What SCORE would make me competitive?

[TamHLe]

GPA- 3.15 ( science is close to it)
DAT- taking it on August 2
Activities- College Tennis Team, Member of a Fraternity, Member of Tri-Beta,
Vice President of SGA, and University Singers (choir).

Volunteers- Big Brother Big Sister, Nursing home Ministry( we visit the local nursing home each week just chatting with them and playing card games),Volunteering through the Church.

Shadowing- 120+ hours. I helped a general dentist, but he was also licensed to do orthodontist work so i was exposed to that as well. ( it was tough getting to shadow a dentist since very few would allow me, well only one did so observed as much as I could.

Im Asian, but i think its not a minority haha. So, what should I aim on the DAT? People say 23 ish, but I dont know if anything I can pull a 18.

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[gorrillaunit18]

GPA- 3.15 ( science is close to it)
DAT- taking it on August 2
Activities- College Tennis Team, Member of a Fraternity, Member of Tri-Beta,
Vice President of SGA, and University Singers (choir).

Volunteers- Big Brother Big Sister, Nursing home Ministry( we visit the local nursing home each week just chatting with them and playing card games),Volunteering through the Church.

Shadowing- 120+ hours. I helped a general dentist, but he was also licensed to do orthodontist work so i was exposed to that as well. ( it was tough getting to shadow a dentist since very few would allow me, well only one did so observed as much as I could.

Im Asian, but i think its not a minority haha. So, what should I aim on the DAT? People say 23 ish, but I dont know if anything I can pull a 18.

Well your GPA is pretty low so you'll have to get a pretty stinkin' high DAT score.

 

[zellyen]

i think anything from and above a 21 on the DAT would give u a shot

 

[dstu1987]

A 23 will probably bring you up to average. Average is good because when you're average, it comes down more to your extracurriculars than your numbers.

 

[Erhatstil]

A 23 will probably bring you up to average. Average is good because when you're average, it comes down more to your extracurriculars than your numbers.

what are you talking about?

23 is typically above the 98th percentile and not average. to the op, be realistic and work toward 20's on every section.

 

[MrWilson]

I'm no expert by any means, but you'll want to shoot for a 20 or higher. In addition, you need to apply EARLY, and hope for interviews. If/when you get the interview, that will make or break you. Apply to your state school. Anything below a 20 doesn't necessarily disqualify you for an interview, but it doesn't really help you. I've seen plenty of people with your stats and a 17 AA get in, but to increase your chances, you'll need to score well. Good luck.

 

[dstu1987]

what are you talking about?

23 is typically above the 98th percentile and not average. to the op, be realistic and work toward 20's on every section.

The OP has a 3.1. A 3.1 will need a VERY HIGH DAT to be considered an "average" applicant. Pair a 3.1 up with a 18 and good luck getting in.

A 3.5 and 19 would be "average." To bring a 3.1 up to "average" would need a score around a 22-23. Even if you're just trying to get 20s on every section, shooting for 20s on each section will get you around a 21-22 anyways unless you're good enough to land exactly 20s on no less than 3 sections and nothing higher than 21s on the other 2.

 

[pumpUup]

Even if you have 4.0 GPA, DAT 18AA is pretty low. Aim over 20 even if your GPA is 4.0.

 

[Vicviper]

I had like a 3.35 cGPA, 3.01 sGPA - too lazy to check my own predents , I felt that a 22AA made me very competitive. Ec's help too.

 

[2PacClone23]

21aa+

 

[MrBeans]

What really matter more though: AA or TS?

I know that they are pretty much equally important, but if one were to choose, which score would help one out more if it was higher?

 

[dstu1987]

I had like a 3.35 cGPA, 3.01 sGPA - too lazy to check my own predents , I felt that a 22AA made me very competitive. Ec's help too.

Being hispanic helped too. I don't think the OP is hispanic

 

[yappy]

Although he DID have a 3.35 22DAT... that's pretty good right? I dont think you could say he got in because of his race.

 

[Vicviper]

Being hispanic helped too. I don't think the OP is hispanic

Thanks... had to pull the race card on me eh? I somehow think the 30RC helped me much more than that. Anyways, lets not start an argument over this silly point.

 

[dstu1987]

Although he DID have a 3.35 22DAT... that's pretty good right? I dont think you could say he got in because of his race.

