DAT Scores?

[futuredenti89]

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Hey all,

First time posting. I took the DAT on 6/21/2013. I find it discouraging reading other people's scores. I am wondering if I should retake the DAT around september, and if so will that hold affect my chances of acceptance. I have no interest in postponing school for another year.

Here's my stats:

Not completely sure of gpa because half of my education was at community college.

Community college: GPA: 3.8
University GPA: 3.4
(won't know further breakdown for science until application is processed)
Major: Human Biology Minor: Biochemistry

DAT: PA 19
QR 17
RC 22
BIO 19
GC 17
OC 17
TS 18
AA 18

Going to submit with around 80 hours of shadowing. I volunteered at Maine Med for 100 hours. I worked as a genetics research lab assistant for a year. I am currently working as a pharmacy technician (hoping that counts as a community involvement job)

Schools I am applying to:
University of New England (state school), Tufts, NYU, UConn, NJ, Buffalo, Case Western, Temple, and University of Maryland.

If I do retake, do I have to wait three months to sign back up for do I just have to make my test date three months from my last test?

 

[asne0407]

Have you looked up the schools your applying to to see if your dat matches up within one point? Your GPA looks good. If I were you I would just apply now.

 

[Rubberpulp]

I think you have a decent shot. It's good that nothing below a 17 you're set apply now

 

[asne0407]

P.S. applying early with an average DAT will probably serve you better than applying too late with MAYBE a slightly higher DAT (not guaranteed). If you look at the guide for applying to dental school, it says that the majority of people who retake the DAT do worse the second time then the first time. I don't think I would chance it....but that's just my opinion.

 

[jmh018]

A retake would be up to you, I think you are on the edge. I got an 18 my first time and decided to retake but that put my second test in the beginning of August so it was still early.

You just have to schedule 90 days out from the last test. You don't have to wait 90 days to schedule.

 

[futuredenti89]

I called UNE and was told that their cut off is 17 and that they are mainly looking for AA, TS, and RC to be in the 18-20 range. I feel as though I could improve my score by a point, maybe two here and there. I'm just nervous that a retake at the end of September and then having schools wait for the scores to arrive will put me late in the application cycle.

If I put a rescheduled test dat on my application, does that put my application on the back burner, or will it be conditionally reviewed?

 

[jmh018]

Generally if you have a test date scheduled, I think they don't look at your app yet. That is what I was told my the schools I applied to when I had a test date scheduled. It is a hard choice here because you really are right on the line. I am not sure what I would do in your situation. Good luck

 

[ChrisM07]

I called a school about this, because I am scheduled to take it in August, and they informed me that "many schools may possibly make a decision based on what they have in front of them. You may in fact get rejected even before you do the re-take. Call them and see if they will be willing to 'un-reject' you to take a look at your new DAT score. Some will and some won't." I thought this was odd.