What would you have done differently if you could redo this cycle?

[fogorvostan]

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Saw a similar post in the pre-med forum and thought we could have some interesting discussion here as well!

Now that we are about half way through February, what are somethings that you would have done differently reflecting back on the past several months?

Personally, I wish that I had taken my DAT earlier so that my application could have been mailed out earlier. My application was also delayed because my undergraduate university messed up something on my transcript and I had to resend it. Both of these caused me to be mailed out August 28th. I also would have worked harder on my school list. I definitely applied to some that were way above my reach and a waste of everyone's time.

 

[Advance]

I wish I would have only applied instate. It would have saved me a couple of thousand dollars... Better safe than sorry I suppose.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[Typical Average Student]

Look into a school's program through SDN and their website and what other people are saying about it. Don't apply to schools just because you think it's easy to get into. Also, don't apply to schools where you definitely don't want to go or feel there's nothing in that state.

I think applying to a lot of schools is safe and gives you options if you feel your stats are low, but choose schools wisely.

 

[faceman]

Wouldn't have applied to so many schools... I was eager to get accepted and applied to programs across the country/overly expensive private schools that I realistically would never attend. Also, I wouldn't have postponed my DAT for 2 weeks and instead, applied earlier.

 

[tarheel616]

I wish I would've applied to fewer than 14 schools (~8).

 

[FeralisExtremum]

I would have mailed Harvard a bag of **** instead of that application fee.

 

[sumin5924]

I would have mailed Harvard a bag of **** instead of that application fee.

http://poopsenders.com/

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Would've avoided SDN. I like you guys but damn I could've reduce my stress by like 80% if I hadn't seen everyone getting interviews to my schools before me

 

[pikachurro]

I would have mailed Harvard a bag of **** instead of that application fee.

Did you really expect to get in with your DAT score though?


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[FeralisExtremum]

Did you really expect to get in with your DAT score though?


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If 15 TS isn't enough then I think their expectations are unreasonable imo

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Did you really expect to get in with your DAT score though?


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Lol do you just follow him around and keep mentioning his DAT score?

 

[pikachurro]

Lol do you just follow him around and keep mentioning his DAT score?

Yes and I would appreciate some help. #FeralisFifteenTotalScience


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[stag123]

Look into a school's program through SDN and their website and what other people are saying about it. Don't apply to schools just because you think it's easy to get into. Also, don't apply to schools where you definitely don't want to go or feel there's nothing in that state.

I think applying to a lot of schools is safe and gives you options if you feel your stats are low, but choose schools wisely.

I disagree and agree with this post.

I wish I DIDN'T look into SDN about a schools program. Their were a few schools that SDN doesn't like, but when I visited I felt they were the best for me. I learned quickly that it's all about your personal perspective.

But I definitely agree on "safety schools" which I think is totally bogus. Some programs I received interviews that were "safety" and got waitlisted/rejected, and harder programs that are more selective I got accepted. If it's one thing I learn through this process that no matter what your stats are you are NOT guaranteed anything.

 

[dent--girl7]

I wish I hadn't applied to so many schools (16!). And I applied to some out of state, public schools that in hindsight were a waste of money...also Harvard...waste of money.

Then again, I almost took Pittsburgh off my list and I met the most SDNers/cool people at that interview, so maybe everything happens for a reason! 🙂

 

[fogorvostan]

I disagree and agree with this post.

I wish I DIDN'T look into SDN about a schools program. Their were a few schools that SDN doesn't like, but when I visited I felt they were the best for me. I learned quickly that it's all about your personal perspective.

But I definitely agree on "safety schools" which I think is totally bogus. Some programs I received interviews that were "safety" and got waitlisted/rejected, and harder programs that are more selective I got accepted. If it's one thing I learn through this process that no matter what your stats are you are NOT guaranteed anything.

I had a similar experience. I felt like my interview invitations compared to my rejections were random. I think I remember reading on here a joke about how ad coms worked by putting all of our applications on a dart board and throwing darts at them. If one landed on your app, you got invited for an interview.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

[.

 

[stag123]

I had a similar experience. I felt like my interview invitations compared to my rejections were random. I think I remember reading on here a joke about how ad coms worked by putting all of our applications on a dart board and throwing darts at them. If one landed on your app, you got invited for an interview.

