DAT - should I retake?

[hystericblue]

I wrote the DAT on July 28.
My scores are as follows:
PA - 20
QR - 15
RC - 19
Bio - 19
GC -19
OC - 22

TS - 20
AA - 19

I studied from DAT destroyer, princeton review mcat texts and some high school text.

I found the QR quite challenging. It asked a lot of geometry questions, such as ellipses, circles, conics stuff.

should i retake it just for QR?

thanks for your input

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[diesels]

I think it's probably too late to retake this cycle. Nice scores. I don't know that the QR will hurt you that much.

 

[UNC2008]

how is your GPA? if above 3.2-3.3...then NO!

 

[Lonely Sol]

All your other scores are consistent plus many ppl are doing bad in qr, so I dont think you will be the only one with low qr score so it shouldnt hurrt you that bad.

I was wondering why are ppl doing so bad in qr now. What type of questions are they asking?, I mean is it like just a lot of word problems that are do-able or many crazy questions that no one would've seen unless you are a math major?

 

[Forum Lurker]

I'm hoping the QR won't be that big a deal. I'm actually in the same boat you are:
AA-20
PA-23
QR-15
RC-20
Bio-18
GC-23
OC-23
TS-21

The QR was definitely challenging. I was surprised by those geometry questions too. I also didn't manage my time very well during that test and before I knew it, I was freaking out. Oh well. Like I said, I'm hoping a low QR won't be that damaging. Best of luck!

 

[passDAThope]

If I was in your position I would be extremely happy with that score. I want to at minimum get a 17-18 which I don't think I'll get. The reason I don't think I'll get it is because since coming to these forums I have realized how I don't know. I have been following this DAT book a friend gave me (Barron's) and would follow the book and then I would go into more detail to what was discussed in the book using old notes. So I guess by following the book, there is alot more information that I didn't realize that I had to know. Now with the DAT test coming on Aug 18, I have lost all hope and pretty much know I won't get my minimum 17. This is how I feel right now ++

 

[Forum Lurker]

If I was in your position I would be extremely happy with that score. I want to at minimum get a 17-18 which I don't think I'll get. The reason I don't think I'll get it is because since coming to these forums I have realized how I don't know. I have been following this DAT book a friend gave me (Barron's) and would follow the book and then I would go into more detail to what was discussed in the book using old notes. So I guess by following the book, there is alot more information that I didn't realize that I had to know. Now with the DAT test coming on Aug 18, I have lost all hope and pretty much know I won't get my minimum 17. This is how I feel right now ++

Try not to freak out too much. I know, easier said than done. I was extremely nervous that entire week before my test. Have you taken any practice tests other than the ones in Barron's? They might help you figure out where you stand and what areas you should focus on. Of course, if all else fails you could move your test date back a little if you really need more time to study.

 

[passDAThope]

Try not to freak out too much. I know, easier said than done. I was extremely nervous that entire week before my test. Have you taken any practice tests other than the ones in Barron's? They might help you figure out where you stand and what areas you should focus on. Of course, if all else fails you could move your test date back a little if you really need more time to study.

No the bad part about it is that I have only had this book this whole time. I should have tried looking for something else but that was my mistake. I really don't feel like moving the test further back with school coming up in all. I guess I'll have to see how bad I do on my first try and take the DAT a second time without making any of the same mistakes I did. I was feeling pretty confident about the test but when I stumbled upon this forum looking for info on google, I felt all that I studied was almost useless and pretty much don't know anything. I just wanted to take the DAT get my 18 and not have to worry about for the rest of my life, but I guess it not going to happen that way.

 

[Forum Lurker]

No the bad part about it is that I have only had this book this whole time. I should have tried looking for something else but that was my mistake. I really don't feel like moving the test further back with school coming up in all. I guess I'll have to see how bad I do on my first try and take the DAT a second time without making any of the same mistakes I did. I was feeling pretty confident about the test but when I stumbled upon this forum looking for info on google, I felt all that I studied was almost useless and pretty much don't know anything. I just wanted to take the DAT get my 18 and not have to worry about for the rest of my life, but I guess it not going to happen that way.

Well, good luck anyway. Hopefully you'll surprise yourself.

 

[dfordat]

Hello, I took the DAT this July. I didn't do as well as I had hoped for. I got all 17's and OC I got 18. I got 15 in QR. My GPA is a 3.5+. Give me some feedback about whether I should retake it or not. If I do retake it, then it would probably be in the end of october this year.

 

[vhh007]

when you start to hit Oct it starts getting late to take/retake the DAT. Have all your apps in and tell schools to wait to make a decision. I think you might just be able to pull it off but it's going to be a close one. good luck

 

[passDAThope]

Hello, I took the DAT this July. I didn't do as well as I had hoped for. I got all 17's and OC I got 18. I got 15 in QR. My GPA is a 3.5+. Give me some feedback about whether I should retake it or not. If I do retake it, then it would probably be in the end of october this year.

I had a friend who took the DAT last year and I believe his overall score was either a 17 or 18 and he got was accepted to dental school. The dental school I want to attend usually wants students to atleast get the average score of the previous year's freshmen, which usually ends up being like an 18. Thats why I said that I at least want to get a 17 since I have a 3.9 GPA (I have only gotten two B's. One in a history course and the other in my first semester of physics). I figured with a 17 on the Dat and a 3.9 GPA I should easily get in.

 

[hystericblue]

how is your GPA? if above 3.2-3.3...then NO!

my gpa is around 3.3, but i to do a thesis based masters and taking extra courses to boost my gpa.

 

[hystericblue]

I'm hoping the QR won't be that big a deal. I'm actually in the same boat you are:
AA-20
PA-23
QR-15
RC-20
Bio-18
GC-23
OC-23
TS-21

The QR was definitely challenging. I was surprised by those geometry questions too. I also didn't manage my time very well during that test and before I knew it, I was freaking out. Oh well. Like I said, I'm hoping a low QR won't be that damaging. Best of luck!

Best of luck to you as well. I really hope QR won't effect that much. I too panicked with QR, b/c of those geometric question, which i tried hard to vaguely recall the formulas.

 

[dfordat]

I had a friend who took the DAT last year and I believe his overall score was either a 17 or 18 and he got was accepted to dental school. The dental school I want to attend usually wants students to atleast get the average score of the previous year's freshmen, which usually ends up being like an 18. Thats why I said that I at least want to get a 17 since I have a 3.9 GPA (I have only gotten two B's. One in a history course and the other in my first semester of physics). I figured with a 17 on the Dat and a 3.9 GPA I should easily get in.

Yeah so do you think I should re take it? I just want some feedback. I studied mostly with Kaplan and some with Barrons. I thought that the science sections of kaplan had way too much detail than required, which diverted attention from more fundamental concepts which were tested on the actual test. My GPA is around 3.5 something. I go to a State University. I also wanted to know what happens when you retake the DAT. Do the schools look at the most recent or both or the highest or do they average? So confused...