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Dat
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OK! Here's the case:
I believe the first round of interviews begins sometime during December, which means by the time you're taking the DAT schools have already started reviewing applications. Now, as you may know, it takes somewhere between 3-4 weeks for ADA to process you DAT scores and send them out to AADSAS, which means by the time schools have your scores they have most likely chosen the applicants that they want to interview for the first round. So what does all this mean?
Taking the DAT in September will most likely result in a late interview for you, and consider your low science GPA that's not a good thing. Why?
By the time you'll be invited for interview most schools have filled somewhere between 40-60% of their class, depending on how fast their admission process works, which means you'll be competing for fewer open spots, which means your competition will become more intense. Now, considering your low science GPA, your chances may not be very good in such intense competition. However, all of this will change if you end up rocking the DAT. If you come out of that exam with a 22+, not only September wouldn't be too late, but you'll most likely have a chance of getting admission into a decent school. So, at the end it comes down to whether you want to rush your DAT and mess it up or you want to take your time and prepare for it sufficiently, so you'll come out of it with some decent scores?
If I were you, I would choose the second option. Yes, the later you take the exam the less chances you'll have for getting in, but if you end up taking the DAT early and come out with a below average scores your chances will be just as bad!
So, at this time, I suggest you mainly focus on preparing yourself for the DAT instead of worrying about whether or not you're too late!
Good Luck👍
I believe the first round of interviews begins sometime during December, which means by the time you're taking the DAT schools have already started reviewing applications. Now, as you may know, it takes somewhere between 3-4 weeks for ADA to process you DAT scores and send them out to AADSAS, which means by the time schools have your scores they have most likely chosen the applicants that they want to interview for the first round. So what does all this mean?
Taking the DAT in September will most likely result in a late interview for you, and consider your low science GPA that's not a good thing. Why?
By the time you'll be invited for interview most schools have filled somewhere between 40-60% of their class, depending on how fast their admission process works, which means you'll be competing for fewer open spots, which means your competition will become more intense. Now, considering your low science GPA, your chances may not be very good in such intense competition. However, all of this will change if you end up rocking the DAT. If you come out of that exam with a 22+, not only September wouldn't be too late, but you'll most likely have a chance of getting admission into a decent school. So, at the end it comes down to whether you want to rush your DAT and mess it up or you want to take your time and prepare for it sufficiently, so you'll come out of it with some decent scores?
If I were you, I would choose the second option. Yes, the later you take the exam the less chances you'll have for getting in, but if you end up taking the DAT early and come out with a below average scores your chances will be just as bad!
So, at this time, I suggest you mainly focus on preparing yourself for the DAT instead of worrying about whether or not you're too late!
Good Luck👍
Agree with what nze82 said, it's a balance between getting the score you need and applying late. Given the same score, however, September does hurt your chances. Some dental schools are very fast at processing/getting their classes filled. I know UoP begins calling people in August!
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what second option do you recommend ? I can increase the intensity of the study so i can take it august and i might be able to get it in by the first week of august will that make a difference ? by the way thanks for the great response
It really depends. Do you feel like you'll be prepared by then? It's one thing to say that I'm gonna study harder and a totally different thing to actually do it. I know I kept telling myself that I am gonna study harder "tomorrow," but that tomorrow never came!
So, if you think you can really buckle down and study real hard so that you can take the exam during the first week of Aug, I suggest you do it. However, if you feel like you're gonna need more time studying, I strongly encourage you to take that additional time. It's always better to get a higher DAT score than to have an early application. Even if you submit everything by June 1st, if you have a below average DAT, they're gonna look at your application and throw it aside. So, unlike what many think, being early doesn't always guarantee acceptance.
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I would call up the schools ur applying to. I had a friend who had a 22 AA and 3.7 gpa and turned in his app. in sept and he got into every school he applied to.
If I were you, I take DAT whenever I am ready. Try to aim as high as possible. Even if you cannot get into this cycle, you can apply june 1st of next cycle (with your good DAT scores). Rushing and getting low scores will stress you out a lot. Of course the choice is yours. If you think that you can handle DAT very easily, then take as soon as possible 👍. Good luck!
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