LOL

 

[PocketRocket]

Not get Cs my freshman year 5 years ago

 

[teefdocta]

I would have applied to less than 23 schools and probably gone to UCSF interview instead 🙁. Big thanks to SDN for those sleepless nights and a whole bunch of great advices through this stressful process :3

 

[strep mutans]

 

[BeaverLover]

View attachment 200563

Straight thugin

 

[fogorvostan]

Seems like a lot of people wish they applied to fewer schools. I wonder what the average number of schools people apply to is.

 

[sumin5924]

Actually studied during undergrad...

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Seems like a lot of people wish they applied to fewer schools. I wonder what the average number of schools people apply to is.

I'd still guess around 10. I should've also applied to fewer, too. Hindsight is 20/20, but paranoia that you won't get in anywhere sure isn't.

 

[zEkii]

I wish I did better on my DAT score and applied to fewer schools... And maybe used less of SDN.. It was honestly a nightmare and addiction at the same time.

 

[JLT223]

I wish I didn't waste my time on schools who didn't even have the decency to send me any sort of information about my status for over 7 months. Sucks for them.

 

[sumin5924]

I wish I didn't waste my time on schools who didn't even have the decency to send me any sort of information about my status for over 7 months. Sucks for them.

Even worse, those schools that--immediately after cashing in your secondary fee--send a rejection e-mail.

 

[fogorvostan]

I wish I didn't waste my time on schools who didn't even have the decency to send me any sort of information about my status for over 7 months. Sucks for them.

I had that happen with 3 schools. A rejection email would be great instead of just keeping me in total silence.

 

[akog]

Yeah, same as most... wish I'd somehow found time to take the DAT earlier (mailed in September) and applied to fewer schools (applied to 11).

But it worked out well for me in the end. I got into my state school. Just wrapped up an overnight trip to the city and learned more about town and found a place to live. Hearing stories, both on SDN and through my personal network, I feel like I dodged a bullet. Could have been much worse.


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[Dent5291]

Not been a resident of a state whose state school accepts 50% OOS students

 

[deleted740991]

Being an URM.

 

[Dental_14]

I wish I would've applied to more oos friendly public schools rather than private school. I only applied to 7 schools but 4 of them were private, idk what I was thinking.

 

[akog]

Being an URM.

I, too, feel that my inability to pop and lock really hindered me this cycle.


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[cotoncub]

I'm glad I didn't apply to too many schools (8), but I should have been smarter about the ones I did apply to. Some of them were schools that I would have liked to attend, but statistically didn't have a great chance of receiving an interview at/getting accepted.

 

[darknightzzz]

Not been a resident of a state whose state school accepts 50% OOS students

which state?

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

[.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[JLT223]

Let it go man, let it go

Haha seriously. People think it's an instant golden ticket.

 

[Dent5291]

which state?

Michigan

 

[Dent5291]

I also would've made an effort to take more Biology courses prior to taking the DAT

 

[tarheel616]

I also would've made an effort to take more Biology courses prior to taking the DAT

Where are you going?

 

[SableFire]

I had a gut feeling applying to Iowa was a waste of time and I actually applied to them a month-ish after I applied to Minnesota and Marquette. Otherwise pretty happy with the outcome of this cycle! 3 schools applied too and 2 acceptances is pretty nice on the wallet. Definitely risky though I've actually talked to dental students who only applied to one school now that is BOLD.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

I had a gut feeling applying to Iowa was a waste of time and I actually applied to them a month-ish after I applied to Minnesota and Marquette. Otherwise pretty happy with the outcome of this cycle! 3 schools applied too and 2 acceptances is pretty nice on the wallet. Definitely risky though I've actually talked to dental students who only applied to one school now that is BOLD.

That's what my dentist did. And the school he went to now frowns upon people who do that because it seems arrogant and a little too confident haha

 

[SableFire]

That's what my dentist did. And the school he went to now frowns upon people who do that because it seems arrogant and a little too confident haha

Had I not gotten in I would have applied to more schools the next time around. I figured I've got some time on my side and if I was forced into a gap year that wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing in the world.

 

[kholley25]

Probably prep better for interviews. I was too anxious for my first and I think it showed.

 

[cotoncub]

I had a gut feeling applying to Iowa was a waste of time and I actually applied to them a month-ish after I applied to Minnesota and Marquette. Otherwise pretty happy with the outcome of this cycle! 3 schools applied too and 2 acceptances is pretty nice on the wallet. Definitely risky though I've actually talked to dental students who only applied to one school now that is BOLD.

Yeah my brother did only 2 schools.

Edit: I thought it was only 1

 

[fogorvostan]

Probably prep better for interviews. I was too anxious for my first and I think it showed.

I was a blabbing idiot at my first MMI station at my first interview.