I REALLY need major help in deciding on what to do? Please help!

[toothhornet88]

So i will be graduating this May with a bachelors in Business and minor in biology. I wanted to start studying for my DAT now and take it in april. The only problem is that for my last upcoming semester i will be taking 18 units since i have to in order to graduate! On top of that i will be studying for my RDA exam! (i need a good income so i can support me and my fiancee) That only means that i will only be able to study for the DAT during the summer. Do you think that if i put it off until summer and take it in end of July-beginning of August! that my Application will be a little too late. By the way i have a ton of extracurricular activities, dental work experience (2000hours+), and my cumul. gpa is: 3.55 and science gpa: 3.1 (my first year was bad). I was thinking of maybe waiting another year to apply alltogether but then i would be 25 going into dental school instead of 24. Sometimes i think i will be too old. ha! Please shed some light and give me some advice what you would suggest! Thank you so much!

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[Omenino]

Summer is not late, most schools dont even start looking at apps till like the beginning of august so....ur all good to go....i WOULD put it off till the summer if i were u

So i will be graduating this May with a bachelors in Business and minor in biology. I wanted to start studying for my DAT now and take it in april. The only problem is that for my last upcoming semester i will be taking 18 units since i have to in order to graduate! On top of that i will be studying for my RDA exam! (i need a good income so i can support me and my fiancee) That only means that i will only be able to study for the DAT during the summer. Do you think that if i put it off until summer and take it in end of July-beginning of August! that my Application will be a little too late. By the way i have a ton of extracurricular activities, dental work experience (2000hours+), and my cumul. gpa is: 3.55 and science gpa: 3.1 (my first year was bad). I was thinking of maybe waiting another year to apply alltogether but then i would be 25 going into dental school instead of 24. Sometimes i think i will be too old. ha! Please shed some light and give me some advice what you would suggest! Thank you so much!

 

[toothhornet88]

Summer is not late, most schools dont even start looking at apps till like the beginning of august so....ur all good to go....i WOULD put it off till the summer if i were u

Thank you so much! That's a relief

 

[lala05]

I was in a similar situation... business major and predent, and I had to take extra credits each semester. And I'll be 25 when I start this fall! I ended up taking a year off before I applied, but if I were you, I'd study hardcore when you graduate, then take the DAT by late July. You can submit your application before taking the DAT and it won't hold AADSAS from sending your application. As a business major, I felt that I had to do a lot more review for the DAT than my friends who were science majors, so I kind of wish I had taken the DAT earlier when the knowledge was still fresh from school.

So i will be graduating this May with a bachelors in Business and minor in biology. I wanted to start studying for my DAT now and take it in april. The only problem is that for my last upcoming semester i will be taking 18 units since i have to in order to graduate! On top of that i will be studying for my RDA exam! (i need a good income so i can support me and my fiancee) That only means that i will only be able to study for the DAT during the summer. Do you think that if i put it off until summer and take it in end of July-beginning of August! that my Application will be a little too late. By the way i have a ton of extracurricular activities, dental work experience (2000hours+), and my cumul. gpa is: 3.55 and science gpa: 3.1 (my first year was bad). I was thinking of maybe waiting another year to apply alltogether but then i would be 25 going into dental school instead of 24. Sometimes i think i will be too old. ha! Please shed some light and give me some advice what you would suggest! Thank you so much!

 

[lnngu]

Summer is not late, most schools dont even start looking at apps till like the beginning of august so....ur all good to go....i WOULD put it off till the summer if i were u

Eh... To each his own, but if it were me, there would be no way I'd have enough faith in those stats (in particular the sgpa) to give every one else in the cycle a two months head start.

 

[trieuhoney]

agreed. waiting for summer to take the exam is asking for trouble IMO bc if you don't like the score, you're in a crunch to retake. i've never taken the RDA exam, but having listened to a few other people, it shouldn't be too hard.
i'd start studying now and 24/7 during spring break and take it before your spring term starts so you're submitting with everyone in june.

