DAT retake in Late-September

[premac]

Hey guys,
After days of contemplation, I finally decided on a DAT retake.
I took my DAT on June 26th and got 20 TS, 21AA, 23 PAT (As you can see in my breakdown). My oGPA is 3.74 and sGPA 3.69.
Many people will say it's fine and I don't have to retake, but it's my personal thought that I really should retake. My dream schools are UPenn and Columbia, and I don't want to spend 4+ years in my state school that where I may not "love" being there. Besides, I wish to specialize.
And I REALLY feel bad that I was in the 97.2% percentile from 21 AA. I really feel like I could have much better, and I got really unlucky. The questions that were on the DAT still haunt me in my dream.
I really feel like I will be able to pull off 23,24+ on the next DAT if I retake.

The question is: Is September 26th still good to get me accepted this cycle?
My application has been mailed already, and I was in the first batch.
How can I tell the schools that I plan to retake?
Would they still reject me before I even retake?
Would some schools still give me interviews even if they know I'm going to retake, but they are satisfied with my scores? Or would my app be on hold?
I would really appreciate some input!

Thanks!

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[DoeAdeer]

Hey guys,
After days of contemplation, I finally decided on a DAT retake.
I took my DAT on June 26th and got 20 TS, 21AA, 23 PAT (As you can see in my breakdown). My oGPA is 3.74 and sGPA 3.69.
Many people will say it's fine and I don't have to retake, but it's my personal thought that I really should retake. My dream schools are UPenn and Columbia, and I don't want to spend 4+ years in my state school that where I may not "love" being there. Besides, I wish to specialize.
And I REALLY feel bad that I was in the 97.2% percentile from 21 AA. I really feel like I could have much better, and I got really unlucky. The questions that were on the DAT still haunt me in my dream.
I really feel like I will be able to pull off 23,24+ on the next DAT if I retake.

The question is: Is September 26th still good to get me accepted this cycle?
My application has been mailed already, and I was in the first batch.
How can I tell the schools that I plan to retake?
Would they still reject me before I even retake?
Would some schools still give me interviews even if they know I'm going to retake, but they are satisfied with my scores? Or would my app be on hold?
I would really appreciate some input!

Thanks!

It seems like going to a particular school is more important than becoming a dentist in itself to you.

 

[finchy86]

Hey guys,
After days of contemplation, I finally decided on a DAT retake.
I took my DAT on June 26th and got 20 TS, 21AA, 23 PAT (As you can see in my breakdown). My oGPA is 3.74 and sGPA 3.69.
Many people will say it's fine and I don't have to retake, but it's my personal thought that I really should retake. My dream schools are UPenn and Columbia, and I don't want to spend 4+ years in my state school that where I may not "love" being there. Besides, I wish to specialize.
And I REALLY feel bad that I was in the 97.2% percentile from 21 AA. I really feel like I could have much better, and I got really unlucky. The questions that were on the DAT still haunt me in my dream.
I really feel like I will be able to pull off 23,24+ on the next DAT if I retake.

The question is: Is September 26th still good to get me accepted this cycle?
My application has been mailed already, and I was in the first batch.
How can I tell the schools that I plan to retake?
Would they still reject me before I even retake?
Would some schools still give me interviews even if they know I'm going to retake, but they are satisfied with my scores? Or would my app be on hold?
I would really appreciate some input!

Thanks!

I think your nuts. I would take those scores any day.

 

[premac]

It seems like going to a particular school is more important than becoming a dentist in itself to you.

Criticize me all you want. Attending a dental school for 4+ years would be an essential experience prior to becoming a dentist. I'm not the type of person who wants to just "get by" and become a dentist as quickly as I can. If I'm going to be paying 300k+ for the 4 years in dental school, I definitely want to go where I wish to go.

I believe that you already have a great shot at UPenn with those scores. Is it REALLY worth it to go through it again for Columbia?

I'm not sure if I really do have a great shot at UPenn. Both my GPA and DAT are mediocre. From what I've heard, UPenn loves high GPA. However, mine's not that high, and it's not like my DAT can support it either. I just want my chance to be higher, because I really don't want to end up somewhere I don't "love".

 

[Davermz450]

1) how do you know you can't get in with those scores?
2) how do you know you will like upenn and Columbia?

If you you are confident that you will like those schools over your state school and you are confident that you won't get in with a 21AA, then re take. I personally think that you can get an interview. Not accepted but an interview for sure. If you kill the interview you're gold! Best of luck!

 

[AnaCho]

i think on the application there's a section asking you to put your most recent dat and future dat.

 

[theleatherwalle]

picking a school is a big deal.

I understand that.

I would suggest that you apply now and put down your current DAT score. Then indicate to columbia that you plan on doing a retake.

The average DAT for matriculants is dental schol is a 19. A 21 AA will put you into running at almost every school.

Your state school may not be ranked highly, but it will be much cheaper. If you really want to specialize then go for it. I will tell you this right now though. You really don't know where you want to specialize in at this point in time. You may think you do, but you likely don't

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=400209

 

[1122334455]

.

