If i'm planning on retaking my DAT in late July, should I still send my application early?

[youraverageasia]

I want to apply early as possible but I'm afraid the schools will look at my previous DAT (20 AA) and put me in the "not so good" DAT pile. Should I just send in my application when I retake my DAT around end of July, or is it okay to apply earlier and let them know I'm retaking it.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dipdoc]

Why not just retake your DAT in April or May?

 

[TourdeTeeth]

20AA on the DAT is good. I was accepted with a 19AA. Are you sure you need to retake the DAT? You might just try increasing your shadowing hours, community service hours, and research experience.

Though to answer your question, the earlier you submit your application the earlier dental schools will review your application. I honestly don't think anyone will look poorly at a 20AA though, so submitting early probably won't be a bad thing.

 

[youraverageasia]

Why not just retake your DAT in April or May?

I'm currently in a Masters so I don't have much time to study for it right now

 

[mimachu]

Why would you retake the DAT with a 20AA? Do you have a not so great GPA or something?? You know that it is risky to retake, (unless you are absolutely confident), because most people score lower on their second try according to the stats.

 

[youraverageasia]

20AA on the DAT is good. I was accepted with a 19AA. Are you sure you need to retake the DAT? You might just try increasing your shadowing hours, community service hours, and research experience.

Though to answer your question, the earlier you submit your application the earlier dental schools will review your application. I honestly don't think anyone will look poorly at a 20AA though, so submitting early probably won't be a bad thing.

Why would you retake the DAT with a 20AA? Do you have a not so great GPA or something?? You know that it is risky to retake, (unless you are absolutely confident), because most people score lower on their second try according to the stats.

Well my TS is 18, which I think is cutting it pretty close… I pulled a 4.0 last semester and I'm pretty confident I'll finish with a 3.9+ in my Masters. Everything else is pretty good in terms of shadowing, research, EC's.

 

[Macabalony]

One of my biggest regrets was not having the application submitted June 1rst.
Send it in, finish secondary applications and take the DAT while informing your high priority schools that your DAT score will be sent in the subsequent month.

 

[Dipdoc]

Well my TS is 18, which I think is cutting it pretty close… I pulled a 4.0 last semester and I'm pretty confident I'll finish with a 3.9+ in my Masters. Everything else is pretty good in terms of shadowing, research, EC's.

What was your score for each section? A 20AA is considered competitive but with an 18TS it seems like some of your science sections may be below the cutoff for a lot of schools.

 

[irishmom]

Yes still submit early. I retook the DAT on August 8 and did not submit my supplemental to tOSU until after I retook because they had minimums that I had not achieved the first time I took it...and I still got in on Dec. 1st. But the supplemental wasn't even open for them until July so no biggie...but still ubmit early.

 

[youraverageasia]

What was your score for each section? A 20AA is considered competitive but with an 18TS it seems like some of your science sections may be below the cutoff for a lot of schools.

23 RC
21 QR
18 GC
18 OC
20 BIO
19 PAT

 

[sjv]

You can indicate on the AADSAS application that you are retaking the DAT and enter that date. You can also let schools know that you are retaking and they should wait on your new scores.

 

[youraverageasia]

You can indicate on the AADSAS application that you are retaking the DAT and enter that date. You can also let schools know that you are retaking and they should wait on your new scores.

Oh awesome I didn't know that thanks

 

[superluminal]

A 20 DAT isn't bad at all. I would definitely apply early even if you consider taking the DAT again.

 

[youraverageasia]

A 20 DAT isn't bad at all. I would definitely apply early even if you consider taking the DAT again.

What do you think of a 18TS?

 

[irishmom]

What do you think of a 18TS?

National average TS is 18. National average acceptance is 20. So there is that.....

 

[jjdd]

I would almost argue that you are better off submitting early than retaking the DAT to get a higher score. 18 was your lowest score which isn't too bad. Your 20, 21, and 23 will help you out. I've heard people submit late and get few views even with really good scores and GPA. I had a 20 (19 GC and 19 BIO) and applied basically one of the first day that it opened. I got more interviews than expected and even had to turn some down at the end. Submit early is key.

