DAT Score - taking DAT then taking a gap year

[rdanse13]

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TL;DR: I want to take the DAT and not have the scores sent anywhere until I actually begin applying next year. How will sending the score(s) work when I actually begin applying? Any unforeseen complications with doing this?

For context: I graduated Spring 2018 and only recently decided I would rather go the dental route than medical school, and was hoping to take the DAT this summer while most of the material is still relatively fresh in my mind. However, my plan is basically to take 2 gap years and instead of applying for admission in Fall 2019, I would begin my application process next year for admission in Fall 2020. (I am doing this so that I can work in the mean time to save up some money and add some experiences that will really strengthen my application)

My Questions: When I went to register to take the DAT this summer, I saw that I am expected to select the schools I want my score sent to, but I would assume that, because I am not intending to apply this cycle, I should not select any. I am wondering, then, if the DAT score I receive will simply be saved to my ADA account and be available for me to send when I begin applying this time next year, or, if it is not that simple, are there any problems/complications with my current plan (e.g. will there be a larger fee to send my DAT score; do I have to apply this cycle to take the DAT, or other issues like these)?

 

[future_nostalgia]

I would strongly suggest selecting every single school when you register, because it's free! Once you take the DAT and your scores are verified, they'll be saved on your ADA account, and you'll be able to send them when you apply but you'd have to pay for each individual school that you send them to -- which is why it's better to just send them to every single school from the beginning since you don't have to pay to send them when you're registering. I don't think it matters if you take it during a cycle that you're not applying in, because it all stays on record through your DENTPIN. I took my DAT before my junior year and am applying this cycle, and all my scores have already been sent.

 

[dent_wannabe]

Yeah send all your scores to everywhere. There is no incentive to wait until you are applying to send scores. Basically, if you were to retake the DAT, schools will see all scores anyways. You cannot send scores selectively like were are able to with the ACT, SAT, or GRE.