Anyone received an email from Tufts regarding the DAT re-take?

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jshyun320

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I received an email from Tufts saying that I need to re-take the DAT.
It seems to me that I must get a higher score in RC or no interview! 😡😡

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Thank you for your application to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine! We are currently in the process of reviewing your application to our D.M.D. program. Our office utilizes four sections of the DAT exam for purposes of our review: the Academic Average, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Total Science. Although your scores in three of these sections fall within our competitive range, your Reading Comprehension score is just meeting our minimum score.

Do you have any plans to retake the DAT? If you do in fact already have a future test date planned, let us know so that we can note this in your file. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know. Thank you and enjoy your day!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


My DAT (Bio: 22/ GC: 22/ OC: 28/ QR: 22/ PAT: 24/ RC:17 😡)

TS: 23 AA: 22


I am not sure if I should re-take the DAT as I am worried about doing worse in other sections.
Additionally, there is no guarantee that I will get a higher score in RC if I re-take the exam.



Has anyone received similar email from them? I really don't know what to do now... 😕😕
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That sucks dude! They should overlook that with your high AA. Maybe they just want an excuse to not give you an interview. Or maybe it was a mistake? You should call them up and talk about it.
 
I had a friend get that last year...and I know Tufts does send out this email to applicants they are considering but want to see one improvement in the DAT score. I guess it depends how many interviews you have, how badly you want to go to Tufts, it does suck that its just that one score - since your other scores are phenomenal! If I were you, I'd call in and ask about your score; get a better feel if you didn't take it how that would affect your app. (don't ask that straight up, but just talk with them to see if this is truly holding your app back)

- in most cases, if you got that email that is the reason why you haven't received an interview from Tufts yet... And that if you were to do as they've asked and improved...most likely will be granted one...gluck!
 
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This is a tuff call (pun intended). Most schools only consider the most recent DAT scores. Thus, even though you retake it for Tough sake (pun intended again) and then do worse, other schools will focus on these new scores instead.
 
Tufts and Penn are notorious for their love for high RC scores.
Low RC and it's pretty much an automatic rejection at these schools, no matter what your AA is.
 
I also got the a similar email from them some time back. My initial DAT scores were very low so they sent me this:

Thank you for submitting your application to Tufts! I wanted to reach out to you regarding your DAT scores. I wanted to make sure that you were aware that your current DAT scores do not meet our minimum scores in all sections. Our minimums are 17 for PAT and Reading and 16 for Academic Average and Total Science. Have you scheduled a second test date? In the areas of Academic Average, PAT, Reading, & Total science we are looking for a 19-21 in order to be most competitive. I’ll place your application on hold now pending a new set of scores.

So i retook the test and bombed it again with 17's in all sections. They received my new scores and i've since not heard from them....I guess they realize my case is hopeless. hahah :scared:
 
Does Tufts send out app complete emails?
 
Absolutely no reason for you to retake it. Your scores are phenomenal and one bad section does not mean that your not competitive. Obviously your GPA is good enough since their considering you so im sure with your DAT score and gpa you have definitely a good chance of getting in somewhere. Realize this, if you retake it and dont do as well lets say you end up getting a 21 then schools are then gonna wonder why your scores went down which is a lot worse then having a great DAT score with just one bad section!
 
Thank you all for your thoughts! I guess I will just wait to hear back from other schools...
 
If you want to go to Tufts - re-take it. If you have other interviews lined up, other schools in mind than ignore re-taking it b/c your scores are great. To answer some question above, Tufts takes the best of your two scores. They will understand how difficult it would be for you to replicate your very high scores - but if you can do it, maintain good scores - but in particular raise the reading ....they will see this as this kid took the effort to redo it b/c he wants to come here (just can't bomb it the 2nd time around). Though thats a major feat cause you really did amazing otherwise...slash I personally wouldn't want to put myself through that test again given how good your other scores were....btw Tufts does send app complete emails

Gluck!
 
Does Tufts send an email after you send in your application fee? I sent mine almost 2 months ago and heard nothing from them.
 
