how important is the PAT?

[FaithinFastCars]

so...if i have an acceptable aa, a good gpa, lots of dental experience and comm. service as well as school involvement....is it that big of a deal that i have a low pat score?

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[kappa505]

Most schools have min score requirements. If you are above them you might be ok.

 

[gujudentist]

hey, i was on that boat while applying to d-schools. I did pretty well on the AA and Sci portions of my exams, but i got a 16 on PAT...having decents grades (around 3.6) I was put on hold by schools like case, columbia, and michigan. Of the three, mich rejected me. But nonetheless, other factors of ur app play a huge role. For instance, at my stony brook interview the guy straight out told us that PAT had very little meaning for them. Schools like Columbia however are numbers schools. sooo, i guess my point is that the PAT score is only significant if the other factors of ur application cant do the talking for you...hope that sorta helps.

 

[pacbum]

it really depends on the schools...but i think for most places, the rest of your application overshadows a low pat score. my pat score was terrible, and i thought my chances were done. but i think the rest of my app. was pretty solid. i've already been admitted to an ivy league, and still have 5 more interviews. so, in all honestly it's not a big deal, just make sure the rest of your app is solid. d-schools know that people can easily slip up on the pat section, and most won't eliminate you based on that alone.

 

[prez_al]

hey, i was on that boat while applying to d-schools. I did pretty well on the AA and Sci portions of my exams, but i got a 16 on PAT...having decents grades (around 3.6) I was put on hold by schools like case, columbia, and michigan. Of the three, mich rejected me. But nonetheless, other factors of ur app play a huge role.

With a 17 in PAT, I was accepted those 3 schools and am surprised at your Michigan rejection since to them anything below 14 is considered "bad" but even so, they make you take a dexterity test in addition to your interview. I understand how you feel since I was like that too and was really really surprised to get interviews from Michigan and Columbia let alone an acceptance.

 

[1992Corolla]

i swear getting accepted is luck of the draw...

PAT is something that cn be easily raised...so not to destroy your chrstmas break, but if it didn't wok out you can study again and bring p that PAT which should be esy to do.

 

[muz]

well my opinion of the PAT's...i got 97percentile...and i tore up reading....from what ive seen/know people dont do well in those two


so if u can impress the comittee's in that u can do well what others cant u are a lil different in a good way

an example i give is Alex Rodriguez he has skill but if he never practiced and honed his skills he would NOT be the player he is today...same thing everyone has some degree of PAT skill but w.o practice u cant demonstrate ur highest potential...make the PAT a game...enjoy it...think of it as doing puzzles/something fun to get into dental school...and ull be less stressed and practice on friday nite's like i did before i got into dental school

GO BLUE!!!

 

[H2OPOLODENT]

By God, I hope its important...

Seriously though, I think there are only a few schools that place a high value on the PAT (UCLA, UoP) and in most cases schools have average PAT scores lower than AA scores.

According to the ADA, 60% of sampled first year dental school students showed a significant correlation between PAT scores and preclinical lab performance, making it the strongest statistical indicator in that category. (DAT User's Guide) That's about all its good for.

 

[Envision]

i swear getting accepted is luck of the draw...

PAT is something that cn be easily raised...so not to destroy your chrstmas break, but if it didn't wok out you can study again and bring p that PAT which should be esy to do.

whoa...wassup with your spelling

 

[Pelotari]

As far as I know, Texas schools don't even look at the PAT. The reason, probably, is that we will eventually acquire the perceptual abillity skills as we progress through the program. I guess this makes sense, considering we will spend countless hours waxing and carving the first year.

Regardless, I didn't take this for granted and still prepared the best that I could for the PAT.

 

[Greco28]

Those damn angle rankings are damn near impossible on the real thing!

 

[JohnDoeDDS]

Its more important than you think. I got a 15 and even though I applied early non of my interviews were before DEc 1st (except NYU and I was placed ont he waitlist). I am pretty sure that this is because of my PAT score. I think it should at least be an 18...

 

[in her drawer]

PAT means nothing.

<----------17 PAT, 7 schools

 

[Envision]

PAT means nothing.

<----------17 PAT, 7 schools

I wouldn't say they mean nothing. Of all the schools i interviewed at, they made mention of my PAT.

<-------- 25 PAT, 3 schools

Much like everything else...it is only one part of the application.

 

[in her drawer]

Of all the schools i interviewed at, they made mention of my PAT.

I would too if I saw a score as sick as that.

 

[pmantz]

I concur, that has to be like the 99.9999 percentile...

 

[DakotaDentist]

Some schools look at the PAT more than others do. From my experience, it's something that schools use when it gets down to say you and another student. If you both have similar GPA, etc. but he/she has a higher PAT then they will probably accept the other student.

It happened to me. I applied last year with a 14 PAT and didn't get in. I retook the DAT and scored a 17 on it and now have one acceptance, two alternate lists, and a guaranteed spot for starting in '08 if I don't get in off one of those alternate lists. Hope that helps.

 

[PickMe]

so...if i have an acceptable aa, a good gpa, lots of dental experience and comm. service as well as school involvement....is it that big of a deal that i have a low pat score?

one of my classmates at penn got a 12 on the pat...so they dont weigh it very much (if at all) at penn, but i know it means more at other schools.

 

[pacbum]

ya my pat was pretty lousy too, but i've interviewed and gotten into everywhere i wanted

as long as everything else in your app is solid, i wouldn't worry about PAT...it's overrated.

 

[pmantz]

I know some people don't like the PAT, but it wasn't that bad. The only hard part was the angle ranking, paper folding, cube counting, Oh wait it was a B@&#!. Honestly it was fun some sections like hole punching and keyholes pretty easy, and about 50% of each of the other sections were gimmes.