ADVICE NEEDED, really need some advice

[imlyndon88]

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So I'm planning on taking my DAT next Monday May 24th

I haven't been able to study as much as I wanted to so I'm not sure if I'll get a good grade.

my question is, is better to just take it and submit my application early?
if i do that and my score is not great, the earliest i can retake it is mid-august, so should i just do the updating academics thing? or would it to be too late by august, they'll already have looked at my DAT score and reject me?

OR

should i just push back my test to mid june, and submit my application, but basically have no chance or retaking the DAT (if i do bad) for turning in my application early for this application cycle?

thanks in advance
i really need help

 

[sketo43]

I think that applying early is good, but it's more important to do well on the DAT. What kind of practice scores have you been getting? And how much better do you think you can do with an extra month of studying?

 

[imlyndon88]

i'im hitting like aa 17-18, PAT 19

i'm sure with one more month i could at least guarantee an 19 overall average or higher

do you know if its okay if i submit my application but i tell them i'm going to take it again and do the academic update? do you know anything about that?

i'm just wondering if i can take it may 24th, then if i get a bad score take it again in mid-august but still be considered turning in the application "early"

 

[sbl6]

taking it in june won't hurt you, it would be much better to wait 2-4 weeks and kill it than doing so-so right now. Taking it in June won't hinder your application, just have everything ready so you can enter your app when AADSAS opens and then study hard for a few weeks every day.

 

[agent2362]

i'im hitting like aa 17-18, PAT 19

i'm sure with one more month i could at least guarantee an 19 overall average or higher

do you know if its okay if i submit my application but i tell them i'm going to take it again and do the academic update? do you know anything about that?

i'm just wondering if i can take it may 24th, then if i get a bad score take it again in mid-august but still be considered turning in the application "early"

Yeah I would wait and take your test another month if you can really buckle down and realistically study more and build up to that critical threshold of information right before the test. I ended up rescheduling my test for two weeks later than I thought initially and it helped tremendously. If you get your app in to AADSAS before August and manage to get a 19-20 at least on the DAT, you should be fine as long as you have a decent GPA, extracurriculars, LOR's and apply to enough schools--say at least 10 (I did 16 to be safe).🙂

 

[solstice]

It is better to have a consistant, clean application than messy one. Rushing DAT to me is as if you are trying to quick fix a problem that does not exist yet. I do not know about your GPA, but let's say you get 18 in DAT, will you be happy or nervous all the application cycle. Why are you thinking about retake when you can do well in your first try. It's not broken yet, why fix it? Put another month or even two if necessary to get the 20+.
Submit your app and study hard for DAT and take it when ready to do well enough.

 

[dentalWorks]

to be honest with you... I think 95% of students who take the DAT (including myself) were in that position of doubt before.... feeling like they are going to bomb it before stepping in the testing center...

I don't think there is ANY disadvantage of moving it from may 24th to mid june. I mean if you are REALLY going to bomb it, then it doesn't matter if you took it may or June... both dates will push your retake 90 days away (screwed either way you go)....

If you are feeling (deep down inside) like your not prepared, sure go a head and push it to mid june.... only good things can come out of it

 

[imlyndon88]

so basically
if i take it next monday, and get a bad score and decide to retake it
(it would be august 21st as the next earliest date)

i'm basically screwed and it's kind of late in the application cycle?

is that the gist of it?

thanks for all of your answers
if you could clear up this last part

i'm leaning on pushing back my DAT

 

[dentalWorks]

so basically
if i take it next monday, and get a bad score and decide to retake it
(it would be august 21st as the next earliest date)

i'm basically screwed and it's kind of late in the application cycle?

is that the gist of it?

thanks for all of your answers
if you could clear up this last part

i'm leaning on pushing back my DAT

well, say you take it this monday and you REALLLLLLLY bombed it (15 or 16AA for example), then yes, taking the late august retake is kinda late. EVERYONE has a different definition of "applying early", but the general consensus I see around is usually June - first week of july is still considered fairly early.

I mean, you can use that 15AA to apply this june no problem, but when schools receive your application and you've indicated to them that your going to retake it in august, they aren't going to fully review your application until your retake is in.... so I don't think there is that much of a difference between late august retake vs mid september.... both dates are pretty advanced in the cycle