how late is too late to take the DAT

[kadify]

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I have my DAT scheduled for tuesday (the 22nd) and I have been using DAT Destroyer and doing relatively decent in the non science based subjects, aka the easy stuff, but then I get to the orgo, gen and bio sections and bomb (18s-19s). So I tried the practice DAT and got 19s-23s on most of the sections and when I went back through a lot of my answers were just dumb mistakes I've since learned from and to just be sure I could handle the timing, I signed up for Bootcamp yesterday and have taken a test in each section and have TANKED! Like 13-20s in most of the sections I've taken a test in and I'm worried about my DAT.


My question is, if I reschedule my test which would be better, July 30th, or August 8th? I'd love to push it into august but don't know if that is too close to the september cutoff to be submitting my DAT scores.


I'm super nervous after signing up for bootcamp because after studying from dat destroyer and the actual test I figured I would be prepared and I'm now worried I won't be. I also think the timing is really getting to me, because I psych myself out halfway through each question worrying I'm not moving fast enough.

 

[ecap707]

Well the best answer is to take it when you're ready. However waiting till July and August makes you fight against other applicants for fewer spots than if you applied in June when pretty much every spot was open. There are however some schools that don't even look at applications till August. To answer your question about the specific dates, there won't be much difference in 8 days so if you wanted august then do it. I wouldn't wait much longer than that unless you are really unprepared. And getting 18 and 19s is not bombing. Don't let everyone on this site freak you out. Only people with great scores post them

 

[kadify]

Alright thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to move my test into August. While it would have definitely been better to have applied earlier, I didn't have the time with my course load to even consider also studying on top of that. How are things graded usually on the dat? Like I said I did a few bootcamp tests and would only miss a few questions (23/30), (50/60), (78/90)and get really abysmal scores. Is the test scored on a depreciating curve because missing 10 questions out of 60, I would imagine would be a 25/30 but I think I only got a 22 on that particular test?

 

[KineticFlow603]

I think bootcamp takes account of the scores that people get each time. If that is the case, first free test is taken by most people and they are probably retaken the most. So it's really hard to get a really good score even if you get most of them right compared to bootcamp test 2-5.

 

[kadify]

Oh I didn't realize it was dependent on other people's performance as well. I suppose that would make sense *nod*

 

[ecap707]

No those scores aren't realistic. You are only missing like ten and seven questions on each you shouldn't be getting 12s and 13s ( google dat score sheet). Just keep practicing tests and learning the answers and reasons and you'll do well.

 

[KineticFlow603]

To my understanding, it's dependent because whenever you get the score, you get "you did better than xx.x% of students who took this test." and another thing that I noticed was that if you get 20 by getting 23/30 right, that doesn't equate to same score on a different bc test with the same number of right and wrong.

 

[jmh018]

I took mine on August 8th two years ago and it wasn't a problem.


Air Force HPSP Recipient
Dental Student Class of 2017

http://dentalstudentdds.wordpress.com

 

[kadify]

IDK those are teh scores bootcamp is showing me. I'll just keep trying to understand what I get wrong though.

Ok good I rescheduled mine to give me some room to breath since I was really starting to panic having to be ready by tomorrow to take the test the next day.