If I decide to retake, what happens to my app?

[yakuza]

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If I decide to retake the DAT, does my application:

1. Gets put on hold?
2. Will still be reviewed for potential interview?

Also, should I tell schools now or just send them my scores immediately after?

I'm asking this bc being a late applicant and poor RC/PAT, I have no chance to my #1 school UoP (RC 17 PAT 19)

 

[shoombol tallah]

The biggest risk is you could score lower which would suck because your scores are way above the national average. Also if you do notify your other schools and they put your application on hold then you can end up actually not getting in or being placed on the waitlist because it would be pretty late by then. I dont think any school is worth passing up on dental school for a year.

 

[yakuza]

The biggest risk is you could score lower which would suck because your scores are way above the national average. Also if you do notify your other schools and they put your application on hold then you can end up actually not getting in or being placed on the waitlist because it would be pretty late by then. I dont think any school is worth passing up on dental school for a year.

I see..if that's the case, I was thinking I re-take but not let any schools know until after my DAT, only if it goes well. And if I do happen to do worse, I just won't say anything

 

[yakuza]

Anymore advice?
Here is ideal my plan:
1. Don't tell any schools I'm retaking, except UoP so they won't reject me just yet
2. Retake DAT end of Dec, score ~23 AA
3. Send scores to UoP

 

[supraman]

How do you know you'll do better? If you got a 17 RC, chances are you'll get it again

 

[Isradoc1983]

Did they tell you to retake? I mean your scores are great ( except RC). Is english your first language? my RC is 16 and english is my 3rd language ( i'll retake only if i won't get in this cycle, but schools told me it should be fine). I would say that taking the DAT in December is going to hurt you more cause byt he time they'll get your scores it'll be january....

 

[BlueToothBrush]

If I decide to retake the DAT, does my application:

1. Gets put on hold?
2. Will still be reviewed for potential interview?

Also, should I tell schools now or just send them my scores immediately after?

I'm asking this bc being a late applicant and poor RC/PAT, I have no chance to my #1 school UoP (RC 17 PAT 19)

Whether or not you retake the DAT, I believe your application will be reviewed regardless. You can inform schools that you'll be retaking the DAT, but i don't think they'll hold your application aside since it's already complete. Besides holding off your file for review hurts your chances in the long run.

Everyone else has given really good advice and I agree with them all. There is a risk you can score lower, you may score the same... chances are you may score within a 1 or maybe 2 point standard deviation of what you already got. And Iradoc is right in saying that if you retake in the end of December, expect schools to receive the verified hard copy for another month or more (i'd say probably mid-Feb). Your scores are fine, just relax and sweat it out like the rest of us. But dont let one school make you do anything rash.

 

[yakuza]

How do you know you'll do better? If you got a 17 RC, chances are you'll get it again

True, but I'll practice my ass off to get a 20 in RC.

Did they tell you to retake? I mean your scores are great ( except RC). Is english your first language? my RC is 16 and english is my 3rd language ( i'll retake only if i won't get in this cycle, but schools told me it should be fine). I would say that taking the DAT in December is going to hurt you more cause byt he time they'll get your scores it'll be january....

Unfortunately, English is my 1st language. It's embarrassing to make a 17..

Whether or not you retake the DAT, I believe your application will be reviewed regardless. You can inform schools that you'll be retaking the DAT, but i don't think they'll hold your application aside since it's already complete. Besides holding off your file for review hurts your chances in the long run.

Everyone else has given really good advice and I agree with them all. There is a risk you can score lower, you may score the same... chances are you may score within a 1 or maybe 2 point standard deviation of what you already got. And Iradoc is right in saying that if you retake in the end of December, expect schools to receive the verified hard copy for another month or more (i'd say probably mid-Feb). Your scores are fine, just relax and sweat it out like the rest of us. But dont let one school make you do anything rash.

I think everyone is right too, but my plan was to not inform schools of my retake, only UoP. So if I don't tell the other schools, it shouldn't hurt my chances there bc they won't know right? I'm not sure how this retake process works. So if I make ~23AA, shouldn't that be a somewhat guaranteed admission?

 

[BlueToothBrush]

Not telling the schools that you'll be retaking the DATs should not hurt your chances. But I think you're splitting hairs with a 21AA vs a 23AA. And there are plenty of people here that would be extremely happy with that score. However, if you're set on retaking the DATs then to answer your question... retaking the test without informing the schools should not hurt your chances since the scores will not be sent to them.

 

[paul510psu]

Why would you put yourself through the DAT again unnecessarily by retaking with a 21 AA and a 23 TS. Talk about a glutton for punishment.

I'd say that you'll get into at least great school. Good luck with everything.

