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What are my chances?
- Thread starter HamburgerHelper02
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Get a 20 or 21+ on the DAT without any outlying low scores and I think you’d be very competitive.
I would probably do some more shadowing/dental work experience because they ask about those in interviews.
Also most schools like to see many hours volunteering in some way. So if you think your volunteering experience is sufficient then you’re good but if you only have a few hours worth, maybe do more. Volunteering can really be anything. I didn’t have any medical/dental volunteering but a LOT of community volunteering and got 5 acceptances.
As for the classes, the schools at which I interviewed didn’t seem to mind that I hadn’t taken many upper level bio. In fact I only had one 3-hour 500 level biochem class, the rest were 200 and 300 (I’m a business major though). But your major is biology so you’re in a different boat than me I think... could go either way.
As for the letters of rec, don’t go with someone of high prestige if you don’t have a good relationship with them. Go with professors and providers that you KNOW well. They will give you the best most candid LORs. If you MUST get one from a professor that doesn’t know you well, give them your resume so they have some things to write about you. But relationships are KEY! Overall though I wouldn’t imagine a professor or dentist would write you a LOR if they were going to write BAD things. The way you can maximize your LORs is getting to know your writers.
I would probably do some more shadowing/dental work experience because they ask about those in interviews.
Also most schools like to see many hours volunteering in some way. So if you think your volunteering experience is sufficient then you’re good but if you only have a few hours worth, maybe do more. Volunteering can really be anything. I didn’t have any medical/dental volunteering but a LOT of community volunteering and got 5 acceptances.
As for the classes, the schools at which I interviewed didn’t seem to mind that I hadn’t taken many upper level bio. In fact I only had one 3-hour 500 level biochem class, the rest were 200 and 300 (I’m a business major though). But your major is biology so you’re in a different boat than me I think... could go either way.
As for the letters of rec, don’t go with someone of high prestige if you don’t have a good relationship with them. Go with professors and providers that you KNOW well. They will give you the best most candid LORs. If you MUST get one from a professor that doesn’t know you well, give them your resume so they have some things to write about you. But relationships are KEY! Overall though I wouldn’t imagine a professor or dentist would write you a LOR if they were going to write BAD things. The way you can maximize your LORs is getting to know your writers.
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So my pre-health advising office required us to collect at least 4 letters to go along with their committee letter. One of mine was from my biochem TA (grad student), as I didn’t really get to know my professor in that class. It was completely fine! It may be a bit of a different case for you as you are talking about a letter from a research mentor, but that does not mean the postgrads/grads that you work with can not contribute to the letter. You can talk to them both and ask your mentor whether they would be open to having the postgrad send along some thoughts/observations/whatever to help them compose their letter. This was something that my pre-health advisors presented as an option to applicants, and although I did not end up doing it, it is a totally viable option!
As for next semester, I would highly recommend taking a science class with a smaller class size (eg not a large lecture course). I was also very worried about letters going into my senior year as I hadn’t really gotten to know any professors. I took a microbiology class with like 12 people in it and ended up getting one of my letters from that professor. Especially good if the class you take involves presentations or assignments of some sort of assignments apart from exams. I’m not the type of person to always go to office hours or go above and beyond to get to know my professors, but meeting with her a couple times in the course of preparing my presentation, asking the occasional question in class, and having a sit down meeting after asking for a letter to discuss my interests, background, experiences, motivation to go to dental school, etc was enough for me to feel confident that she would write a good LOR.
Best of luck to you! You have a good GPA and solid ECs- do well on your DAT and I think you’ll have success when you apply.
As for next semester, I would highly recommend taking a science class with a smaller class size (eg not a large lecture course). I was also very worried about letters going into my senior year as I hadn’t really gotten to know any professors. I took a microbiology class with like 12 people in it and ended up getting one of my letters from that professor. Especially good if the class you take involves presentations or assignments of some sort of assignments apart from exams. I’m not the type of person to always go to office hours or go above and beyond to get to know my professors, but meeting with her a couple times in the course of preparing my presentation, asking the occasional question in class, and having a sit down meeting after asking for a letter to discuss my interests, background, experiences, motivation to go to dental school, etc was enough for me to feel confident that she would write a good LOR.
Best of luck to you! You have a good GPA and solid ECs- do well on your DAT and I think you’ll have success when you apply.
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Thanks for the vote of confidence guys! Best of luck to you!