 

[Omenino]

1. its not a two month head start. AADSAS sends their first batch of apps out on july 12th. it takes about like a week to get to the school and some time for the school to start processing the apps. Adcoms will start sending out interviews some time in august and the first interview starts sometime in september. therefore doing the dat in august is not a problem.

2. You can still complete the appication with all of the "other" applicants in june and then just fax in the DAT scores when you get done with it in august or whatever. This way there won't be any "head starts" on you in august and youll be in the same level as everyone else.

3. Even if there were any "head starts" ......just because applying early with a low GPA will give you an acceptance over a high GPA.

4. Aim to take the DAT ONCE...you do not want to take it twice. Therefore save it till the summer for you to have time to study and do good on it. if you cram it with school work and another test to take it during the spring to save time to retake it in the summer then...theres a higher chance that you WILL retake for a second time in the summer.

 

[lnngu]

1. its not a two month head start. AADSAS sends their first batch of apps out on july 12th. it takes about like a week to get to the school and some time for the school to start processing the apps. Adcoms will start sending out interviews some time in august and the first interview starts sometime in september. therefore doing the dat in august is not a problem.

2. You can still complete the appication with all of the "other" applicants in june and then just fax in the DAT scores when you get done with it in august or whatever. This way there won't be any "head starts" on you in august and youll be in the same level as everyone else.

3. Even if there were any "head starts" ......just because applying early with a low GPA will give you an acceptance over a high GPA.

4. Aim to take the DAT ONCE...you do not want to take it twice. Therefore save it till the summer for you to have time to study and do good on it. if you cram it with school work and another test to take it during the spring to save time to retake it in the summer then...theres a higher chance that you WILL retake for a second time in the summer.

Your argument is factually incorrect, and I am curious as to where your strength of conviction comes from. From personal experience:

1. Yes, the first batch of AADSAS apps weren't sent out until early July, but those were completed in the first week of June. Every weekly mailing after the first held applications that were submitted later. For example, mine, which was completed on 06/07, shipped out with the 2nd mailing.

The first wave of interviews offers followed a week later, during the second week of July. You are correct that *some* schools start their process much later in the cycle, but that is not the norm. For every UCLA, UCSF and UDM, there is a MWU, a NOVA or an Indiana, which all started out handing out interviews almost immediately..

2. While every school operates a little bit differently, most will not consider your application unless it is complete (ergo, with a DAT score). I made the mistake of waiting until late August to take my DAT, 2 cycles ago. My app that year wasn't even looked at until mid November, despite the fact that AADSAS had it since July.

3. Again, while every school differs in their selection process, some use a true rolling admission system and make their decision on you immediately following your interview. Will a school be more likely to take a chance on you early in the cycle, or when you're the 789th applicant they get with a 3.1sgpa? I don't know, you tell me.

4. We agree on point 4. Try to take the DAT once.

 

[Omenino]

Easy...my strength of conviction = AADSAS and ADCOMS themselves. Not basing anything off my experiences

1) Obviously I'm "factually correct". You can call AADSAS and check yourself because it is what I did. They stated that as long as you submit the app the friday or the thursday before the mailing date, it will make it in with all the other batches.

And after it is sent, processed, and once the ADCOMS receive the apps, then they would start going through them.

2) As it was stated by the ADCOMS, you fax in the unofficial DAT scores right after taking the test for them to look at it.

3) Once you are interviewed, GPAs/DAT scores are not a factor since you already passed it by receiving the interview.

Your argument is factually incorrect, and I am curious as to where your strength of conviction comes from. From personal experience:

1. Yes, the first batch of AADSAS apps weren't sent out until early July, but those were completed in the first week of June. Every weekly mailing after the first held applications that were submitted later. For example, mine, which was completed on 06/07, shipped out with the 2nd mailing.

The first wave of interviews offers followed a week later, during the second week of July. You are correct that *some* schools start their process much later in the cycle, but that is not the norm. For every UCLA, UCSF and UDM, there is a MWU, a NOVA or an Indiana, which all started out handing out interviews almost immediately..

