Need suggestion about dental school

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cknnguyen

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Any one can give me suggestion about my DAT score and do I have any chance to get accepted to dental school? Here is my DAT score:


Took on 12/9/2013

PAT: 20

RC: 17

QR: 17

BIO: 21

GC: 17

OC: 19


AA: 18, TS: 19, PAT 20

nsGPA: 3.04, sGPA:3.06


I am a dental hygienist and working at public setting dentistry for the past 5 years. I have 3000 hours of volunteer. I know my GPA and DAT score below average, so I plan to take classes in coming semester to gain my GPA. My question is do I get any chance to accept to dental school. I applied 5 schools this cycle but I know it’s late. So, my goal is to apply really early next year. Do I have any chance to get accepted? Do I have to retake DAT? Any suggestion would help. Thanks

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if you apply early and broadly, I think you will get a couple of pre-december interviews. From there, it's up to you to seal the deal
 
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Your GPA is pretty low, that's the weakest part of your application I would say. Also, your DAT scores aren't bad, but they won't help that GPA at all. So if you're unable to get that GPA up, I would retake and aim for at least >20 AA. The fact that you are a dental hygienist and have many hours volunteering/dental experience is very good however.
 
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Your GPA is pretty low, that's the weakest part of your application I would say. Also, your DAT scores aren't bad, but they won't help that GPA at all. So if you're unable to get that GPA up, I would retake and aim for at least >20 AA. The fact that you are a dental hygienist and have many hours volunteering/dental experience is very good however.

Yes I do plan to take classes in coming semester to gain my GPA. Thanks for your response, by the way congrats to you...your GPA and DAT is so awesome
 
I believe you have a chance if you apply to more than five schools. Considering that you are a nontraditional applicant, then your chances increases only slightly though. I will say retake the DAT, and score at least a 21+ overall.
 
All your experience is definitely a bonus and will be great talking points during interviews, but I think you need to raise that GPA and DAT score to get your foot in. What materials did you use to study? Do you feel like you have any more time to give to the process? I honestly think that most people can score a 20+ on the exam with the right materials and ample devoted study time.
 
All your experience is definitely a bonus and will be great talking points during interviews, but I think you need to raise that GPA and DAT score to get your foot in. What materials did you use to study? Do you feel like you have any more time to give to the process? I honestly think that most people can score a 20+ on the exam with the right materials and ample devoted study time.
Materials I used for DAT:
Destroy
DAT bootcamp
Top score
Crack
Achiever ( i only used Bio and PAT section)
I am such a slow learner. I study for straigh 4 months average 8 hours/day. I dont know what else I can do to get my score better :( Could be my age or I have not in schools in the past 2 years. My concern if I take DAT again will I get better score? Thanks so much for your response
 
Materials I used for DAT:
Destroy
DAT bootcamp
Top score
Crack
Achiever ( i only used Bio and PAT section)
I am such a slow learner. I study for straigh 4 months average 8 hours/day. I dont know what else I can do to get my score better :( Could be my age or I have not in schools in the past 2 years. My concern if I take DAT again will I get better score? Thanks so much for your response


With 8 hours/day for 4 months is plentiful, this time. Just study for 2-3 months, and study 2-3 hours and take a break. Then study 2-3 hours again, rinse and repeat.

- First, know the foundation of the materials. If you understand the material, then it will be no problem understanding your mistakes on practice exams.
- Always review every single day, with a few key words that summarize everything. For example:
- Plants undergoes photosynthesis. different ways that plants get energy (C4, C3, ect.), important enzymes involved, the general cycle, and stuff like that.
Remember, just get the big picture rather than the details. Although the DAT may ask about 1-2 questions about the details for biology or any other science, you have to know that you are able to answer all the other questions to break a 21+. If you focus too much on the details, you will miss out on the big picture, hence you will miss a lot more questions than 1-2 question.

Once you get the big picture, go through the destroyer for all the details. Trust me, you should spend little time learning and a lot of time going over your mistakes.

DAT bootcamp, use it for the science and PAT. Make sure you do two full exams once a week, and then review your mistakes afterwards. DAT bootcamp doesn't save mistakes, so make an excel sheet of what you miss.

Get rid of Achiever, it's totally pointless if you already have it for PAT. Biology achiever focused too much on the details that you will forget the general picture.

Topscore, use it for full practice exams.

Add QVAULT in there, i cannot stress you how much QVAULT helped me break all 20's for the science and reading.

