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Steps to improving dental school application


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Hi everyone, 

I graduated university this year and plan to take my DAT this November, however I am lacking in EC and experience while having an average GPA (cGPA: ~3.7/4.0, last 3 years: 3.86/4.0, and 2yrGPA: 3.97/4.0). I played a varsity sport all four years which took time away from my ability to gain any research experience. My volunteer experience is largely smaller contributions (I was a committee member, healthcare delegate, fundraiser for cancer research, volunteering with athletics... ect.). I wish i was more proactive however didn't really consider what I wanted to do as a career until my final years of my undergrad. 

I was wondering if I stand a chance and/or what steps you think I could take to make my application more competitive. Should I be getting a masters in the meantime before I apply or is something like shadowing a dentist sufficient? Any help would be appreciated, thanks everyone!!

(I am an Ontario applicant). 

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Ontario student here, here is how I see it... 

1) You have a pretty great 2yr GPA, which puts you in good standing with Western's program. Your 3yr GPA is fairly good, meaning you could have a shot at UofT (they changed their admissions process to include CASPer, so that may lower the gpa requirement they have had for the past few years)

2) Your next focus should be the DAT. Aiming for a 20+ or even 21+ across the board will really benefit your entire application. A good score and your GPA will give you a solid foundation for this upcoming round. 

3) Work with the extracurriculars you have. It's always great to get new experiences and fill up your CV but, it is more important that you self reflect on your previous experiences and really understand what you have gained from them. Varsity athlete? Great, start thinking about team work, commitment etc.. Apply this to the remainder of your list. That being said, one thing I would strongly recommend is shadowing. Make sure you spend a day or two with a dentist/dental office to see if the career will be a good fit. 

Overall, I think you have a pretty decent shot at getting into a school in Ontario. Hope this helps!

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6 hours ago, TheMolarBear said:

Ontario student here, here is how I see it... 

1) You have a pretty great 2yr GPA, which puts you in good standing with Western's program. Your 3yr GPA is fairly good, meaning you could have a shot at UofT (they changed their admissions process to include CASPer, so that may lower the gpa requirement they have had for the past few years)

2) Your next focus should be the DAT. Aiming for a 20+ or even 21+ across the board will really benefit your entire application. A good score and your GPA will give you a solid foundation for this upcoming round. 

3) Work with the extracurriculars you have. It's always great to get new experiences and fill up your CV but, it is more important that you self reflect on your previous experiences and really understand what you have gained from them. Varsity athlete? Great, start thinking about team work, commitment etc.. Apply this to the remainder of your list. That being said, one thing I would strongly recommend is shadowing. Make sure you spend a day or two with a dentist/dental office to see if the career will be a good fit. 

Overall, I think you have a pretty decent shot at getting into a school in Ontario. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for taking time to offer this insight! I really appreciate it. 

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