With dental school applications opening in the next few months, you may be thinking of the best way to organize so that you are prepared once applications open. Many dental students apply to multiple schools, each with their own timelines, prerequisite courses, website links, and required documents.
This process can be very overwhelming… Does this look familiar to anyone?
We all know the feeling of having tons of tiny, unorganized tabs open on your internet browser, where it is easy to feel disorganized or stressed. You may also be finding yourself spending lots of time searching for the same information over and over again.
To ensure you stay on top of all your applications, it is extremely helpful to find a system to help you manage all this information. Not only will this put your mind at ease by viewing all the information in one spot, it will also save you valuable time by not having to search for information each time you need to access it.
This post will introduce two systems that help to organize dental applications, Notion and Google Sheets/Microsoft Excel, and how to implement and personalize these templates.
Notion
Template link
See below for instructions.
The above image shows the template created to organize dental applications. If you have never used Notion before, it is an incredible free resource, however, it has a bit of a learning curve. I highly recommend learning the basics of Notion via Youtube videos.
To import this template, first, create an account. Next, click here, and hit “duplicate” in the top right corner. This will add the template to your personal Notion to edit. This template is fully customizable, so you can add or remove aspects as you feel necessary.
General Application Info - If you are using the AADSAS application system, it will be helpful to add your login info here. Feel free to add any additional info.
Action Items - Add any to do list items. You can check off or delete these items once completed.
Important Documents - Three main pages have been added, where you can draft your personal statement, shadowing notes, and interview preparation notes. If you want to add a new page, type “/page” where you want to add the new page.
DAT Scores - Use this table to upload documents from your DAT scores for easy reference. Some schools use your most recent test date, while others may use your best test. To use this section, hover over “Test Date” and open the page. From there, you can change the title to the date of your test, then click the box beside “DAT Score PDF” to select your DAT document. If you want to add another test date, navigate back to the first page and click “+ New.”
Applications - This section will be your main go-to reference for your applications. Hover over “School 1” and click open. Here, you can change the title to the name of the school, add relevant info and links for each school, and even jot down notes on prerequisites, admission stats, or other info. You can also change the stage of your application and the deadline, so that you can stay on track for each school. If you want to add more sections to the table. Click the “+” button on the top right of the table. At the top of the applications section on the main page, you can also view the information “By Stage” or “By Deadline.”
Excel/Google Sheets
Template link
See below for instructions.
If the Notion template is too much of a learning curve, no worries. Simple organization is always a great option. This excel spreadsheet has similar information to the Notion template, however, it is organized all on one page.
If you would like to use this template, click here, and hit “ctrl A” + “ctrl C” to copy the page, then open your own Excel/Google Sheets and hit “ctrl V” to paste it. You can add or change whichever headings you like.
At the top, here is a spot for general application info - which is especially helpful for your AADSAS number - as well as a to-do list. The chart below has columns containing the stage of application, deadline, application website link, student ID/email, application ID, admission requirements, statistics, and notes for each school.
Interested in Learning More?
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If you have any questions on using these templates or any other general inquiries, please contact us at info@futuredmd.com.