J Dent Educ. 70(10): 1043-1050 2006
© 2006 American Dental Education Association
Critical Issues in Dental Education |
Nonacademic Characteristics of Dental School Applicants
Lauren E. Mentasti, B.S.;
Edward A. Thibodeau, D.M.D., Ph.D.
Key words: dental admissions, preprofessional health advising, noncognitive variables, dental school applicants
Submitted for publication 04/06/06;
accepted 07/14/06
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to characterize the average dental school applicant’s participation in four nonacademic areas: shadowing, extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research. Demographic, academic, and nonacademic information was compared for 12 percent of all applicants to U.S. dental schools in 2005. Applicants had an average GPA of 3.23 and DAT Academic Average of 18.6. Applicants participated in an average of 3.7 extracurricular activities, 3.2 volunteer experiences, and 0.8 research projects. The average nondental employee applicant shadowed 172 hours. As shadowing hours increased, GPA declined. While academically similar, women reported significantly greater (p<.05) participation in all four nonacademic areas than males. Overall, Hispanic students reported the most shadowing hours and had the greatest percentage of parents as dentists, while black students had the least in both areas. Black students reported the most extracurricular activities. More than 90 percent of all applicants participated in three or four of the major nonacademic areas. Participation in extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects was correlated; however, there was no relationship between shadowing hours and the other areas. Applicants with the most shadowing tended to be less academically qualified. The typical applicant reported a total of approximately eight extracurricular, volunteer, and research endeavors and 170 or more hours of shadowing. Results of this study can assist dental admissions committees in making qualitative comparisons between applicants with similar academic qualifications and aid health career counselors in advising predental students.
Several studies1–3 and a recent comprehensive literature review4 have evaluated pre-admissions criteria of dental school applicants and their ability to predict future dental school performance. Academic credentials are the principal criteria used in the selection of dental students.4 However, those credentials do not measure a candidate’s commitment to society and health care, perseverance in personal interests, leadership potential, professionalism, or dedication to the advancement of knowledge. In order to assess these qualities, dental schools typically rely on personal statements, letters of recommendation, personality profiles, and interviews.4 In addition, other nonacademic characteristics, including participation in shadowing, extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research, may be used to identify desirable applicant qualities.
Early studies attempted to summarize and evaluate methods for measuring applicant participation in nonacademic activities. For example, one study provided an overview of the 1978 dental applicant pool based on AADSAS data.5 Of the 9,690 total applicants, 84 percent were male and 16 percent female. About 53 percent reported participation in athletics, 44 percent in community service, 36 percent in health service, and 35 percent in a religious group. In a separate study, a nonstructured AADSAS biographical questionnaire was compared to nonacademic information obtained from an experimental, structured questionnaire.6 The trial form involved questions that specifically addressed the applicant’s efforts to explore dentistry as a career, nonacademic activities, demonstration of ability to relate to people, and special circumstances. The researchers concluded that both forms, though providing very different information, were equally reliable in ranking prospective dental students.
More recently, studies and reviews have attempted to identify nonacademic qualities that are essential to future dental health care professionals and evaluate their predictive value in assessing dental applicants.4,7 In an analysis of applicants to Manchester Dental School for the 1996 entering class, interviews were constructed to evaluate criteria such as professional attitude, communication skills, team and leadership experience, nonacademic interests, manual dexterity, and work experience in dental-specific areas.7 In this study, 65 percent of applicants were found to have some dental observation experience, 56 percent reported volunteer involvement, and sports were the most commonly reported extracurricular activities.
The purpose of our study was to characterize the nonacademic activities reported by the typical applicant to the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine (UCSDM). Specifically, participation in shadowing experiences and extracurricular, volunteer, and research activities was quantified and described. In addition, comparisons were made between nonacademic areas as well as academic qualifications, gender, race, and ethnicity.
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Methods
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A database containing demographic, academic, and nonacademic information for 1,116 applicants to the UCSDM 2005 entering class was generated. Applicant demographic information, including gender, race, and ethnicity, and academic information, such as GPA and DAT scores, were obtained through the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) Client Software Program. Information on applicants’ participation in nonacademic pursuits, including extracurricular and volunteer programs, shadowing experiences, and research projects, was obtained directly from responses to AADSAS application questions. All applicant data were assessed without the use of identifiers, such as applicant name, address, social security number, or AADSAS identification number.
Basic descriptive statistics were used to assess the average numbers of all nonacademic characteristics and compare them to academic and demographic variables. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to compare applicant participation levels among the four nonacademic areas and GPA. T-tests were used to compare male and female applicant profiles. In addition, the types of extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects were catalogued and characterized for the most active twenty-five participants in each area.
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Results
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Of the 1,116 total applicants reviewed in this study, 617 (55 percent) were male, and 495 (45 percent) were female (four were not specified). There were ninety-nine (9 percent) underrepresented minority applicants, consisting of thirty-seven blacks and sixty-two Hispanics. More than 22 percent of the applicant pool reported paid employment in a dental office as either a dental assistant or dental hygienist. The average overall GPA and science GPA for the total applicant pool were 3.23 and 3.12, respectively. Applicants had an average DAT Academic Average of 18.6 and a Total Science score of 18.4 (Table 1
).
