DAT and Application process

[Philip]

Hi all, I'm new to the dental application process and I'm confused about the timing of everything.

I'm going to be a junior this fall and if I want to enter dental school in 2008 (and not waste 1 year), would I have to take the DAT and complete the adea application before the end of this year?

I've been reading about some California dental schools, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you have to finish DAT and dental application 2 years before the anticipated year you want to enter dental school(and not waste 1 year)??

For example, if I wanted to apply to UCLA, their deadline is January 1. I would basically have to apply before the end of this year because they say they will tell if you're accepted by December(so I'm in my senior year). Then I would be in dental school the following fall right?

Can you guys tell me if everything I'm saying true?? Thanks!!

 

[djeffreyt]

You are off by one year.

If you want to enter dental school in Fall of 2008, the you must apply in the summer of 2007. Here's the general timetable:

March 2007
Application cycle for for those applying to dental school for Fall 2007 pretty much closes

May 2007
Online AADSAS Application for those applying for dental school for Fall 2008 opens so you can fill it out

June 2007
Most people start submitting their applications to AADSAS (who checks it over and then forwards it to dental schools)

August 2007
Generally considered a latest you should be taking the DAT so that your application will be looked at by Dental schools early on in the application cycle

August 2007 - March 2008
People start getting calls from schools about submitting secondary applications and coming for interviews

December 2007 - June 2008
People start hearing about acceptances to schools and being waitlisted

Fall 2008
Dental school starts for those who applied and got in.

Here's a couple hints...but it's my own advice and others may say differently.

1) Purchase the ADEA dental school infomation book. It has specific details on each schools requirements and student profiles
2) Texas has a different system for their applications which start about a month earlier
3) get your letters of recommendations done early...like Spring 2007. If you have a prehealth office on campus that organizes those for you, have them at that office in spring 2007 so you can have them sent to AADSAS right away.
4) start studying for the DAT months in advance of taking it. The information isn't hard...it's just a lot to memorize and learn
5) take the DAT before you submit your application or in June at the latest. It just speeds everything up since dental schools will not even look at an application until the scores are in.
6) Send your transcripts to AADSAS in May of 2007 because it takes a couple weeks for them to get it and then 4-8 weeks for them to process everything before they send your application to schools
7) Keep on top of AADSAS and keep watching what happens to your application cause lots of lost this or that tend to occur.
8) there is nothing different about applying to California schools except that UOP starts it's classes in summer instead of fall, but applying is still the same

that's all I have to say...good luck

 

[Philip]

Thanks, that really Helped!!!

Also a few more questions.
1) DAT is administered everyday right?
2) How long does it take for results of DAT to come out?
3) after you take 1 DAT, you can take another after 90 days right?

Thanks again!! I now have a good timetable.

 

[djeffreyt]

Hi...I'm obviously avoiding my DAT studying right now.

1) the DAT is administered almost everyday...after you apply to take the test via the ADA, they send you a letter in about 2 weeks. In the letter is the website or phone # to call to schedule a DAT test. The website is sometimes wrong about available days (showing a great lack of them) so I'd call the #. Make sure you confirm your appt and double check days and times as some people have been screwed over by this.

2) The results are available to you immediately, you see it right after the timer pretty much. These scores will be sent to the ADA who then sends it to the designated dental schools. (this sometimes takes a couple weeks, so be aware and keep on top of it in case the scores get lost in the jumble of stuff)

3) yes, you can take another DAT after 90 days. You probably want to avoid being a guy who takes the DAT 4 times though...most schools will only take your final scores, but a few schools average your scores and all schools will see all the scores from all past tests...you cannot only submit your latest...doesn't work that way. As one admissions officer said to me once...The DAT is a test you can become accustomed to, so if we see that you took it 4 times and finally got decent scores after the 4th try, that's not always the best thing in our eyes. We don't want you to have to take your license exams 4 times to pass.

So, use Topscore, DAT achiever, DAT Doctor, DAT Destroyer, Kaplan Test materials, etc. etc to prepare you for what the test is like and try to take it only once...maybe twice.