emergency - DAT retake?

[TurkTurkleton]

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So I've been planning on re-taking my DAT at the end of July / first week of August. I'm already behind schedule with my studying, and now there's been a death in the family, and I'm going home to be with everyone and take care of things. I don't really know what to do in regards to my test, and I'm not really thinking straight, but I know it's important, so I'm hoping SDN can help me out.

I was waiting to register today with the new reg fees and whatever, but now I know I won't be able to take it when I had planned. And I know that retaking it and doing the same or worse looks bad - it just looks like I tried twice and still couldn't get a high score.

These are my first take scores:
PAT - 17
QR - 16
RC - 20
Bio - 22
GC - 19
OC - 19

TS - 20
AA - 19

My advisor told me I didn't have to retake it and that my PAT was the only real questionable score. I knew if I had more time to study that I could do better, but there's been a lot going on in my personal life recently. Anyways, I don't know if I can even retake at this point. Would it look bad to apply with just these scores? And hope schools understand that there were personal issues going on this summer? On the other hand, if I should still retake, is it okay if I push it back to the middle or end of August, or is that too late?

Other info:
3.6 overall GPA
3.55 sci GPA
went to a good school, good leadership, decent ECs and volunteering, good LORs, ~50 hours shadowing

 

[gorrillaunit18]

So I've been planning on re-taking my DAT at the end of July / first week of August. I'm already behind schedule with my studying, and now there's been a death in the family, and I'm going home to be with everyone and take care of things. I don't really know what to do in regards to my test, and I'm not really thinking straight, but I know it's important, so I'm hoping SDN can help me out.

I was waiting to register today with the new reg fees and whatever, but now I know I won't be able to take it when I had planned. And I know that retaking it and doing the same or worse looks bad - it just looks like I tried twice and still couldn't get a high score.

These are my first take scores:
PAT - 17
QR - 16
RC - 20
Bio - 22
GC - 19
OC - 19

TS - 20
AA - 19

My advisor told me I didn't have to retake it and that my PAT was the only real questionable score. I knew if I had more time to study that I could do better, but there's been a lot going on in my personal life recently. Anyways, I don't know if I can even retake at this point. Would it look bad to apply with just these scores? And hope schools understand that there were personal issues going on this summer? On the other hand, if I should still retake, is it okay if I push it back to the middle or end of August, or is that too late?

Other info:
3.6 overall GPA
3.55 sci GPA
went to a good school, good leadership, decent ECs and volunteering, good LORs, ~50 hours shadowing

I personally think you should be ok if you apply as soon as possible.

 

[DQLEUCD]

I say retake, but you should ask the admissions advisor at the dental schools to make sure. Anything below a 17 is an automatic retake. Dental schools look mostly on the PAT and AA. Your AA is alright but your PAT is not. Also your QR is pretty low but make sure and ask the admissions office for the dental schools you are applying to make sure.

 

[wantVCUdental]

I say retake, but you should ask the admissions advisor at the dental schools to make sure. Anything below a 17 is an automatic retake. Dental schools look mostly on the PAT and AA. Your AA is alright but your PAT is not. Also your QR is pretty low but make sure and ask the admissions office for the dental schools you are applying to make sure.

who said that? :S i called schools and they are down with scores below 17 (depends on the sections, AA and TS maybe not, but individual sections are okay)

I don't think OP needs to retake

 

[sfoksn]

My opinion is definitely retake as well...
17 is just too low, and the TS and AA aren't very high either.

GPA is pretty good, oh I just noticed the 16 on QR as well.

Are you a third year? If so, I would definitely retake and apply next year with satisfactory DAT score, since everything else seems to be good.

If you are a fourth year already graduated, then maybe you should just try applying with these stats.

Good luck!

 

[msgoodytwoshoes]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. If i were you, I would go ahead and apply...you have good stats. (it's just the PAT score that's pretty shaky) I know how much personal issues can affect someone, so retaking the DAT next month might not be a good idea. Also, I remember reading on the forums (but I'm not entirely sure if this is true), that you can take the DAT by the end of August at the latest and still be okay.

 

[gorrillaunit18]

My opinion is definitely retake as well...
17 is just too low, and the TS and AA aren't very high either.

GPA is pretty good, oh I just noticed the 16 on QR as well.

Are you a third year? If so, I would definitely retake and apply next year with satisfactory DAT score, since everything else seems to be good.

If you are a fourth year already graduated, then maybe you should just try applying with these stats.

Good luck!

Don't listen to sfoksn, he assumes that if you have anything below a 25, that you should retake.