 

[RU1992]

Let's say you do well on your retake. How do you even know that Columbia and Penn will take you after that? It's the luck of the draw. I'd take your scores any day. Those scores aren't just mediocre, they're strong scores. I wouldn't spend my time studying for the DAT again and going through the process, maybe to only be in the same position again if you do the same and/or score higher but don't land those schools.. I think you'd be better off just focusing in whatever dental school you go to and becoming the best of your class there. That's how you get into specialties anyways.. Just my perspective.

 

[premac]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the input.
One thing to clarify: I already applied. My application has been mailed in the first batch. Everything is in.

I would like to state that the purpose of making this thread wasn't to ask whether I should retake or not. I'm set on retaking, and even if there's a chance that I may do worse, I'm willing to take the risk. To make that risk as small as possible, I'm going to study very hard. I totally believe that I can do it, and I would appreciate it if you guys can get past that idea to answer my other questions.

Thanks!

p.s. I applied to 12 schools, and I sent an email to Columbia, UPenn, UCLA, USC, Stony Brook, Harvard, and Michigan telling them that I plan to retake the DAT and asked if my application can be put on hold until then.
I haven't notified other schools such as SIU, NYU, Detroit Mercy, and UIC because I think I have a high chance of scoring interviews from these schools.
I need to do something about UCSF, but they don't have an email address

 

[dentrx]

Definitely a retake 99 percentile is a huge improvement over 97. Adcoms won't wonder why you did it, especially if your score is lower.

 

[jeffity]

Your mind is made up about retaking and you already submitted, so I'll only offer my opinion in answering your questions (keeping Penn and Columbia in mind, specifically)...

Is September 26th still good to get me accepted this cycle?
Let's pretend your top schools all hold your application for new scores. Is 9/26 the date you've scheduled to retake? If so, your new scores are looking to arrive mid-October? That's a little scary. If you're lucky your schools will take your faxed unofficial scores. Columbia, UCLA and Michigan say they won't. So it's worth inquiring at the others. Those extra couple of weeks might be significant. It will be 4 months into the cycle before your application is complete. And when you're talking about some prime schools who get a lot of applications and probably see all the top scores, you better show up with some pretty baller numbers if you're showing up that late to the party.

My application has been mailed already, and I was in the first batch. How can I tell the schools that I plan to retake?
Direct communication. And right away. You've started that process. Each of their policies/responses make the answers to your next questions vary...

Would they still reject me before I even retake?
Sure, if they won't hold your application. But you're not exactly reject-able material at some (most?) of those schools. But this is why you notify them immediately (like you're doing) so your app doesn't get reviewed. BUT if they refuse to hold your application for new scores (Michigan, for example), then you're 'stuck' with your 3.75/3.69 21/20/23 application. Looks like UCSF is going to process you too. You meet their minimum requirements so they won't hold it for you.

Would some schools still give me interviews even if they know I'm going to retake, but they are satisfied with my scores? Or would my app be on hold?
I would count on only having your completed application reviewed once. So either they won't hold it and will just review it (complete), or they'll hold it and wait for review (incomplete). They won't peek at your scores for fun and just invite you anyway if they like what they see. If they will wait for new scores, you're banished to the back burner...until October.

 

[premac]

Your mind is made up about retaking and you already submitted, so I'll only offer my opinion in answering your questions (keeping Penn and Columbia in mind, specifically)...

Is September 26th still good to get me accepted this cycle?
Let's pretend your top schools all hold your application for new scores. Is 9/26 the date you've scheduled to retake? If so, your new scores are looking to arrive mid-October? That's a little scary. If you're lucky your schools will take your faxed unofficial scores. Columbia, UCLA and Michigan say they won't. So it's worth inquiring at the others. Those extra couple of weeks might be significant. It will be 4 months into the cycle before your application is complete. And when you're talking about some prime schools who get a lot of applications and probably see all the top scores, you better show up with some pretty baller numbers if you're showing up that late to the party.

My application has been mailed already, and I was in the first batch. How can I tell the schools that I plan to retake?
Direct communication. And right away. You've started that process. Each of their policies/responses make the answers to your next questions vary...

Would they still reject me before I even retake?
Sure, if they won't hold your application. But you're not exactly reject-able material at some (most?) of those schools. But this is why you notify them immediately (like you're doing) so your app doesn't get reviewed. BUT if they refuse to hold your application for new scores (Michigan, for example), then you're 'stuck' with your 3.75/3.69 21/20/23 application. Looks like UCSF is going to process you too. You meet their minimum requirements so they won't hold it for you.

Would some schools still give me interviews even if they know I'm going to retake, but they are satisfied with my scores? Or would my app be on hold?
I would count on only having your completed application reviewed once. So either they won't hold it and will just review it (complete), or they'll hold it and wait for review (incomplete). They won't peek at your scores for fun and just invite you anyway if they like what they see. If they will wait for new scores, you're banished to the back burner...until October.

Ugh... jeffity... You've changed my decision...
I decided not to retake the DAT.
Hopefully I will still have a chance at all these schools.