DAT first or application first?

[rcmonkeypie]

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Hello:

I have a question regarding the application process? Should I take DAT first then sent out the applicatons to aadsa or should I sent out the applications first in early June then take the test? I plan to take the DAT at the end of June. I have heard that it takes longer for aadsa sending out materials to school than ADA senting out the official dat score to schools. Are there any truth in that? Thanks!

 

[xc1999]

I would strongly suggest sending in your application first. This makes it easier on you cause you can just concentrate on the DAT after your application is done. The ad comms may not look at your application anyway until after you've taken your DAT (w/ some exceptions.....one person here on SDN said he got an interview at UPENN w/o even taking his DAT first), but it's a good idea to turn in your app first just so you get it over it. I think if you send in June and take the DAT in august....you should be fine.

Hope that helps.

 

[xc1999]

Oops...sorry....I didn't exactly get a chance to read all of your post. Well, if you have all your letters of recs and essay ready to go, I guess you can take the DAT at the end of June as well (as long as you feel you are ready). And yes, it does take longer for AADSAS to send in your application to schools than it does for the ADA to send in your DAT scores. I think it takes about a month for AADSAS to actually start sending out your application, and another month (or two) for the school to reply back (letting you know whether they've recieved your application or if they want you to come in for an interview). The DAT scores only take 3 weeks to get to the school.

Hope that helps as well....good luck!

xc1999

 

[DesiDentist]

Application first.

TAke your DAT by mid-August.

DesiDentist

 

[qbert]

Get the application in ASAP. Take it from someone who knows. I waited until after I took the DAT and it probably cost me some interview opportunities and caused me to go through the waitlist process with the ones that I did interview with. If you get the application in first, you can take your time with the DAT as long as you get that done by mid Aug.

 

[csani]

I will be writing the DAT in late August/early September. Will it make any difference whether I send in the rest of my application in one package in early July versus sending in the rest of the application in multiple parts between late May to early July? I am leaning towards sending in the one package in early July because sending that will reduce the potential of misplaced application components at/by AADSAS. Another assumption is also that AADSAS will take about 2 months to get the application to the schools. Either way, the completed package should be at the schools by Mid-September if I fax in the unofficial DAT scores two weeks after writing the exam.
I will appreciate your comments on the assumption and the options. Cheers,
Cy

 

[qbert]

You should probably send all of the application materials at once. It removes a lot of variables and AADSAS is not the most streamlined service. I had a letter sent from a prof. to AADSAS after my application was received and that letter didn't get forwarded to the schools UNTIL I told AADSAS to send that letter out. Get the package into ADDSAS as soon as you can in July.

 

[StarGirl]

application first 🙂
then you can follow up to make sure they have everything else...and the second they get your scores they can look over your application (or w/ some school's they'll invite you to an interview before they get your DAT scores...i got two before my DAT was even taken 🙂 oh keep in mind i had a 3.2 maybe 3.1ish gpa...so anything's possible)

 

[csani]

qbert and Stargirl: Thanks for your replies! Time to get back to the books to cram for DAT....