Applying to Dental School: AADSAS 2018 Is Now Open!

As of June 1st the 2017 – 2018 cycle of the AADSAS is officially open!

The time has arrived. So you’ve been working to keep up that GPA, right? Got gleaming DAT scores? How about all that extra stuff like volunteer work, research projects, and extracurriculars? Well now it’s time to lay it all on the line! The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has officially opened the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service aka the AADSAS for the 2018 cycle!

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*Now just because the application is open until February doesn’t mean this gets to go on the back burner. It is highly suggested by literally everyone (schools, advisors, DAT Cracker, and me) that you get your completed application in the summer time!

 

Check out the full & official ADEA AADSAS Application Instructions here.

For now we’ll focus on the highlights…

Getting Started…

Firstly you’ll need to create an ADEA AADSAS account, here, and receive an identification number for the application process. This account/number is different from you DENTPIN you created for taking the Dental Admission Test (DAT). But have your DENTPIN handy too because you’ll need it submit your DAT scores along to dental schools through the AADSAS.

The application is dense and filling it out all the required information is a task not to be taken lightly. Take your time to insure all the detailed information is correct. Some of the sections you’ll see include Personal Information, Academic History,Relevant Experiences, and your Personal Statement to name a few.

Check out this video from ADEA on filling out the big Academic History section:

In addition to the filling out all the sections of the AADSAS you will also submit official transcripts and your letters of evaluation in order to completely complete your AADSAS 2018 application.

 

$ Cost $

The total application cost truly lies in the number of dental programs you are planning on applying to. Upon completely the AADSAS the fee is $245 and it includes submission to one school then it’s an additional $98 for each additional school. The application process as a whole can quickly become expensive with the cost of taking the DAT, completely the AADSAS, then individual schools secondary application fees, traveling to interviews, etc. so you really want to do your research and narrow down the programs you really want to apply to!

The Fee Assistance Program (FAP) is available to assist students who demonstrate extreme financial need while completing the AADSAS 2018 process. The FAP covers the initial AADSAS 2018 submission cost as well two additional dental school designations. Availability of these funds is limited and submission of additional paperwork is required so if you’re interested I’d suggest to get on this post haste! All the info: Fee Assistance Program.

 

TMDSAS

If you are a Texas resident applying to a Texas school then you need the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service aka the TMDSAS, which already opened up May 1st! Applicants from Texas MUST use this application while non-Texas residents can apply with either the TMDSAS or the AADSAS! FYI the $150 app fee covers you to apply to all three dental schools! This application deadline is a whole lot sooner than the AADSAS 2018; the TMDSAS closes on 5:00 pm (central time) on September 29th!

 

Check out the Blog!

Be sure to take a gander at the other DAT Cracker blog posts covering the big application such as Letters of Recommendation, The Interview, and stay tuned for much more!

HAPPY APPLYING! 🙂

Applying to Dental School: Non-Traditional Paths

The road to dental school isn’t always so straight forward and according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) an increasing number of students are entering dental programs later in life perhaps after a career in a different field prior to deciding to pursue dentistry or just after taking a few years to work after undergraduate studies before applying.

A non-traditional path to applying to dental school may seem daunting but rest assured it’s NOT impossible!

Dr. Jonathan Meiers (second from left), professor and chair of the Division of Operative Dentistry, assists second-year dental student John Walsh. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Center Photo)

Dr. Jonathan Meiers (second from left), professor and chair of the Division of Operative Dentistry, assists second-year dental student John Walsh. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Center Photo)

 

Required Coursework

Keep in mind the classes all dental schools require you to complete (including corresponding labs)

-two semesters of biology

-two semesters of general chemistry

-two semesters of organic chemistry

-two semesters of physics

The ADEA shares that some schools will let you substitute one semester of organic chemistry for one semester of biochemistry, and many schools are now requiring biochemistry. Some schools have additional requirements, such as writing seminars, calculus or psychology courses.

It is imperative to research schools’ specific requirements to be certain of the correct course required.

 

Make Your Application Stand Out

-Letters of Recommendation

Your experiences leading up to dental school are unique and it’s important to highlight them in a way to best demonstrate your proven abilities that have prepared you for the dental world. Letters of recommendation from former employer even though not in the dental field can be beneficial if they illustrate qualities that reflect those of the program your are applying to. More on reference letters here.

-Personal Statement

This is your time to shine. Besides the interview this is the only place in your dental school application where you can sell yourself in your own words. Make it clear how and why you are committed to the dental field. Create a comprehensive story of your experiences and coming your decision to pursue dentistry. More on the personal statement here.

 

The American Student Dental Association (ASDA) held a webinar of a panel of current non-traditional students discussing different roads that led to dental school and it is available below.

A non-traditional path to dental school may be a daunting one but it can be achieved!

HAPPY APPLYING!

Applying to Dental School: AADSAS 2017 Is Now Open!

As of June 1st the 2016 – 2017 cycle of the AADSAS is officially open!

The time has arrived. You’ve been working hard keeping up that GPA, getting gleaming DAT scores, and all those extracurriculars, well now it’s time to put it all on the line! The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has officially opened the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service aka the AADSAS for the 2017 cycle!

 

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*Now just because the application is open until February doesn’t mean it goes on the back burner. It is highly suggested by everyone (schools, advisors, DAT Cracker, and me) that you get your completed application in the summer time aka ASAP!

 

Check out the full official ADEA AADSAS Application Instructions here.

