The ADEA AADSAS app for the 2024-2025 cycle is now open!
BUT, please read this post FIRST before asking your question, it may have your answer!
Good luck to all those who are applying this cycle!
Common AADSAS Application Questions:
Can I have more than 4 letters on AADSAS, can I choose which letters get sent to which school?
No, and No. AADSAS only allows a maximum of 4 LOR's to be uploaded (or 1 committee letter and 1 additional LOR like a dentist) Should you wish to send another letter, you will have to contact each school you wish the letter to be sent, and once confirmed (ask for what email to be sent to), have your LOR personally send the letter to each school. You cannot come in contact with the letter. You also cannot choose which letters can be sent where. I recommend having 2 Science LOR's, 1 Supervisor (From a job, volunteer position, or research) and then a non-science LOR (Could be a prof outside STEM, or a dentist). These 4 letters will cover almost 90-95% of all school requirements. However, make sure you keep track of each school you plan on applying to. I recommend having an excel sheet open to help keep track.
However, if your university offers a committee letter with more than 4 letter writers added in it, that’s fine. It does count as 3 letters when submitted to AADSAS. So you could have an additional letter uploaded separate from the committee letter.
When is it considered Early vs. Late for applying? Does it affect my chances of admission?
Generally, the consensus is June/July applications are early, August is on time, and September or later is considered late. Because dental schools work on rolling admissions, it's first come-first served. So the sooner you apply, the better your chances are in receiving an interview and pre-December acceptance. That's not to say if you apply in September you can't get an interview, but statistically, you are fighting for fewer interview seats available than someone who applied in June. So, generally, yes, the later you apply the harder it will be to get an interview and be accepted. Simply because schools have filled most of their interview slots. Public schools generally fill sooner than Privates, but it's school dependent. If you are in a position where it's apply in November or wait until the next cycle, I would recommend waiting as you want to maximize your chances and being a first-time applicant is to your advantage. Reapplicants are generally expected to have improvement in their application and held to a higher standard compared to first-time applicants. So you want to try and be one cycle and done!
How many schools should I apply to?
This question is difficult to answer as each applicant is different. Your best bet is to post a formal WAMC's thread and have our community offer suggestions based on your overall application (do your research before posting!). Someone who has a high GPA/DAT score could afford to apply to fewer schools (as long as they're a mix of safety, range, and reach) than someone who has a below-average GPA (
In regards to what OOS schools are best suited to you, please refer to this excel sheet I made. Input your state of residence, and you will see each school and how many students enrolled in their class from your state!
How do schools handle Pre-Requisite coursework, how many CC credits can I have?
Each school handles prerequisite coursework differently. A few schools require all prereqs to be completed before applying, but most are fine having you indicate on the transcript entry that they are planned credits. Just make sure nothing is planned for the summer before enrolling. Schools will not accept prereq credits that are planned for the summer before entering dental school, they must be completed by the spring of the year you plan to enter school (usually no later than June 1st). In regards to CC credits, some schools do not care how many CC credits you have, some have a maximum of 60, and some have even less than that. It's up to you to determine which schools have which requirements. Some will be more lenient if you are just barely over the number, you can always reach out to admissions for clarification.
**Make sure you check each school's pre-requisite requirements on what courses are required vs. recommended. Failure to check will mean your submission to the school just became a monetary donation should you not take a course that was required and not indicated as planned.
* Stony Brook requires all pre-reqs be taken at the time of application, not matriculation (so if you plan on finishing up pre-reqs after you apply, don't apply to Stony Brook) *
Check this thread/excel file (also linked in my signature) to see which schools accept AP credit and which do not:
I am hoping to travel the summer before D1 but cannot figure out what date I should be back in the States by. any advice?
forums.studentdoctor.net
So my situation is that I started out as a finance major at community college and recently switched over to Biology/Pre-Health, I am in my sophomore year about to start my second semester. My current GPA is a 3.3, I haven't taken any science courses which is good because now I am ready to start.
forums.studentdoctor.net
If I have a C- on only one (or more) pre-requisite course(s), do I have to retake it? Can I take the course online?
If it's a pre-requisite course you must have a grade > C for it to be accepted (double check with each school, some are making changes due to increased competitiveness of applications). Schools will not accept a grade of C- or lower for pre-requisite courses. You will have to retake the course for it to be accepted. You can take the course at your local CC if it's easier, it will not hurt your application. Schools will, however, average the 2 grades. Should you have a C- and then get an A, the course GPA will be averaged to ~2.85.
Online pre-reqs usually are not accepted by schools. They strongly prefer, or require, them to be completed in person. If you have to, double check with your university to see how the course will be displayed on your transcript and make sure there's no online course designator or that it states it's an online course in the course title.
How does AADSAS Calculate my Overall, Science, and BCP GPA?
The GPA's are calculated using this breakdown, you can find the courses that count as Bio, Chem, Physics and Other Science HERE
Science and Non-Science Breakdown
BCP GPA: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry
Science GPA: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry and Other Science
Non-Science GPA: English, Behavioral Sciences, Non-Science
Is applying to a lot of schools expensive?
YES! Applying to dental school is expensive! That's why it's critical to develop a well-rounded list of schools to apply to (and this is why), and not just apply to a ton of schools that might not even look at your application (refer back to WAMC). AADSAS charges ~$115 per school, with the first school being $264. If you're applying to the average amount of schools, that will cost you ~$1,300 to submit your application. This is before paying for each school's additional supplemental fee, which can range from $50-$150. In addition to this, you may have to travel for interviews (budget $1,000 per in-person interview) as well as pay a deposit if accepted (that can be another $1,000 - $5,000). So before applying, make sure to make a budget, and a plan, for how you plan on paying for applying. I believe it cost me ~$7,000 to apply (and enroll) in dental school. This number came from having to pay for study materials and travel to take my DAT, Apply to 9 schools, fly/spend the night to 2 schools for a required visit/tour, and place my $1,500 deposit (which is non-refundable).
What do I do after my application is submitted?
RELAX! Once you get confirmation emails from schools stating your application is complete and under review, you can rest easy. But not too easy! Start practicing and anticipating interview invites. Usually, schools start sending invites in July/August and it will pick up in September/October. Follow the interview tracker (TBD) to get a general idea. Most schools will give you a month in advance to plan if it's for an in-person interview. If it's virtual they might give you less time. Utilize SDN's interview feedback pages on each individual school's thread to get some insight into questions schools have historically asked in the past. I'd also like to preface having good answers to the following questions which are/could be asked in an interview as well:
- Why dentistry? (can reiterate points made in your personal statement, or add some new things too)
- Tell me about yourself. (usually outside of dentistry, your hobbies, back story, where you're from, or anything important outside of school work/dentistry is a good spot to add here to help give them a better idea of who you are outside of your application)
- Why our school? (do your homework here, use this to help align your application with the school's mission and why they should add you to the incoming class, what do you bring to the table?)
- Any more questions for me? (don't just say no, unless you actually talked about everything you needed to talk about, but this doesn't always happen. Don't ask questions you can simply google either unless you're asking for clarification on something. Ask thoughtful questions to show you did your homework and you're genuinely curious/interested in the school. A thoughtful question or two can really go a long way!)
And as always, good luck, and trust the process!
