4 Times applying. What is wrong?

[WoodsideA.G.]

I have been applying to dental school since 2014 while making improvements over the years.

Currently: 3.28c 3.28s GPA (VCU CERT:3.46) DAT (3rd attempt): 20AA 21TS (Bio 23 Chem 21 Ochem 20 RC 20 PA 22 QR 17) over 2000 dental assisting hours and a bachelors in Biology, 700 hours volunteer ranging from tutoring to MOM.

I have good LORs from what I can tell and a decent personal statement explaining my perseverance for Dentistry. My question is if I don’t get in this year, do I pursue another PostBacc/Master for GPA boost or apply to more than 13 schools (the number I applied to this year with three interviews and no acceptances)?

I’m starting to worry that I’ll never get in.
PS. Texas resident and non URM.

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[giguerex35]

Chances are with 3II and no acceptances youre messing up at the interview

 

[Jueves]

I see a few things.
1. Low GPA. 3.28 is not competitive as it is well below the norm for average acceptance.
2. 20AA after 3 attempts. It’s not the 20 that’s bad, it’s that it took 3 attempts to get there while some applicants are pulling 22+ on their first tries.
3. Texan. This could hurt your chances at other states as they see that you have 3 in state options vs people who have 1.
4. Interviewing skills? If you had 3 interviews and no acceptances, this is probably most likely. Got waitlisted at a school I thought I killed in the interview, so your own judgement for interviewing can be flawed.
If you had been going to interviews for 3 years, it’s #4.

 

[WoodsideA.G.]

I see a few things.
1. Low GPA. 3.28 is not competitive as it is well below the norm for average acceptance.
2. 20AA after 3 attempts. It’s not the 20 that’s bad, it’s that it took 3 attempts to get there while some applicants are pulling 22+ on their first tries.
3. Texan. This could hurt your chances at other states as they see that you have 3 in state options vs people who have 1.
4. Interviewing skills? If you had 3 interviews and no acceptances, this could also be a factor. Got waitlisted at a school I thought I killed in the interview, so your own judgement for interviewing can be flawed.
If you had been going to interviews for 3 years, it’s #4.

I’ve been a Texan for a year not that it matters to most states who may be viewing it as a negative and the third DAT attempt was 2017 and the first two were 2014 (three months apart). Do you think it matters the timeline of the test or just that I took three?

Unfortunately, the idea of my interviewing skills has crossed my path but, I have literally had three interviewers comment in one way or another before leaving the room that they liked me and saw me having success in Dentistry. Also, non of my Interviews have been anything more than casual conversation which I’m good at. Do you think I should’ve steered the conversation more formal?

 

[giguerex35]

I’ve been a Texan for a year not that it matters to most states who may be viewing it as a negative and the third DAT attempt was 2017 and the first two were 2014 (three months apart). Do you think it matters the timeline of the test or just that I took three?

Unfortunately, the idea of my interviewing skills has crossed my path but, I have literally had three interviewers comment in one way or another before leaving the room that they liked me and saw me having success in Dentistry. Also, non of my Interviews have been anything more than casual conversation which I’m good at. Do you think I should’ve steered the conversation more formal?

This is how I see it. If the issue was your numbers(day and gpa) you wouldn’t get any II let alone 3. Another person on this forum says for every three II one should result in an acceptance otherwise its an interview issue. I believe it’s an interview problem regardless of what someone has told you.

 

[Life of Pablo]

This is how I see it. If the issue was your numbers(day and gpa) you wouldn’t get any II let alone 3. Another person on this forum says for every three II one should result in an acceptance otherwise its an interview issue. I believe it’s an interview problem regardless of what someone has told you.

Shoo out of here, pre-med. You’re in the wrong forum.

Although I wasn’t at your interviews, I trust that you don’t have an interview problem. In fact I know someone who has had the same problem as you this cycle. They’ve landed 3 interviews (all went well) but got waitlisted at all 3. Like you, their stats were low. We would like to think that once you land the interview, you’re on equal footing as everyone else. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Even with the world’s best interview, you’re bound to get waitlisted due to your low stats (which really frustrates me because schools shouldn’t be interviewing you if they know they’re probably going to put you on the waitlist). If I were you, I’d recommend improving your DAT/GPA.

