WAMC? TX resident

[h-town212]

Date of submission: Going to submit by July 19th
Overall GPA: 3.84
Science GPA: 3.72
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.46
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 22AA/22TS/16PAT QR-19/RC-21/GCHEM-19/BIO-23/ORGO-26
State of Residence: TX

Major: Public Health
Minor: Nutrition
Minority? No- Asian
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No
Clinical experience: Dental assisting hours-150, which will increase as I still work there.
Shadowing Experience: 250 with general dentists
Volunteering Experience: 119 total hours (32 hours at the animal shelter, and the remainder was helping out my community during events, and cleaning up the area. 250 hours volunteering with my religious place of worship. 160 hours- internship focused on reducing health disparities/increasing knowledge amongst low SES individuals.
Clinical volunteering hours: 15 hours- 8 hours at TMOM, 7 hours at UTSD Give kids a Smile event
Employment: 2500 hours as a waitress; 55 hours paid dental scanning/perio-charting
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars: President of a dental-related club I founded, an active member of another pre-dental organization
Relevant Honors or Awards: Deans list x5, yearly academic scholarship through my university (not sure if that does anything)
LOR type and strength: 2 science professor letters (mediocre), 1 dentist LOR- strong, 1 non-science professor (mediocre/strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Took a pass/fail during the COVID semester on a pre-req (got a C+) and will be retaking
School list:

In-state: (really hoping to get into any one of my state schools!)
UTSD
UT San Antonio
Texas A&M
Texas Tech El Paso

OOS:
Roseman
LECOM
Tufts
Midwestern-AZ
ASDOH
Midwestern-IL
Meharry
UNE
Creighton
UCONN
AT MOSDOH
Buffalo
University of Tennessee?
University of Utah
Temple
UNLV

I know it is hard to approximate based on stats without a DAT score, but any advice/help is much welcome!
Thank you in advance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ryxndek]

Seems like a decent app, but how many schools you apply to will depend on your DAT score. Aiming and scoring for 21+ is a good idea, it will make getting into TX schools much easier. I would aim to apply to 8-12 schools depending on your score, anything past that is expensive and overkill. So I would try to narrow down your OOS schools to around 8 or so plus the 4 IS schools.

East Coast schools may be less likely to take you since being a resident of TX means you will be aiming to get into TX schools. You could probably toss out Tufts, Buffalo, UNE, Temple, UConn, and Meharry unless you'd really like to attend one of those schools or have ties. I would keep Roseman, ASDOH, UNLV, Creighton, UofU, and Midwestern-AZ since those are relatively close to where you are located. Unless you really want to be on the east coast it may be easier to get interviews/explain why you want to go to school at the ones more regionally close to you.

Hope this helps!

 

[h-town212]

Seems like a decent app, but how many schools you apply to will depend on your DAT score. Aiming and scoring for 21+ is a good idea, it will make getting into TX schools much easier. I would aim to apply to 8-12 schools depending on your score, anything past that is expensive and overkill. So I would try to narrow down your OOS schools to around 8 or so plus the 4 IS schools.

East Coast schools may be less likely to take you since being a resident of TX means you will be aiming to get into TX schools. You could probably toss out Tufts, Buffalo, UNE, Temple, UConn, and Meharry unless you'd really like to attend one of those schools or have ties. I would keep Roseman, ASDOH, UNLV, Creighton, UofU, and Midwestern-AZ since those are relatively close to where you are located. Unless you really want to be on the east coast it may be easier to get interviews/explain why you want to go to school at the ones more regionally close to you.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for responding! Truthfully I was just looking at schools that accepted students with similar stats to mine without the knowledge that East coast schools are a bit of a reach due to my residency, but I will definitely look more into schools that are around my area.

 

[Ryxndek]

Thank you so much for responding! Truthfully I was just looking at schools that accepted students with similar stats to mine without the knowledge that East coast schools are a bit of a reach due to my residency, but I will definitely look more into schools that are around my area.

I would definitely do more research! If you PM me I can get you in contact with the ADEA guide for class of 2024, the most recent one as of now. It gives a lot of good information about all the schools!

 

[h-town212]

I would definitely do more research! If you PM me I can get you in contact with the ADEA guide for class of 2024, the most recent one as of now. It gives a lot of good information about all the schools!

I sent you a PM!

