Does taking DAT in August consider late?

[Dreamchaser2014]

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Hi All,

I have scheduled my DAT in the beginning of August, 2013. I could of signed up for early in June, but I am afraid that I won't do well, so I pushed the time back little bit. However, I am also concerned that maybe taking DAT in August is little late for the application, and it might ruin my chances of getting an interview? I am planned to turn in the application in June as soon as it opens. I just hope it won't be too late for the application. What do you guys think? Too late or it's okay?

Thanks so much!
Dreamchaser2014

 

[dmdluffy]

Taking the DAT in August means your application is not completed and most likely not looked at until ~2 weeks after your sit for the exam which is when the schools will hopefully receive your scores. I'd take it earlier if you can. You can always reschedule for a fee if you don't feel prepared.

 

[two thirty]

I took it mid August and didn't submit my AADSAS until afterwards. I think you're right around the cutoff honestly. You would be very smart to get your application ready before you take the test so that's the LAST thing that's in. I had the transcript and DAT scores in around mid September but it took me a few months to get my LOR's in. That wasn't complete until early December.

That said, I got a March interview to NYU and recently got in. I did get rejected from 5 other schools and I feel like I would have at least had another interview or two if I was earlier in the cycle.

People on SDN love to preach the importance of being in early summer. I think its a little overkill. I was really late, but if you have everything done and the DAT is the last step and it gets your app under review early September, you'll be fine.

 

[watchursmile]

It all depends. I had everything submitted except the DAT at the beginning of July so as soon as I took the DAT at the end of August, that was all that needed to be uploaded. It was mailed the first or second week of September. I had a pretty strong GPA, and got an average DAT 19AA 19TS 24PAT and had 4 pre december interviews, and 4 post december interviews but only attended one post december. In the scheme of things it did hurt my chances a little bit as I applied to 16 schools and never really heard from the other 8. It depends on what your GPA is like, how strong your application is, and how many schools you apply to. I had a lot of volunteer and shadowing hours and had great LOR's. You're not necessarily shooting yourself in the foot if you kill the DAT.

 

[Msmouth]

I submitted my application mid July, took the DAT August 31 and by late Sept landed an interview for early November. You'll get differing opinions here but you have to do what gives you your best chance at doing well within a timely manner. I was advised to take the summer to study....good advice if you ask me.

 

[DarlingDDS]

I also believe that applying early is overkill if you have an overall strong application. I took my DAT early august and submitted my application within the following week. I applied to two schools and was interviewed at both of them pre-december and was accepted at both. I have a friend that had the same timing as me and was accepted at multiple schools. I have another friend that didn't submit an application until october and had an acceptance and multiple interviews. Don't sweat it too hard.

It is definitely worth taking the extra study time to get a great score if that's what you think you need.

 

[jmh018]

If you have the opportunity to take earlier and you are ready then take it but don't push it. I took my DAT in the first half of August and was fine, people on SDN put too much weight in applying super early. First half of August is fine. Don't go past that though.

 

[NDPitch]

In my case it wasn't too late. My application was in earlier, but my DAT was taken mid August. My app was complete at the end of August. I was offered 10 interviews, went to 8, and was accepted to 7. So no, I don't think taking the DAT in mid August is too late. For SOME schools it will be too late, though. I think Marquette is one school that is pretty much done taking apps by September 1.

 

[Paperclipz]

Two of my friends took their exams in August and were interviewed a month later and accepted soon after. As long as you take it during the summer months it's ok. This is the type of test you want to take once and score well on. Take the exam when you feel ready. GLuck!

 

[Imazergling]

I took mine in September and still got an interview last year.

 

[acoburn73]

People on SDN love to preach the importance of being in early summer.

Yes, and those that preach are dental applicants themselves, not members (or ex-members) of an admissions committee. I enjoy most of the SDN advice, but I do take much of it with a grain of salt, as it's merely opinion based on anecdotal evidence, unless they are quoting ADCOMs directly, upon which time it is VERY valuable info!

However, given that there is proof that most schools start interviews around September and stretch into early November each year, it makes sense that to get the interviewees selected, they begin reviewing applications in August and through likely early October (many school ADCOMs are open about this range). We all know the first round is required to be closed by the first of December, and Thanksgiving falls at the end of November. Thus one could deduce that it would be wise to have a full application submitted by no later than October 1st.

