Help Choosing Dental School To Apply!

[SuxDrugs&Rocuronium]

I've begun researching schools that I would like to attend, but I feel like I can only tell so much from the schools' websites. I won't be applying until next cycle, but I would just like some feedback about which schools would be best to apply to. A little about me:

Age: 24
Utah Resident
oGPA: 3.60
sGPA: 3.45
DAT: 26AA/27TS/22PAT
200+ volunteer hours (in a hospital, elementary schools, and at my undergrad)
2 semesters as a Human Anatomy lab instructor (includes teaching a weekly lab to students and performing dissections on human cadaver)
1.5 years leadership as a supervisor at my part time job
21 shadowing hours ( I plan on having 100+ by the time i apply next summer)
2 year LDS mission ( I'm not sure if this helps at all, but we were required to do at least 4 hours of volunteer service each week)
Fluent in Portuguese

I would like to go somewhere west coast or midwest. I'm not very interested in moving to the east coast. So far here are the schools I have been looking at:

UCLA
University of Utah
UNLV
University of Oregon
UCSF
Creighton
Louisiana State
Texas A&M
MWU-AZ

I don't really care much about research, so tuition has been the biggest factor so far along with location. Any help or advice is appreciated!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FanOfCostco]

Weber state!!!! Ogden made. Lillard da real MVP.

It looks like it's all the public schools on the west coast but are you factoring in cost of living? Cause Ucla and ucsf might not be worth it.

Edit: also what about university of Washington?

 

[SuxDrugs&Rocuronium]

Yeah I've looked into living costs for california, but UCLA is one of my top choices but I might get rid of UCSF. I looked at washington but their tuition is pretty high, about $100k a year, which is what i'm trying to avoid. Should I apply to more midwest schools?

 

[germindian123]

It depends on what you are looking for and your goals are!! a great clinical experience, interests in GD or specific specialties, etc. Dental student at Creighton here. It's been a wonderful time. Creighton is the cheapest private dental school in the nation and Omaha has an extremely low cost of living. Great, fun place to be too. Tons of friendly and kind Creighton dental people from Utah in Omaha. They even have a little enclave neighborhood for LDS Creighton dental students too lol.

 

[Blapo]

Utah is a great school for clinical experience. It's also your best bang for the buck if you are in state. Keep that one on your list for sure.

 

[germindian123]

Utah is a great school for clinical experience. It's also your best bang for the buck if you are in state. Keep that one on your list for sure.

I agree. Can definitely vouch for that.

 

[SuxDrugs&Rocuronium]

Utah is a great school for clinical experience. It's also your best bang for the buck if you are in state. Keep that one on your list for sure.

What would you guys say would help me get into the U? Like what other ECs should I have?

 

[Blapo]

What would you guys say would help me get into the U? Like what other ECs should I have?

Sorry it took me awhile to respond. For the U, I would focus on doing the best you can on the DAT as well as getting a wide variety of volunteer experiences. Also, come to as many pre-dental activities as you can come to in order to get a better feel for the school and get face time with Dr. Lowder.

 

[Blapo]

Sorry it took me awhile to respond. For the U, I would focus on doing the best you can on the DAT as well as getting a wide variety of volunteer experiences. Also, come to as many pre-dental activities as you can come to in order to get a better feel for the school and get face time with Dr. Lowder.

Haha I re-read the original post. Looks like you have done pretty well in preparing for the school as far as volunteering and DAT scores. Focus on standing out in whatever way you can. Good luck!

 

[FanOfCostco]

Sorry it took me awhile to respond. For the U, I would focus on doing the best you can on the DAT as well as getting a wide variety of volunteer experiences. Also, come to as many pre-dental activities as you can come to in order to get a better feel for the school and get face time with Dr. Lowder.

how about being a cougar? would that help his chances??

 

[Nephalem]

Utah should be your #1 choice then, otherwise there is pitts and temple which are on the "lower" side of things. Texas schools are hard to get into for OOS.