WAMC School Help

[amos4]

Hello everyone! I appreciate any insight!

I just took my DAT yesterday and am hoping to have my application submitted sometime in the next month. Really not too sure how well my stats match with my school list and my chances of getting at least a few interviews. Just looking for a realistic idea of what is to come. If anyone has any advice on schools I should add on my list or some I should definitely take off, that would be much appreciated thank you!
Date of submission: Planning for mid-July
Overall GPA: 3.98
Science GPA: 3.95
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 4.0
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA(21)
State of Residence: California

Major: Biology
Minor: Physical Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No

Shadowing Experience: 200+ shadowing hours at a dentist in CA, as well as around 50 hours of shadowing an OMFS at a private practice.
Volunteering Experience: Around 100+ volunteer hours
Research: N/A


School list:
Ohio State
Texas A&M
UT Houston
UNLV
Indiana University
University of Iowa
Loma Linda
NOVA
University of Florida
University of Oklahoma
University of Kentucky
Midwestern Arizona
AT Still Arizona
University of Colorado

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[macsak]

Hello everyone! I appreciate any insight!

I just took my DAT yesterday and am hoping to have my application submitted sometime in the next month. Really not too sure how well my stats match with my school list and my chances of getting at least a few interviews. Just looking for a realistic idea of what is to come. If anyone has any advice on schools I should add on my list or some I should definitely take off, that would be much appreciated thank you!
Date of submission: Planning for mid-July
Overall GPA: 3.98
Science GPA: 3.95
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 4.0
DAT score (include AA and all sections): AA(21) PAT(21) QR(21) RC(24) BIO(21) CHEM(19) OCHEM(18) TS(19)
State of Residence: California

Major: Biology
Minor: Physical Sciences
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No

Shadowing Experience: 200+ shadowing hours at a dentist in CA, as well as around 50 hours of shadowing an OMFS at a private practice.
Volunteering Experience: Around 100+ volunteer hours
Employment: Around 1500+ hours
Research: N/A


School list:
Ohio State
Texas A&M
UT Houston
UNLV
Indiana University
University of Iowa
Loma Linda
NOVA
University of Florida
University of Oklahoma
University of Kentucky
Midwestern Arizona
AT Still Arizona
University of Colorado

how did you come up with this list?

 

[macsak]

Hello! Mainly based on places that I would like to live as well as wanted to find universities that had similar acceptance statistics to what I am applying with. Other than that made sure to find some schools that allow in state tuition after one year. Also did some research on each one and looked for current students opinions.

you need to do more research
find out OOS acceptance rates (and CA acceptance rates)...

 

[amos4]

you need to do more research
find out OOS acceptance rates (and CA acceptance rates)...

Thanks for the input! I did look at all the acceptance rates prior to choosing and yes many of them are very very low for CA residents (maybe just a pipe dream that I thought I could get in to some haha). Do you think I am just better off just taking most of the schools off w/ low CA acceptance rates

 

[Ryxndek]

Texas schools will be difficult with your DAT, as they have high expectations for their OOS students since they admit so few. Based on the 2024 and 2026 adea guides, your chances have gotten better if applying OOS since there was a sharp drop in OOS applicants with admission being so difficult and having to fill out TMDSAS instead.

Apps I'd maybe remove: Iowa (applying "late" in their standards, they prefer apps in june and applicants from midwest), and Kentucky (not seeing a lot of alignment with the school, unless you have solid connection to the state?) Oklahoma doesn't favor West Coast apps at all, you'd be tossing money away. Indiana doesn't really favor CA residents either, possibly bc you have access to 6 dental schools. Ohio State would be tough as well, though they did take 2 students from CA for CO2026.

I would look into Creighton, OHSU, WesternU, Case Western, UCLA/UCSF (your state school you might as well try???) Actually I'm curious as to why you don't have them, those would be some of your best chances.

 

[amos4]

Texas schools will be difficult with your DAT, as they have high expectations for their OOS students since they admit so few. Based on the 2024 and 2026 adea guides, your chances have gotten better if applying OOS since there was a sharp drop in OOS applicants with admission being so difficult and having to fill out TMDSAS instead.

Apps I'd maybe remove: Iowa (applying "late" in their standards, they prefer apps in june and applicants from midwest), and Kentucky (not seeing a lot of alignment with the school, unless you have solid connection to the state?) Oklahoma doesn't favor West Coast apps at all, you'd be tossing money away. Indiana doesn't really favor CA residents either, possibly bc you have access to 6 dental schools. Ohio State would be tough as well, though they did take 2 students from CA for CO2026.

I would look into Creighton, OHSU, WesternU, Case Western, UCLA/UCSF (your state school you might as well try???) Actually I'm curious as to why you don't have them, those would be some of your best chances.

Thank you for the info on those OOS programs. As for UCLA, I am going to apply as well, I just forgot to put it on my list (my bad). I think I may also try OSU anyway since they took a few from California last cycle, and as for UCSF it is still up in arms for me, but I am trying to avoid living in San Francisco unless I really have too haha. The cost of living is just insane over there.

 

[Ryxndek]

Thank you for the info on those OOS programs. As for UCLA, I am going to apply as well, I just forgot to put it on my list (my bad). I think I may also try OSU anyway since they took a few from California last cycle, and as for UCSF it is still up in arms for me, but I am trying to avoid living in San Francisco unless I really have too haha. The cost of living is just insane over there.

Would still unfortunately be cheaper than most OOS schools given the tuition. I would still apply if you can

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yeah, your metrics should get you attention for interviews, but I agree with everyone else here. Your DAT is solid but not spectacular, so I'm not sure applying through TMDSAS for your Texas dental schools is worth it. I don't really get a mission fit, and maybe you are fluent in Spanish... I just don't quite see the link to Texas.

I seriously don't get why you don't list any California schools. Is your identity highly aligned with a Christian faith?

I guess you really want to go out of state. I guess I'd try Ohio State (because why not, though I don't know about water polo in Columbus or Ann Arbor if you tried for Michigan). In the past, VCU tends to take a lot of OOS applicants (I don't know what the DSE/OG says offhand). Kentucky and Louisville I think can take a decent share of OOS. Other publics on the list I'm not so certain about, but you don't know unless you try.