With that said, I would say that your August test date and 2-week delay to get scores to schools you've selected to receive them would be perfectly OK. Another thing I've been told from ADCOMs directly is that they would preview an application with "unofficial" DAT scores. In other words, the moment you complete your test and get your print out of results, fax or email these to the admissions offices of each school to which you've applied and ask that it be added to your application in lieu of their receiving the official results. I've seen people on SDN report that they've done this at the advice of the school, and had received interview invites before the "official" score arrived.

 

[Toofly01]

Yes, and those that preach are dental applicants themselves, not members (or ex-members) of an admissions committee. I enjoy most of the SDN advice, but I do take much of it with a grain of salt, as it's merely opinion based on anecdotal evidence, unless they are quoting ADCOMs directly, upon which time it is VERY valuable info!

However, given that there is proof that most schools start interviews around September and stretch into early November each year, it makes sense that to get the interviewees selected, they begin reviewing applications in August and through likely early October (many school ADCOMs are open about this range). We all know the first round is required to be closed by the first of December, and Thanksgiving falls at the end of November. Thus one could deduce that it would be wise to have a full application submitted by no later than October 1st.

With that said, I would say that your August test date and 2-week delay to get scores to schools you've selected to receive them would be perfectly OK. Another thing I've been told from ADCOMs directly is that they would preview an application with "unofficial" DAT scores. In other words, the moment you complete your test and get your print out of results, fax or email these to the admissions offices of each school to which you've applied and ask that it be added to your application in lieu of their receiving the official results. I've seen people on SDN report that they've done this at the advice of the school, and had received interview invites before the "official" score arrived.

OP - See bolded. This information is true, for some schools. Call ahead and ask which ones will accept your unofficial scores (for the time being, until the official ones are released). Not all schools accept them unfortunately.

For the schools that do, take a pic with your smart phone (good quality pic), upload to computer and send as an attachment through email.

The date "matters", but what matters more is that you do well. You only want to take this test once. Take it when you're ready. Good luck!

 

[Bis-GMA111]

I took it mid August and didn't submit my AADSAS until afterwards. I think you're right around the cutoff honestly. You would be very smart to get your application ready before you take the test so that's the LAST thing that's in. I had the transcript and DAT scores in around mid September but it took me a few months to get my LOR's in. That wasn't complete until early December.

That said, I got a March interview to NYU and recently got in. I did get rejected from 5 other schools and I feel like I would have at least had another interview or two if I was earlier in the cycle.

People on SDN love to preach the importance of being in early summer. I think its a little overkill. I was really late, but if you have everything done and the DAT is the last step and it gets your app under review early September, you'll be fine.

you also have to realize that nyu explicitly says that they give late applicants an equal shot at admission. you can't say that about many other schools. a lot of schools want to fill their interview slots (and their classes for that matter) as soon as possible.

to the OP: i'd recommend taking it earlier than august

 

[Mr. Thirsty]

I took my DAT August 21 last summer and got in. It definitely slows down your interview offers but with the turnover rate of applicants applying to schools and turning them down when they have multiple offers, you should land interviews still, given that you have decent stats. It also depends on what school you want to attend (ie an ivy versus a state school / private school).

Edit: I definitely think it is beneficial to apply early to get those early interviews, but I don't think it is the end of the world if you finish the DAT in August. Doing well on the DAT is by far more important than doing it early.

 

[GOCHARGERS]

I agree that applying early is very desirable at a majority of schools. After doing quite a bit of lurking, people who say otherwise say that after they had just gotten in off of a waitlist or somehow have a leg up on the competition because of personal reasons-such as being an under represented minority, or being a non traditional applicant.

Fact of the matter is, if you have your package in late you can get late interviews, but you'll probably be competing for a smaller number of seats. So unless your gpa is top notch and you manage to get a high dat score, it really shouldn't matter if you take your DAT in August. Otherwise, have your stuff in earlier so you stand a better shot.

 

[hl4jn]

Yes, and those that preach are dental applicants themselves, not members (or ex-members) of an admissions committee. I enjoy most of the SDN advice, but I do take much of it with a grain of salt, as it's merely opinion based on anecdotal evidence, unless they are quoting ADCOMs directly, upon which time it is VERY valuable info!

