Increase in DAT scores over the years?

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Beagle

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why does it seem as if there has been an increase in DAT scores over the years?
I mean on this forum, seems like almost everyone has 20's and above!!!
When I got into undergrad four years ago, I was told by UOP that if i maintained a 3.0 science GPA and a dat score of 17, I would most likely be accepted, and definatly have an interview! But today, it seems like a 17 isn't such a hot score.

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I was talking to my orthodontist a few months ago about my friend who had gotten a 14 on her DAT and his reply was "That's pretty good, it's around the national average." Keep in mind he has been out of dental school for many years, but I wonder if the national average has ever been that low.
 
The people on this forum is less than 1% of the dental school applicant population. If the national average is a 17, people are getting 14, 13, and possibly even lower as well as in the 20s. If these people were a good representation of the total applicant pool, then unless you have above 20s on the dat and a gpa of 3.5 and above - you are screwed. I personally don't know what is up with UOP. I think they have a stick up their butt! They are a second tier school (in my opinion) with too high of an opinion about thereselves. They are riding on the California School bandwagon and I guess that is why their numbers are high. I hope I don't sound bitter - and I got rejected without an interview from that school, so I guess I am a little bitter. Oh well!
 
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1) Back in the old days, the DAT were not scored with our current scoring scale! I talked to one of the dentists whom I current shadow that graduated in 1984 from Michigan, he said that he was not familiar with the current DAT scoring scale, 1-30! I was surprised to hear that and was wondering what type of scale they used?

2) One possibility that everyone's DAT scores are all in the 20s in this forum could be the fact that only high scorers post and low scorers do not! I had a 17 in my academic average and I posted that! GradMS is absolutely right, all of us pre-dents combined together probably doesn't even add up to 1% of total application population! One thing is for sure though, national average of DAT scores and GPAs are increasing! I always say "get them 20s" to people because I personally know that if you have that kind of score, you will be considered competitive in the application process and will be accepted to dental schools. On the other side of the token, if you have 18s and 19s, those are great scores as well, but you better have great GPAs to back that up! 17s, you're probably hovering around national's average, again, you BETTER have the GPAs to back that up!

20s on DAT are 100% guarantee admission scores, but it's not a MUST! Just take a look at our forum, everyone who has a 20 in the academic average IS accepted somewhere!

3) I strongly believe that everyone on this pre-dent forum are "go-getters"! People who are active in their academic future and know what they want to do as a career. All those ingredients equals success and high academic acheivements.

Just my thoughts! :cool:
 
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