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How To Face Rejection?


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Hi guys, 

 

This was my first year applying to dental schools. I am in 5th year and am graduating in June. I received an interview at UWO, but did not get an admissions offer. Instead I am on the waitlist for admission, and my position has not gotten an offer in previous years :(

 

I am just wondering how you guys handle rejections? I am worried because I haven't applied to any other programs. So already, I have 5 years of UG and I will have to take the year to work. My uncle (who is a dentist) seems to think working will "look bad" on my resume and I should have applied to masters programs. What do you guys think? I wouldn't mind working and making a little money and getting real-world experience.

 

I have also been looking into teaching English as a Second Language in Asia. Does anyone have experience with this? And do you think any type of work, and not school in my gap years will put me at a disadvantage compared to my peers?

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your help on these forums! I was really hoping for the best this year and am having a hard time facing the truth. 

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I applied to dental school in my 4th year (last year) and I didn't even receive an interview. It was disappointing at first, but I just got hungrier and more motivated to improve my application for the next cycle. This year I've just been working at a restaurant, shadowing a dentist on the side (100+ hours), along with one other leadership/volunteer activity. I got an interview this year from Schulich and am currently waitlisted in a position where applicants in the past have received an offer of admission. You're waaaaaaay ahead of where I was a year ago! You're on the waitlist, and although you may be more towards the bottom, it means that you've gotten VERY close this year. I'm really confident that if you stick with it for another year you're gonna get in!

 

I don't think working for a year will look bad. That's what I did! :D

 

Best of luck!

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I applied to dental school in my 4th year (last year) and I didn't even receive an interview. It was disappointing at first, but I just got hungrier and more motivated to improve my application for the next cycle. This year I've just been working at a restaurant, shadowing a dentist on the side (100+ hours), along with one other leadership/volunteer activity. I got an interview this year from Schulich and am currently waitlisted in a position where applicants in the past have received an offer of admission. You're waaaaaaay ahead of where I was a year ago! You're on the waitlist, and although you may be more towards the bottom, it means that you've gotten VERY close this year. I'm really confident that if you stick with it for another year you're gonna get in!

 

I don't think working for a year will look bad. That's what I did! :D

 

Best of luck!

 

Thank you so much!! I guess I just needed to hear from someone other than my family, who is very old-fashioned when it comes to this stuff. They still think its 100% all about the marks. So thank you, I will definitely be spending some of my summer researching jobs! 

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I had a somewhat similar experience to Winnipeg9416. I applied to DS in my 4th year (last year) and received interviews, however I was rejected post-interview or waitlisted (never received a call). It was quite disappointing and I kept checking my phone hoping to put the process behind me. Closer to the end of summer, I started planning what I wanted to do during the year. I did some research, shadowed, volunteered, traveled and worked a part-time job. Sure in the beginning, I felt like I wasn't good enough but as the year went along, I realized it was a good thing to take a year off and do something different. I got more motivation and realized dentistry is something I really want to do. I didn't rewrite the DAT since I knew I was competitive enough from last cycle but I did focus on my ABS/PS for UWO and McGill. I got interviews at multiple places and focused on interview prep in the last few months. I put more emphasis on this since I knew I wasn't as strong as I could have been last cycle and thankfully, it paid off! 

 

Don't fret over this. I'm glad UWO at least tells you where you stand so you can plan a bit for the following cycle (last year it was all uncertain and up in the year which was brutal). Keep yourself busy and the year will fly. Find a job, do some shadowing, even spending a few months abroad teaching English would strengthen your application and make you a more well-rounded person! You aren't far from an acceptance, take the waitlist as an accomplishment and push yourself that extra mile. Good luck!

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First off, just receiving an interview means you're a competitive applicant and that's not going to change next year. If you stick to it, you will get in eventually and this will be a very minor blip in your life. Everyone will experience set backs, but all you can do is what Winnipeg9416 said, get hungry and motivated. How you bounce back will speak volumes to you as a person.

 

It will take some time to feel better, but your life isn't on hold because you didn't get in this year, you're living life right now! Go plan a trip, go get a new skill, go reach out to friends and family.

 

As well, in no way will admissions dock you because you worked for a year. The average age of UWO's 2020 class is 24 and something I noticed is the amount of diversity within their class (people who have taken all sorts of paths to get into dental school). Besides, getting some work and real world experience helps you out during your interview.

 

If you want to talk anymore about it, feel free to PM me!

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I just want to say this to everyone- we are young, most of us still in our 20s. Taking couple of years to give couple of attempts isnt bad at all. We will be working for whatever career we pursue for many decades down the road. At the moment, we are disappointed and feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel when faced with rejection, but remember- we are still young, and we are full of potentials. Keep going at it !! 

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Rejections are discouraging but it will make you a stronger applicant. I was flat out rejected after interviewing two schools last year. I did nothing for couple months but got myself together and found part-time jobs, volunteered, and learned life. I knew my interviews were the weakest part of my application so I practiced my interview for months. This year I knew what the schools were looking for so I catered my answers and attitudes towards that. Don't be discouraged and don't give up. In 5,6,7 years we will be collegues.

