Chances? What else should I do to get into UoP's 5 year Dental Accelerated Program?

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
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<p>I really want to become a dentist/orthodontist, and I want to get into UoP’s 5 year accelerated dental program. What are my chances? And what else should I do? I have nothing to do this summer… other than hospital volunteering and interning at the same dentist’s place.</p>

<p>Current Clubs and E/C’s:</p>

<p>Environmental Club
CSF
Interact
Key Club
Indian Club
Tetris Club
Model UN
Speech and Debate/Parliamentary Debate
Soccer Team
Volleyball Team (Varsity)
Math Tutor
Student Council Representative
Vice President in 6th grade
Captain of the school volleyball team
Speech and Debate Treasurer
Speech and Debate Captain
Environmental Club Vice President
Volleyball Club Team
Captain of Volleyball Club Team
League Soccer
League Basketball
Indian Dance (compete nationally)
Videographer (make non-commercial award-winning documentaries on important subjects)
Student Tutor
Play Keyboard/Piano
Play Percussion/Drums
Interned for local Dentist/Orthodontist
Volunteer at Library
Volunteer at Temple
I volunteer at a nearby hospital, at the information desk, taking pictures of newborn babies, and bringing food for patients.</p>

<p>SAT: average about 2200 when practicing
ACT: do I really need to take it?</p>

<p>Freshman Year Classes: Honors Biology, Honors English, PE, Honors Alg. 2/Trig, Spanish 3, Health/Computers</p>

<p>Current classes: English 10, AP European History, PE, Honors Pre-calculus, AP Spanish, Honors Chemistry</p>

<p>APs: waiting for scores: AP European History (prob 3), AP Spanish (prob failed..so don’t count)</p>

<p>Next Year’s Schedule: AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP US History, AP Calculus BC</p>

<p>I am a sophomore currently.</p>

<p>Main experience with dentistry: Interned ALL SUMMER for local dentist/orthodontist</p>

<p>Other APs planning to take: AP English Language, AP Biology, AP MicroEconomics, AP MacroEconomics, AP Government, AP Environmental Science, </p>

<p>Other Classes going to take at community college: Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, Sociology</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted</p>

<p>What are my chances currently to get into University of the Pacific’s 5 year accelerated dental program?</p>

<p>What additional classes should I take (at community college or online)?</p>

<p>What other things should I do, in terms of internships, volunteering, programs, etc.?</p>

<p>Should I do more internships (at another local orthodontist.. or WHO else should I intern for???) or volunteering?</p>

<p>The requirements for consideration are 3.7 GPA and 1350 SAT. what are my chances of getting in once I am a senior?</p>

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<p>Ok, I’ll take a stab.</p>

<p>First a list of Accelerated Dental Programs: [College</a> Lists / Accelerated Dental Programs](<a href=“College Lists Wiki / College Lists Wiki News and Information”>College Lists Wiki / Accelerated Dental Programs) and [url=<a href=“http://predents.com/]PreDents.com:”>http://predents.com/]PreDents.com:</a> Pre Dental Application Database<a href=“to%20see%20what%20other%20people%20have%20done”>/url</a></p>

<p>It’s good that you’re starting earlier rather than waiting after Junior/Senior Year.</p>

<p>First what is your rank? That is probably the most important.</p>

<p>You haven’t taken the SAT yet, so obviously you need to do so some time in junior Year. I would take it after you’ve taken and rocked the PSAT.</p>

<p>Why are you taking classes at community college? How does that affect your GPA? Is AP Physics B not offered at your school?</p>

<p>You need to amass a lot more dental related activities: other ways besides shadowing a general dentist and shadowing an orthodontist, doing clinical/basic science research at a local U.S. dental school, volunteering with dentists who do free care for those who can’t afford it, international dental volunteering opportunities. Take advantage of this summer!</p>

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<p>Thanks for your input. I am at rank 1 currently. but that might go down after i get a B this year, which i might in one class, but it will still be in the top 20 out of a class of over 600. I have been practicing SAT, and i will be taking it in october.
I just was thinking about classes at community college, but i probably wont cuz no, it doesnt affect my GPA.</p>

<p>AP Physics is not offered at my school</p>

<p>How can i find these opportunities? Who should i contact? How? "doing clinical/basic science research at a local U.S. dental school, volunteering with dentists who do free care for those who can’t afford it, international dental volunteering opportunities. " – How do i do these? i live in san francisco, california.</p>

