Major upgrade to DAT…. More confident now

[teeth!]

Date of submission: I applied the last cycle but applied super late and only to five schools - wasn’t really expecting to get in but figured it was worth a try. Submitted this year 6/14
Overall GPA: 3.3
Science GPA: 3.2
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: Probably same as science
Graduate: 3.6 - From a pretty difficult program with a really good track record
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 21AA, 20TS, 20 Bio, 19 GC, 20 OC, 26 RC, 18 QR and 19 PAT. - Retook this from last year, had a 19AA and a 17GC
State of Residence: MA

Major:Biology
Minority? No
Reapplicant? Kind haha see not above
Nontrad? No


Shadowing Experience: 200 hours between 3 dentists
Also have 200 hours shadowing an orthopedic surgeon but clearly thats useless now.
Volunteering Experience: 250 Hours - Food Pantry and Tutor
Employment: Bunch of random irrelevant stuff
Research: Probably like 500 hours, 1 publication coming, both lab work and research
Other Extracurriculars: Club basketball president, tutoring stuff
Relevant Honors or Awards: N/A
LOR type and strength: Cancer Bio Professor, Microbio Professor, Masters biochemistry Professor. All three are close and pretty strong I’d say. Also LOR from a dentist
School list:
Expanding my list from 5 schools haha
Tufts
BU
NYU
U New England
U Maryland
Colorado
Stony Brook
Rutgers
Temple
Columbia
UConn
Buffalo
U Pitt
Case Western
UoP
Penn

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[macsak]

Date of submission: I applied the last cycle but applied super late and only to five schools - wasn’t really expecting to get in but figured it was worth a try. Submitted this year 6/14
Overall GPA: 3.3
Science GPA: 3.2
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: Probably same as science
Graduate: 3.6 - From a pretty difficult program with a really good track record
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 21AA, 20TS, 20 Bio, 19 GC, 20 OC, 26 RC, 18 QR and 19 PAT. - Retook this from last year, had a 19AA and a 17GC
State of Residence: MA

Major:Biology
Minority? No
Reapplicant? Kind haha see not above
Nontrad? No


Shadowing Experience: 200 hours between 3 dentists
Also have 200 hours shadowing an orthopedic surgeon but clearly thats useless now.
Volunteering Experience: 250 Hours - Food Pantry and Tutor
Employment: Bunch of random irrelevant stuff
Research: Probably like 500 hours, 1 publication coming, both lab work and research
Other Extracurriculars: Club basketball president, tutoring stuff
Relevant Honors or Awards: N/A
LOR type and strength: Cancer Bio Professor, Microbio Professor, Masters biochemistry Professor. All three are close and pretty strong I’d say. Also LOR from a dentist
School list:
Expanding my list from 5 schools haha
Tufts
BU
NYU
U New England
U Maryland
Colorado
Stony Brook
Rutgers
Temple
Columbia
UConn
Buffalo
U Pitt
Case Western
UoP
Penn

1 you are a reapplicant
2 congrats on the improvement on the DAT
3 3.6 grad gpa is ok, higher would've been better
4 good list, some clear reaches
5 trust the process...

 

[teeth!]

1 you are a reapplicant
2 congrats on the improvement on the DAT
3 3.6 grad gpa is ok, higher would've been better
4 good list, some clear reaches
5 trust the process...

Is being a reapplicant bad? Do I need more shadowing hours? Besides Columbia what are the clear reaches?

 

[macsak]

Is being a reapplicant bad? Do I need more shadowing hours? Besides Columbia what are the clear reaches?

your shadowing is more than adequate
being a reapplicant is not bad, only if you have not done anything to improve your application since last cycle
you should have done your own research on which schools are reaches, that said, your list is broad and diverse, and doesn't have an excessive number of reach schools...

 

[teeth!]

your shadowing is more than adequate
being a reapplicant is not bad, only if you have not done anything to improve your application since last cycle
you should have done your own research on which schools are reaches, that said, your list is broad and diverse, and doesn't have an excessive number of reach schools...

Okay thanks for all your info. I have definitely done a lot since last cycle (more volunteering, dental experience, Masters). I know the DAT and gpa of schools so i guess Columbia is my one only true true reach.
If i have a random, non dental job lined up or a dental assistant job, do i need to take the dental one? For more experience?

 

[axiumgod]

Personally I’d remove Columbia, Penn, and NYU. You’re relatively far away from the averages for the first two and there are enough SDN threads to show why you shouldn’t go to NYU. I’d replace them with LECOM, NOVA, and VCU.

 

[teeth!]

Personally I’d remove Columbia, Penn, and NYU. You’re relatively far away from the averages for the first two and there are enough SDN threads to show why you shouldn’t go to NYU. I’d replace them with LECOM, NOVA, and VCU.

Columbia is definitely a reach, and more of a long shot “why not take a chance”. In terms of Penn, the only reason I applied there was an alumni of my program got the same DAT score and similar gpa in masters and undergrad and is now at Penn! But I will definitely look into those others. And yeah, NYU would be a last resort