2. While every school operates a little bit differently, most will not consider your application unless it is complete (ergo, with a DAT score). I made the mistake of waiting until late August to take my DAT, 2 cycles ago. My app that year wasn't even looked at until mid November, despite the fact that AADSAS had it since July.

3. Again, while every school differs in their selection process, some use a true rolling admission system and make their decision on you immediately following your interview. Will a school be more likely to take a chance on you early in the cycle, or when you're the 789th applicant they get with a 3.1sgpa? I don't know, you tell me.

4. We agree on point 4. Try to take the DAT once.

 

[bigbrightsmile]

apply as early as possible (june 1st), even with out your dat scores. Fax your scores to each school you apply to as soon as you take the DAT and they will receive the official scores 3 weeks later...DO NOT WAIT TO SEND YOUR APP IN...

 

[Mike10]

I took the DAT in the middle of August and my app was complete and sent out in the middle of September. Got a pre Dec 1 interview and acceptance. Just do well and I think you will be fine.

 

[Omenino]

Exactly!!

apply as early as possible (june 1st), even with out your dat scores. Fax your scores to each school you apply to as soon as you take the dat and they will receive the official scores 3 weeks later...do not wait to send your app in...

 

[Omenino]

Exactly!!!

i took the dat in the middle of august and my app was complete and sent out in the middle of september. Got a pre dec 1 interview and acceptance. Just do well and i think you will be fine.

 

[Osity]

I couldn't agree more with lnngu. Being early is crucial. The schools will not consider your application until they have your DAT scores. The first two things they look at are DAT and GPA, so if you're missing one, that's a big hole in your application.

The DAT is doable, don't let it stress you out. Its a hard test, but lots of people score well. You'll need to shoot for >21, especially since your Sci GPA is a little low.

To give yourself the best opportunity, gave your DAT done by the time you apply. I have a good friend with a similar GPA to yours. The first cycle, he applied late (took his DAT in August), ended up with four late interviews, and got waitlisted everywhere. This year, with the same stats, he applied the first day (already had his DAT scores), got early interviews, and ended up with five acceptances on Dec. 1. Im not saying that applying early with a completed application is the only reason he got in, but I definitely saw a big advantage from it.

 

[lnngu]

Easy...my strength of conviction = AADSAS and ADCOMS themselves. Not basing anything off my experiences

1) Obviously I'm "factually correct". You can call AADSAS and check yourself because it is what I did. They stated that as long as you submit the app the friday or the thursday before the mailing date, it will make it in with all the other batches.

And after it is sent, processed, and once the ADCOMS receive the apps, then they would start going through them.

2) As it was stated by the ADCOMS, you fax in the unofficial DAT scores right after taking the test for them to look at it.

3) Once you are interviewed, GPAs/DAT scores are not a factor since you already passed it by receiving the interview.

Shrug... I can guarantee you that most schools will ignore your application until it is complete (app + DAT + LORs + secondary fee), regardless of when they receive parts of it from AADSAS. Again, interviews started being handed out on the 15th of July, last year, which means that, for all intents and purposes, seats started getting filled shortly thereafter.

Note that I'm not saying that applying late guarantees you'll be denied. But, in a competitive, rolling admissions type application cycle, being at the back of a long line of people does put you at a disadvantage. Some applicants, like Mike10, will have strong enough numbers, good enough ECs, or enough luck to overcome it. Others, like Osity's friend or myself two years ago, will not. Without knowing more about him, the OP's numbers seem average to me, and I would think he'd want to give himself the best chance possible of getting in.

Grumble... this argument is eerily reminiscent of trying to reason with a teenager: futile and irksome. I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree. But, not having gone through the process yet, are you sure you should be speaking in absolutes?

PS: Your third point about GPA/DAT post interview isn't absolute. While some school operate like that, others, like UCSF, grade your interview, and use that grade as part of a formula to arrive at a determination.