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<p>if i maintain the grades, and have already shadowed and interned for a dentist and orthodontist, what are my chances currently at the 5 year program at UoP???</p>

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<p>uop’s program is so easy to get into lol. you are in without a question.</p>

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<p>Sorry for the delayed response I don’t visit these CC forums as often as I’m a busy med student.</p>

<p>I would nix the community college classes as 1. If you mess up they STILL get calculated in your GPA for later eventhough you took them during high school as it is college work attempted, 2. You’d be better off taking an AP exam.</p>

<p>Well first off, San Francisco has UCSF the so called “Harvard of the West”</p>

<p>[UCSF</a> School of Dentistry](<a href=“http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/]UCSF”>http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/)</p>

<p>Research in Dentistry AT UCSF:
<a href=“http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/research/research_main.html[/url]”>http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/research/research_main.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/research/research_activities.html[/url]”>http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/research/research_activities.html&lt;/a&gt; - maybe they’ll let you work in someone’s actual lab OR you can participate in their CAN DO effort - Center to Address Disparities in Children’s Oral Health (which not only shows your research involvement but getting involved in a humanitarian issue - children’s access to dental health services)</p>

<p>Opportunities in Dentistry at UCSF:
<a href=“http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/cando/opportunities.html[/url]”>http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/cando/opportunities.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Dental Mentorship for High School Students:
<a href=“http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/admissions/admiss_program7.html[/url]”>http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/admissions/admiss_program7.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Something to volunteer at next year:
[UCSF</a> dental clinic offers free cleanings for “Give Kids a Smile Day” - UCSF News Office](<a href=“Home | UC San Francisco”>Home | UC San Francisco)</p>

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<p>thank you so much. i will look into that. do you see anything that i can do DURING the school year that will help me?</p>

<p>will getting my first B in Honors Chemistry or Honors Pre-Calculus hurt my chances?</p>

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<p>Of course it will hurt your chances. However, you seem to have such a strong application that you should get in no matter what.</p>

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<p>i wanted to do the CAN DO research thing that you sent me. are you sure high school students can do that? because i wasnt able to find any contact info or anything to apply for?
what things at ucsf can I apply to?</p>

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<p>Well if you can get involved in any of those community service or research activities during the school year as well that would be good esp. like dental community service activities during the year: Examples - <a href=“http://career.ucsf.edu/dent/samples/cvpedo1.pdf[/url]”>http://career.ucsf.edu/dent/samples/cvpedo1.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I would meet with a faculty member at UCSF Dentistry as they will probably know of ALL the opportunities available throughout the year in the San Francisco area that you can get involved in.</p>

<p>Example: [Dentists</a> and others volunteer - UCSF News Office](<a href=“Home | UC San Francisco”>Home | UC San Francisco)</p>

<p>Or see on this website for dental volunteering activities: [Dental</a> Volunteer (DentalVolunteer) - dental volunteers and dental volunteering](<a href=“http://www.dentalvolunteer.com/index.php]Dental”>http://www.dentalvolunteer.com/index.php)</p>

<p>A “B” in Honors Chemistry or Honors Pre-calculus will not “hurt” your chances, as high rank is more important which you already have. Not to mention your entire CV of extracurricular activities, volunteering activities, research involvement and any publications from it are even more important. Keep on working hard to keep those grades up.</p>

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<p>CAN DO Research: [UCSF</a> receives $24.4 million to fight early childhood cavities - UCSF News Office](<a href=“Home | UC San Francisco”>Home | UC San Francisco)</p>

<p>The person involved according to the article is Jane Weintraub, DDS, MPH, professor and chair of the Division of Oral Epidemiology and Dental Public Health at UCSF. Look her up in the UCSF directory: [UCSF</a> On-line Campus Directory](<a href=“UCSF Directory”>UCSF Directory). You won’t know until you ask if you can participate. It isn’t something you “formally” apply for. You just email the person, expressing your interest in getting involved in the research project. They’ll probably ask you about your career plans, etc. just explain you’re a high schooler who is thinking of applying to dental school whether thru a combined Bachelor/DDS program or normal 4+4 (4 years undergrad, and then 4 years DDS), you haven’t decided yet.</p>