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: Going to submit it the first day it opens
Overall GPA: 3.84
Science GPA: 3.64
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.40
DAT score (include AA and all sections): Haven't taken it yet, but will in April. I am aiming for a 21+
State of Residence: TX

Major: Public Health
Minor: Nutrition
Minority? No- Asian
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 250 with general dentists
Volunteering Experience: 119 total hours (32 hours at the animal shelter, and the remainder was with helping out my community during events, and cleaning up the area
Clinical volunteering hours: 15 hours- 8 hours at TMOM, 7 hours at UTSD Give kids a smile event
Employment: 2500 hours as a waitress; 55 hours paid dental scanning/perio-charting
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars: President of a dental-related club I founded, an active member of another pre-dental organization
Relevant Honors or Awards: Deans list x5, yearly academic scholarship through my university (not sure if that does anything)
LOR type and strength: 2 science professor letters (mediocre), 1 dentist LOR- strong, 1 non-science professor (mediocre/strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Took a pass/fail during the COVID semester on a pre-req (got a C+) and will be retaking
School list:

In-state: (really hoping to get into any one of my state schools!)
UTSD
UT San Antonio
Texas A&M
Texas Tech El Paso

OOS:
Roseman
LECOM
Tufts
Midwestern-AZ
ASDOH
Midwestern-IL
Meharry
UNE
Creighton
UCONN
AT MOSDOH
Buffalo
University of Tennessee?
University of Utah
Temple
UNLV

I know it is hard to approximate based on stats without a DAT score, but any advice/help is much welcome!
Thank you in advance.

agree with ryxn
come back with dat scores
everyone aims for 21+...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Good luck on the DAT.

Not sure how I feel about your community service. I like the clinical adjacent activities with TxMOM but you spent twice as many hours with an animal shelter. You didn't break down your other community service, so I'm concerned you don't have more than 30 hours in a human service activity. Where do you actually stretch beyond your comfort zone in serving others?

 

[h-town212]

Good luck on the DAT.

Not sure how I feel about your community service. I like the clinical adjacent activities with TxMOM but you spent twice as many hours with an animal shelter. You didn't break down your other community service, so I'm concerned you don't have more than 30 hours in a human service activity. Where do you actually stretch beyond your comfort zone in serving others?

Hey, thank you for responding. I was only able to get 8 hours from TMOM because they visited once last year (where I live) and I currently do not have the means to travel to other locations, sadly. Do you think this aspect of my application will be detrimental, and I should find something else? Are there any suggestions of what type of volunteering that should be fine? Any help is much appreciated!

 

[CongeeMango]

Definitely look into volunteering more to improve your chances at TX schools. All TX schools I interviewed with had put a huge emphasis on volunteer hours. Other than that, your GPA is between average to above average for TX schools. We don't know how you will score on the DAT, so please update us when you get the actual score.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hey, thank you for responding. I was only able to get 8 hours from TMOM because they visited once last year (where I live) and I currently do not have the means to travel to other locations, sadly. Do you think this aspect of my application will be detrimental, and I should find something else? Are there any suggestions of what type of volunteering that should be fine? Any help is much appreciated!

I'm not sure because I don't know the details of the other community service you did. You have a good amount of dental clinical experience with shadowing, volunteering, and employment. The issue is how much in person human service you have "helping out my community during events and cleaning up the area." What does this mean?

 

[h-town212]

I'm not sure because I don't know the details of the other community service you did. You have a good amount of dental clinical experience with shadowing, volunteering, and employment. The issue is how much in person human service you have "helping out my community during events and cleaning up the area." What does this mean?

Ahh I see, so the main components of my experience involved greeting/checking in members during community sponsored events and also keeping our community parks clean with a team of other community residents. Hopefully that helps!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Ahh I see, so the main components of my experience involved greeting/checking in members during community sponsored events and also keeping our community parks clean with a team of other community residents. Hopefully that helps!

While I can acknowledge community building as important, most faculty will look for ways which you gain a better understanding of challenges facing community and how you understand how these factors affect their health. Food distribution, shelter work, job placement services, or housing resources are examples.

 

[Lemillion]

I had similar stats and extracurriculars back in the day (maybe 3.5ish for the BCP GPA) and had DAT of 20. Granted this was in 2012 and DAT scores have trended upward since. Aiming for 21+ is idea nowadays. I applied to the 3 TX schools and 3 OOS (Mid-western/Loma/USC). Interviewed at all 6 and got into UT-San Antonio (January), UTSD (Feb) and Mid-Western (April). Ended up going in-state of course.

I would encourage looking through the faculty list at the closest dental school to you (probably Houston since your username is H-Town), search up their name and see if they have a private practice. After that reach out to them and see if you can shadow and build a mentorship/friendship/etc. If you can get an adjunct faculty to write you a rec letter it will help out a lot. Hard for admissions committee to overlook your app when one of their colleagues teaches there and they actually interact with them.

 

[h-town212]

Will definitely look into that, thank you so much for responding!

 

[h-town212]

Hey! I just took my DAT and got the following scores:
PAT- 16
RC- 21
QR- 19
BIO- 23
GCHEM- 19
OCHEM- 26
TS- 22
AA- 22.
I also started dental assisting (currently at 150 ish hours) and got my volunteer hours up to 250 (at my religious place). I'm mostly worried about my PAT score, and reallyyyy do not want to retake it. Are my scores good enough to get in somewhere (preferably Texas)?

