Congratulations. You’ve decided to embark on probably one of the most expensive, time-consuming journeys of your life. The DAT, the personal statement, supporting materials, and the interview add together to what can often be a huge headache. Despite this, somehow, over 25,000 people enroll in dental school every year. This guide offers resources and approaches to help you maximize your chances that you’re one of the 25,000.

The Personal Statement is the main opportunity to tie activities and experiences together as a means of truly connecting with the people who read your application. Ultimately, you want to write an essay that makes the reader want to become your future professor or colleague. The AADSAS application requires one 4500-character, or about 550-word, personal statement. While this length can sometimes seem long, it’s an incredibly limited amount of space to convince the admissions committee that you’re someone they want to have as future colleagues or students.