<p>I would take an appointment with a faculty member or advisor in UCSF Dentistry so that you can see what exactly is available through UCSF (both volunteering AND any research) AND to see whether you can participate as a high school student. Even if there isn’t much thru UCSF, you can at least get some more ideas on what exactly to do to expand your CV. Try out for the UCSF Dental Mentorship Program for High School students (link above).</p>

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<p>i already told you, UoP’s program is super easy. stop stressing. you are way above average for that program. you dont need “dental ECs” unlike medicine where they hound you to see if youre passionate enough.</p>

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<p>zzzboy. r u in that program? how do u know?</p>

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<p>From the ADA - for high school students - [ADA.org:</a> Careers in Dentistry: High School Students](<a href=“Internal Server Error | American Dental Association”>http://www.ada.org/public/careers/beadentist/highschool.asp)</p>

<p>IamABeast - Is UofP stand for University of Pacific or University of Pennsylvania? (Big difference)</p>

<p>Other schools: [College</a> Lists / Accelerated Dental Programs](<a href=“College Lists Wiki / College Lists Wiki News and Information”>College Lists Wiki / Accelerated Dental Programs)</p>

<p>UPenn - [Other</a> Academic Programs - Penn Dental School](<a href=“http://www.dental.upenn.edu/academic/bio-dental.htm]Other”>http://www.dental.upenn.edu/academic/bio-dental.htm)</p>

<p>NYU - [New</a> York University College of Dentistry](<a href=“NYU College of Dentistry”>NYU College of Dentistry)</p>

<p>Tufts - [Combined</a> Degree Programs - School of Dental Medicine - Tufts University](<a href=“http://dental.tufts.edu/1186496760237/TUSDM-Page-dental2w_1189778168781.html]Combined”>http://dental.tufts.edu/1186496760237/TUSDM-Page-dental2w_1189778168781.html)</p>

<p>Boston University - [Special</a> Programs - BU 2008-09 Undergraduate Bulletin](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/bulletins/und/item14.html#anchor12]Special”>http://www.bu.edu/bulletins/und/item14.html#anchor12)</p>

<p>St. John’s with Columbia University - couldn’t find link but it’s in the above list.</p>

<p>USC - <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/Info/Programs/dds-programs.html[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/Info/Programs/dds-programs.html&lt;/a&gt;

</p>

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<p>University of the Pacific… I want to get into their 5 year (2+3) accelerated high school dental program.
Thanks</p>

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<p>by the way, i am interning also this summer for an orthodontist THAT HAS graduated many years ago from University of the Pacific’s Dental Program (since he graduated from there, i am hoping that it will boost my application a lot since i will get a recommendation from him), and is Board Certified and a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthodontics, member of the American Association of Orthodontist, American Dental Association, California Dental Association, Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, Southern Alameda County Dental Society and Craniomandibular Institute. Also, he is a former president of the Local Dental Society.</p>

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<p>Having a letter from an alumni of UofP is a good idea. You can also find out whether it actually is in fact a good, well regarded program (although it depends when he/she graduated). This is important esp. if you plan on applying to a competitive subspecialty.</p>

<p>Don’t sell yourself short, ESPECIALLY if you are considering a highly competitive subspecialty like Orthodontics. Hence, why you should consider as well other more prestigious Bachelor/DDS programs like UPenn, Columbia, etc. Generally going to a prestigious dental school helps with respect to competitive specialties (although it’s not the entire package). With your stellar academic stats, you have the ability to get into top notch Bachelor/DDS programs.</p>

<p>5 years (2+3) while it’s great timewise, may mean they skip out on a lot things, thus making it less educational than it would be ordinarily as well as burnout, and may put you at a disadvantage when you have to take dental boards. Your scores on these boards will be very important for a competitive dental residency.</p>

<p>I didn’t realize UofP is in San Francisco, so you can do all the above advice (research, community service, etc.) at UofP’s dental school as well.</p>

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<p>You definitely have high chances of being accepted.</p>

<p>UOP is actually in Stockton *</p>

<p>I’m in the same boat as you, I hope into getting in the 3+3 program. I’m currently shadowing a dentist and will be for the rest of my junior year and I have a 4.0 gpa. I’m really nervous to apply but you have no need to worry :)</p>

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<p>P.s. Does the “Indian dance” you perform happen to be Bhangra? :)</p>