 

[doc toothache]

Rejections-The Why Part II

 

[MendiT13]

I have been applying to dental school since 2014 while making improvements over the years.

Currently: 3.28c 3.28s GPA (VCU CERT:3.46) DAT (3rd attempt): 20AA 21TS (Bio 23 Chem 21 Ochem 20 RC 20 PA 22 QR 17) over 2000 dental assisting hours and a bachelors in Biology, 700 hours volunteer ranging from tutoring to MOM.

I have good LORs from what I can tell and a decent personal statement explaining my perseverance for Dentistry. My question is if I don’t get in this year, do I pursue another PostBacc/Master for GPA boost or apply to more than 13 schools (the number I applied to this year with three interviews and no acceptances)?

I’m starting to worry that I’ll never get in.
PS. Texas resident and non URM.

Did you get TX interviews?

 

[Predental4657]

I see a few things.
1. Low GPA. 3.28 is not competitive as it is well below the norm for average acceptance.
2. 20AA after 3 attempts. It’s not the 20 that’s bad, it’s that it took 3 attempts to get there while some applicants are pulling 22+ on their first tries.
3. Texan. This could hurt your chances at other states as they see that you have 3 in state options vs people who have 1.
4. Interviewing skills? If you had 3 interviews and no acceptances, this is probably most likely. Got waitlisted at a school I thought I killed in the interview, so your own judgement for interviewing can be flawed.
If you had been going to interviews for 3 years, it’s #4.

Okay. What this person said about your DAT is COMPLETELY WRONG. This is not the ACT, meaning, when you do better on the DAT, it means you actually learned the subjects more thoroughly than you did before, why wouldn’t schools love to see that? That’s the exact definition of an upward trend. I’m sorry but it’s so dumb to say that a school would penalize you for improving your DAT or for med school your MCAT score. It doesn’t matter if one person got a 22 their first time and for another it took multiple efforts. It means the second student was completely determined no matter what to get into dental school. Everything you’re doing is great, but like other people said, your interviewing skills may be holding you back. Again, seriously, do not think that by doing better on your DAT and having a better knowledge of the prerequisite sciences that they test for would ever reflect poorly on you in a dental schools eyes.

Also, are you waitlisted at the 3 schools you interviewed at or denied?


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[WoodsideA.G.]

Okay. What this person said about your DAT is COMPLETELY WRONG. This is not the ACT, meaning, when you do better on the DAT, it means you actually learned the subjects more thoroughly than you did before, why wouldn’t schools love to see that? That’s the exact definition of an upward trend. I’m sorry but it’s so dumb to say that a school would penalize you for improving your DAT or for med school your MCAT score. It doesn’t matter if one person got a 22 their first time and for another it took multiple efforts. It means the second student was completely determined no matter what to get into dental school. Everything you’re doing is great, but like other people said, your interviewing skills may be holding you back. Again, seriously, do not think that by doing better on your DAT and having a better knowledge of the prerequisite sciences that they test for would ever reflect poorly on you in a dental schools eyes.

Also, are you waitlisted at the 3 schools you interviewed at or denied?


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So I have had one Texas interview to answer (Mendi) but I haven’t heard back from them and have done the usual follow ups with thank you notes and what not. I also interviewed at NOVA and am waitlisted. And the third is still yet to come... so I may have misled with my initial post.

Should I do another post bacc if this year is unsuccessful? I mean I literally feel like I’d tried everything. I’m not the type to pester admissions and am honestly pretty laid back in interviews. I do prepare questions and will absolutely try to kill the next one but I can’t help but be pessimistic.

 

[MendiT13]

So I have had one Texas interview to answer (Mendi) but I haven’t heard back from them and have done the usual follow ups with thank you notes and what not. I also interviewed at NOVA and am waitlisted. And the third is still yet to come... so I may have misled with my initial post.

Should I do another post bacc if this year is unsuccessful? I mean I literally feel like I’d tried everything. I’m not the type to pester admissions and am honestly pretty laid back in interviews. I do prepare questions and will absolutely try to kill the next one but I can’t help but be pessimistic.

Well another good question is... when did you go to the interviews? From my understand TX schools do not send out rejections or wait lists until April/May. What school did you interview at in TX? You are maybe just being a tad impatient, but I can see where that’s coming from since this is your 4th time applying.

