where would you apply if you were in my shoes?

[toddaved]

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Hello everyone,
first I wanted to thank you all for your priceless contributions. I've been a member for a year and I have found so many useful information from this forum than I could ever imagine.
so I took my DAT and got the following results:
RC: 19
QR: 17
PAT: 20
bio:22
ochem:22
gchem:22
Total academic: 20
I have done 6 months of volunteering/shadowing "combined" in a private dental office and as far as extracurriculars, I have taken tooth waxing, denture producing, and cast producing courses at ucla and got a letter of rec from the instructor. My sGPA is 3.38 currently ( I have 1 year till graduation) , and I am majoring in molecular cell biology at ucla.
my application is almost done, just have to finish personal statement and click to esubmit button. however, I am kinda in a quandary as to apply this year or the next. so that's why I decided to consult you guys as to what move to make? I preferably want to go to a california dental school like loma linda, ucsf or else. so do guys think I stand a chance of getting into a good school, given that I am aslo applying kinda late (by the end of August)???

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

 

[lululime]

Apply! It's still fairly early and you've got great experiences =) If you don't get in, then you know you will have to improve on your DAT.

I applied after 3rd year as well and I'm glad I did it for the experience.

 

[DentalJedi]

Hello everyone,
first I wanted to thank you all for your priceless contributions. I've been a member for a year and I have found so many useful information from this forum than I could ever imagine.
so I took my DAT and got the following results:
RC: 19
QR: 17
PAT: 20
bio:22
ochem:22
gchem:22
Total academic: 20
I have done 6 months of volunteering/shadowing "combined" in a private dental office and as far as extracurriculars, I have taken tooth waxing, denture producing, and cast producing courses at ucla and got a letter of rec from the instructor. My sGPA is 3.38 currently ( I have 1 year till graduation) , and I am majoring in molecular cell biology at ucla.
my application is almost done, just have to finish personal statement and click to esubmit button. however, I am kinda in a quandary as to apply this year or the next. so that's why I decided to consult you guys as to what move to make? I preferably want to go to a california dental school like loma linda, ucsf or else. so do guys think I stand a chance of getting into a good school, given that I am aslo applying kinda late (by the end of August)???

I would really appreciate your suggestions.

I think your DAT is solid. RC could be higher, but QR is the least important so don't worry too much. It would probably be best to apply broadly though since your GPA is a tad low. I don't know much about Cali schools, but if you apply to enough schools and get your app in ASAP I think you have a shot. Good luck!

 

[ddslove789]

I think your DAT is solid. RC could be higher, but QR is the least important so don't worry too much. It would probably be best to apply broadly though since your GPA is a tad low. I don't know much about Cali schools, but if you apply to enough schools and get your app in ASAP I think you have a shot. Good luck!

Agreed! I'm also a UCLA undergrad with somewhat similar stats/experiences to yours. I applied to 15 schools and have heard back from 4 so far about interviews -- check out my predents page if you want to know where. As long as you get your app in soon, I think you have a great shot! Good luck 😉

 

[toddaved]

Agreed! I'm also a UCLA undergrad with somewhat similar stats/experiences to yours. I applied to 15 schools and have heard back from 4 so far about interviews -- check out my predents page if you want to know where. As long as you get your app in soon, I think you have a great shot! Good luck 😉

I really appreciate your suggestions you guys, you made me hella lot optimistic. Had another question though: is that true when you apply for the first time around and you get in a dental school and you decide not to go and the next year you apply you pretty much have no chance of getting in anywhere, no matter what your credentials are. It is as if you ruin your reputation by rejecting a school's admission and it shows later on in your future applications.