What are the easiest dental schools to get into?

[prehealthstudent69]

I'm a senior and my current GPA is pretty low (3.05) but I'm hoping to get it up to at least a 3.3 by next year. I haven't taken the DAT's yet, but assuming I get somewhere close to a 20, what are some of the easier schools to get into?

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[grizzles]

I won't play this game and hope others don't either. BUT there are things that are harder to control that will, from my knowledge , give you an advantage and make you more likely to interview/be accepted at schools:
- your LOR writer is a graduate from the school
- parents are alumni of the school (some schools want you to indicate this on their secondary)
- it is your state school OR the school has a compact program with your state of residence
- if it is geographically nearby (i.e. those from the west receive less love from schools on the east coast and vice versa. Perhaps the schools think you wouldn't be serious about trekking across the country to go to their school. Others may disagree)
- also, if you have family near a certain school, I feel you have a stronger case to be accepted after interview since you'd feel more comfortable/familiar and have a stronger support system (something schools value)

 

[lwen5]

USC, NYU, LECOM

 

[y3nd0]

Generally, expensive private schools are easier to get into. (Of course, excluding big names like Harvard, UPenn, etc.). They generally admit lots of students because they are expensive, and often aren't the applicants' first choice so they make many offers and burn through their waitlists pretty quickly.

Also, if you have a state school and they prefer residents, then it'd be a good idea to apply there.

 

[LaughingGas]

From my experience, none.

 

[Blake1e]

I heard NYU is one of the easiest to get in. With my DAT (in sig) and 3.2 overall I got (interviewed then) rejected. So maybe it isnt so easy to get into..

My advice to you: Do research and if youre up to it, community service. Dont underestimate extracurricular it can make or break your app. Kick butt on the DAT (aim for 21AA or higher) and all your classes, and do a lot of research and youll have a good chance at more than a few schools.

 

[prehealthstudent69]

I heard NYU is one of the easiest to get in. With my DAT (in sig) and 3.2 overall I got (interviewed then) rejected. So maybe it isnt so easy to get into..

My advice to you: Do research and if youre up to it, community service. Dont underestimate extracurricular it can make or break your app. Kick butt on the DAT (aim for 21AA or higher) and all your classes, and do a lot of research and youll have a good chance at more than a few schools.

I noticed you're from Seattle. Did you happen to apply to UW?

 

[Blake1e]

I noticed you're from Seattle. Did you happen to apply to UW?

No luck there. I dont mind though, I didnt want to go anyway.

 

[prehealthstudent69]

No luck there. I dont mind though, I didnt want to go anyway.

any west coast schools?

 

[Blake1e]

any west coast schools?

Besides UW, I think just UoP and UNLV.

 

[prehealthstudent69]

Besides UW, I think just UoP and UNLV.

accepted?

 

[Blake1e]

accepted?

Complete silence from both, unfortunately.

 

[prehealthstudent69]

Complete silence from both, unfortunately.

ah I see sorry about that. Have you been accepted anywhere yet and when did you apply? I feel like i'm going to have similar stats as you when I apply so I'm trying to see my odds lol

 

[Blake1e]

ah I see sorry about that. Have you been accepted anywhere yet and when did you apply? I feel like i'm going to have similar stats as you when I apply so I'm trying to see my odds lol

1 waitlist, 1 post-dec interview, 2 or so rejections I believe, and about 10 schools all being silent. Im in 2nd batch. My advice: do tons of research and community service. I should have done that. But Im getting started on all that now just in case I dont get, so my app will be better for next cycle.

What are your stats?

 

[prehealthstudent69]

1 waitlist, 1 post-dec interview, 2 rejections, and about 10 schools all being silent. Im in 2nd batch. My advice: do tons of research and community service. I should have done that. But Im getting started on all that now just in case I dont get, so my app will be better for next cycle.

What are your stats?

Currently a 3.05. Haven't taken the DAT's yet but I will next semester. I've been at a cardiovascular research lab for about a year, did a public health internship that was pretty big over the summer (sponsored by CDC and John Hopkins), and going to start shadowing next semester, hopefully get close to 100 hours by application time. Anything else you think I should do?

 

[y3nd0]

No luck there. I dont mind though, I didnt want to go anyway.

Just out of curiosity, why don't you want to go?

 

[Blake1e]

Currently a 3.05. Haven't taken the DAT's yet but I will next semester. I've been at a cardiovascular research lab for about a year, did a public health internship that was pretty big over the summer (sponsored by CDC and John Hopkins), and going to start shadowing next semester, hopefully get close to 100 hours by application time. Anything else you think I should do?

Bump your GPA to at least 3.2, score 22AA or higher with nothing below 19 and then couple all that with your fantastic extracurricular and youre golden. Also apply broadly and to many schools just in case.

 

[prehealthstudent69]

Just out of curiosity, why don't you want to go?

Hey y3ndo I remember looking at your profile earlier and I was just wondering which school is DDS?

