Dental What should I do as a re-applicant?

[artist2022]

Hi! I am predental student that is a senior right now and I applied in the last cycle and had one interview out of the 10 I applied. I plan on applying again this cycle. My stats are listed below and wanted to know what I can do to improve my application during the gap year. I did take my DAT twice already and my score below is on my 2nd chance and i talked to the dean of admission at UTSD and he advised me that I didn't need to take it again. I was planning on doing the public health certificate at UT health public health school in Houston, but don't know if I should just do an informal post bacc instead. I'm also a dental assistant and plan on working throughout my gap year also. Thanks so much I know this is going to be pretty lengthy post!!

Overall GPA: 3.63
Science GPA: 3.54
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.30
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA - 20, Bio - 17, GC - 18, OC - 19, TS - 18, PAT - 17, QR - 21, RC - 24

Undergrad Attended: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Nutrition
Minor: Business Administration

Shadowing Experience: General dentist - 354 hours; Pediatric dentist - 405 hours
Volunteering Experience: I volunteered at a low income dental clinic in austin - 525 hours; Food bank - 275
Employment: SAT tutor throughout college - 500 hours
Other Extracurriculars: In various other clubs at school that totaled around 426 hours;
Relevant Honors or Awards: University honors 4/7 semester - not including current semester
LOR type and strength: All LOR were from professors I had either multiple semesters or had a decent relationship with and I got my LOR from the general dentist I shadowed.
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere: I freelance paint in my freetime and worked as dental assistant this past year to help my manual dexterity
School list: Im trying to stay instate for the most part if I can
UTSD - Houston
UTHSC - San Antonio
TTHSC - El Paso
Texas A&M - Dallas
LECOM
NOVA
Louisville
UMKC
Temple
USC

Did you apply with this DAT last cycle? If yes, I think it may be your DAT because TX schools are pretty competitive to get into, even as an IS applicant (there are many users on here that I know had a 21 with similar or more experience and also did not get into a TX school IS). I think if you were to take it again and get above 20s on all sections, you'd put yourself in a much better position. Otherwise everything else on your application looks solid, except your sGPA which you could raise by taking upper division science courses as you aren't a traditional science major (would do this over the public health certificate - imo that will not help you much with dental schools).

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[Mr.Smile12]

You're going to need a second opinion on that DAT score if you gave the admissions dean's your full report. Here's my second opinion: both your PAT and BIO scores are 17's, which is a little dangerous when it comes to your chances, even if you are applying in-state in Texas. There's a reason why you went 1 for 10. My usual advice is get 20's across the board since that's what half of the applicant pool (that I've generally seen) seems to be capable of achieving. Is there something else about your background that you haven't disclosed here?

You may want to consider retaking the DAT if you are confident you can get at least 20's across the board, and the higher the better. You just don't know which schools really put a lot of value on the PAT subscore without advanced networking with admissions recruiters and students. You do have a ton of clinical experience hours and a good amount for volunteering.

Your BCP GPA is low, but not unsalvageable with postbac coursework. Given your major, you may want to focus in your postbac courses on rigorous biomedical science core classes. If you do well -- as in mostly A's -- in those classes, you have a little better standing with some adcom faculty looking at your file. I don't know whether the public health certificate is really going to help you as much.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I did apply with this DAT score last time! The admissions dean had my full application pulled up when we talked and said that to me. He recommended I just keep up with my academics as my first two years weren't that great but I pulled together the last few years and he saw an upward trend in academics. The only thing I didn't disclose was the fact I suffer with test anxiety and anxiety in general but I didn't think that was pertinent to the situation! However, I'll get a second opinion on the DAT retake from other admissions deans in Texas and go from there! Thanks so much!!

Ultimately you need to make sure you have the resources to help you with that test anxiety. It doesn't get less stressful in dental school with your exams, especially those exams where you actually have to use your hands on the typodonts or waxing...

 

[artist2022]

I should have mentioned I had it a lot my first two years of undergrad but have had it under control since then! Also would it be fine to do an informal post bacc since I would be working also?

Think that'd be fine but just make sure you take upper division classes (like Virology, Immunology, etc.) If you do well, it'll help both your GPA and also your app as it'll show adcoms you can handle harder science classes even though you weren't a traditional science major. Also, it'll help you your first year as you'll have been exposed to the material