JPH Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Need HELP!!! I am hoping to get into dental school next year (either in Canada or the US) can you give your opinion or tips on what I should do to have a chance of getting in, and if you think I might have a chance. I finished my Honors BSc in psych; thesis on dental anxiety (in the process of being published by CPA); overall ave is 80.4% (don't know what it would be in gpa) with my best two years 85%. I wrote the DAT this Feb and need to rewrite Reading: 18, Academic Ave: 17, Perception 16 and Carving: really bad (8). Please let me know what you think, I could really use the help. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tode Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Your best two years average of 85% is definitely good enough to get you into Western, or any other schools that look at best two years (Dalhousie also I think). As far as your cumulative average goes, you have a shot at some places like UBC, but places like Toronto might not be realistic (this year the average GPA for U of T is 3.94 which is almost 90%). As far as the DAT goes, it's definitely a good idea that you're re-writing . If you want to do well on carving you need to practice practice practice. Get the CDA soap, and time yourself (take it as seriously as you would the academic portion). Just to let you know, some places (like Western) don't look at carving, but doing badly on carving only limits your options. As far as the other sections go, try to aim for 20 or better. About the interviews: take the interview preparation as seriously as you would studying for a test (like the DAT) and practice practice practice. Also, your thesis sounds cool, you should defnitely talk about it during your interviews. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee6 Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hey! Just do well on the DAT and you'll likely get an interview. If you're applying to the States, make sure you have all the pre-reqs. Then its up to you to shine in that interview. I would even bring that published paper to the interview...it might impress them! Goodluck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laxman Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Your best two years average of 85% is definitely good enough to get you into Western, or any other schools that look at best two years (Dalhousie also I think). As far as your cumulative average goes, you have a shot at some places like UBC, but places like Toronto might not be realistic (this year the average GPA for U of T is 3.94 which is almost 90%). Last year, the average of the entering class for western was 88%. 85% is in range of acceptance with good DAT and interview scores. UofT takes your top 3 years (but I can't comment for extra undergrad years or grad students) and people have reported acceptance with 3.7ish gpas which would be more along the lines of 82ish %. My advice would be to re-write the dat and apply everywhere (if your financial situation permits). Good luck with everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tode Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 My advice would be to re-write the dat and apply everywhere (if your financial situation permits). I definitely agree, apply everywhere: even though it cost me like $3000 I have no regrets about applying to 7 schools across Canada (and 8 in the US). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBCfnh Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hey Tode, where did you apply in the US...if you don't mind me asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tode Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hey Tode, where did you apply in the US...if you don't mind me asking? Hehehe... For U.S. schools I applied way too late (December), so I didn't get any interviews even though I got an interview everywhere in Canada other than McGill and Manitoba. Here are the schools I applied to: US: USC, Howard U, U of Louisville, Boston U, Tufts U, Nebraska U, NYU, Case, U of Pennsylvania, Temple U Canada: UBC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Toronto, UWO, McGill, Dalhousie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke-88 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hi, I'm form Quebec and I'm already accepted at udem in dentschool, Can somebody explain me why it looks this difficult to enter in a dentschool in the other canadian province, because here in Qc it's not that hard. When I'm looking a the way you are talking it looks like it is as difficult as entering a med school. If someone can't answer me I would be really happy. Also, here in Qc the minimum DAT result they are asking to enter dent school is really under the one you mentioned. With a 16 in carving and a 17 academic, I'm really over the average. I'm sorry for the grammar and some spelling, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hi, I'm form Quebec and I'm already accepted at udem in dentschool, Can somebody explain me why it looks this difficult to enter in a dentschool in the other canadian province, because here in Qc it's not that hard. When I'm looking a the way you are talking it looks like it is as difficult as entering a med school. If someone can't answer me I would be really happy. Also, here in Qc the minimum DAT result they are asking to enter dent school is really under the one you mentioned. With a 16 in carving and a 17 academic, I'm really over the average. I'm sorry for the grammar and some spelling, Well that would be because there are fewer students applying to french dent schools...since most of the french speaking population is in Québec. So therefore there is less competition. I was considering applying to some of the french ones, but my french education ended once i moved to the states after 8th grade. So i'm not quite sure how proficient i'd be with science taught in french. It's all about supply and demand....there a lot more english speaking students applying to dent schools, since there are more english speaking