 

[Blake1e]

Just out of curiosity, why don't you want to go?

Nothing about the school. I just want a change in scenery/fresh start, warmer climate and I have no family here.

 

[y3nd0]

Hey y3ndo I remember looking at your profile earlier and I was just wondering which school is DDS?

DDS is the degree. Haha.

Nothing about the school. I just want a change in scenery/fresh start, warmer climate and I have no family here.

I see. Yeah, those are valid reasons.

 

[Blake1e]

DDS is the degree. Haha.

I see. Yeah, those are valid reasons.

Dont get me wrong though, if I got in Id be ecstatic b/c at this point any school will do for me. I didnt so its whatever.

 

[slm266]

You need to murder the dat! Other people can get away with studying only six weeks. for you I would take six months just to ensure that you kill it and have time to improve your scores.

You for sure need to spend this entire holiday break and spring break.

 

[Ferneezy]

easiest?

when virtually every applicant is required to slog through the pre-requisite sciences (usually with a liberal dose of upper levels); hang out in provider settings for what looks to be the de facto benchmark of 100hours, obtain letters of recommendation from professors that in some cases have no vested interest in your future; oh, and grind for weeks or months preparing for a five hour brain-nuking exam...all before getting the opportunity to go on interviews and defend your motivations for pursuing this career path while standing out amongst the sea of doppelganger candidates to get into any school...none of what we do to get in is easy, no matter the school.

but you probably mean schools with the lowest admissions requirements. you can easily look up the dat/gpa/whatever range for incoming students. you might find that one school took someone with a 3.1 last year!!! that guy is the exception, not the rule. i'm that guy (probably not the only one) this year, and i'll tell you i got extremely lucky.

don't be that guy.

 

[BlueDevil2012]

easiest?

when virtually every applicant is required to slog through the pre-requisite sciences (usually with a liberal dose of upper levels); hang out in provider settings for what looks to be the de facto benchmark of 100hours, obtain letters of recommendation from professors that in some cases have no vested interest in your future; oh, and grind for weeks or months preparing for a five hour brain-nuking exam...all before getting the opportunity to go on interviews and defend your motivations for pursuing this career path while standing out amongst the sea of doppelganger candidates to get into any school...none of what we do to get in is easy, no matter the school.

but you probably mean schools with the lowest admissions requirements. you can easily look up the dat/gpa/whatever range for incoming students. you might find that one school took someone with a 3.1 last year!!! that guy is the exception, not the rule. i'm that guy (probably not the only one) this year, and i'll tell you i got extremely lucky.

don't be that guy.

With as many interviews and acceptances you receieved,you definitely weren't "lucky", I just think it proves that schools really do consider the entire application and what the applicant can bring to their program outside of the gpa/DAT.

I think if your GPA falls in the range of accepted students for any program then you have a chance but make sure other areas of your app shine.

OP, community service, quality ECs and great LORs go a long way.

 

[jdye]

BU, Buffalo, and Penn overlooked my low GPA and slightly above average DAT scores. Consider applying to those? (I'm east coast)

 

[Screwtape]

I'll throw in AT Still in Missouri-- brand new and this year's class had avg. cGPA= 3.4, sGPA= 3.26, DAT= 18.74. Pretty crazy that half the class has below those stats…

 

[sgv]

if your skin is dark enough = easiest school = howard and meharry

 

[jeffity]

I'll throw in AT Still in Missouri-- brand new and this year's class had avg. cGPA= 3.4, sGPA= 3.26, DAT= 18.74. Pretty crazy that half the class has below those stats…

This might be offensive to those accepted, but when a school starts interviewing in May with a conditional acceptance (pending accreditation that occurred after the next application cycle had started), you're going to have a very small pool of applicants. This is a stats game. If you weren't accepted anywhere by May, a couple of common/likely causes was poor stats or applying too late...or both. If you applied late with great stats, there's a good chance you may have just reapplied at that point with options of older & possibly cheaper schools.

That said, if they stay similar to the mothership, who looks for the heart more than stats, this might be a trend as is has been there.

 

[crest4life]

I won't play this game and hope others don't either. BUT there are things that are harder to control that will, from my knowledge , give you an advantage and make you more likely to interview/be accepted at schools:
- your LOR writer is a graduate from the school
- parents are alumni of the school (some schools want you to indicate this on their secondary)
- it is your state school OR the school has a compact program with your state of residence
- if it is geographically nearby (i.e. those from the west receive less love from schools on the east coast and vice versa. Perhaps the schools think you wouldn't be serious about trekking across the country to go to their school. Others may disagree)
- also, if you have family near a certain school, I feel you have a stronger case to be accepted after interview since you'd feel more comfortable/familiar and have a stronger support system (something schools value)

sorry just wondering, what game won't you play?

 

[themuffinman11]

sorry just wondering, what game won't you play?

this thread is 5 years old lol

 

[artist2022]

Going to close this thread so it doesn't go from a necrobump to a heated discussion