 

[Jueves]

I’ve been a Texan for a year not that it matters to most states who may be viewing it as a negative and the third DAT attempt was 2017 and the first two were 2014 (three months apart). Do you think it matters the timeline of the test or just that I took three?

Unfortunately, the idea of my interviewing skills has crossed my path but, I have literally had three interviewers comment in one way or another before leaving the room that they liked me and saw me having success in Dentistry. Also, non of my Interviews have been anything more than casual conversation which I’m good at. Do you think I should’ve steered the conversation more formal?

I can’t exactly pinpoint if that’s the case, but Doctoothache put out a phenomenal thread that can answer it better than me. But I do think there’s a seriousness involved with interviews, so it could be the formality.

 

[Jueves]

Okay. What this person said about your DAT is COMPLETELY WRONG. This is not the ACT, meaning, when you do better on the DAT, it means you actually learned the subjects more thoroughly than you did before, why wouldn’t schools love to see that? That’s the exact definition of an upward trend. I’m sorry but it’s so dumb to say that a school would penalize you for improving your DAT or for med school your MCAT score. It doesn’t matter if one person got a 22 their first time and for another it took multiple efforts. It means the second student was completely determined no matter what to get into dental school. Everything you’re doing is great, but like other people said, your interviewing skills may be holding you back. Again, seriously, do not think that by doing better on your DAT and having a better knowledge of the prerequisite sciences that they test for would ever reflect poorly on you in a dental schools eyes.

Also, are you waitlisted at the 3 schools you interviewed at or denied?


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I don’t know about you, but I would prefer someone with a 20AA who took it once vs someone who took it 3 times before getting that score. Common sense dude.

 

[WoodsideA.G.]

Well another good queation is... when did you go to the interviews? From my understand TX schools do not send out rejections or wait lists until April/May. What school did you interview at in TX? You are maybe just being a tad impatient, but I can see where that’s coming from since this is your 4th time applying.

Yeah... I did go to the interviews in mid November. And it was SA. I’m just thinking about it pretty much every second of every day, which I know is not helping. Thank you all for the input!

I’ll try to be a bit more formal with the next one.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

or apply to more than 13 schools (the number I applied to this year with three interviews and no acceptances)?

I think you need to apply to more schools with your numbers, like 20+. Best of luck to you.

Big Hoss

 

[MendiT13]

Yeah... I did go to the interviews in mid November. And it was SA. I’m just thinking about it pretty much every second of every day, which I know is not helping. Thank you all for the input!

I’ll try to be a bit more formal with the next one.

Are you practicing your interviewing skills? I wouldn’t give up yet.

I interviewed with SA on 4 Dec, I also took the DAT 3 times with 18AA 19TS and 3.18 sGPA/3.54oGPA and got accepted on the 5th. We are all different and they view everyone holistically, but maybe it’s your interviewing skills. Maybe what you wrote in your PS didn’t match what you said or how you acted???

SA is heavily involved in community service and keeping people in the area after graduation. Did you stress it was your #1 pick and were going to stay in the southern area?

Where and when is your 3rd interview at? PM me so we can discuss your interviewing skills/techniques.

 

[WoodsideA.G.]

Are you practicing your interviewing skills? I wouldn’t give up yet.

I interviewed with SA on 4 Dec, I also took the DAT 3 times with 18AA 19TS and 3.18 sGPA/3.54oGPA and got accepted on the 5th. We are all different and they view everyone holistically, but maybe it’s your interviewing skills. Maybe what you wrote in your PS didn’t match what you said or how you acted???

SA is heavily involved in community service and keeping people in the area after graduation. Did you stress it was your #1 pick and were going to stay in the southern area?

Where and when is your 3rd interview at? PM me so we can discuss your interviewing skills/techniques.

I did stress that my future is in West Texas with my future wife and how I like living and serving in Texas. I practice the main questions in my head and get to talk about my passion nearly everyday at work. I feel I am well versed in speaking about dentistry and spoke the majority of the time about research in implants and rcts which my interviewer liked, or so I thought. At this point I have my fingers crossed. Congrats on your acceptance!

 

[Bugzbunny22]

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