Did anyone get in with a 2.7 GPA and a DAT of 22-24?

[lifeohlife]

I'm just curious. I feel like I may be graduating with a a similar GPA ( I know it sucks) and a similar DAT score. On my practice DAT exams I've been getting around a 22-24.
I am planning on applying to a master's program or a postbacc, but if there is a chance I could get in to a school, I'd like to just go for it (apply to dental school right away).

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[RS2224]

I think first, you should solidly prepare for the DAT because I was getting 22-24 on the practice exams but the real thing was relatively more difficult and many people agree it's considerably variable in terms of difficulty, exam to exam. It's a good amount of luck and chance involved in that exam too. You may get an easy exam or a killer. So, I'd suggest you make a decision about what to do once you take the official one and receive your scores. I think if your science GPA is also low, even a 23/24 might not be significantly enough to cover the GPA's up. However, I don't know your EC's, personal statement and LOR's... but if you can get a 21 or up and do an SMP... you will be a lottt more better off than taking a chance with a high DAT and quite low GPA. Take the exam, see how you do.. if you blow it out of the water with like 24/25... and have some spare change... it wouldn't hurt to Apply. Otherwise seriously consider an smp/postbacc /masters

 

[Rand627]

I think first, you should solidly prepare for the DAT because I was getting 22-24 on the practice exams but the real thing was relatively more difficult and many people agree it's considerably variable in terms of difficulty, exam to exam. It's a good amount of luck and chance involved in that exam too. You may get an easy exam or a killer. So, I'd suggest you make a decision about what to do once you take the official one and receive your scores. I think if your science GPA is also low, even a 23/24 might not be significantly enough to cover the GPA's up. However, I don't know your EC's, personal statement and LOR's... but if you can get a 21 or up and do an SMP... you will be a lottt more better off than taking a chance with a high DAT and quite low GPA. Take the exam, see how you do.. if you blow it out of the water with like 24/25... and have some spare change... it wouldn't hurt to Apply. Otherwise seriously consider an smp/postbacc /masters

Just to be clear, the DAT score you get is based on how other people did on the exact same test you took. So you can still certainly have luck involved, but that luck would be based on getting test questions you just happened to not cover..NOT that the actual test you got is harder.

 

[Soleus715]

Many schools I called after getting rejected told me that not having a 3.0 sGPA effectively filtered me out from their system although I had a 23 DAT.
So, getting your GPA past the borderline is crucial.

Also, I've come to realize from speaking with my peers that practice exam scores do not correlate really well with how you do on the DAT.

 

[RS2224]

Just to be clear, the DAT score you get is based on how other people did on the exact same test you took. So you can still certainly have luck involved, but that luck would be based on getting test questions you just happened to not cover..NOT that the actual test you got is harder.

Agreed. But, what would you call not getting the questions you studied for vs getting the questions you studied for? Luck.. haha

 

[Rand627]

Agreed. But, what would you call not getting the questions you studied for vs getting the questions you studied for? Luck.. haha

Yeah that's what I said..or at least what I tried to say. Just wanted to make it clear that hard tests are hard for everyone and are graded accordingly! Just hope you get questions you studied for haha.

 

[Likkriue]

You can't bank on "planning" on getting on the DAT. You might score higher or lower, but until you take it you don't know.

What I can tell you is that a gpa that low is at the very very end of the spectrum for accepted students. I suggest a masters.

 

[RS2224]

Many schools I called after getting rejected told me that not having a 3.0 sGPA effectively filtered me out from their system although I had a 23 DAT.
So, getting your GPA past the borderline is crucial.

Also, I've come to realize from speaking with my peers that practice exam scores do not correlate really well with how you do on the DAT.

I got a 20 AA, 21 TS, 19 QR and a 24 RC on the real thing. On PRACTICE tests I had 22 TS 14 QR and 20 RC lol. Good.... good times. (Complete sarcasm intended)

 

[Mason91]

According to the "Distribution of GPA and DAT scores for applicants/enrollee 2013 entering class" spreadsheet you can find under Scumbag_Steve's application guide thread, only 35 people out of 499 applicants whose overall GPA fall within 2.5-2.74 were accepted and 12 out of 231 applicants whose GPA is less than 5. So if you were to apply with 2.7 overall GPA, your chance would be (12+35)/the total enrollees, which is 5769 which is about 0.8 percent (actually could be a lot less since the majority of those 12 enrollees might have GPA within 2.7-2.74, which is still higher than your expected GPA). It's possible but very difficult..

 

[mystery84]

That GPA without a good story is going to be a super tough sell at interviews.

As others have said stop planning based on scores you've seen on practice exams because the DAT has one of the funkiest grading systems on the planet. At this point your gpa is a better start for you to plan your next steps. You're going to need to show that you can handle the upper level classes, the dental school courses are much harder than undergraduate courses. The schools don't want to risk a seat on you if they think you will flunk out.

I understand that you are trying to save money skipping the masters but that opportunity to save money was during undergrad. You need to show that you are capable, I feel like you'll need a 3.5 on a masters and at least 20 on all sections to be taken seriously by Admissions. Those are just minimums imho, shadowing, volunteering, personal statement, and everything else will need to be well polished as well. Its a tough process and may take a few years to get there but it's doable if you're really serious.

wrote this while super tired lots edited so it would make some sense