Disputing Questions on DAT

[dent2009]

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Hey guys. I was wondering if any of you have tried to dispute questions on the DAT with the ADA and if you did, whether you were successful or not.

 

[Sephisabin]

I tried it last year... they admitted their mistake but said they couldn't change my score. In short, there were some questions where all of the answer choices were incorrect. They couldn't give me any points because there was no guarantee I would have answered the questions correctly if the correct answer had been there... (weak, huh?). All they did was say that I could take the test again for free without having to wait the 90 days and that my new scores would completely replace the old ones (old ones would be removed from my record)...

 

[drgreen]

that's crazy!
impressed by your initiative.

 

[Simiam]

I tried it last year... they admitted their mistake but said they couldn't change my score. In short, there were some questions where all of the answer choices were incorrect. They couldn't give me any points because there was no guarantee I would have answered the questions correctly if the correct answer had been there... (weak, huh?). All they did was say that I could take the test again for free without having to wait the 90 days and that my new scores would completely replace the old ones (old ones would be removed from my record)...

That could be good if you took it only a couple weeks later and didn't like your first set of scores 🙂

 

[dent2009]

I tried it last year... they admitted their mistake but said they couldn't change my score. In short, there were some questions where all of the answer choices were incorrect. They couldn't give me any points because there was no guarantee I would have answered the questions correctly if the correct answer had been there... (weak, huh?). All they did was say that I could take the test again for free without having to wait the 90 days and that my new scores would completely replace the old ones (old ones would be removed from my record)...

Are you serious? Geez you got robbed. In what sections did you dispute them? Did they say in writing that they made a mistake? If they did, maybe you can show this to the dental schools that you applied to because several questions, in any individual section, can drastically increase your score given that you score in the low to mid 20s and of course, potentially increase in other score ranges as well. I'm extremely confident that that's what happened to me too on several questions where the correct answer was not there. Well, i'm sending in my dispute anyways and maybe they changed their policy on score changing... If they won't change it then hopefully they can get their act together over there because honestly, the DAT makers have no room for error. We are already stressed out as it is on test day and a mistake on their part could throw us off, confuse us, and waste valuable time trying to figure out the correct answer that's not there.

 

[Sephisabin]

The questions were in the QR and RC section. I ended up choosing not to retake it... I was consistently scoring 29 and 30 in the QR but ended up with a 23 because of the error. Although that probably cost me a point or two in the AA, I decided not to retake it... I did pretty well in the other sections so I didn't want to risk those sections... it took me a while to get past all that though.

 

[americanpierg]

Are you serious? Geez you got robbed. In what sections did you dispute them? Did they say in writing that they made a mistake? If they did, maybe you can show this to the dental schools that you applied to because several questions, in any individual section, can drastically increase your score given that you score in the low to mid 20s and of course, potentially increase in other score ranges as well. I'm extremely confident that that's what happened to me too on several questions where the correct answer was not there. Well, i'm sending in my dispute anyways and maybe they changed their policy on score changing... If they won't change it then hopefully they can get their act together over there because honestly, the DAT makers have no room for error. We are already stressed out as it is on test day and a mistake on their part could throw us off, confuse us, and waste valuable time trying to figure out the correct answer that's not there.

Yes, well the problem with this is that the test is graded with respect to everyone else taking it. That means everyone got 1 point off, and the grades were lower overall. I guese this would compensate in the middle of the grading scale, although it could mean the difference when you get VERY high (25+) between like say a 28 and a 30 (with both getting all questions correct that was possible)

 

[dent2009]

Yes, well the problem with this is that the test is graded with respect to everyone else taking it. That means everyone got 1 point off, and the grades were lower overall. I guese this would compensate in the middle of the grading scale, although it could mean the difference when you get VERY high (25+) between like say a 28 and a 30 (with both getting all questions correct that was possible)

You're right in that everyone else got point(s) off --- but only those who received the test with the "invalid" question(s) so to speak. What about those who received a test without errors? Well, potentially if everything else is equal, then they have the opportunity to score higher than you. Of course, nothing is created fairly or equally, but if it comes down to a factor that is out of any test taker's control like DAT messing up and they don't compensate for their mistake by giving back the point(s) you deserve, then you're already at an disadvantage and frankly, that's just messed up. Dental school won't know who got the bad versions. I'm sure they only look at the bottomline... what shows up on the official DAT score sheet. And i know that DAT is not the only thing that they look at... but every little point counts

 

[Simiam]

I think what they really look at is the $$$ coming in for all of us taking the DAT and sending it to 10+ schools... Especially if we have to retake it!