ADEA AADSAS Program User Guide

Cycle Timeframes

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal opens in mid-May and closes in early February. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the ADEA AADSAS Application Cycle Dates page.

Configuration Portal

Between mid-January and late March, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The Account Manager, Client Success Manager, and ADEA review submitted configurations in April.

WebAdMIT

You can view new applicants in early June and initiate a transfer settings shortly after the new cycle opens in mid-May.

Program Participation Requirements

ADEA requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from ADEA and ADEA AADSAS, including the configuration, application, and WebAdMIT launch notifications.

Applicant Portal

The first three sections of the ADEA AADSAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).

You can access the ADEA AADSAS application and ADEA AADSAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).

For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:

Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the ADEA AADSAS Complete application status.
ADEA AADSAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.

You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to ADEA AADSAS Customer Service.

Configuration Portal

Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.

Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the Account Manager, Client Success Manager, and ADEA before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, ADEA will approve it.

WebAdMIT

Review the WebAdMIT Manual for any questions related to working in WebAdMIT. The Reference Guides and WebAdMIT Training and Support sections are additional resources as you configure WebAdMIT for your needs. Documents commonly requested include:

API Overview: learn how to set up an API and schedule automatic data exports from WebAdMIT into your SIS/ERP.
Background checks through Certiphi.
Data Dictionaries and Master Code Lists: a comprehensive list of all fields available in the Export Manager and Report Manager, including associated lookup tables.
Direct Applicants: enter directly into WebAdMIT applicants who did not apply through ADEA AADSAS.
Local Statuses and Decision Codes: if you tie Local Statuses to Decision Codes, applicants can view their Decision Codes in the application starting in early December of each cycle.
Reporting Final Decision Codes: learn how to use WebAdMIT to place applicants in Decision Codes and report them back to ADEA.
Transfer Settings Guide: a review of how programs and templates built in WebAdMIT are carried forward each cycle.

The Release Notes feature new enhancements in the Applicant Portal, Applicant Gateway, Configuration Portal, Letters by Liaison, and WebAdMIT, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.

For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.

Using ADEA AADSAS Reports

You also have access to a custom report in WebAdMIT: Competing Offers Accepted.

Competing Offers Accepted

Starting in March, the Competing Offers Accepted report identifies applicants who have accepted more than one offer of admission at any point in the cycle. The applicants that appear in this report have been assigned the Offer Accepted Decision Code by you and at least one other program. This report provides the applicant’s name, email, ADEA AADSAS ID, and the number of accepted offers. To protect applicants’ privacy, the names of the other programs are not disclosed.

Note that accurately assigning Decision Codes throughout the cycle is imperative, as your program-specific data affects these reports. Watch this video to learn how to link your Local Statuses to Decision Codes.

If you choose to rescind an offer of admission, you must give the applicant a 15-day notice.

Cycle Enhancements

2022-2023

The table below contains enhancements for ADEA AADSAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Various	Applicants are instructed not to use all caps when filling out the application.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	If an applicant selects Unlisted French Speaking Canadian or Other Foreign Institution, they must complete a new required field for the college’s country. If you created exports to pull a college's country data, you must edit and select the new college country fields. Review the Country Field for Manually Entered Foreign Institutions release note for more information.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Environmental Factors	The Relatives in Dentistry question and answers were updated for clarity.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	The DENTPIN question and Manual Dexterity question were updated for clarity. Additionally, a new Program Plan/Intent to Apply question was added. Finally, the following questions were removed: Misdemeanor Felony	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Release Statement	The release statements were updated for clarity.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Chatbot	Liaison has partnered with Ada to offer an AI chatbot. The chatbot, nicknamed Cassie, leverages an API with CXone Expert, which hosts the CAS-specific Applicant Help Centers. Applicants can access this chatbot once they are logged in to the application. The chatbot responds with information and links to the CAS-specific Applicant Help Center and, if needed, directs the applicant to live support with customer service.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Supporting Information – Experiences	The instructions were updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	You can only access the Add Program and Copy Program buttons in the Configuration Portal prelaunch environment.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Program Details	A new program field, Program Type, was added for your program(s). This field identifies if your program is based in the US or Canada.	Action required by all participating programs.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Details Page	You can view a college's Regionally Accredited and Accredited by fields in the Colleges Attended panel and full application PDF.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Clipboard	You can now add multiple applicants to your Clipboard by uploading a CSV file of their CAS IDs. Review the Using the Clipboard page for more information.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Export Manager List Manager	The following field groupings and associated fields were removed. Be sure to review your existing lists and exports to review and update your criteria, if applicable. Applicant Gateway Activities Parent #1 Parent #2 Self Reported Disadvantaged Comments Self Reported Disadvantaged Indicator	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2021-2022