Remember don't stress over your practice exams or scores, because if you learn all your mistakes.. then your REAL DAT should be higher.

Practice exams are not great indicator on how well you do on the exam, it is just there to help you to achieve what you will need.
 
With 8 hours/day for 4 months is plentiful, this time. Just study for 2-3 months, and study 2-3 hours and take a break. Then study 2-3 hours again, rinse and repeat.

- First, know the foundation of the materials. If you understand the material, then it will be no problem understanding your mistakes on practice exams.
- Always review every single day, with a few key words that summarize everything. For example:
- Plants undergoes photosynthesis. different ways that plants get energy (C4, C3, ect.), important enzymes involved, the general cycle, and stuff like that.
Remember, just get the big picture rather than the details. Although the DAT may ask about 1-2 questions about the details for biology or any other science, you have to know that you are able to answer all the other questions to break a 21+. If you focus too much on the details, you will miss out on the big picture, hence you will miss a lot more questions than 1-2 question.

Once you get the big picture, go through the destroyer for all the details. Trust me, you should spend little time learning and a lot of time going over your mistakes.

DAT bootcamp, use it for the science and PAT. Make sure you do two full exams once a week, and then review your mistakes afterwards. DAT bootcamp doesn't save mistakes, so make an excel sheet of what you miss.

Get rid of Achiever, it's totally pointless if you already have it for PAT. Biology achiever focused too much on the details that you will forget the general picture.

Topscore, use it for full practice exams.

Add QVAULT in there, i cannot stress you how much QVAULT helped me break all 20's for the science and reading.

Remember don't stress over your practice exams or scores, because if you learn all your mistakes.. then your REAL DAT should be higher.

Practice exams are not great indicator on how well you do on the exam, it is just there to help you to achieve what you will need.
Thanks.. This is really help. I think my mistake was study too much detail and did not have enough time to review my mistake.
I believe you have a chance if you apply to more than five schools. Considering that you are a nontraditional applicant, then your chances increases only slightly though. I will say retake the DAT, and score at least a 21+ overall.
I
All your experience is definitely a bonus and will be great talking points during interviews, but I think you need to raise that GPA and DAT score to get your foot in. What materials did you use to study? Do you feel like you have any more time to give to the process? I honestly think that most people can score a 20+ on the exam with the right materials and ample devoted study time.
 
Materials I used for DAT:
Destroy
DAT bootcamp
Top score
Crack
Achiever ( i only used Bio and PAT section)
I am such a slow learner. I study for straigh 4 months average 8 hours/day. I dont know what else I can do to get my score better :( Could be my age or I have not in schools in the past 2 years. My concern if I take DAT again will I get better score? Thanks so much for your response
The only glaring absence I see in your list is Chad's videos for the Chem section. That said, four months x 8 hours a day should be plenty, even without that instruction. I think you should reassess your study habits- do you have an open computer with Facebook, SDN, etc open? Other distractions? There are dozens of methods to study, but you'll have to figure out for yourself how you learn best. I like to give myself 10 minute breaks every hour or so, and a few longer, 30 minute breaks for lunch and dinner. In terms of actually grasping concepts, drawing out pathways and memorizing mnemonics works for me. If it's more calculations based, I just repeat practice problems over and over until I've got it down and can work the problem efficiently. Feel free to pm other questions, hope this helps.
 
In your situation, I would highly suggest retaking the DAT and trying to raise that GPA. With your current stats, getting a decent number of interviews even after applying broadly sounds very unlikely. You should definitely shoot for a 21+ score in order to make up for your GPA.
 
Retake the DAT and do a masters, otherwise you have no chance.
 
Retake the DAT and do a masters, otherwise you have no chance.[/quote

Thank you for your response..I have decide to not retake my DAT but will try to gain my GPA also consider for master degree and apply early and widely next cycle.I saw the 2012 average was 19/ 3.5 but it's a bell curve so my DAT is ok . I am also a RDH and have numerous of volunteer hours. Hopefully the admission look at overall package instead of just numbers. Let see how it goes. Thanks for al your response.
 
Take more courses, specifically more science courses, to boost your GPAs. Get straight As to get maximum GPA boostage.

Retake the DAT, 17 in GC and RC is too low. Aim for a 21AA or higher with no section below 19.

Do all that and with your spectacular extracurricular (and also applying at least somewhat early and to many schools) you will more than likely have a spot with your name on it in at least 1 school.
 