 

[yakuza]

Not telling the schools that you'll be retaking the DATs should not hurt your chances. But I think you're splitting hairs with a 21AA vs a 23AA. And there are plenty of people here that would be extremely happy with that score. However, if you're set on retaking the DATs then to answer your question... retaking the test without informing the schools should not hurt your chances since the scores will not be sent to them.

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely email UoP and tell them the situation.

Why would you put yourself through the DAT again unnecessarily by retaking with a 21 AA and a 23 TS. Talk about a glutton for punishment.

I'd say that you'll get into at least great school. Good luck with everything.

You're right, it may be a bit greedy. But UoP is my dream school, and when you have a dream, you gota go get it.

 

[Lopyswine]

I wish you luck, however UoP is famous for filling most its class on Dec 1st. The few spots they hold will not handed out to an average gpa and 23 AA.

It seems like the schools hold those last few spots for the CRAZY story applicants. You know, the 3.9 GPAs that lived in their car and volunteered with blind kids.... you know the type.

 

[yakuza]

I wish you luck, however UoP is famous for filling most its class on Dec 1st. The few spots they hold will not handed out to an average gpa and 23 AA.

It seems like the schools hold those last few spots for the CRAZY story applicants. You know, the 3.9 GPAs that lived in their car and volunteered with blind kids.... you know the type.

lol yeh..I definitely don't have a 3.9 or was homeless, but shouldn't a 23AA be crazy enough

 

[Mrbubbles]

i'm sure u heard it plenty of times already, ur scores are GRREATT! i feel bad that ur in this predicament cuz ur future is on the line..

i don't think u should retake at all!! god forbid u don't get in this year, and u have to reapply next year and u score a few points lower in ur sciences but improve in ur rc/pat.. schools will see ALL ur dat attempts.

Whether u call up uop or not, they will tell u to retake regardless! also..didn't u take the dat mid sept? ( i remember from an earlier post)..so u were considered complete pretty late, and a uop representative (a vist to my school) said that u should take the dat early august at the latest..

so...a lot to consider, but DO NOT retake! u'll def get in somewhere else..which is better than waiting a whole nother year!

 

[misstoothfairy]

i'm sure u heard it plenty of times already, ur scores are GRREATT! i feel bad that ur in this predicament cuz ur future is on the line..

i don't think u should retake at all!! god forbid u don't get in this year, and u have to reapply next year and u score a few points lower in ur sciences but improve in ur rc/pat.. schools will see ALL ur dat attempts.

Whether u call up uop or not, they will tell u to retake regardless! also..didn't u take the dat mid sept? ( i remember from an earlier post)..so u were considered complete pretty late, and a uop representative (a vist to my school) said that u should take the dat early august at the latest..

so...a lot to consider, but DO NOT retake! u'll def get in somewhere else..which is better than waiting a whole nother year!

UoP is 3 years for a reason. It gives you +1 year slack incase you don't make it your first attempt, you can be at par with anyone else at any other dental school by time they graduate in the regular 4 years. So you either spend 4 years at your "second choice" or you wait 1 year and take the same amount of time at UoP. If it is in fact your dream school, wait a year and reapply in May. You don't need a 23AA to get into UoP but you definately need a 21 PAT to be competitive. If you have a 21AA and 21 PAT you are more competitive than a 23 AA and a 19 PAT, this is for UoP ONLY. IF and only if that is the school you wanna go to, do that. Wait a year, apply again, I guarentee you acceptance if you are what they are looking for in the interview.

 

[drpsuedonym]

I think being a late applicant will hurt you more than your scores. I have similar scores to yours but a lower GPA and I have an interview there. Since they haven't specifically asked you to do a retake, you should call and ask them if it would even make a difference.

 

[dentalgal3123]

I've read how you don't plan on informing other schools of your re-take. Is there anyway they can find out w/o you telling them? And if you get accepted, do you have to tell them you wrote it again?

 

[aquafreshlovin]

oh girl, same thing happened to me. is UOP your first choice? i got super low QR & PAT scores and UOP told me to re-take DAT to get at least 19. in the end, i decided not to re-take...b/c i don't think i can score higher on my sciences. 😕

 

[somethinpositiv]

I got 19 RC/19 PAT and considered retaking the DAT for UoP, but my DAT is good for every other school I applied to, and even if I boost it up there's only a slim chance for UoP anyways so it would most likely be a wasted effort.

Also, be aware that UoP only looks at your MOST RECENT score on the DAT. That means that if you do worse the second time, your 21/23/19 is suddenly erased, and you might have an even harder time getting into UoP...

 

[somethinpositiv]

Also, be aware that UoP only looks at your MOST RECENT score on the DAT. That means that if you do worse the second time, your 21/23/19 is suddenly erased, and you might have an even harder time getting into UoP...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527651