Pre-Dental: Useful Links & Timeline
(Picture Above: what I used to think a Class I Amalgam restoration looked like as a pre-dental student. Boy, was I wrong...)
Useful Links
Getting Letter of Recommendations
Breakdown of the AADSAS Application: here is the powerpoint presentation I gave to my pre-dental society about how to apply to dental school via AADSAS.
Status of my Dental School Application (final version - 3 acceptances, 7 rejections, 5 withdrawn applications)
Blog Posts
I’ve been participating in the Spread the Smile campaign since my freshman year of college. These kids are adorable!
Dental students came to teach our pre-dental society how to mount and drill teeth.
June 14, 2011: I officially submitted my AADSAS application. Of course, it took the Cal State school that I attended nearly a month to submit my transcript. AADSAS formally submitted my primary application on July 22, 2011
August 26, 2011: Attending the USC Class of 2015 Dental School White Coat Ceremony and hoping that next August, I will have the honor of donning the white coat.
September 27, 2011: late September panic attack about my dental school application status
October 24, 2011: I received my first dental school interview invitation from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.
November 15, 2011: Interviewed at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.
January 13, 2012: accepted to the USC Ostrow School of Dentistry, Class of 2016 on Friday the 13th!
January 26, 2012: received an email invitation from ASDOH for an interview on February 21. This somewhat complicates matters for selecting dental schools. What if I get into ASDOH? I know my brain would logically choose ASDOH (financially less expensive school, better facilities, better clinical, lower cost of living, module curriculum) but my heart would want USC (Southern California, the familiarity I have with USC, I’m close to lot of the dental students, I understand how the school works, all of my friends will still be in the area, Trojan football games/Matt Barkley)
January 27, 2012: I just received a call from Janelle Palomares from the University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry. So this whole situation has been further complicated. Should I fly to UoP even though I already have a dental school acceptance? Would I regret not going to interview at the “Disneyland of dental schools“?
January 30, 2012: Within the past month, I have received rejection emails from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and Western University Dental School. I also received a rejection from Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine via snail mail..
February 13, 2012: Interview at the University of the Pacific.
February 21, 2012: Interview at ASDOH in Mesa, Arizona.
February 24, 2012: received a voicemail from University of the Pacific stating that I have been placed on the alternate list.
March 2, 2012: Leading another Spread the Smile campaign with the pre-dental honor society.
March 5, 2012: An update from ASDOH. No news is good news?
April 2012: Called the admissions staff at ASDOH; found out that I'm #9 on the waitlist.
April 16, 2012: Turned down an offer from University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry and praying that I made the right decision.
May 8, 2012: Turned down ASDOH. I will officially be attending the University of Southern California Ostrow School of Dentistry in Fall 2012!
AADSAS APPLICATION TIMELINE
PRELIMINARY APPLICATION
AADSAS E-Submitted: 06/14/2011
Transcripts Received: (1) 06/22/2011; (2) 07/06/2011 - it takes Cal State schools a VERY long time to process/mail out transcripts.
GPA Verified: 07/20/2011
Application Mailed (by AADSAS): 07/22/2011
LOE Received: 07/26/2011
SECONDARY APPLICATION
Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ACCEPTED)
Received: 07/22/2011
Sent: 09/15/2011
Status: Application Complete
Interview Invite: 01/26/2012
Interview Date: 02/21/2012
Acceptance Date: 05/2012
Boston University Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine (WITHDRAWN APPLICATION)
Received: 07/25/2011
Sent: N/A
Creighton University (REJECTED)
Sent: 07/15/2011
Rejection: ??
Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine - Arizona (REJECTED)
Received: 07/22/2011
Sent: 09/28/2011
Status: Application Complete
Rejection Letter: 01/27/2012
New York University (REJECTED)
Received: 07/26/2011
Sent: 08/04/2011
Status: Application Complete
Rejection: 07/2012
The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University (REJECTED)
Received: 8/19/2011
Sent: 09/16/2011
Status: Application Complete
Rejection: 06/2012
Tufts University (WITHDRAWN APPLICATION)
Withdrawn Application
University of Buffalo (REJECTED)
Received: 07/25/2011
Sent: 08/12/2011
Status: "Continuing Review" - 09/22/2011
Rejection Email: 01/25/2012
University of California, Los Angeles (WITHDRAWN APPLICATION)
Received: 08/25/2011
Sent: N/A
University of California, San Francisco (WITHDRAWN APPLICATION)
Received: 07/26/2011
Sent: Withdrawn Application
University of Louisville (REJECTED)
Received: 08/02/2011
Sent: 08/02/2011
Status: Application Complete
Rejection: ??
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (WITHDRAWN APPLICATION)
Sent: N/A
University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry (ACCEPTED)
Status: Application Complete
Interview Invite: 10/24/2012
Interview: 11/16/2012
Acceptance: 01/13/2012
University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry (ACCEPTED)
Sent: 07/29/2011
Status: Application Complete
Interview Invite: 01/27/2012
Interview: 02/13/2012
Acceptance: 04/16/2012
Western University of Health Sciences (REJECTED)
Sent: 06/30/2011
Status: Application Complete
Rejection Email: 02/2012