I never said his 3.35 and 22 DAT didn't play a role in his acceptance, but I am saying those stats alone didn't make him "very competitive" as he had said and his race did play a role in his acceptance (and judging from the # of interviews/acceptances he got, I do agree he must have been a pretty competitive applicant). I would say, all else equal, a Hispanic 3.35 22DAT student is more competitive than a White 3.35 22DAT student. I've seen a whole lot more minorities with low stats get in on this this forum than low stat non-minorities.

You are kidding yourself if you say being african american or hispanic (especially hispanic) doesn't help you in the application process. Of course they ask you specifically if youre hispanic for no reason at all right? The "race card" is very real and a very valid "play" because it really does make a big difference.

It is no secret at all that race plays a very large role in the application process and the stats have proven that minorities have been admitted with lower than average stats. Just because a minority has been admitted with lower than average stats doesn't mean those same stats will suddenly become "competitive" for regular applicants.

Maybe he did get into dental school purely off his stats alone, but revealing the fact that he's hispanic is also a very important thing to know for the people trying to gauge their own chances.

 

[Vicviper]

I never said his 3.35 and 22 DAT didn't play a role in his acceptance, but I am saying those stats alone didn't make him "very competitive" as he had said and his race did play a role in his acceptance.

You are kidding yourself if you say being african american or hispanic (especially hispanic) doesn't help you in the application process. Of course they ask you specifically if youre hispanic for no reason at all right? The "race card" is very real and a very valid "play" because it really does make a big difference.

It is no secret at all that race plays a very large role in the application process and the stats have proven that minorities have been admitted with lower than average stats. Just because a minority has been admitted with lower than average stats doesn't mean those same stats will suddenly become "competitive" for regular applicants.

So you're saying that a 22AA with a 30RC wouldn't make anyone with above say a 3.3 competitive? Seems to me that 22AA was 93% when I took it, and considering that some schools focus on DAT much more than GPA, I think that's what had to do a lot more with my acceptances, not that my application read "Hispanic." The way you're making it sound, any person can walk in off the street with a 3.0 and a 17AA and get into dental school like a snap as long as they're a minority. I'm not saying it didn't have anything to do with went into the admissions committee's decision, but do I think it was largely insignificant compared to my other factors.

So, seeing as how the average accepted stats for dental school upon my copy of the ADEA guide to dental schools was about a 19AA and 3.45 GPA, I think a 22AA with a 3.15 would at least be considered more or less competitive - just considering GPA and DAT.

 

[dstu1987]

So, seeing as how the average accepted stats for dental school upon my copy of the ADEA guide to dental schools was about a 19AA and 3.45 GPA, I think a 22AA with a 3.15 would at least be considered more or less competitive - just considering GPA and DAT.

Would a 3.15 and 22AA make him even more competitive if he was hispanic than if he was white?

I'm not saying 3.0 and 17AA means you're a shoe-in as long as your Hispanic, but I am saying disclosing that youre hispanic is important in threads like this. You made it sound like me stating that you are indeed a hispanic applicant is insignificant in a thread like this when it really does make a difference.

3.35, 22AA, Applied in late November. 3 Acceptances and 4 interviews. I'm sure i'm not the only one who thinks that maybe being hispanic played a role in your application.

 

[Vicviper]

Would a 3.15 and 22AA make him even more competitive if he was hispanic than if he was white?

I'm not saying 3.0 and 17AA means you're a shoe-in as long as your Hispanic, but I am saying disclosing that youre hispanic is important in threads like this. You made it sound like me stating that you are indeed a hispanic applicant is insignificant in a thread like this when it really does make a difference.

It's an impossible question since no two applicants are alike, but I'll go with you hypothetical - Comparing a 3.15 GPA 22AA Minority Applicant to a 3.6 GPA 22AA applicant, no, I don't think the minority applicant would have the edge. I really don't think it's as significant as you're making it out to be.

So, seeing as how a 22AA is significantly higher than a 19AA, and that dental schools often take much more stock of the DAT than GPA, I don't see how a 22A wouldn't make him less than competitive, even if he is .3 GPA below the average.

 

[dstu1987]

It's an impossible question since no two applicants are alike, but I'll go with you hypothetical - Comparing a 3.15 GPA 22AA Minority Applicant to a 3.6 GPA 22AA applicant, no, I don't think the minority applicant would have the edge. I really don't think it's as significant as you're making it out to be.

You're comparing 3.15 to a 3.6, so yes, i do agree race won't make THAT much of a difference because that's ludacris ie race would not boost up your GPA a whole half a point. But if you're comparing a 3.0 22AA hispanic applicant to a 3.3 22AA white student, I would say the hispanic student would still have the edge because he has more opportunities to get into dental school than the non-hispanic applicant.