Thank you for your response..I have decide to not retake my DAT but will try to gain my GPA also consider for master degree and apply early and widely next cycle.I saw the 2012 average was 19/ 3.5 but it's a bell curve so my DAT is ok . I am also a RDH and have numerous of volunteer hours. Hopefully the admission look at overall package instead of just numbers. Let see how it goes. Thanks for al your response.
 
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Please keep me posted how your application and interview went. I am an RDH II and interested in going that rought though my GPA is not good.
 
Any one can give me suggestion about my DAT score and do I have any chance to get accepted to dental school? Here is my DAT score:


Took on 12/9/2013

PAT: 20

RC: 17

QR: 17

BIO: 21

GC: 17

OC: 19


AA: 18, TS: 19, PAT 20

nsGPA: 3.04, sGPA:3.06


I am a dental hygienist and working at public setting dentistry for the past 5 years. I have 3000 hours of volunteer. I know my GPA and DAT score below average, so I plan to take classes in coming semester to gain my GPA. My question is do I get any chance to accept to dental school. I applied 5 schools this cycle but I know it’s late. So, my goal is to apply really early next year. Do I have any chance to get accepted? Do I have to retake DAT? Any suggestion would help. Thanks
You have really low grades and DAT score. Even if you do get in, it will probably be a private school. You'll need to apply to way more than just 5 schools. I had much higher grades and DAT and I applied to almost a dozen schools. I know of people who started with stats similar to yours, ended up doing postbacc or masters, retook DAT, and applied to over twenty schools only to be accepted at a fraction of those schools. It doesn't help that you're Asian.

Bring the GPA and DAT up.
 
Thank you fo your response..I have decide to not retake my DAT but will try to gain my GPA also consider for master degree and apply early and widely next cycle.I saw the 2012 average was 19/ 3.5 but it's a bell curve so my DAT is ok . I am also a RDH and have numerous of volunteer hours. Hopefully the admission look at overall package instead of just numbers. Let see how it goes. Thanks for al your response.
Don't **** with statistics man. You're forgetting that the people with low college GPA might have high graduate GPA from postbacc or master, which you don't have. There's also the fact that minorities are given leeway for low GPA because they're rare and schools are obligated to accept at least a few minorities. You are Asian. You are not a minority as far as dental schools are concerned. You have a very below average GPA that is not paired with an above average DAT. In fact, your DAT is below average. You've got nothing to redeem yourself without raising your GPA or DAT. Stop volunteering and go study.

If you want to go to a private school then you can get away with doing half of what I said.
lol everyone here told you to retake the DAT and you're saying you're going leave your score as is? do you carry a bag of four leaf clover around your neck? because you act like you're the luckiest person alive by saying you'll be in outer margins of the bell curve, that "hopefully" schools are going to ignore your grades, and by only applying to 5 schools...
 
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Thank you for your response..I have decide to not retake my DAT but will try to gain my GPA also consider for master degree and apply early and widely next cycle.I saw the 2012 average was 19/ 3.5 but it's a bell curve so my DAT is ok . I am also a RDH and have numerous of volunteer hours. Hopefully the admission look at overall package instead of just numbers. Let see how it goes. Thanks for al your response.
The RDH and the 3K hours of volunteering will not contribute much to an understanding of the pre clinical courses.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dental-hygiene-to-ds.952937/
 
Don't **** with statistics man. You're forgetting that the people with low college GPA might have high graduate GPA from postbacc or master, which you don't have. There's also the fact that minorities are given leeway for low GPA because they're rare and schools are obligated to accept at least a few minorities. You are Asian. You are not a minority as far as dental schools are concerned. You have a very below average GPA that is not paired with an above average DAT. In fact, your DAT is below average. You've got nothing to redeem yourself without raising your GPA or DAT. Stop volunteering and go study.

If you want to go to a private school then you can get away with doing half of what I said.
lol everyone here told you to retake the DAT and you're saying you're going leave your score as is? do you carry a bag of four leaf clover around your neck? because you act like you're the luckiest person alive by saying you'll be in outer margins of the bell curve, that "hopefully" schools are going to ignore your grades, and by only applying to 5 schools...
I never say I will leave my GPA like that. I have been taking post bachelor courses to raise my GPA. I apply 5 schools because I apply too late for last cycle and I know my situation. Just want to let you know I dont act like a luckiest person alive. Thanks for your response by the way.
 
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