The table below contains enhancements for ADEA AADSAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Add Program Page	The Add Program page was updated to include information about FAP (Fee Assistance Program) information.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Environmental Factors	The questions in this section were reordered to better assist applicants. Additionally, the following questions were updated: Disadvantaged Consideration question COVID-19 Impact question And the following questions were removed: In what country did you spend the majority of your life from birth to age eighteen? In what state did you spend the majority of your life from birth to age eighteen? Do you feel that the area you grew up in was medically underserved? Did the high school you attended have many students eligible for free or reduced price lunches?	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	2020 is available as an answer option for the Indicate the year in which you most recently applied question for US Dental Schools.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Submit Program Page	The Submit Program page was updated to include information about FAP (Fee Assistance Program) information.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Supporting Information – Evaluations	The instructions have been updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Documents	You can request documents from applicants and they can upload them for your program specifically. You can choose from the following document types: Other Unofficial DAT Score Reports Unofficial Letters of Evaluation	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Competing Offers Accepted Page	The Designation and Offers Accepted Count columns can be removed from the Competing Offers Accepted page.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch

2020-2021

The table below contains enhancements for ADEA AADSAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.

Portal	Section	Enhancement Details	Implementation	Availability
Applicant Portal	Academic History – Colleges Attended	The workflow for entering colleges has been improved. Enhancements include: The option to employ an e-transcript vendor from within the application (e.g., Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, or Credential Solutions, where applicable) An improved process for uploading and previewing unofficial transcripts Enhanced display of requirements	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Add Program Page	Applicants can skip the Add Program page after creating their account.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Citizenship Information	The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) question uses conditional answer values. If the applicant selects No, then no additional questions appear. If the applicant selects Yes, then a question that the DACA status is correct and aligns with the applicant's citizenship status appears.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Environmental Factors	The Environmental Factors questions use conditional answer values. If the applicant selects No, then no additional questions appear. If the applicant selects Yes, then additional questions appear. A High School County question has been added.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Personal Information – Other Information	A First Generation College Student question has been added. The Previous Applications to US Dental School question uses conditional answer values. If the applicant selects No, then no additional questions appear. If the applicant selects Yes, then additional dental background questions appear. The Previous Applications to US Dental School question has also been updated with new question text and reordered questions.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Submit Application Page	The Submit Application page lists the term on each program’s tile. Previously, applicants needed to click the additional information icon to view the program’s term.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Applicant Portal	Supporting Information – Experiences	A new experience type, Dental Shadowing, has been added. The ADEA AADSAS Help Center includes a definition of this experience type. The instructions text and help center are also updated to better assist applicants.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Organization Details	You can offer applicants a deep link to the application's Add Program page with your programs pre-filtered. This allows applicants to quickly access your programs without needing to set their own filters. If an applicant has not yet created an account, the deep link will first instruct them to create an account, and then will take them to the pre-filtered Add Program page.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
Configuration Portal	Program Details	The following fields must be completed in the Configuration Portal, as they affect the filter options available in the Add Program page of the Applicant Portal: City Country Deadline Level Program Name Start Term Start Year State The following fields cannot be edited by programs: Program Code Start Date	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
Configuration Portal	Questions	When you create a question in the Configuration Portal, you can choose to hide the question in the full application PDF in WebAdMIT. These questions will still display on the Applicant Details page in WebAdMIT and be available in the List Manager and Export Manager.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Available now
WebAdMIT	Applicant Search Page	For CASs using the State of Legal Residence field, the Applicant Search page offers a State of Legal Residence filter.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Assignments	Previously, when a reviewer was assigned an Assignment in WebAdMIT, they received an email the next day, listing all Assignments given to them, regardless if the reviewer already completed them. Now reviewers only receive the daily Assignment email if they have incomplete Assignments from the previous day.	No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement.	Available at cycle launch
WebAdMIT	Transfer Settings	Typically when Transfer Settings is initiated, deferred applicants are carried forward as well. With the Liaison-assisted Deferral Process, deferred applicants are carried forward separately from Transfer Settings, at a predetermined date. Additionally, only select applicant information carries forward.	Action required by participating programs choosing to use this enhancement.	Expected to be available in fall 2020 (may be subject to change)