Why does there seem to be no consistency?

[Nagafoo]

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From browsing SDN, I’ve seen people with strong applications talk about how they’ve struggled to get any interviews and I’ve seen people tell stories of how badly they messed up in undergrad but still got accepted somewhere. Are there certain factors that a strong applicant might be missing that prevents them from getting an interview? Are the people with stronger applications perhaps just applying to all of the schools that require higher stats?

 

[yaya97]

They do nothing else except from school. They're missing EC's. Also, good letters of rec go a long way and they could possibly not have that as well. It's a lot more than GPA and DAT.

 

[Cluubias2]

Many applicants forget that schools don't just look at GPA and DAT. Applicants that ignore everything else are those that don't get invites. Great GPA and DAT are awesome but all it says about an applicant is that they can sit and study all day. Schools look at applicants holistically.

 

[toothdoctor123]

The reason is that your idea of a "strong applicant," which presumably is based on the SDN pre-dental consensus, is obviously inaccurate. Per definitionem, strong applicants are the ones who get acceptances.

 

[FanOfCostco]

I still don't get why a lot of people think just because you have stats you deserve an interview. You want to get in the school more than school needs you. They can pick whoever they want. They hold all the power:

 

[Kingfish23]

Work experience, research, volunteering/community service, and shadowing all go a long way.

 

[Life of Pablo]

If you saw people’s entire applications and not just their DAT/GPA, it wouldn’t just seem random who gets interviews and who doesn’t. Judging the strength of applicants solely on their DAT and GPA makes this process seem “random” and “weird” even though it’s really not.

 

[Michael_Scott]

From browsing SDN, I’ve seen people with strong applications talk about how they’ve struggled to get any interviews and I’ve seen people tell stories of how badly they messed up in undergrad but still got accepted somewhere. Are there certain factors that a strong applicant might be missing that prevents them from getting an interview? Are the people with stronger applications perhaps just applying to all of the schools that require higher stats?

It has more to do with just GPA and DAT. If you are URM(big factor), your personal statement etc also plays a part. And sometimes who you know in the ADCOM.

 

[WaveRace]

The reason is that your idea of a "strong applicant," which presumably is based on the SDN pre-dental consensus, is obviously inaccurate. Per definitionem, strong applicants are the ones who get acceptances.

This. SDN is a large echo-chamber where the same ideas get repeated to the point where it seems like "that's what everyone says, it must be true". You have to remember that admissions committees know what they're doing. They have an important job: carefully selecting the next generation of dentists, who are responsible for the well-being of our population. Think about it from their perspective... they need to choose people who will survive the rigorous d-school curriculum, but also thrive as compassionate, honest, ethical health care providers.

 

[amariesa]

This. SDN is a large echo-chamber where the same ideas get repeated to the point where it seems like "that's what everyone says, it must be true". You have to remember that admissions committees know what they're doing. They have an important job: carefully selecting the next generation of dentists, who are responsible for the well-being of our population. Think about it from their perspective... they need to choose people who will survive the rigorous d-school curriculum, but also thrive as compassionate, honest, ethical health care providers.

Some schools maybe. On good resource, some schools dont look at your PS for interview invites - just GPA and DAT (they even admitted it during interviews). Some schools are on point with everything (team of 15 people looking over applications as their main job) and some are just looking for fill their seats. If they filled it and only read 1000/1500 applications, they wont bother reading the last 500. Hear say of course.