I'm freaking out! Please help me!

[Briannamc24]

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Hey guys,

So I'm starting to freak out because I haven't sent in my application yet because I'm waiting on my letters of rec to be submitted and my transcript to appear on my application. In the meantime, I have some questions that I was hoping someone could answer:

1.) I took the DAT back in June and didn't do as well as I wanted to. So I have to wait until September 22 to retake it. If I submit my application before the 9/22 DAT scores show up on my application, will that hurt my chances of getting in? Or can I mention somewhere on the application that I'm taking the DAT again in September and they'll be receiving those scores by October? I'm applying to 6 different schools and the earliest deadline is 12/2012...so I should be fine, right?

2.) One of the schools I'm applying to is Temple (my first choice school). 2 of the dentists that I have writing a letter a rec for me graduated from there. I know the letter is supposed to be a "universal letter" but is there a way for them to write one and send it in separately to Temple?

3.) This is just a question out of curiosity. What's the difference between my official transcript and the coursework section of the application? Isn't going to show the same information?

I'm sorry for all the annoying questions. This is just so stressful and I want everything to be perfect!! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Kahr]

Hey guys,

So I'm starting to freak out because I haven't sent in my application yet because I'm waiting on my letters of rec to be submitted and my transcript to appear on my application. In the meantime, I have some questions that I was hoping someone could answer:

1.) I took the DAT back in June and didn't do as well as I wanted to. So I have to wait until September 22 to retake it. If I submit my application before the 9/22 DAT scores show up on my application, will that hurt my chances of getting in? Or can I mention somewhere on the application that I'm taking the DAT again in September and they'll be receiving those scores by October? I'm applying to 6 different schools and the earliest deadline is 12/2012...so I should be fine, right?

At this point, getting your application in now vs October, may not make too much of a difference. And in fact, them receiving your app now with lower DAT scores may even invite rejections, or an unfavorable hold. I am not aware of a place to put down that you intend to retake the DAT during this cycle, it is possible that you could mention this in your personal statement, though how you would fit it in might be a challenge. Alternatively if you're willing to risk it, you could apply once you get that other LOR, and mention your DAT retake on any supplemental/secondaries you fill out, assuming you have that chance before they make any decisions on your application.

I'm thinking you should wait. As for the schools, are these 6 truly the only ones you're willing to attend? You might consider revising that decision and applying to more.

If you haven't already, look over doc toothache's thread and spreadsheet on dental school GPA/DAT scores. It might give you a good idea of where you stand now and an applied target for your next DAT, as well as opening the door on some other schools that may be within your range stats wise.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=899971

2.) One of the schools I'm applying to is Temple (my first choice school). 2 of the dentists that I have writing a letter a rec for me graduated from there. I know the letter is supposed to be a "universal letter" but is there a way for them to write one and send it in separately to Temple?

This is sometimes possible, however with Temple it seems it is not; directly quoted from Temple's admissions' site:

The school will not read additional information mailed or faxed directly to the location unless requested.

My only suggestion is that you speak with your dentist LOR writer and see if he'd be willing to contact Temple, asking about the possibility of submitting an LOR from him to them directly; the hope being that his alumnus connection will grant an exception. The worst that can happen is they'll say no to him or he'll say no to you.

Edit: I suppose another suggestion would be to contact Temple yourself and see if they'd be okay with it. Though this might make it look like you didn't bother to read their admissions' page, or chose to ignore their comment as quoted above.

3.) This is just a question out of curiosity. What's the difference between my official transcript and the coursework section of the application? Isn't going to show the same information?

(ideally they are identical and will show the same info) Technically the difference is that one tracks receiving of your transcripts, while the other is for you to fill out to provide a ready template for AADSAS to use in calculating your GPA. This saves a lot of time for them, they can just compare your transcript's courses to what you put down, heck they may even have it programmed in a way to allow them to compare both quickly and automatically. Of course they will correct things that don't match, or aren't to their specifications (like what constitutes a science course, etc, or a grade is wrong).

From ADEA:

After ADEA AADSAS receives all of your official transcripts, the information you provide in the Coursework section will be audited for accuracy. Accuracy is important in this section because this is the basis for academic information provided to the dental schools, including coursework summaries and GPA's.

I'm sorry for all the annoying questions. This is just so stressful and I want everything to be perfect!! Thanks so much for your help!

Hopefully this answered your questions. I'm certain more opinions on your first one would be helpful, as what I said is of course, just an opinion.

Best of luck with your DAT retake.

 

[cluckyducky]

I would take a look at which schools have cut offs. Submit your application to the schools without DAT cut offs right now, so they'll be less likely to outright reject you. Add the other schools on later once your retake is done. That's how I would go about doing it! Good luck 🙂

 

[foreveros]

Hey guys,

So I'm starting to freak out because I haven't sent in my application yet because I'm waiting on my letters of rec to be submitted and my transcript to appear on my application. In the meantime, I have some questions that I was hoping someone could answer:

1.) I took the DAT back in June and didn't do as well as I wanted to. So I have to wait until September 22 to retake it. If I submit my application before the 9/22 DAT scores show up on my application, will that hurt my chances of getting in? Or can I mention somewhere on the application that I'm taking the DAT again in September and they'll be receiving those scores by October? I'm applying to 6 different schools and the earliest deadline is 12/2012...so I should be fine, right?

You do you know that you can still apply and after the school receives your application you can call and tell them you will be retakign dat and they will put a note in yoru file. so when you take your dat and send in the scores they will immediately review your application instead of your file staying the all the way back. They will put your file early in the batch.

 

[baby tooth]

At this point, getting your application in now vs October, may not make too much of a difference. And in fact, them receiving your app now with lower DAT scores may even invite rejections, or an unfavorable hold. I am not aware of a place to put down that you intend to retake the DAT during this cycle, it is possible that you could mention this in your personal statement, though how you would fit it in might be a challenge. Alternatively if you're willing to risk it, you could apply once you get that other LOR, and mention your DAT retake on any supplemental/secondaries you fill out, assuming you have that chance before they make any decisions on your application.

I'm thinking you should wait. As for the schools, are these 6 truly the only ones you're willing to attend? You might consider revising that decision and applying to more.

Is this really true? I am retaking my DAT at the end of September too and I haven't esubmitted yet either. Should I also wait?

 

[Kahr]

Is this really true? I am retaking my DAT at the end of September too and I haven't esubmitted yet either. Should I also wait?

It's strictly my opinion (I'm not an adcom! 🙂), and on top of that I used the word "may". There's absolutely no way to know what an adcom is going to do based on old scores, new scores, 4 retakes, whatever.

Unless you can communicate with the dental school's you'll be applying to that you intend to retake your DAT in September, they will have no way of knowing, and probably won't assume you're planning a retake.

So if you really want to get your app in as early as you can at this point, go for it, then follow up with each of the dental schools. Once you decide what to do regarding applying, get your focus on that retake, it's what's most important. Best of luck.