When I met with the dean of admissions at my state school, he explicitly said, submit dental applications as soon as possible.

 

[GOCHARGERS]

Yes, and those that preach are dental applicants themselves, not members (or ex-members) of an admissions committee. I enjoy most of the SDN advice, but I do take much of it with a grain of salt, as it's merely opinion based on anecdotal evidence, unless they are quoting ADCOMs directly, upon which time it is VERY valuable info!

A lot of people also don't take the initiative to spend less than 5 minutes calling a school and finding out for themselves. No one should take this site very seriously.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

A lot of people also don't take the initiative to spend less than 5 minutes calling a school and finding out for themselves. No one should take this site very seriously.

this. +1 👍

 

[Ferneezy]

When I met with the dean of admissions at my state school, he explicitly said, submit dental applications as soon as possible.

i've heard this directly from half a dozen admissions directors as well.

funny how they never say why.

 

[Hawkteeth]

The reason you want to apply early is so you can get your interviews before december, the later you apply the less interview spots are left. Unless you have stellar GPA then it is very important to apply early. Waiting to get late interviews as well as being waitlisted and waiting for people to give up their spot is very stressful. Do yourself a favor and take it early if you can.

 

[Dreamchaser2014]

I submitted my application mid July, took the DAT August 31 and by late Sept landed an interview for early November. You'll get differing opinions here but you have to do what gives you your best chance at doing well within a timely manner. I was advised to take the summer to study....good advice if you ask me.

Thanks so much for your advice! Your story make me at least feel not alone and gave me some courage and hope actually. I was advised to have two months in summer to study and take DAT over the summer. I feel like I am not very smart, and I need time to prepare myself. By the way, you had very decent score on DAT, is there anyways that I can have your break down? I'd be much appreciated!

 

[Dreamchaser2014]

I also believe that applying early is overkill if you have an overall strong application. I took my DAT early august and submitted my application within the following week. I applied to two schools and was interviewed at both of them pre-december and was accepted at both. I have a friend that had the same timing as me and was accepted at multiple schools. I have another friend that didn't submit an application until october and had an acceptance and multiple interviews. Don't sweat it too hard.

It is definitely worth taking the extra study time to get a great score if that's what you think you need.

Thanks so much, I can't express enough of how much I appreciated your guys' stories and advices. I was so worried that taking DAT in August will kill my chances, but after saw your and your friends' stories, they really made me feel ease. I am planning to have all the LORs and Personal Statement and other stuffs ready as soon as the application opens in June, then once I finish the DAT in beginning of August, I will submit the score and hope mine will be completed shortly. 🙂

 

[Dreamchaser2014]

Yes, and those that preach are dental applicants themselves, not members (or ex-members) of an admissions committee. I enjoy most of the SDN advice, but I do take much of it with a grain of salt, as it's merely opinion based on anecdotal evidence, unless they are quoting ADCOMs directly, upon which time it is VERY valuable info!

However, given that there is proof that most schools start interviews around September and stretch into early November each year, it makes sense that to get the interviewees selected, they begin reviewing applications in August and through likely early October (many school ADCOMs are open about this range). We all know the first round is required to be closed by the first of December, and Thanksgiving falls at the end of November. Thus one could deduce that it would be wise to have a full application submitted by no later than October 1st.

With that said, I would say that your August test date and 2-week delay to get scores to schools you've selected to receive them would be perfectly OK. Another thing I've been told from ADCOMs directly is that they would preview an application with "unofficial" DAT scores. In other words, the moment you complete your test and get your print out of results, fax or email these to the admissions offices of each school to which you've applied and ask that it be added to your application in lieu of their receiving the official results. I've seen people on SDN report that they've done this at the advice of the school, and had received interview invites before the "official" score arrived.

Thank you, very good advise. 🙂

 

[Msmouth]

Thanks so much for your advice! Your story make me at least feel not alone and gave me some courage and hope actually. I was advised to have two months in summer to study and take DAT over the summer. I feel like I am not very smart, and I need time to prepare myself. By the way, you had very decent score on DAT, is there anyways that I can have your break down? I'd be much appreciated!

Thanks! Click on my DAT score below my first post and you will see my breakdown...good luck to you!