 

[LaurHei]

One of my biggest regrets was not having the application submitted June 1rst.
Send it in, finish secondary applications and take the DAT while informing your high priority schools that your DAT score will be sent in the subsequent month.

Agree with the june 1 thing x146743.

 

[superluminal]

What do you think of a 18TS?

Its quite an average score. Its a good idea to retake the DAT, but its not a good idea to hold out your application until you do so.

 

[Loving123]

just to ask you guys a question, if I am going to retake the DAT, I still need to submit the previous grades, right?
(and spend ~$30 for each school that I am applying, right?)
I just wanted to check in advance..

 

[youraverageasia]

One of my biggest regrets was not having the application submitted June 1rst.
Send it in, finish secondary applications and take the DAT while informing your high priority schools that your DAT score will be sent in the subsequent month.

Since applications open in June, how do people go about submitting it on the first day? Doesn't it take time to work on the application once it opens?

 

[youraverageasia]

Question for everyone that has replied: Doesn't it take time for your schools to give the official transcripts to AASDAS? So even if you request the transcripts right when applications open, won't it take awhile for the schools to recieve them?

 

[Macabalony]

Since applications open in June, how do people go about submitting it on the first day? Doesn't it take time to work on the application once it opens?

It depends on a number of variables. But here are my educated guesses.
Bigger schools will have workshops in April and May with ALL of the application questions so you can pre-fill them out. When June 1rst hits, it is copy and paste and send. I would also go out on a limb and say bigger dental clubs will have the secondary application questions for each school. And in all honesty, most secondary applications have a lot of overlapping questions: Why this school? What will you bring to dental? Talk about a leadership role you had. This allows you to make a generic outline for each answer and put in make some specific changes.

 

[TourdeTeeth]

For people who say submit June 1st, don't fret about that. Honestly that is wrong and I've heard dental schools tell me that is wrong. AADSAS doesn't even mail out their "first batch" until around June 21st. So it doesn't matter if you apply June 1st or June 20th, you will be first batch. The next batch is sent out the week after that and so on. As long as you are in the first 5 batches you're considered an early applicant. Don't submit on the first day and have an inferior application. Take your time and make sure that you've gotten everything perfect.

Plus most schools won't even start looking at applications until mid-July.

 

[superluminal]

Question for everyone that has replied: Doesn't it take time for your schools to give the official transcripts to AASDAS? So even if you request the transcripts right when applications open, won't it take awhile for the schools to recieve them?

AADSAS opens usually around the first week of June but the first batch, the first set of applications that AADSAS sends to your potential schools are not sent out until like the 3rd or 4th week of June. This gives you breathing room. That's why getting your application out June, July, early August is still considered relatively early and safe.
This is also the reason to feel safe taking the DAT in June or July as it usually takes about 2 weeks to upload your DAT score.
LOTS of waiting lol

 

[superluminal]

One of my biggest regrets was not having the application submitted June 1rst.
Send it in, finish secondary applications and take the DAT while informing your high priority schools that your DAT score will be sent in the subsequent month.

This is probably one of the fastest, hardest and single most important message I've ever read on this forum.

 

[doc toothache]

Not exactly clear why an incomplete application should/needs to be submitted "early".

 

[foxtrot83]

Not exactly clear why an incomplete application should/needs to be submitted "early".

I believe the submission of your aadsas application places it in a que regardless of whether it is complete (transcripts, DAT officially reported or not). Just pay attention to making sure you have no typos or errors in your coursework reporting, if you have to make changes ADEA removes your app. from the que (you lose your spot) and by then 100s of people may have submited before you get back in the que and re-verified. This will hold up your verification and subsequent mailing of your application to schools.
On a side-note I believe schools are notified that you applied to their school shortly after you submit your applicaiton. They seem to get an electronic pdf version of your application even before AADSAS mails out the physical form. The reason I say this is because I got numerous requests for secondary/supplemental applications from schools even before the hard-copy of my app. was mailed out by AADSAS.