Don't underestimate the RC score. In the most recent ADA survey, an overwhelming number of dental schools considered Bio and RC scores as the two most important sections. And it makes sense if you think about it. Dental school is intense with a lot of scientific/analytical reading. A Director of Admissions told me that there's a high correlation between RC score and success in dental school. He knows this from years of experience as do all of the schools.
 
katwoman1688 said:
If you want to go to Tufts - re-take it. If you have other interviews lined up, other schools in mind than ignore re-taking it b/c your scores are great. To answer some question above, Tufts takes the best of your two scores. They will understand how difficult it would be for you to replicate your very high scores - but if you can do it, maintain good scores - but in particular raise the reading ....they will see this as this kid took the effort to redo it b/c he wants to come here (just can't bomb it the 2nd time around). Though thats a major feat cause you really did amazing otherwise...slash I personally wouldn't want to put myself through that test again given how good your other scores were....btw Tufts does send app complete emails

Gluck!
Click to expand...

I thought about re-taking the DAT and decided not to... I've been in the States for only 4 years and reading is definitely not my strongest section on the exam (just my excuse). Although Tufts "was" one of my top-choice schools, I just decided not to take a risk. I have 2 interviews scheduled, and given that my mailing date was somewhat late in the cycle (09/02), I will just wait and pray for other schools to get back to me. Thank you so much for your thought! 🙂
 
coolked said:
Does Tufts send an email after you send in your application fee? I sent mine almost 2 months ago and heard nothing from them.
Click to expand...

Yes, they do. My application was mailed on 09/02, and I received an email from the school on 09/12. You should call and ask about your application status. Good luck! 🙂

[Edit]: Nvm... I received an email asking for application fee... I did not receive any email from them after sending my check.
 
Last edited:
coolked said:
Does Tufts send an email after you send in your application fee? I sent mine almost 2 months ago and heard nothing from them.
Click to expand...

I don't think I received an email about receiving my app fee, but my school decision on AADSAS did change to "Received/Under Review."
 
jshyun320 said:
I thought about re-taking the DAT and decided not to... I've been in the States for only 4 years and reading is definitely not my strongest section on the exam (just my excuse). Although Tufts "was" one of my top-choice schools, I just decided not to take a risk. I have 2 interviews scheduled, and given that my mailing date was somewhat late in the cycle (09/02), I will just wait and pray for other schools to get back to me. Thank you so much for your thought! 🙂
Click to expand...

Good call, you will get in somewhere with your great scores I hope.

Good luck!
 
jshyun320 said:
I received an email from Tufts saying that I need to re-take the DAT.
It seems to me that I must get a higher score in RC or no interview! 😡😡

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for your application to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine! We are currently in the process of reviewing your application to our D.M.D. program. Our office utilizes four sections of the DAT exam for purposes of our review: the Academic Average, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Total Science. Although your scores in three of these sections fall within our competitive range, your Reading Comprehension score is just meeting our minimum score.

Do you have any plans to retake the DAT? If you do in fact already have a future test date planned, let us know so that we can note this in your file. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know. Thank you and enjoy your day!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


My DAT (Bio: 22/ GC: 22/ OC: 28/ QR: 22/ PAT: 24/ RC:17 😡)

TS: 23 AA: 22


I am not sure if I should re-take the DAT as I am worried about doing worse in other sections.
Additionally, there is no guarantee that I will get a higher score in RC if I re-take the exam.



Has anyone received similar email from them? I really don't know what to do now... 😕😕
Click to expand...

Are you a foreigner (based on your handle)? Because if you're not a native English speaker, the RC will be very critical especially since the standards are higher for int'l students. You may have to retake (not only for Tufts) because you will be compared to other int'l students who will have 20+ RC scores.
 
YoHomey said:
Are you a foreigner (based on your handle)? Because if you're not a native English speaker, the RC will be very critical especially since the standards are higher for int'l students. You may have to retake (not only for Tufts) because you will be compared to other int'l students who will have 20+ RC scores.
Click to expand...

That's what I heard, too. Thankfully, I am a US citizen. I was born in the States while my father was studying here. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have a chance. lol
 
jshyun320 said:
I thought about re-taking the DAT and decided not to... I've been in the States for only 4 years and reading is definitely not my strongest section on the exam (just my excuse). Although Tufts "was" one of my top-choice schools, I just decided not to take a risk. I have 2 interviews scheduled, and given that my mailing date was somewhat late in the cycle (09/02), I will just wait and pray for other schools to get back to me. Thank you so much for your thought! 🙂
Click to expand...

Which two schools invited you for the interview?
Because I am having a similar stat (AA:21 TS:22 PAT 25) and mailing date (late Aug.-Early Sep.) but no interviews yet 🙁
 
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