For now we’ll focus on the highlights…

 

DENTPIN®

First thing’s first you need a DENTPIN, a unique identification number assigned to each applicant. You’ll use the same DENTPIN login info you used when signing up for the DAT. If you have applied using the AADSAS before you use the same DENTPIN login and good news is most of the application fields are saved and ready to use again. But not everything transfers so be sure review, add, and update as needed.

So if you need to register for a DENTPIN go here.

 

Application Sections

This application is dense and filling it out is a task not to be taken lightly. 

Take your time and get it right.

Here’s a glimpse at the big sections of the AADSAS you’ll soon be completing:

  1. Fee Assistance Program (if applicable)
  2. Applicant information
  3. Education
  4. Professional experience
  5. Personal statement
  6. Evaluators
  7. Release statements
  8. Dental school designations

 

$ Cost $

The total application cost truly lies in the number of dental programs you are planning on applying to. Upon completely the AADSAS the fee is $245 and includes submission to one school then it’s an additional $98 for each additional school. The application process as a whole can quickly become expensive with the cost of taking the DAT, completely the AADSAS, then individual schools secondary application fees, traveling to interviews, etc. so you really want to do your research and narrow down the programs you really want to apply to!

 

TMDSAS

If you are applying to any of the three dental programs in Texas AND you are a state of Texas resident then you need the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service aka the TMDSAS, which already opened up May 2nd! Applicants from Texas MUST use this application while non-Texas residents can apply with either the TMDSAS or the AADSAS! FYI the $150 app fee covers you to apply to all three dental schools! Get on it because the TMDSAS closes September 30th!

 

Check out the Blog!

Be sure to take a gander at the other DAT Cracker blog posts covering the big application such as Letters of Recommendation, The Interview, and stay tuned for much more!

 

HAPPY APPLYING! 🙂

Choosing The Dental School For You

It’s never too soon to begin your search into prospective dental programs to apply to and it goes without stating that the choosing of your dental school cannot be taken lightly! The decision process can be exciting and fun but also a little nerving and stressful. During the application process you’ll really want to do your research and be efficient in picking where to apply because applying to a lot programs can get costly.

 

So how do you choose?

 

Let’s take a look at some things to consider and questions to ask yourself when choosing the dental school for you…

 

Decisions

 

Location Location Location

Would you prefer a rural setting or a bustling city? Think about your time in undergrad, did that work for you or do you need a change of pace? A school visit is the wisest choice before finalizing your decision on location to get a real feel and glimpse into your future stay there. The importance of living in a cool city may take a back seat when keeping in mind the cost of living expense differences in locations too.

 

Tuition Costs

When thinking about tuition cost there are several factors to consider such as private vs public school or in-state vs out of state tuition, cost of living depending on the location choice etc. The cost of tuition is always (and forever it seems) on the rise. Just as a quick example check out the projected cost of attendance from the University of Washington’s School of Dentistry here. This is just one program but it gives you primarily example of what to expect.

 

Program Specs

Be sure to take a look at program specifics like specializations and what kind of research opportunities are available to you. How important is class size to you? These all examples of things to look for when doing your homework on all the optometry schools you are considering!

The key to making your final decision will depend how you prioritize these topics of consideration.

 

So research and think it over carefully because these are very important next four years for you!

Applying to Dental School: AADSAS 2016 Is Now Open!

The time has arrived. You’ve been working hard keeping up that GPA, getting gleaming DAT scores, well now it’s time to put it on paper er well okay or computer I guess…

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has officially opened the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service aka the AADSAS for the 2016!

 

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The ADEA’s nice infographic above may look simple enough but don’t waste anytime the 2016 AADSAS is a huge undertaking! Let’s go over the big things to keep mind when beginning your AADSAS journey…

 

DENTPIN®

First thing’s first you need a DENTPIN, a unique identification number assigned to each applicant. You’ll use the same DENTPIN login info you used when signing up for the DAT and if you haven’t even done that yet… WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Okay, so you don’t necessarily have to have taken the DAT by now but oy get on DAT Cracker and get it done! If you have applied using the AADSAS before you use the same DENTPIN login and good news is most of the application fields are saved and ready to use again. But not everything transfers so be sure review, add, and update as needed.

So if you need to register for a DENTPIN go here.

 

$ Cost $

The total application cost truly lies in the number of dental programs you are planning on applying to. Upon completely the AADSAS the fee is $245 and includes submission to one school then it’s an additional $93 for each additional school. The application process as a whole can quickly become expensive with the cost of taking the DAT, completely the AADSAS, then individual schools secondary application fees, traveling to interviews, etc. so you really want to do your research and narrow down the programs you really want to apply to!

 

TMDSAS

If you are applying to any of the three dental programs in Texas AND you are a state of Texas resident then you need the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service aka the TMDSAS, which opened up May 1st! Applicants from Texas MUST use this application while non-Texas residents can apply with either the TMDSAS or the AADSAS! FYI the $140 app fee covers you to apply to all three dental schools! Get on it because the TMDSAS closes October 1st! But for now back to the AADSAS…

 

Check out the Blog!

Be sure to take a gander at the other blog posts covering the application such as Letters of Recommendation, The Interview, and less we forget about all those DAT Breakdown posts, huh? 🙂

 

Remember these are only the primary things to keep in mind when starting to tackling the AADSAS so to get the ADEA’s full application instructions go here. Go forth and conquer y’all!