people. Félicitation avec ton admission à l'Université de Montréal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD006 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Also there are 3 dental schools in QC and two are French speaking... Usually there is one dental school in every Canadian province so the odds are really high for getting into schools in QC. Almost all schools have preference for their residence in their province... except a few (UBC for sure)?? So you have really good chances of getting into medical/dental school in QC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke-88 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Thanx, I didnt know there was only one dent school by province Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Well Ontario has two: UWO and UT, but again folks from all over the country and beyond apply to these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom_tooth Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Need HELP!!!I am hoping to get into dental school next year (either in Canada or the US) can you give your opinion or tips on what I should do to have a chance of getting in, and if you think I might have a chance. I finished my Honors BSc in psych; thesis on dental anxiety (in the process of being published by CPA); overall ave is 80.4% (don't know what it would be in gpa) with my best two years 85%. I wrote the DAT this Feb and need to rewrite Reading: 18, Academic Ave: 17, Perception 16 and Carving: really bad (8). Please let me know what you think, I could really use the help. Thanks!! Hey JPH, Congrats on your thesis being published. My situation is very simliar to yours I too also finished my specialized honours Bsc in Psych and also completed my thesis early April. I have two years (3rd and 4th) at around 3.84 however I am planning to take another year of undergrad because i'm missing biochem, hopefully I can use it as a GPA booster as well, plus I'm going to take english (for american dental schools). My DAT scores were similar, I had a slightly higher AA however, but I also got an 8 on carving lol (and i actually thought i did well, i walked out of it saying to myself"yea i def got at least a 20 on carving" hahah lol)! My Pat was pretty low as well (15) so overall I'm definately going to rewrite the DAT this coming November. I'm also planning on applying to NYU, BU, and Tufts because these schools tend to take a lot of Canadian applicants and NYU has a pretty low GPA requirement, don't quote me but i think it's somewhere around 3.16..i think. Same goes for BU but they have a slightly higher GPA requirement. I've decided on applying to Tufts because it's a private university and in comparison to state run universities, they have no preference as to where you come from. Anyways, enough about myself lol! So far all the advice you have received is correct. People on here are really good at giving realistic advice so yea you have a pretty good chance at getting an interview at Western, people have also been giving me this same advice. About uoft...well I'm not sure I mean uoft is always changing, so i'm not certain about them. I just have a few questions for you, if you don't mind: 1. What uni did/do you go to? 2. Are you going to take another year of undergrad or are you going to take it easy and use some of that time to study for the DAT? 3. Are you taking any summer school courses? 4. I also wrote the Feb DAT in Toronto, the bio section was killer, so was the reading comp, what plans do you have to increase your AA and PAT? thanks, -Wisdom_tooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee6 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Hey JPH,... plus I'm going to take english (for american dental schools)... If you took OAC Englisn in high school...most US schools will take that as a substitute for that one Eng credit requirement. Just need to send them a high school transcript. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom_tooth Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 If you took OAC Englisn in high school...most US schools will take that as a substitute for that one Eng credit requirement. Just need to send them a high school transcript. unfortunately i was apart of the double cohort, and I took grade 12 english, do American schools accept grade 12 english?? thanks for the help, -Wisdom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tode Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 unfortunately i was apart of the double cohort, and I took grade 12 english, do American schools accept grade 12 english?? thanks for the help, -Wisdom You could take english as distance ed. from somewhere like Athabasca University. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee6 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 I dont think they accept gr.12 English. However, some US schools seem to be pretty lenient about that requirement. I remember calling BU a few years ago about it and the lady just said "You're english sounds fine to me and you did well on the reading section on the DAT *Boston accent*" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted May 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 I just have a few questions for you, if you don't mind:1. What uni did/do you go to? 2. Are you going to take another year of undergrad or are you going to take it easy and use some of that time to study for the DAT? 3. Are you taking any summer school courses? 