DAT application date?

[JaeDRa]

So I've been told that the opening date of application submission is Mid-May. And that it's better to submit your application AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Here's my question:

So I haven't taken the DAT yet, and I feel uncomfortable taking it right after my semester ends (I'm a undergrad Junior) in early May. So if I submit my application mid-may, but take the DAT later on (say June or July), would they "put off" my application that I submitted earlier in May (hence, lowering my chances of getting in), or is this an acceptable way of going about it? i.e. would my chances not be hurt despite the DAT score coming in late?

If I could get a thoughtful answer, I would really appreciate it!!

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[SES0112]

The application opens first week of June. You cannot submit sooner than that. I personally submitted my AADSAS in June and retook my DAT in August. The schools did not receive the scores for 4 weeks, so Sept.-ish. I ended up with 1 interview but feel I could have gotten more had I submitted sooner. I think it varies on your other stats or how well you do on the DAT. If you have solid stats and a solid DAT, you would be fine submitting it later. And yes, some schools put your application aside until it is complete (i.e. DAT scores on file). I spoke to each school individually and some schools allowed me to fax them my unofficial scores before AADSAS sent my official ones, which sped up the process a bit, but it varies depending on the school.

 

[Bobby Fischer]

my respone to your questions in blue below:

So I've been told that the opening date of application submission is Mid-May. And that it's better to submit your application AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Here's my question:

So I haven't taken the DAT yet, and I feel uncomfortable taking it right after my semester ends (I'm a undergrad Junior) in early May. So if I submit my application mid-may, but take the DAT later on (say June or July), would they "put off" my application that I submitted earlier in May (hence, lowering my chances of getting in), or is this an acceptable way of going about it? i.e. would my chances not be hurt despite the DAT score coming in late? From what I have gathered over the years it is definitely a statistical best bet to get your full appllication package in on the first week if not first day if not first hour possible.

Might want to do some research in this forum towards "first batch, second batch, etc" if you haven't already...

Personally, it took me until August to feel ready for the DAT. I had planned on mid summer to late summer but my prep spilled over into early Fall. Knowing at the time about the first batch, second batch, etc thing...there was a lot of pressure to take the DAT as soon as possible but I also know myself and knew I wasn't ready to do well until I knew I was ready...so I kept studying and put it off until the earliest I felt 100% ready to go and destroy it.

I do think the relative lateness of my full application* did slow down the review & response time and who knows perhaps I would have gotten more interview invites than I did/have gotten thus far. Still, my application is still being reviewed by every school I applied to and/or I have interviews and/or offers have been made. No rejections yet. At this point my applicaiton status to the other schools is probably not important since I already accepted at the #1 school of my choice anyways. Good Luck

*I submitted my application with everything completed with the exception of the DAT in around end of July I think. When I (finally!) took the DAT a few weeks later, it was really easy at that point because the application simply updated at AADSAS and AADSAS sent in a new pdf of my final application which included the DAT scores. Seems like that final step took 1-2 weeks after the date I took the DAT.

If I could get a thoughtful answer, I would really appreciate it!!

 

[sunflower8]

I started studying for mine at the end of January last year (as an undergrad junior) and took them at the end of the first week of April. I did it so this way so I could retake in the summer if I needed to but I ended up being pretty happy with my scores. I think if you started studying now, and put in the necessary time and effort you could be ready by May, there's not really any way to know unless you try! Granted it isn't easy. You can always study, wait till May is approaching, and then schedule it later and later as you feel comfortable. July isn't too late but it takes a while for scores to get to AADSAS which could push you into August for a complete application. Personally, I applied the very earliest that I could and I feel as though this put me at an advantage as I received my first interview in the middle of July. It's not easy to study for the DAT while in spring semester of junior year, but it's worth it to put the time and effort in I think. All depends on your study habits and how much you can push yourself