Essential ADEA AADSAS application pointers

Applying to dental school for the first time can be a daunting task. Most of us are unsure where to even begin. Many first-time applicants are unaware of the opportunity to get a head start. Although the ADEA AADSAS application will not officially open until June 2 (which seems like an eternity away), there are a lot of components of the application which can be worked on even before it opens. Here are some tips which will help the whole application process be less stressful once it is open:

1. Start early.

Predental students might procrastinate on starting the application before it opens because they don’t realize how long the process takes. In the ADEA AADSAS website it states it can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to process the application. This is the time it takes to get to the dental school, not the time it takes for any official in the dental school to see it. Some schools send a secondary application either when they receive the application or when they see the primary application. When the secondary application is sent it puts the primary application on hold until the secondary application is done and some secondary applications are relatively long. Once the secondary application has been sent back to the respective dental school there is for the majority of schools another processing time which can be anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on a number of factors. While this process is going on, dental schools will start extending offers for interviews to the first couple of batches which came in. The students who applied early have an advantage of having their application looked at in the beginning.

2. Make an application binder.

An application binder keeps all the relevant information and documents handy. They will be needed once the application is open and will be used as a reference throughout the entire application process. Documents and information to keep in the application binder are:

• Recent transcript to assist with inputting coursework
• A list of planned courses for the next semester
• A list of hobbies or activities which helped with manual dexterity
• Previous applications to other programs since most applications ask for similar information
• DAT information
• The activities log or resume
• A list of planned future activities
• Personal statement
• A list of possible writers for letter of evaluators with their emails
• A copy of the application once it is completed

3. Start reflecting.

The portion of the application which takes the most time and is the portion where most people will procrastinate is the personal statement. The personal statement is one of the most important components since it is where the applicant shows the school who they are as a person. Below are the instructions and prompt which appeared during this past cycle for the personal statement in the ADEA AADSAS application.

Personal Statement

The personal statement explains why the applicant wants to pursue a dental career. The statement should not exceed 4,500 characters (including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.). Applicants should not make the statement specific to each dental school, as ADEA AADSAS will provide the statement to all dental schools designated in the application.

Tip: It is important to review the personal statement before submission because applicants will not be able to make revisions to this section of their application.

~Ileana Lozano, University of Texas Pan-American ’14, predental member

If you’re a predental and haven’t joined ASDA yet, now is the time! You’ll have access to valuable member benefits including ASDA’s print publications, discounts on Crack the DAT and Chad’s Videos and more. Most importantly, you’ll belong to the largest student run dental organization in the United States. Join us today by clicking the button below!