But the lower your GPA is, the more edge you have if you are a minority. I don't have the stats but it wouldn't surprise me at all if at least 75% of all dental students who got in with below a 3.0 were minorities.

I also think a hispanic applicant with a 4.0 24AA will hold an edge over a 4.0 24AA white applicant.

 

[amalgamgrillz]

GPA- 3.15 ( science is close to it)
DAT- taking it on August 2
Activities- College Tennis Team, Member of a Fraternity, Member of Tri-Beta,
Vice President of SGA, and University Singers (choir).

Volunteers- Big Brother Big Sister, Nursing home Ministry( we visit the local nursing home each week just chatting with them and playing card games),Volunteering through the Church.

Shadowing- 120+ hours. I helped a general dentist, but he was also licensed to do orthodontist work so i was exposed to that as well. ( it was tough getting to shadow a dentist since very few would allow me, well only one did so observed as much as I could.

Im Asian, but i think its not a minority haha. So, what should I aim on the DAT? People say 23 ish, but I dont know if anything I can pull a 18.

In my opinion, you're at a disadvantage. Dental schools LOVE diversity; they're going to try to fill their classes with a mix of every race possible. But the Asians they have to choose from have killer stats. I'm positive that they'll have more than enough superb, over-achieving Asian candidates to fill the spots, so when they look at the demographic of the class, the likelihood of the admissions committee choosing a "sub-par" Asian is low (even though your GPA isn't THAT low).

I think you, along with the "low-score" Asians, might have a better chance if you do not report your ethnicity. What does everyone else think?

 

[Vicviper]

You're comparing 3.15 to a 3.6, so yes, i do agree race won't make THAT much of a difference because that's ludacris ie race would not boost up your GPA a whole half a point. But if you're comparing a 3.0 22AA hispanic applicant to a 3.3 22AA white student, I would say the hispanic student would still have the edge because he has more opportunities to get into dental school than the non-hispanic applicant.

But the lower your GPA is, the more edge you have if you are a minority. I don't have the stats but it wouldn't surprise me at all if at least 75% of all dental students who got in with below a 3.0 were minorities.

Sigh, we'll you're more than welcome to your own opinions, even if I think you're incorrect - it's a free country after all. Lets get back to the point here.

OP, if you get a 22AA, apply to many schools early, have good EC's, letters, and a personal statement, you will be (more or less) "competitive" - no matter what your race is.

 

[gorrillaunit18]

In my opinion, you're at a disadvantage. Dental schools LOVE diversity; they're going to try to fill their classes with a mix of every race possible. But the Asians they have to choose from have killer stats. I'm positive that they'll have more than enough superb, over-achieving Asian candidates to fill the spots, so when they look at the demographic of the class, the likelihood of the admissions committee choosing a "sub-par" Asian is low (even though your GPA isn't THAT low).

I think you, along with the "low-score" Asians, might have a better chance if you do not report your ethnicity. What does everyone else think?

I heard that you should never not report your race.

 

[TamHLe]

well its tough, because my birthplace is vietnam meaning its obvious im asian. But i mean would you want a super smart asian who studies all the time or an asian who is well rounded. Of course, the super smart asian could be well rounded too.

 

[gorrillaunit18]

do they require me putting in my race?

No, you can choose not to, but you definitely should report it. It looks like you're hiding something if you don't though. It sucks, but you still have to.

 

[komradrobot]

I agree race plays a factor. There simply aren't many people from certain communities applying to dental school, so those minorities will have a better chance of getting in even if their stats aren't as high.

It seems legitimate to not report your race so you don't have to compete with other asians. Schools are looking to fill a certain quota of applicants from every minority and they will have some really high scores to choose from within the azn pool. I know it sounds totally ridiculous but I would have the same concern if i were you!

I wouldn't think that choosing not to report your race would make you seem like "you are hiding something". There are a lot of legitimate reasons not to report your race and I would think that a lot of people do that? I almost didn't report mine because I don't think race should play as important of a role as it does in the application process. I ended up reporting it though because I got too nervous not to!

I love how all the ethnicity boxes get all detailed and stuff in terms of what country they are from and then at the bottom it just says WHITE. Made me feel pretty special. not!


Your ECs are really great and you seem like an interesting, well rounded person. I think if you get 20+ on DAT you should be ok.