4. I also wrote the Feb DAT in Toronto, the bio section was killer, so was the reading comp, what plans do you have to increase your AA and PAT? -Wisdom_tooth 1. I went to Nipissing University 2. I did my four years and this past year (yr. 5) I took the pre reqs: english, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chem and physics...so nothing this year besides applying and prepairing for the DAT...by the way on my carving I also felt I did really well...who knows, I guess I'll just have to practice even more 3. No summer courses for me....other than finishing my organic chem which I am taking through Athabasca 4. In regards to the PAT I will just practice more and take my time when writing it..I seem to have the most trouble with keyhole and the top-front-end. In regards to AA - I need to work on Chem because that is my weakest; and yes the bio was horrible, I found it was an uneven representation of the topics that were to be covered...like lots on reproduction, plants, genetics...and I'm better with basically what wasn't strongly represented (oh, I wrote in Sudbury) Any tips on your end...and yeah it sounds like we are in the same position, but I think your gpa is somewhat higer than mine - good luck to you and send any info you have on US schools that might be of some help and I'll do the same. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted May 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Thank you to everyone who has responded - your insight and opinions really help and are encouraging!!! Thanks again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom_tooth Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 1. I went to Nipissing University2. I did my four years and this past year (yr. 5) I took the pre reqs: english, microbiology, biochemistry, organic chem and physics...so nothing this year besides applying and prepairing for the DAT...by the way on my carving I also felt I did really well...who knows, I guess I'll just have to practice even more 3. No summer courses for me....other than finishing my organic chem which I am taking through Athabasca 4. In regards to the PAT I will just practice more and take my time when writing it..I seem to have the most trouble with keyhole and the top-front-end. In regards to AA - I need to work on Chem because that is my weakest; and yes the bio was horrible, I found it was an uneven representation of the topics that were to be covered...like lots on reproduction, plants, genetics...and I'm better with basically what wasn't strongly represented (oh, I wrote in Sudbury) Any tips on your end...and yeah it sounds like we are in the same position, but I think your gpa is somewhat higer than mine - good luck to you and send any info you have on US schools that might be of some help and I'll do the same. Thanks!! Well I'm starting to study for the DAT now, I might as well lol I mean i'm going to be taking summer school so I'll be in study mode for most of the summer but the major reason is because I really want to do well on the DAT since it's my final chance to write the DAT if I want to apply this coming year. My plan is to study 1-2 chapters of bio everyday (mainly from Kaplan and some extra help from barron's and schaum's). Since I easily forget chemistry I'm most likely going to start study for chem July and August. I spent all of last weekend going over PAT, I've done 50% of the material provided by Kaplan and i have some from IQ publication PAT questions. My difficulty in PAT is similar to yours, I have trouble with key holes and a lot of trouble with folding. With regards to reading comp I haven't really focused on it much lately BUT it's really important, so whenever I have time here and there I'll go through a few passages. My sis wrote the MCAT and she did really well on reading she found that the book called "exam crackers" i think that's how you spell it, was really helpful for reading comp. Carving...hmmmm I've carved about maybe 10 CDA soaps and like 50 wax candles and still did very poorly on carving (8) therefore I have no idea how to improve I guess I'll just keep practicing, but I'm not sweating carving that much because I plan on applying to schools that really don't look at carving including US schools. In terms of US schools, some important info I can give you is that AADSAS will open it's 2008 cycle mid may (they didn't provide an exact date). Some advice I have gotten from my friend's bro who applied to US schools but eventually got into UWO was to apply as early as possible because of rolling admissions. See the idea is that the earlier you apply, the less likely you are going to be compared to other students, for example if i have a 3.5 GPA and i apply in May, and you come along with a 4.0 GPA and apply in October, I still have a chance and will most likely have already been offered an interview and I will not lose my position when other people with higher GPAs apply after I have been offered an interview. I hope that makes sense lol. Shadowing a dentist is very important even if you do like a month of it especially for american dent schools, some actually want at least one reference letter from a dentist you shadowed some don't but it won't hurt to send one in as an extra letter of reference. Even though for some Canadian schools that don't require reference letters, having dental experience may help you during the interview, you can mention it somewhere in there but I'm not sure if it'll make a big difference. Getting back to american dental schools, you can send in your application (like your transcripts etc) before you send in your reference letters, I believe reference letters do not have to be sent in at the same time as your application. My problem is that I doubt I'll have three reference letters from science profs by mid-may so that kinda helps people like me out. If i get anymore info I'll keep you and other dentist hopefuls posted -wisdom_tooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom_tooth Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 You could take english as distance ed. from somewhere like Athabasca University. thanks do you recommend any of the english courses that athabasca offers?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom_tooth Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 If you took OAC Englisn in high school...most US schools will take that as a substitute for that one Eng credit requirement. Just need to send them a high school transcript. that's good to hear thanks, because I plan on applying to BU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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