WAMC + School List Suggestion/Feedback

[mst0330]

Date of submission: May 30, 2023
Overall GPA: 3.87
Science GPA: 3.7?
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.73
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 22AA, 22TS (21 BIO, 28 GC, 21 OC, 21 RC, 21 QR, 17PAT)
State of Residence: Illinois

Undergrad Attended: UIUC
Major: Psychology
Minor: N/A
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 2 dental offices, 1 with 32 hours and the other with 92 hours
Volunteering Experience: Food bank, 120 hours
Employment: N/A
Research: 100 hours, cognitive neuroimaging
Other Extracurriculars: No
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List
LOR type and strength: 3 Strong letters
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: N/A
School list:

1. University of Illinois - Chicago
2. Southern Illinois University
3. Midwestern University - IL
4. Midwestern University - AZ
5. UNE - Maine
6. OSU
7. LECOM
8. Marquette
9. Roseman
10. Utah
11. Indiana
12. Iowa
13. UPenn
14. University of Maryland
15. University of Pittsburgh
16. Detroit Mercy
17. Case Western
18. University of Michigan
19. ATSU - Missouri
20. ATSU - Arizona

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[macsak]

Date of submission: May 30, 2023
Overall GPA: 3.87
Science GPA: 3.7?
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.73
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 22AA, 22TS (21 BIO, 28 GC, 21 OC, 21 RC, 21 QR, 17PAT)
State of Residence: Illinois

Undergrad Attended: UIUC
Major: Psychology
Minor: N/A
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes (was premed, if that doesn't count then No)

Shadowing Experience: 2 dental offices, 1 with 32 hours and the other with 92 hours
Volunteering Experience: Food bank, 120 hours
Employment: N/A
Research: 100 hours, cognitive neuroimaging
Other Extracurriculars: No
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List
LOR type and strength: 2 Strong letters
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: N/A
School list:

1. University of Illinois - Chicago
2. Southern Illinois University
3. Midwestern University - IL
4. Midwestern University - AZ
5. UNE - Maine
6. OSU
7. LECOM
8. Marquette
9. Roseman
10. Utah
11. Indiana
12. Iowa
13. University of Pennsylvania
14. University of Maryland
15. University of Pittsburgh
16. Detroit Mercy
17. Case Western
18. University of Michigan
19. ATSU - Missouri
20. ATSU - Arizona

have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any d schools?

your list is too long
do you have any connection to arizona and utah?

 

[mst0330]

have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any d schools?

your list is too long
do you have any connection to arizona and utah?

I attended a predental day for Midwestern (IL) last year and planning to attend again this year.
Yeah it's pretty long out of paranoia lol and no I dont. Should I remove them?

 

[Ryxndek]

Being premed isn't non-trad, though you need to make it clear to adcoms why dentistry is the right career for you.

You should aim for 9-12 schools. Reduce schools that you don't fit their mission. You could probably toss out Midwestern-Az and ATSU-Az unless you have ties to the state. Throw out detroit mercy, and Utah (average age is like 26-27 unless you want to roll with an older crowd). App seems okay, slightly red flag you have zero extracurriculars. You weren't a part of any clubs? What do you like to do in your free time? What will you say for manual dexterity, your PAT is a little low.

 

[mst0330]

Being premed isn't non-trad, though you need to make it clear to adcoms why dentistry is the right career for you.

You should aim for 9-12 schools. Reduce schools that you don't fit their mission. You could probably toss out Midwestern-Az and ATSU-Az unless you have ties to the state. Throw out detroit mercy, and Utah (average age is like 26-27 unless you want to roll with an older crowd). App seems okay, slightly red flag you have zero extracurriculars. You weren't a part of any clubs? What do you like to do in your free time? What will you say for manual dexterity, your PAT is a little low.

Thanks for clearing that up
Are those school regional/state specific? Interesting
Why throw out Detroit mercy? Bad school?
I have shadowing and volunteering. Pretty clueless in undergrad hence gap year(s).
Cook/bake in free time

 

[Ryxndek]

Thanks for clearing that up
Are those school regional/state specific? Interesting
Why throw out Detroit mercy? Bad school?
I have shadowing and volunteering. Pretty clueless in undergrad hence gap year(s).
Cook/bake in free time

Somewhat, though trying to tie yourself into "why Arizona?" may be difficult in an interview unless you have actual reasons (wanting to live there, or their school curriculum isn't enough...family alumni, family located there, worked there, went to school there are better reasons). Detroit Mercy isn't the greatest school, but it's a dental school. With your stats, it would be more of a safety than anything, but I don't know many people that want to live in Detroit and the weather can be a pain, so if it was the only school that offered you a seat, would you go? Advice I wish I listened to more? -- apply to schools you could see yourself 1. Taking out ALL loans needed (and how much interest they will acrue while in school) and 2. if it was the only school that offered you a seat, you'd still go

I didn't listen to those 2 rules, and applied to schools that I would have crippled myself in tons of debt and would have been tough to swallow wanting to live in the locations where the schools were. If I could do it again, I would have changed my list almost completely

Also, maybe just me but unless the baking involves delicate frosting or additional details to make it pretty it may be a little bit of a stretch. It's good to explain preciseness and detail awareness because of the recipes. But in your free time now try picking up something with more hand-eye coordination as a fun hobby. I did painting and showed my paintings to my interviewers and they got a kick out of it. There's also woodworking, knitting, lab work that requires hand skills, etc. Did you use any hand-eye coordination in your lab that you can use for the prompt?

 

[macsak]

I attended a predental day for Midwestern (IL) last year and planning to attend again this year.
Yeah it's pretty long out of paranoia lol and no I dont. Should I remove them?

your stats are good enough that the utah and arizona schools are going to assume you will get into and commit to a closer school

and i agree, remove UDM
and refine your list...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Oh that PAT score...

If you could visit more schools, you should. Ask the ASDA or SNDA chapters if a recruitment event is coming up.

Stay close to home... I don't see anything that tells me you have a strong mission match.

I think UIC and UDM are very similar except that UDM is private and takes Canadians (just my opinion). I don't have as much of an objection to UDM. But you should visit the campus.