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Wow thank you all SO MUCH!!

You have all sincerely made me feel a lot better about this. I love to hear that most people worked and took years off. I guess I was feeling a little discouraged because I already took 1 year extra of my undergrad. I will definitely be using my year to perfect my interview skills, as that is what I think got me this year. 

 

Thanks for your support everyone!! I wish you all good luck in school :) 

 

Stick to your plan and persevere! Good luck,

 

 

I had a somewhat similar experience to Winnipeg9416. I applied to DS in my 4th year (last year) and received interviews, however I was rejected post-interview or waitlisted (never received a call). It was quite disappointing and I kept checking my phone hoping to put the process behind me. Closer to the end of summer, I started planning what I wanted to do during the year. I did some research, shadowed, volunteered, traveled and worked a part-time job. Sure in the beginning, I felt like I wasn't good enough but as the year went along, I realized it was a good thing to take a year off and do something different. I got more motivation and realized dentistry is something I really want to do. I didn't rewrite the DAT since I knew I was competitive enough from last cycle but I did focus on my ABS/PS for UWO and McGill. I got interviews at multiple places and focused on interview prep in the last few months. I put more emphasis on this since I knew I wasn't as strong as I could have been last cycle and thankfully, it paid off! 

 

Don't fret over this. I'm glad UWO at least tells you where you stand so you can plan a bit for the following cycle (last year it was all uncertain and up in the year which was brutal). Keep yourself busy and the year will fly. Find a job, do some shadowing, even spending a few months abroad teaching English would strengthen your application and make you a more well-rounded person! You aren't far from an acceptance, take the waitlist as an accomplishment and push yourself that extra mile. Good luck!

 

 

First off, just receiving an interview means you're a competitive applicant and that's not going to change next year. If you stick to it, you will get in eventually and this will be a very minor blip in your life. Everyone will experience set backs, but all you can do is what Winnipeg9416 said, get hungry and motivated. How you bounce back will speak volumes to you as a person.

 

It will take some time to feel better, but your life isn't on hold because you didn't get in this year, you're living life right now! Go plan a trip, go get a new skill, go reach out to friends and family.

 

As well, in no way will admissions dock you because you worked for a year. The average age of UWO's 2020 class is 24 and something I noticed is the amount of diversity within their class (people who have taken all sorts of paths to get into dental school). Besides, getting some work and real world experience helps you out during your interview.

 

If you want to talk anymore about it, feel free to PM me!

 

 

I just want to say this to everyone- we are young, most of us still in our 20s. Taking couple of years to give couple of attempts isnt bad at all. We will be working for whatever career we pursue for many decades down the road. At the moment, we are disappointed and feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel when faced with rejection, but remember- we are still young, and we are full of potentials. Keep going at it !! 

 

 

Rejections are discouraging but it will make you a stronger applicant. I was flat out rejected after interviewing two schools last year. I did nothing for couple months but got myself together and found part-time jobs, volunteered, and learned life. I knew my interviews were the weakest part of my application so I practiced my interview for months. This year I knew what the schools were looking for so I catered my answers and attitudes towards that. Don't be discouraged and don't give up. In 5,6,7 years we will be collegues.

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Hey there, so to echo what the other kind posters have already written, an interview is something to be proud of as I saw your stats on the other page and you're a stellar applicant. While this may not have been your year (who knows you may get off the waitlist!), understand that having a year off gives you the opportunity to improve on the one area that is most easily improved upon - the interview. 

 

Don't worry about your age. Don't worry, it does "looks bad" to take a year off and not do a masters. What I would recommend first doing is taking a step back and reflecting on the process with some questions: How did I feel after the interview (just in terms of emotionally)? What attributes did I not showcase (it's not just what you say, it's also how you express things so think about both)? How can I use this year off to a) mature and B) showcase myself as a person who is a great fit and passionate in the profession? This last question is important because I would encourage you to do things you want to, and not do things that "look better" on a resume. I felt what helped me in the interview stage was talking about things I lived and breathed passionately. It was easy to talk about these things because a) I lived it vividly, and B) these experiences embodied the type of person I was. Learn to tell stories and show passion in what you say at the interview stage.

 

I also urge you to understand that this is a multi-year process. We hope to get in the cycle we applied but these spots are so few that sometimes even luck (or the strength of the cohort) can really change one's chances. Do not be discouraged that it didn't work out now, and understand it may not work out again next year (that being said, I am confident you will get in soon, albeit at UWO or another school) so look to apply outside of Ontario/Canada if it is financially justifiable. But understand that if you want to do dentistry, you will be able to do it. This mindset is important because it helps you persevere. 

 

Good luck and if you need further advice, feel free to PM me.

 

I also encourage anyone else who is in a similar situation or needs advice to PM me. I gladly respond to all of them and feel like this is my way of "paying forward" for all of the great support I've gotten on this forum.

 

Cheers

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