ADA Rant!

[shane.]

So we're all familiar with the preliminary five schools you are allowed to have your DAT scores sent to included in the test application fee; Each additional school you have the scores sent to is an additional $25.

So here's my issue. Two of the five schools I initially designated, I am not going to be applying to and there are two new schools to which I would like my DAT scores sent to. So I phone ADA Testing Services Department and ask if there is anyway I could have two of the schools switched. Keep in mind that my DAT scheduled date is July 30. The representative replies immediately with a "No", at which point I asked why. With, literally, a ten second akward silence on the line (presumably the representative taking time to actually ask herself why I couldn't) she stumbles and stutters her way through a reasoning, including that, "it is the rules."

Fair enough, I think to myself, it's an extra money grab for ADA if I have to drop the extra $50 to send the scores to the additional two schools. I'm not going to argue with the lady so I continue to ask if I could simply have the two schools that I no longer am applying to removed so that they don't recieve my DAT scores. I am then told that there is no way to cancel the school designations. It is written in stone!

gg ADA.... gg!

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[DMDreaming]

Yeah, and last year each additional school was only $15!

 

[slashnroses19]

will they tell you what schools you marked down on your initial 5? i lost my list and i need to retrieve the schools so i don't pay double.

 

[shane.]

slash, that, i'm pretty sure, they would let you know.

I'm going to try calling early tommorow to see if I can get a different representative and see if they say the same thing. I'm sure it wouldn't take much at all (5 minutes tops) to change the schools around. Frustrating!

 

[bruinpredent]

will they tell you what schools you marked down on your initial 5? i lost my list and i need to retrieve the schools so i don't pay double.

hate to break it to you, but they don't. i called in a month ago to ask which schools i had sent mine to, and i was told they don't keep records of that (what the heck?). sometimes i wonder if they actually, you know...do anything.

they made an extra $125 off of me.

 

[DMDreaming]

hate to break it to you, but they don't. i called in a month ago to ask which schools i had sent mine to, and i was told they don't keep records of that (what the heck?). sometimes i wonder if they actually, you know...do anything.

they made an extra $125 off of me.

Interesting. I had the same thing happen last year, called the ADA and they were able to pull up which schools I'd submitted DATs to using my SS# as an ID. I wonder if it is luck of the draw on who you get on the phone.

 

[bruinpredent]

Interesting. I had the same thing happen last year, called the ADA and they were able to pull up which schools I'd submitted DATs to using my SS# as an ID. I wonder if it is luck of the draw on who you get on the phone.

lame

 

[SirShagaLot]

the ADA is a complete ripoff...they dont give a damn how poor u are, they will screw u over every single time they get the chance....they care about your money and thats it.

 

[wannabDMD]

yeah i had the same situation and I called ADA like 2 months before my scheduled exam date. The rep couldnt really give me a good reason why either, she was just like, it's not allowed.maybe we had the same person

 

[xdianaax]

That's silly! The scores haven't even been sent out, better yet, created! Why can't they? All they do is change it in the computer system.

 

[Shermanmurman]

Hey guys.... since we are on the topic, how do we add schools we want our DAT sent to? Do I call them or do it online?? ( I have not taken the DAT yet but when I registered for the DAT, I just put down the 5 free schools, now I want to add) Thanks for the help guys

 

[ummjoey]

^i did mine online

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/index.asp

on the right side under "After The Test:" there is "Request Score Report

(Electronic)" and the rest is just filling stuff in.

 

[neurotic]

I also had problems dealing with them. Everyone I spoke with on the phone was a complete jerk.

 

[armorshell]

I also had problems dealing with them. Everyone I spoke with on the phone was a complete jerk.

I'm betting they think the same thing

 

[Mila]

will they tell you what schools you marked down on your initial 5? i lost my list and i need to retrieve the schools so i don't pay double.

I had the same issue last year, and they read me the list of schools on the phone. I don't remember it being a problem at all.

 

[reapply2007]

Last year I added some schools to AADSAS and the DAT score request. I called to see when they were sent out and they knew not only when the scores would be finalized but they told me which schools I had previously requested scores for and which had not yet been received. They were very helpful and even a little simpathetic to my d-school applicant problems.

If you have problems, though, stop by the ADEA when you find yourself in DC and get a tour. As much as I hate needless red tape, the system worked for me.

American Dental Education Association
1400 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-289-7201

 

[slashnroses19]

they told me my five schools nicely