 

[Loving123]

AADSAS opens usually around the first week of June but the first batch, the first set of applications that AADSAS sends to your potential schools are not sent out until like the 3rd or 4th week of June. This gives you breathing room. That's why getting your application out June, July, early August is still considered relatively early and safe.
This is also the reason to feel safe taking the DAT in June or July as it usually takes about 2 weeks to upload your DAT score.
LOTS of waiting lol

So if I am re-taking DAT at the beginning of June, is it wiser to wait for my DAT scores to be uploaded and then submit my application as a whole? (or submit it with my previous DAT scores?)

 

[irishmom]

So if I am re-taking DAT at the beginning of June, is it wiser to wait for my DAT scores to be uploaded and then submit my application as a whole? (or submit it with my previous DAT scores?)

No. It takes time for your LOR's to be uploaded and for your GPA to be calculated. Do your app as soon as you can so all of this is being done while you're waiting to take your DAT.

 

[Loving123]

No. It takes time for your LOR's to be uploaded and for your GPA to be calculated. Do your app as soon as you can so all of this is being done while you're waiting to take your DAT.

Thanks! I just didn't wanted the admissions office to throw off my file due to my previous DAT scores
Also, can we send transcripts to schools prior to June 2nd?
(since it takes time for it to arrive?)

 

[irishmom]

Also, can we send transcripts to schools prior to June 2nd?

No. When you do your application you will put the email for your LOR people and AADSAS sends them an email for them to return the LOR to. You should talk with the people you will be using so they are prepared it send it as soon as they get the email though. Give them a heads up its coming so they can check thir junk mail etc.

 

[Loving123]

No. When you do your application you will put the email for your LOR people and AADSAS sends them an email for them to return the LOR to. You should talk with the people you will be using so they are prepared it send it as soon as they get the email though. Give them a heads up its coming so they can check thir junk mail etc.

Thanks! So even University Transcripts need to be mailed afterwards, correct?

 

[superluminal]

So if I am re-taking DAT at the beginning of June, is it wiser to wait for my DAT scores to be uploaded and then submit my application as a whole? (or submit it with my previous DAT scores?)

No! Complete and send in your application ASAP. You want your DAT re-take to be the only thing left standing in between you and an interview invite. Get in your application and your Secondary applications ASAP! You'll probably be filling out Secondaries while you're studying for the DAT but just dig in and get it done.

 

[youraverageasia]

No! Complete and send in your application ASAP. You want your DAT re-take to be the only thing left standing in between you and an interview invite. Get in your application and your Secondary applications ASAP! You'll probably be filling out Secondaries while you're studying for the DAT but just dig in and get it done.

Do you know how much weight school's put on for your answers to the secondaries? Do I have to give phenomenal, edited answers or is just answering the questions good enough? (and also are they long essay type questions?)

 

[Loving123]

No! Complete and send in your application ASAP. You want your DAT re-take to be the only thing left standing in between you and an interview invite. Get in your application and your Secondary applications ASAP! You'll probably be filling out Secondaries while you're studying for the DAT but just dig in and get it done.

Thank hou! So can I mail out the transcripts prior to June 2nd also?

 

[irishmom]

Do you know how much weight school's put on for your answers to the secondaries? Do I have to give phenomenal, edited answers or is just answering the questions good enough? (and also are they long essay type questions?)

Depends on the school. Some secondaries are just more money, some are actual essay questions, some are just questions.

I think LECOM was just qestions, Louisville was just more money and tOSU were actual essays that they printed out an had on hand to refer to during my interview.

 

[selldrugs22]

Depends on the school. Some secondaries are just more money, some are actual essay questions, some are just questions.

I think LECOM was just qestions, Louisville was just more money and tOSU were actual essays that they printed out an had on hand to refer to during my interview.

If I have a subpar gpa (3.4 cum 3.0 science) should i still apply June without the Dat? Will my app be disregarded or even rejected before my Dat score even arrives? Or should I still apply June and take DAT in July?