Approximately 42 percent of the applicants participated in shadowing, extracurricular, volunteer, and research activities, while nearly half (49 percent) reported participating in only three of these major nonacademic areas. The majority of applicants reported shadowing experiences (89 percent), with an overall average of 577 hours. On average, applicants reported visiting at least two different dental offices. General practice was the most common shadowing location (79 percent), followed by an orthodontic office (8 percent). Those employed as dental assistants or hygienists reported working in 2.6 dental offices for an average of 2,270 hours per applicant. Of those applicants not employed in a dental setting, 14 percent reported no shadowing, while the remaining 86 percent reported shadowing an average of 172 hours in 1.8 offices (Table 2).
A majority of applicants (93 percent and 94 percent, respectively) reported participating in extracurricular activities and volunteer experiences. On average, applicants participated in 3.7 extracurricular and 3.2 volunteer programs each. Research was reported by 52 percent of applicants, resulting in an overall average of 0.8 projects per applicant (Table 2
).
When comparing applicant levels of participation within each of the nonacademic areas, we observed correlations between extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects (p
.01). Increased participation in any one of these areas resulted in a similar increase in the other two. None of these three nonacademic areas was correlated with reported numbers of shadowing hours (Table 3).
Significant correlations were also observed when evaluating the relationship between GPA and certain nonacademic areas. Applicant participation in extracurricular activities was positively correlated with GPA (p .01). However, a significant negative correlation was observed between shadowing hours and GPA (p .01); therefore, as the number of reported shadowing hours increased, the average GPA declined (Table 3).
Figure 1 and Table 4 summarize the types of extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects reported by the most active twenty-five participants in each area. This group of applicants participated in an average of 12.0 extracurricular activities, 11.4 volunteer experiences, and 4.8 research projects.
Extracurricular activities associated with arts and culture (30 percent) were most common, followed by the university community (21 percent), health and science (18 percent), sports and recreation (13 percent), academic (9 percent), and personal interest (9 percent). The most frequently reported volunteer experiences involved health service (35 percent), followed by education and mentoring (24 percent), special needs (18 percent), and local community (16 percent); 7 percent were unclear from the description. The majority (80 percent) of research projects investigated some aspect of general biology: health (40 percent), nonhealth (28 percent), or dental-specific (12 percent). A non-biological science was the focus of 9 percent of research projects, and 11 percent were non-science-related (Figure 1).
Females reported participating in significantly greater (p<.05) numbers of shadowing hours, extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and research projects than did their male counterparts. While males and females had similar overall GPAs, males had significantly higher DAT scores (p<.001) (Table 5).
Results in Table 6 compare the academic and nonacademic characteristics of applicants who were not dental assistants or dental hygienists based on racial and ethnic groupings. White applicants reported the most volunteer experiences, 3.2 per applicant, and were the most likely to have some type of shadowing experience (89 percent). These applicants also had the highest overall GPA (3.34) as well as science GPA (3.25). Asian applicants reported the greatest number of research projects per applicant (0.9) and the highest DAT scores (TS 19.2, AA 19.4).
Black applicants reported the highest average number of extracurricular activities (4.8). However, these applicants reported significantly fewer shadowing hours than any other racial or ethnic group. Blacks were also the least likely to have a dentist as a parent (0 percent). Black applicants had the lowest DAT Total Science (17.9) and Academic Average (17.7) scores. Hispanic applicants reported significantly more shadowing hours than whites, Asians, and blacks with an average of approximately 250 hours per applicant. They were also most likely to have a dentist as a parent (24 percent) (Table 6).
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Discussion
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Numerous selection factors have been used in identifying qualified dental school applicants, including academic credentials, standardized test results, and assessments based on interviews and personal statements. However, nonacademic attributes are also considered important in evaluating an applicant’s personal qualities, such as commitment, perseverance, leadership, professionalism, and dedication.
Previous studies have recommended that dental schools consider additional criteria beyond GPA, DAT scores, interview rating, and undergraduate major when selecting their students. However, there is no recent literature that describes or quantifies the nonacademic characteristics of the typical dental school applicant.
Applicants analyzed in our study represented 12 percent of the total applicants to U.S. dental schools in 2005.8 However, it is important to acknowledge that an applicant’s decision to apply to a particular dental school program may be influenced by factors such as academic reputation, curricular structure, location, and class size. The UCSDM study population had an average GPA of 3.23 and a DAT Academic Average of 18.6. Of the 1,116 applicants analyzed, 55 percent were male and 45 percent female, with 9 percent underrepresented minorities. These percentages are comparable to data from the 2005 AADSAS feeder report, which reported that, of the 9,379 total applicants, 56 percent were male and 44 percent female, with 11.9 percent under-represented minorities.8 Also, in the most recently released national data on academic qualifications, applicants in 2002 had an average GPA of 3.19 and a DAT Academic Average of 18.0.9
The majority of UCSDM applicants (91 percent) reported participating in three or four nonacademic areas. Of the remaining applicants, less than 2 percent reported one or no activities. Although men and women had similar academic credentials in terms of GPA, females consistently reported greater participation across all nonacademic areas. In general, it appears that most dental school applicants are active in a variety of nonacademic pursuits.
