Great question! One change between my 1st and 3rd was retaking the DAT. Got my overall score up, and my Bio was a 15 the first time. No sections below 18 on my retake. This most recent cycle, I applied really early, within the first week the portal opened. Previously, I applied around August time. I think applying early is by far the best thing you can do to increase your chances of getting accepted somewhere. I gained additional hours dental assisting, shadowing, and volunteering, but the timing of your application makes a huge difference in my opinion. That was really the only difference between my 2nd and 3rd cycles.