 

[Daneosaurus]

I would almost argue that you are better off submitting early than retaking the DAT to get a higher score. 18 was your lowest score which isn't too bad. Your 20, 21, and 23 will help you out. I've heard people submit late and get few views even with really good scores and GPA. I had a 20 (19 GC and 19 BIO) and applied basically one of the first day that it opened. I got more interviews than expected and even had to turn some down at the end. Submit early is key.

This is correct. Applying early would be more beneficial for you, OP, than retaking the DAT.

 

[superluminal]

Thank hou! So can I mail out the transcripts prior to June 2nd also?

Yes. The mailing out of transcripts is part of the AADSAS application.

 

[superluminal]

Do you know how much weight school's put on for your answers to the secondaries? Do I have to give phenomenal, edited answers or is just answering the questions good enough? (and also are they long essay type questions?)

Think of secondaries as a "pre-interview". You dont have to quote Shakespeare, but you do want your responses to be clear, thought out and up to standard. By what I understand, many schools dont even do secondary essay questions, they'll give basic fill in the blank questions plus ask for an application fee. Ive heard of questions being straight forward and others being essay type. Just take it seriously and check it for flow and errors and you should be fine.

 

[irishmom]

If I have a subpar gpa (3.4 cum 3.0 science) should i still apply June without the Dat? Will my app be disregarded or even rejected before my Dat score even arrives? Or should I still apply June and take DAT in July?

Those stats are very similiar to mine. I sent my app out first of June. Did not retake the DAT until August 8. DO NOT DELAY SENDING YOUR APP BECAUSE YOU ARE WAITING ON DAT SCORES!
It takes time for everything else to upload. They don't even send out the first batch until the last Friday in June. This is because it takes time to input everyones data.

 

[irishmom]

Thank hou! So can I mail out the transcripts prior to June 2nd also?

You can give your LOR writers a heads up that they will be receiving an email from AADSAS on June 1st, but you cannot mail them or anything else before June 1.

 

[selldrugs22]

Those stats are very similiar to mine. I sent my app out first of June. Did not retake the DAT until August 8. DO NOT DELAY SENDING YOUR APP BECAUSE YOU ARE WAITING ON DAT SCORES!
It takes time for everything else to upload. They don't even send out the first batch until the last Friday in June. This is because it takes time to input everyones data.

Thanks irishmom! But even if I apply in June and take Dat in July, its not like they will reject my app for having a subpar gpa without a DAT score in correct? Also where were you accepted since your stats were similar to mine?

 

[Aspiringdentit16]

No! Complete and send in your application ASAP. You want your DAT re-take to be the only thing left standing in between you and an interview invite. Get in your application and your Secondary applications ASAP! You'll probably be filling out Secondaries while you're studying for the DAT but just dig in and get it done.

This is correct. Applying early would be more beneficial for you, OP, than retaking the DAT.

Those stats are very similiar to mine. I sent my app out first of June. Did not retake the DAT until August 8. DO NOT DELAY SENDING YOUR APP BECAUSE YOU ARE WAITING ON DAT SCORES!
It takes time for everything else to upload. They don't even send out the first batch until the last Friday in June. This is because it takes time to input everyones data.

I am in a similar situation, retaking in august 21, should I put my application in at the 12 schools i am applying to? is there a way to notify them i am retaking? will i get secondaries even though the application is incomplete? once i take the dat again in agust how long before they get it and can finally get me rolling? I just want some specifics as its a big deal, and dont want to mess it all up. thanks!

 

[irishmom]

There is place on the aplication that says future DAT dates. I put Aug of 2014. I had already taken the DAT once and bombed it. So the schools knew I was retaking. I didn't even submit the OSU supplemental until after I retook the DAT because my first attempt I didn't meet some of the minimums. It took about 10-14 days for my new scores to be uploaded. If you do sigificantly better this will help you. ONe of the things tOSU told me in my acceptance letter is they were impressed with how much I improved my second DAT score from the first (16 to 20), and that this was a factor in my acceptance.

Good Luck