GPA making up for slightly low DAT?

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Is it possible for a somewhat higher GPA (~3.7) to make up for a slightly low DAT (18aa) ?

Yes it can help, but if you want to be safe, I'd aim for 19-20 AA with that GPA.

Yes and no. A 3.7 isn't that high, unfortunately. At many schools, it's actually very close to or even lower than the 50th percentile. Further, adcoms tend to view high GPA's and low DAT scores as a poor reflection of the student's undergraduate curriculum. More commonly, a very high DAT raises a low GPA, but the converse isn't necessarily true. In fact, it could be detrimental.

That being said, I knew someone last year (class of 2015) who was admitted to my state school with an 18 AA and 3.6 GPA. I knew someone this year who had a 4.00 GPA and a 19 AA and didn't get in. Needless to say, scores get you an interview but acceptances depend on several factors.

A 3.7 is a high GPA at most schools. If you look at the class profiles on school websites, most of the time a 3.7 would make you very competitive. OP it also depends on whether you're talking bcp gpa, overall, or non-science. I would say a 3.5 bcp would make you fairly competitive at most schools. There's no way a 3.7 bcp is below 50th percentile at any school. I would aim for at least a 19 AA. If you have a 3.7 and a 19 AA you'll most likely get a number of interviews.

I will say this, and I am sure I'll get flamed, but at least this is how I've known it to work. DAT can make up for GPA, as long as you show that recently within the past year you have matured and can make good grades along with a good DAT This shows that your past grades are not an accurate judgement of your knowledge given your DAT and your new work ethic. GPA however cannot make up for a "bad" DAT. It leaves to many what ifs. Did he take easy classes, is it an easy school, did he have easy teachers, ect. Retake the DAT if you have any doubts. I think given your stats you would have a decent shot at your state school, but why leave it up to chance?

Originally Posted by littlemisspiggy

Is it possible for a somewhat higher GPA (~3.7) to make up for a slightly low DAT (18aa) ?

I am inclined to say yes, as long as your personal statements and LORS are good. Having a state school to fall back on would help also.

There's no way a 3.7 bcp is below 50th percentile at any school

That may be correct. I was strictly referring to overall GPA, which the median at my state school this year was a 3.7, a 0.1 point increase in only one year. Thus, by itself, I don't personally think a 3.7 is a 'high GPA' to bring up a 'low DAT' score.

You're competitive as long as you have strong EC's, LOR's, shadowing, etc.

Honestly, after speaking to many admins, it works better for you if it was the other way around. High DAT low GPA.... the reason that high GPA low DAT doesn't help you AS MUCH as one would hope is because they will use it as a reflection of the school. Because schools difficulty and grading is different from one another they use the DAT for a better reflection.

For example you can get straight A's easy at a community college compared to a 4 year university. So if you got those high GPA from a good school than it can help you.

You do have to be careful though cause the first thing that they do with applications is look at DAT and GPA... if they dont make the cut thats the end of the application cause it goes to the reject pile. If it passes that primary cut than they will look at LOR and Personal statements. If that passes their criteria than they will more carefully look at everything.

Its a tedious process and they go through thousands of these so they really do want to find any reason to shrink that pile and send more to the trash. Make sure your LOR and Personal Statement is the freakin' bomb!!!

Don't give up. Work hard and have no regrets!

Originally Posted by jigabodo

I am inclined to say yes, as long as your personal statements and LORS are good. Having a state school to fall back on would help also.

agree, I think GPA is very important too.