WMAC - Non-Trad w/ a Record

[justaprank]

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Date of Submission: Planning on applying next cycle
Overall GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.69
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.70
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Planning on taking in December; applying next cycle
State of Residence: Massachusetts

Undergrad Attended: 2 years at 1 university, then transferred to current university. went to current university for 2 semesters, then was suspended for 2 years, and now i'm back again (spring '25 first semester back). now a rising senior. tldr; roughly 3 years academically, but at least 5-6 years including suspension time.
Major: Health Science
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes (~3 gap years due to disciplinary non-academic suspension)

Shadowing Experience: 800+ hours (3x General Dentist, 1x Orthodontist, 1x Oral Surgery)
Volunteering Experience: ~800 Hours, volunteering at an Elderly/Adult Day Care Center for the past 4 years
Employment: 1000-1200 Hours as a front desk coordinator in 4-5 dental offices
Research: None, but currently looking for research within a local dental school
Other Extracurriculars: None

Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? About to start an Observership at a local dental school for 3 months (typically offered only to current dental students/international dentists for 1-2 weeks max)

Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List

LOR type and strength: Not fully set in stone, however right now I have 1x General Dentist (600+ shadowing hours), 1x Physics Professor (MAYBE), and still looking to request 1-2 more academic LOR from a biology professor and hopefully a LOR from a Dentist at the dental school I am observing/looking for research at

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: **MY BIGGEST CONCERN** I have a two year gap due to a non-academic disciplinary suspension. This was violent-related back in 2022 and I had 5 charges; 2 felonys and 3 misdemeanors, that were all dropped. The 2 felonies were dropped immediately, and the 3 misdemeanors were on a CWOF under supervised probation for 1 year and 40 weeks of a batterer's program, which was eventually dismissed as of 2024. My university is completely aware of the situation, and I was suspended because the other party wanted to get me expelled and informed them of everything. I was placed under a suspension and I waited it out. Now it is on my academic record of a suspension and judicial affairs is involved, and my actual record shows all these cases dismissed. I have not been convicted but I have technically been charged.

Additionally, in the semester of my suspension in 2022, I finished the semester with a F in a non-science class (writing) and B- in the rest of my classes, because I had a crazy drop in mental health that time and was literally unable to finish up.

I spoke with an admissions manager of a dental school and they continue to insist over and over again their master's program to see if I am able to handle an academic intensive workload, because they are "extremely hesitant" to offer me an interview due to the 2 year gap, regardless of the reason. I understand I'm not "too late" into applying and getting into dental school, however I am 24 and I want to get in within my first try, since I would end up matriculating in Fall'27 and I'm 27 years old. Financially, I can't afford to enroll into a master's program, and I have doubts that it will benefit me, and I worry that it would actually weaken my future application academically.

School List:
Tufts
Boston University
UPenn
NYU
UNE
Harvard
Stony Brook
Rutgers
(I haven't done too much research because I am very insistent on wanting to go to 1-2 schools only, however I KNOW I need to apply even broader)

How did I come up with my list:
My goal is to really stay in Boston, MA since I am from here- Tufts and Boston University are my goals. I don't really see myself going to any other school, and I want to get in within my first attempt. However with my record, I am extremely demoralized and now I have the factor of whether or not I should even apply. I can't really enter a master's program and all these schools are going to see my record regardless so there's no point in hiding it, and I haven't been able to find anyone in a similar situation online so I've been pretty stressed about my path.

 

[macsak]

Date of Submission: Planning on applying next cycle
Overall GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.69
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.70
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Planning on taking in December; applying next cycle
State of Residence: Massachusetts

Undergrad Attended: 2 years at 1 university, then transferred to current university. went to current university for 2 semesters, then was suspended for 2 years, and now i'm back again (spring '25 first semester back). now a rising senior. tldr; roughly 3 years academically, but at least 5-6 years including suspension time.
Major: Health Science
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes (~3 gap years due to disciplinary non-academic suspension)

Shadowing Experience: 800+ hours (3x General Dentist, 1x Orthodontist, 1x Oral Surgery)
Volunteering Experience: ~800 Hours, volunteering at an Elderly/Adult Day Care Center for the past 4 years
Employment: 1000-1200 Hours as a front desk coordinator in 4-5 dental offices
Research: None, but currently looking for research within a local dental school
Other Extracurriculars: None

Have you volunteered/shadowed/attended events at any dental schools? About to start an Observership at a local dental school for 3 months (typically offered only to current dental students/international dentists for 1-2 weeks max)

Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List

LOR type and strength: Not fully set in stone, however right now I have 1x General Dentist (600+ shadowing hours), 1x Physics Professor (MAYBE), and still looking to request 1-2 more academic LOR from a biology professor and hopefully a LOR from a Dentist at the dental school I am observing/looking for research at

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: **MY BIGGEST CONCERN** I have a two year gap due to a non-academic disciplinary suspension. This was violent-related back in 2022 and I had 5 charges; 2 felonys and 3 misdemeanors, that were all dropped. The 2 felonies were dropped immediately, and the 3 misdemeanors were on a CWOF under supervised probation for 1 year and 40 weeks of a batterer's program, which was eventually dismissed as of 2024. My university is completely aware of the situation, and I was suspended because the other party wanted to get me expelled and informed them of everything. I was placed under a suspension and I waited it out. Now it is on my academic record of a suspension and judicial affairs is involved, and my actual record shows all these cases dismissed. I have not been convicted but I have technically been charged.

Additionally, in the semester of my suspension in 2022, I finished the semester with a F in a non-science class (writing) and B- in the rest of my classes, because I had a crazy drop in mental health that time and was literally unable to finish up.

I spoke with an admissions manager of a dental school and they continue to insist over and over again their master's program to see if I am able to handle an academic intensive workload, because they are "extremely hesitant" to offer me an interview due to the 2 year gap, regardless of the reason. I understand I'm not "too late" into applying and getting into dental school, however I am 24 and I want to get in within my first try, since I would end up matriculating in Fall'27 and I'm 27 years old. Financially, I can't afford to enroll into a master's program, and I have doubts that it will benefit me, and I worry that it would actually weaken my future application academically.

School List:
Tufts
Boston University
UPenn
NYU
UNE
Harvard
Stony Brook
Rutgers
(I haven't done too much research because I am very insistent on wanting to go to 1-2 schools only, however I KNOW I need to apply even broader)

How did I come up with my list:
My goal is to really stay in Boston, MA since I am from here- Tufts and Boston University are my goals. I don't really see myself going to any other school, and I want to get in within my first attempt. However with my record, I am extremely demoralized and now I have the factor of whether or not I should even apply. I can't really enter a master's program and all these schools are going to see my record regardless so there's no point in hiding it, and I haven't been able to find anyone in a similar situation online so I've been pretty stressed about my path.

was it boston or tufts that told you to do a masters?

 

[justaprank]

was it boston or tufts that told you to do a masters?

Boston

 

[macsak]

Boston

did you ask tufts?

 

[justaprank]

did you ask tufts?

I have a pre-applicant meeting with them early next week, and I didn't know whether or not I should just be blunt and drop the ball on them and tell them the situation. Regardless, BU is where I want to matriculate, Tufts is just "there"

 

[macsak]

I have a pre-applicant meeting with them early next week, and I didn't know whether or not I should just be blunt and drop the ball on them and tell them the situation. Regardless, BU is where I want to matriculate, Tufts is just "there"

you should ask...

 

[justaprank]

you should ask...

That's the plan when I meet with them next week

 

[BikiniBottomBaller]

Your charges were all dropped. I had a friend go through a similar situation with a girl. Eventually, everything was dropped. He got an internship at a top 5 accounting firm this summer and got a return offer. In the end, If you get a good DAT score, that will help your chances the most.

 

[macsak]

That's the plan when I meet with them next week

that's not what you said in your last post...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I don't get the logic of not attending an SMP but can pay for dental school. Would you quit if you don't get an offer?

 

[justaprank]

I don't get the logic of not attending an SMP but can pay for dental school. Would you quit if you don't get an offer?

I don’t want to pull even more additional loans, and mainly because I’ve paused on academics for so long I don’t want to end up as a D1 when I’m 29 years old.

Also, there’s no guarantee of getting in even after attending a SMP and the fact that it could academically harm me rather than be beneficial.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So let's peek behind the curtain. BU has a dental SMP; I don't know if Tufts has one (they have a master's in dental research so that's not it). So why would you think BU could be encouraging you to apply to their SMP? Few dental schools have set up linkage tracks unlike medical schools, so there's seldom a guarantee.

I think @macsak and I are thinking that, absent your transcript, your GPA does not indicate taking an SMP. I don't know how much more the Observership adds to your dental experience (800 hours shadowing already).

Even with OBBB/HR1, I won't expect tuition costs to go down; they might skyrocket over the next couple of years. I get you wanting to get the train now, but if you miss with a suboptimal application, your reapp profile must be much, much better. We can't give you better odds without a DAT result, but do your school research and outreach. With loan caps coming next year, you will likely be pulling more private loans to finance your education wherever you go.