Applying for 2009 - When to take the DAT?

[burban]

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I'm thinking of applying this cycle for fall '09. The problem is I have not taken my DAT yet. If I fill out my application and submit everything before I take the DAT do you think I can take the DAT around July and still have the possiblity of getting any interviews? I know this is very risky but I really want to apply this cycle. Any advice will be appreciated because at this point I am pretty well confused. Thanks!

PS: Sorry if this has been asked previously but I could not find any similar posts when I searched.

 

[gym.addict]

You will definitely be fine taking your DAT in July. I took my DAT in July (July 10th if I recall correctly) and still got 6 interviews, 3 of which I cancelled after I got accepted to my top 2 schools; and this is after submitting my application in SEPTEMBER! Just make sure you kill the DAT the first time, otherwise you'll have to wait 3 months to retake it, and that could become somewhat problematic.

 

[MilDoc23]

You will be golden. I waited until the summer before my senior year to take the DATs. I believe I took it on July 30th. I e-submitted my AADSAS app on July 17th so the schools got my application first and my DAT scores probably a few weeks after. I'd say that all the schools received everything including fees and supplementals by the beginning of September. I applied to 13 schools and withdrew from two of them early before I heard back from them. I got interviews from the other 11 schools with 9 of them before Dec. 1st. I was accepted to 7 around Dec. 1st and right after withdrew from the two post-Dec. 1st interviews. I haven't received any rejections, and I recently withdrew from the other two schools that hadn't made a final decision on my application.
Best of luck to you, and if you have any specific questions, feel free to pm me. I'd be happy to help.

 

[burban]

Thanks for the good advice! I'm also unsure of whether to apply this cycle due to some of the prereqs. that I have not taken. I still need to take Ochem II, and both physics. Is this a problem?

 

[MilDoc23]

Well, as long as you communicate to the schools that you will be taking those classes before you graduate, I think you will be fine. I would recommend finishing up orgo II before the DATs.