DAT Score on AADSAS

[mkhan27]

Hey everyone,

I applied to 16 dental schools this past cycle, 3 interviews in February/March, and just finished a science Masters program. I did very well in my masters program. My sGPA is 3.06, BCP is 3.10, cGPA is 3.25 after the Masters (which I had close to 4.0).

I had taken my DAT last year in March 2013 and got a 19. I plan to re-take it again this August or September. Which option is better:

Option 1: When I will be filling out my AADSAS, is it better to put my previous DAT test date and information down, so it'll come up in their files as 19 and still take my test in September and submit that to all of the schools after I have taken it.

Option 2: Just put on AADSAS when I plan to take it and then send it to all of the schools after I have taken it.

If I go with the Option #1, then my application will be completed and reviewed early. Then, I can send my updated DAT score to the school in September for updating it. Would this hurt my application at all or should I just stick to option #2.

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[distressstudent]

Your postgrad gpa is separate from you undergrad gpa. It is not accurate to combine them.


edit:
so I dig up some info and what I highlighted on the bottom was wrong. Apparently on some years they allow you to say that you will retake it, while others don't.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dat-retake-update-aadsas.675333/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...etaking-dat-how-to-notify-the-schools.746617/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/entering-intention-of-retaking-dat-on-aadsas.743825/
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/informing-dental-schools-about-my-dat-re-take.1022852/

it sounds like the best course of action is to email the schools individually. But I dont believe you can go with option 2 regardless. Your application will be connected to your dentpin and so the schools knows you took your DAT even if you don't report it on your application (like if you send it to even one school on your score report, then all the school knows).

And your third option is actually 1 +2. You will report that you have a 19 on AADSAS, then say you will retake it on your application, send it out, take the test, and the schools will receive your updated DAT score from the score report.

You probably want to get your application in regardless before you actually take your test so everything can be processed. You are taking it in September so that's pretty late already. It takes a really long time for transcript verification, but dat verification is faster

 

[Glimmer1991]

You really need to retake before August or September. Having everything else in early isn't going to help you if schools are stuck waiting on your new scores. I'd try to take the DAT in mid-July at the latest. That way, you'll have everything in by August.

Since you are a reapplicant, parts or your application just "roll over" to the next year, and I'm pretty sure that your DAT score is one of those things. Thus, when you submit, there is no option to have the schools not be able to see your old scores. Yes, you can indicate that you will be retaking, but the old scores will be there (as they always will be).

Do yourself a favor and take the test earlier. Especially as a reapplicant, I just wouldn't want to be applying that late.

What were the scores in your individual DAT subsections? If they were all right around the 19ish range, I think you are good to go ahead and submit without having in your new scores. If you bombed a few sections, I think I would maybe wait until your new scores have been linked to your application before submitting. I typically advise people to wait before submitting if their old DAT scores were bad, but yours might be perfectly fine to just go ahead and submit.

Ultimately, even with a relatively good DAT score before retaking, this would be my timeline if I were in your position:

June 2-6: Finish up all of the "written" parts of the application and have it ready to submit
July 10: Send transcripts to AADSAS
July 15: Take DAT
July 15: Submit entire application to AADSAS

Your transcripts will be verified right around the same time as your DAT scores will be linked to your application. Schools will get your entire application at the beginning of August, which is still early.

Why wait to submit? Once again, you don't have to. However, instead of schools having to put me into a pile of "for future review" applications and potentially forgetting about me until a later date, I'd rather having everything 100% ready-to-go the first time the look at it.