Applicants are often advised to participate in shadowing or mentoring experiences prior to applying to dental school. As part of their selection factors, many U.S. dental schools expect applicants to demonstrate an understanding of the dental profession and experience in the field of dentistry.10 When considering shadowing experiences, including total hours and location, it is important to take into account those applicants employed in the dental profession as assistants or hygienists. As a group, auxiliary personnel comprised nearly a quarter of the applicant pool and reported thirteen times the number of shadowing hours than the remainder of the applicants. Auxiliary personnel were also more likely to have experience in multiple office settings. A reason for the high proportion of auxiliary personnel may include the desire to demonstrate a commitment to the dental profession by gaining experience in an office setting. Also, employment as a dental assistant or hygienist may serve as a strong motivator of the decision to apply to dental school.
Involvement in extracurricular activities can be reflective of an applicant’s nonacademic interests, leadership potential, and long-term commitment. In this study, the average dental school applicant participated in three or four extracurricular activities, while some listed more than twenty. Frequently reported activities included participation in music or dance programs and multicultural groups, which were categorized as arts and culture. Many students also participated in activities related to the university community, including membership in the student government, work as a community or resident assistant, or service as a campus orientation leader.
Participation in volunteer initiatives can be an important indicator of social awareness, interpersonal skills, and dedication to the community or humanity. The typical applicant participated in three different volunteer programs, while 6 percent did no volunteering and 22 percent reported five or more experiences. Some common community service programs listed by applicants related to health service, including participation in Red Cross blood drives, hospital or medical office visits, and various sponsored walk or run events (March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, etc.). Examples of education and mentoring experiences included tutoring elementary, middle, and high school students and counseling at the Boys and Girls Club or summer camps.
Research can be indicative of a desire to advance knowledge and an appreciation for scientific inquiry. Though research was reported by only half of the applicant pool, some applicants reported up to nine different projects. Most of the investigations reported by applicants focused on biology and involved health-related research, such as studies on cancers, teen smoking, or hearing loss; non-health-related research, commonly in the fields of entomology or ecology; and dental-specific research, including cariology, periodontitis, and technological advances.
Results from this study indicate that applicant participation levels in three of the nonacademic areas are correlated. This suggests that the same applicants tend to be the most active in extracurricular, volunteer, and research pursuits, but not necessarily in shadowing hours. It also appears that the best academically qualified applicants tended to have fewer shadowing hours but average or better than average levels of participation in the other nonacademic areas. It is interesting to note that applicants with high shadowing hours tended to have poorer academic records. Reasons to account for this relationship may be that: 1) those with the highest shadowing hours (assistants or hygienists) have lower average GPAs; 2) applicants with a less competitive academic record try to compensate by increasing their shadowing hours; or 3) applicants focus on attaining extensive shadowing experiences at the expense of academics.
Study results suggest that there may be some significant differences in the nonacademic profiles among major racial and ethnic groups. For example, Hispanic applicants reported the greatest number of shadowing hours and blacks the least. This result may be attributable to the fact that Hispanic applicants also reported the greatest percentage of parents as a dentist, while blacks reported the fewest. Blacks reported the greatest average number of extracurricular activities when compared to the other three groups. The small sample size of Hispanics and blacks in this study may limit the interpretation of these results, but the potential differences observed suggest that future studies may be warranted.
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Conclusion
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Results from this study suggest that the average applicant participates in three or four major nonacademic areas. The typical applicant reported a combined total of approximately eight extracurricular, volunteer, and research endeavors and 170 or more hours of shadowing. Participation in non-academic areas was correlated, with the exception of shadowing, as an increase in any one area resulted in similar increases in the other two. However, shadowing hours were negatively correlated with average GPA. In general, women were more active across all of the nonacademic areas than were men. Differences were also noted between racial and ethnic groups in terms of shadowing hours, numbers of nonacademic activities, and academic credentials.
It is not unusual for potential dental school applicants to question career counselors, dental admissions staff, and dental professionals about the types of selection factors that dental schools consider. In order to be competitive, applicants should be advised to participate in a broad range of experiences that highlight their commitment to the profession, devotion to society, and desire for personal growth. Results of this study can assist admissions committees in making qualitative comparisons between applicants with similar academic qualifications and aid health career counselors in advising predental students.
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Footnotes
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Ms. Mentasti is a combined D.M.D./M.P.H. Student, and Dr. Thibodeau is Assistant Dean of Admissions—both at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Direct correspondence and requests for reprints to Dr. Edward A. Thibodeau, Office of Dental Admissions, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-3905; 860-679-3748 phone; 860-679-1899 fax; Thibodeau{at}nso.uchc.edu.
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Abstract
Methods
