florida schools?

 

[Dentati]

how come kcu is not on your list this year?

why the california, arizona, and florida schools?

I think KCU prefers students from rural area, and I’m from urban area. I am still trying to change my list and yet to finalize it.

 

[Dentati]

Do I need a master because of my GPA? I’m on the low side of the average applicants stats and not a minority

 

[Ryxndek]

Do I need a master because of my GPA? I’m on the low side of the average applicants stats and not a minority

your DAT score will make up for the below-average GPA. You are not that far from the averages, though, and if you have an upward trend it will help. Apply this cycle, and if you don't get any bites, then a masters/postbacc may help to raise your GPA slightly. I would try to volunteer with organizations that help less fortunate; food pantry, soup kitchen, etc. Volunteering in a hospital looks more like you want to apply to medical school than dental. See if you could volunteer in dental office.

What have you done during this cycle to improve your application from last year? Schools will want to see improvement whether that may be taking more classes, working a job, getting research, extraordinary volunteer work, etc. Have you done anything?

 

[Dentati]

your DAT score will make up for the below-average GPA. You are not that far from the averages, though, and if you have an upward trend it will help. Apply this cycle, and if you don't get any bites, then a masters/postbacc may help to raise your GPA slightly. I would try to volunteer with organizations that help less fortunate; food pantry, soup kitchen, etc. Volunteering in a hospital looks more like you want to apply to medical school than dental. See if you could volunteer in dental office.

What have you done during this cycle to improve your application from last year? Schools will want to see improvement whether that may be taking more classes, working a job, getting research, extraordinary volunteer work, etc. Have you done anything?

Since cycle I been dental assisting (600hrs) and got some dental volunteering (150hrs). I took an anatomy course that I will be getting an A in. I’m not sure if this would be enough to impress schools because assisting doesn’t help much with application from what I heard, only shadowing and volunteering do.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I’m not sure if this would be enough to impress schools because assisting doesn’t help much with application from what I heard, only shadowing and volunteering do.

Hard to speak for all schools, but network about this. I like individuals who are trusted enough by dentists to get their hands dirty, so dental assisting or volunteering shows you "graduated" from shadowing. But this is not offered by all dentists so it's not necessarily a correct paradigm.