Im in a stressful pickle and could use some advice

[Booshiba]

Dear, Forum members

So I am all signed up to take the DAT October 11 @ 12:00pm. My fall semester has already started and I'm taking 16 hours of pretty tough courses including, Biochem, adv. physio., microbio, cellbio, cellbio lab, and biochem lab. All these bio courses really make me feel confident for the bio section in fact I feel I can maybe get a near perfect score there. I need just a bit more practice on the gen chem...O chem I just need to refresh the critical points and rule exceptions, Math and the perceptual abilities still require a bunch of my attention. The week prior to my DAT I have 4 exams...Adv. Physio, Micro, Bio chem and cell bio. My first exam of the semester is tomorrow and after that I have counted 25 days until my DAT. My question is should I (Option 1) blow off my classes to ensure a great DAT score the first time? (Option 2) Bite the bullet and sleep only 4-5 hours a day and study my ass off for all my courses and the DAT? (Option 3) Focus on courses at hand to ensure straight A's, study for DAT on "free" time and if worse comes to worse and my DAT scores are not good enough...dreadfully retake it?

I personally know 2 dentists and both of them told me they had to the retake the DAT and didn't even get into dental school until they were 27-28 yrs. old...I'm about to be 24 yrs. old. They said it is not the worst thing to have to retake such a critical exam. I've also read on here that if you do poorly and then retake it and come out with EXCELLENT scores it shows improvement and dedication. I'm leaning towards option 3 personally. Even my mom and dad have said that if I have to retake it there is no shame in it at all. After this semester which I'm guaranteeing myself straight A's my GPA should be about a 3.2. And then I'll still need 2 more semesters so my GPA can only go up as long as I keep studying for my classes the way I have been...like a dog. I also have several research hours in an organic chem. lab, and volunteer hours with meals on wheels, Kinetic Kids (for the mentally ill children) and at the local animal shelter helping bathing and walking and generally loving the animals. Sorry for the long post but recently stress has been coming at me from so many angles not just school but personal family stuff as well so I guess I'm just looking for a few gentle words of advice and of course some light hearted internet humor. Wish me luck.

Best,
C.A.B
Biology Major

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[cacajuate]

Why are you even taking the DAT this year? It's really late in the cycle.

I'd take all those classes and then take the DAT sometime next year and apply super early next year.

 

[dbd]

If you're applying this year, you should focus on your DAT. If you're not applying this cycle, you should cancel and reschedule it to a date where you have more time to adequately focus on it. There's no reason to take it when you're incredibly busy and do poorly.

 

[rendal]

Since you're talking about retaking the DAT as an option, I'm going to assume that you're a junior and/or applying next cycle.

I agree with the post above; reschedule the DAT for a later date, perhaps at the end of winter break or the beginning of spring semester? That way you can lightly study for the DAT through this rather difficult semester during free time (so you can guarantee yourself those straight A's), and then you can have a solid few weeks after finals to crack down on all of the remaining material you didn't get to. Don't plan to retake it, just give yourself enough time to prepare the first time so you can kill it and won't have to worry about taking it again.

Good luck!

 

[MasterDental]

Reschedule for end of winter break. I agree. Then you have 1 full month to study hard.


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[doc toothache]

There is not much difference between planning to retake the DAT or planning to retake classes. Is the self imposed "guarantee" valid at all colleges/universities? For starters, you could spend less time with Fido & Co.

 

[2THDDS]

we all feel the same way about wasting another year not applying, but it seems like if you take october DAT it will be very late so your chances will be very low.
With that much of science in your courseload, I wouldn't bank on doing exceptionally well on the DAT for it to make up for your lateness in application cycle.

Change the test date to after winter break, do well in these classes.
Blowing these classes over DAT is nuts as well because DAT can be re-written, but your GPA is irreparable at this point in time. This will hold you back more than one bad DAT score can.

 

[Booshiba]

You see I can't reschedule because even if I did the latest I could take it is October 26th. I figured I'd take it, and wait till January to apply to schools. What happens if I just don't take it even though I have a scheduled date?

 

[s2mySerendipity]

You see I can't reschedule because even if I did the latest I could take it is October 26th. I figured I'd take it, and wait till January to apply to schools. What happens if I just don't take it even though I have a scheduled date?

Wait. Apply in January? That's REALLY late. I would highly advise you to apply next cycle and if you want, apply early in June. This is just my 2 cents, but you might potentially waste thousands of dollars. There are people who apply to like 20 schools here and are freaking out schools haven't replied yet. Seats fill up fast and potentially may be full/almost full by March/April. If it takes the schools a few months to reply to us earlier appliers, January + few months is really late.

 

[Booshiba]

How do the cycles of applying work?

 

[Texas Dental]

I would suggest not taking your DAT. Focus on your school work and during winter break study and take the exam. Applying at this time; also suggesting that none of your transcripts, letters of recommendation, essays, and overall AADSAS / TMDSAS application have not even been started seems like a waste of time and money.

With TMDSAS it takes atleast a solid month after your submit everything for your application to even be processed and sent to dental schools. With AADSAS you are in the same boat; it will take lots of time for all of this stuff to be mailed / arrived / cross checked / verified. Its your time and money so do what you think is best for you

My advice is to take your DAT when you have time to prepare for it and don't bother applying at this time because a late application even with a 4.0 with 25AA might still be a long shot.

Best of luck to you

 

[Booshiba]

Thanks for the opinions. I've decided to just not sleep and work my ass off and take the exam. I'm not applying to any schools yet I'm just taking it to get my score. When do you all suggest to apply to schools? I'm still not clear on how the cycle of applying works. Thanks.

 

[Texas Dental]

Cycle opens up around may / june (TMDSAS / AADSAS)

 

[2THDDS]

You see I can't reschedule because even if I did the latest I could take it is October 26th. I figured I'd take it, and wait till January to apply to schools. What happens if I just don't take it even though I have a scheduled date?

if you aren't ready by 10.26, it's better to just not take it and throw that money away than doing bad on it.
So, you are not able to extend the date? It wont let you?

 

[Booshiba]

I had applied for it in may so October is the last month I can take it. I think I'll do good I just have to stop stressing.

 

[BIGd_83]

I think you should push your DAT all the way to June (over study) and apply as soon as the portal RE-opens with or without your scores. Focus on your courses at hand, sounds like you cannot afford to make a B. Also you may want to get more sleep, lack of sleep can lead to loss of brain cells.

 

[Booshiba]

So after lots of consideration and convincing from my dad I'm pushing the DAT to June. End thread.