Hi there everyone- first SDN post here!🙂
I am planning on applying for this cycle, and submitting my application sometime in June. I am currently a graduating senior, so I will be taking a gap year. Lots of uncertainty with the current state of society, but I hope to get a waitressing job and dental assisting job in my gap year. I also plan to continue volunteering, and hopefully travel a bit too.
Date of submission: (hopefully) sometime early-mid June
State of residence: Illinois
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Psychology
Minority: No
Re-applicant: No
Overall GPA: 3.81
Science GPA: 3.77
DAT Scores:
AA: 23
TS: 23
PAT: 25
QR: 17
RC: 27
BIO: 21
GC: 22
OC: 27
Shadowing experience: I have 26 hours of shadowing at private practices (general dentistry, and majority at a periodontal practice) I also have 91 hours of shadowing/assisting/volunteering at a mobile dental clinic which provides dental care at discounted prices. I have volunteered at an all day, annual dental mission as well. I have 30 hours of shadowing/volunteering at a pediatric dental clinic.
This leads to 147 total hours of dental experience. I was planning on gaining more hours but it was not possible with the pandemic.
Volunteerism: In addition to the dental volunteering mentioned above, I went on a week long mission trip to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Michael. I have also occasionally volunteered at the nearby homeless shelter as a general volunteer during their health outreach programs (around 8 hours), and I also have about 8 hours of volunteering at the local blood donation center. I have volunteered at the hospital (around 200 hours) at the beginning of my college career before I chose to pursue dentistry. Not sure if I want to include all of these hospital hours in my application though, what do you guys think?
Employment: I have worked as a waitress throughout high school and occasionally throughout college. At my university, I worked in the organic chemistry lab for 2 years, as part of the lab set up team, I would mix the chemicals, set up for labs, and check out equipment to students.
I worked 2 years as a TA for clinical anatomy lecture and gross anatomy dissection course
Research: I got involved in psychology research. I volunteered as a RA for one semester, and also completed an Independent Study in social psychology that semester as well. Not published, but participated in poster presentations at psychology conferences...
Other Extracurriculars: I am a member of my university's pre health honor society, and held a committee position on the Executive Board. I have also been a member of Art Club for all 4 years of university
I am going to have three LORs: 2 science professors, and 1 dentist. If the school's I am applying to only require these 3, do you guys think I should still scramble to get a fourth LOR?
School List (I am hoping to apply to 10 schools)
These schools are for sure: UIC, Marquette, Creighton, Midwestern (IL), Michigan, Iowa,
And choosing between these: SIU, OSU, NYU, Temple, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, LECOM,
Let me know what you guys think...
Thank you so much and blessings to everyone in this difficult time.
I am planning on applying for this cycle, and submitting my application sometime in June. I am currently a graduating senior, so I will be taking a gap year. Lots of uncertainty with the current state of society, but I hope to get a waitressing job and dental assisting job in my gap year. I also plan to continue volunteering, and hopefully travel a bit too.
Date of submission: (hopefully) sometime early-mid June
State of residence: Illinois
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Psychology
Minority: No
Re-applicant: No
Overall GPA: 3.81
Science GPA: 3.77
DAT Scores:
AA: 23
TS: 23
PAT: 25
QR: 17
RC: 27
BIO: 21
GC: 22
OC: 27
Shadowing experience: I have 26 hours of shadowing at private practices (general dentistry, and majority at a periodontal practice) I also have 91 hours of shadowing/assisting/volunteering at a mobile dental clinic which provides dental care at discounted prices. I have volunteered at an all day, annual dental mission as well. I have 30 hours of shadowing/volunteering at a pediatric dental clinic.
This leads to 147 total hours of dental experience. I was planning on gaining more hours but it was not possible with the pandemic.
Volunteerism: In addition to the dental volunteering mentioned above, I went on a week long mission trip to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Michael. I have also occasionally volunteered at the nearby homeless shelter as a general volunteer during their health outreach programs (around 8 hours), and I also have about 8 hours of volunteering at the local blood donation center. I have volunteered at the hospital (around 200 hours) at the beginning of my college career before I chose to pursue dentistry. Not sure if I want to include all of these hospital hours in my application though, what do you guys think?
Employment: I have worked as a waitress throughout high school and occasionally throughout college. At my university, I worked in the organic chemistry lab for 2 years, as part of the lab set up team, I would mix the chemicals, set up for labs, and check out equipment to students.
I worked 2 years as a TA for clinical anatomy lecture and gross anatomy dissection course
Research: I got involved in psychology research. I volunteered as a RA for one semester, and also completed an Independent Study in social psychology that semester as well. Not published, but participated in poster presentations at psychology conferences...
Other Extracurriculars: I am a member of my university's pre health honor society, and held a committee position on the Executive Board. I have also been a member of Art Club for all 4 years of university
I am going to have three LORs: 2 science professors, and 1 dentist. If the school's I am applying to only require these 3, do you guys think I should still scramble to get a fourth LOR?
School List (I am hoping to apply to 10 schools)
These schools are for sure: UIC, Marquette, Creighton, Midwestern (IL), Michigan, Iowa,
And choosing between these: SIU, OSU, NYU, Temple, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, LECOM,
Let me know what you guys think...
Thank you so much and blessings to everyone in this difficult time.
