Best time to take the DAT?

[DuckDS]

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Hey y'all! I am currently a sophomore who is planning on finishing up the O-Chem sequence this year. I will also have a couple upper div. Bio classes under my belt after Spring term. I am not sure what I am doing this summer besides volunteering and working, and it is very possible I will have some time on my hands. My class load next year might be considerable, so I am wondering if it would be wise to take the DAT this September before I start my Junior year, or wait until sometime between January-June next year, knowing I will be balancing DAT studying with my regular schoolwork?

Thanks!

 

[ncide]

Your DAT test results remain acceptable for admission into dental schools for 2 years.

The best time is to study for the DAT is during the summer months since you can devote more time to those studies. Take into consideration the expiration of your scores, and apply accordingly.

 

[BioForLife]

I think it's worth giving the DAT a shot before your junior year. You'll just have finished O-chem so you'll have that fresh in your mind, and you won't have to worry about the increased workload you mentioned coming up in your next year. Also, it'll leave you plenty of time so if you need to (hopefully not) retake the DAT for any reason, you won't have to stress so much about deadlines.

 

[dds_cm]

That's what I did: take my DAT the September before my junior year. I definitely recommend it, especially if you don't have any commitments that'll take a large chunk of your time. I had about 2.5 months to study, but the first month and a half, I was pretty tired after working 8-hour shifts. I then quit my job and had more time to study for about 5 weeks to really hard-core study, and I came out with the score that I wanted. I have a couple friends studying for it right now in the middle of the school year, and I can't imagine how burdensome that must be for them trying to balance school, work, and studying for the DAT.