 

[macsak]

Hey! I just took my DAT and got the following scores:
PAT- 16
RC- 21
QR- 19
BIO- 23
GCHEM- 19
OCHEM- 26
TS- 22
AA- 22.
I also started dental assisting (currently at 150 ish hours) and got my volunteer hours up to 250 (at my religious place). I'm mostly worried about my PAT score, and reallyyyy do not want to retake it. Are my scores good enough to get in somewhere (preferably Texas)?

your scores can get you in as long as you apply smartly...

 

[h-town212]

your scores can get you in as long as you apply smartly...

Thank you so much for responding, do you think I have a fair shot at Texas dental schools with my stats and EC?

 

[macsak]

Thank you so much for responding, do you think I have a fair shot at Texas dental schools with my stats and EC?

i don't know much about texas dental schools, sorry...

 

[h-town212]

i don't know much about texas dental schools, sorry...

No worries, thank you so much anyways!

 

[h-town212]

I would definitely do more research! If you PM me I can get you in contact with the ADEA guide for class of 2024, the most recent one as of now. It gives a lot of good information about all the schools!

Hey! I made a new update to my WAMC post now that I have taken the DAT + new ECs, I would love for you to take a look at it, if possible...

 

[Ryxndek]

Hey! I made a new update to my WAMC post now that I have taken the DAT + new ECs, I would love for you to take a look at it, if possible...

Congrats on the DAT score. My only concern is the 16PAT, however I don’t think it will necessary hurt you. Just aim to have a solid explanation for your manual dexterity prompt essay. I would apply to around 10 schools with that score. Your 4 instate schools, then maybe 3 privates and 3 public’s. Some privates to think about : Creighton, ASDOH/MWU-AZ, Nova/LECOM
Public’s: UF, Georgia, Alabama, UNLV

Some other schools are on the list I have above as well.

 

[h-town212]

Congrats on the DAT score. My only concern is the 16PAT, however I don’t think it will necessary hurt you. Just aim to have a solid explanation for your manual dexterity prompt essay. I would apply to around 10 schools with that score. Your 4 instate schools, then maybe 3 privates and 3 public’s. Some privates to think about : Creighton, ASDOH/MWU-AZ, Nova/LECOM
Public’s: UF, Georgia, Alabama, UNLV

Some other schools are on the list I have above as well.

Thanks! Overall, do you believe I have a decent shot at getting into this cycle with my current stats + if I apply by next week? Some people have been telling me that July is now considered late...

 

[Ryxndek]

Thanks! Overall, do you believe I have a decent shot at getting into this cycle with my current stats + if I apply by next week? Some people have been telling me that July is now considered late...

July isn’t considered late. Arguably it’s still considered early. August is considered on time. Just get your app in asap and you’ll be fine.

You stand a decent shot, just make sure any schools you apply to don’t have any 17 subscore minimum requirements. I believe LECOM might.

 

[CongeeMango]

Im not 100% confident w this answer but UTHealth schools and Texas Tech have minimum requirement of 17 for each section, so all schools except A&M.

 

[Ryxndek]

Just checked ADEA explorer, UT San Antonio only requires a 17AA minimum, UT Huston doesn’t say but they do consider your average DAT score. Texas tech doesn’t say on ADEA explorer but their website says "minimum score on DAT is a 17."

 

[h-town212]

Ah, I see so when they say the minimum score on the DAT is a 17, does that pertain to the AA only, or does that also include the PAT?

 

[Ryxndek]

Ah, I see so when they say the minimum score on the DAT is a 17, does that pertain to the AA only, or does that also include the PAT?

doesn't explicitly say, so you can't really assume which one it means. I personally would assume 17 score minimums for all sections, but I would reach out to the school and ask for clarification. It's possible it means 17AA, but it doesn't say AA after the score.

 

[h-town212]

so i had emailed the Texas schools, and A&M, and UTSD responded saying they don't have cutoffs. UTSD specifically said that "The AA of our entering class is a 22 and PAT of 21. I wouldn’t be concerned with your PAT score. Your AA is right at the average and you scored very well on all other sections. Your DAT scores are competitive."

 

[Ryxndek]

so i had emailed the Texas schools, and A&M, and UTSD responded saying they don't have cutoffs. UTSD specifically said that "The AA of our entering class is a 22 and PAT of 21. I wouldn’t be concerned with your PAT score. Your AA is right at the average and you scored very well on all other sections. Your DAT scores are competitive."

great!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You ought to check the OOS schools on your list of they express a similar sentiment. Understand that the rest of your application needs to show commitment to the school mission and their patients. TMOM helps.

 

[h-town212]

You ought to check the OOS schools on your list of they express a similar sentiment. Understand that the rest of your application needs to show commitment to the school mission and their patients. TMOM helps.

Will def do some research into that, thanks for the advice!