Is DAT 18 good enough?

[sheri]

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Hello everybody,
Need your opinion on what I need to get into any dental school. I have recieved an overall 18 on the DAT's, and a 22 PAT, 21 Reading Comprehension, 18 Science, 15 quantitative reasoning. My science GPA is a 3.1 and my overall GPA is a 3.3. Should I retake the DAT's or am I cabable of getting into a dental school with those specs. Thank You.

 

[Regmata]

Borderline, but I personally wouldn't risk applying with those stats

 

[thethethe]

what about a 3.75 science and 3.8 overall gpa (from SUNY Stony Brook) with...lets say a lower dat score, like a 19

 

[will9631]

I have a similar gpa and didn't get in my first time around with straight 19's (though I also applied pretty late). Your RC and PAT scores are good, but that 15 qr will keep you out of alot of places (schools generally don't care about qr, but they often have cutoffs for each subject and 15 will likely fall short). In my experience I've found that a 3.1/3.3 gpa isn't a problem as long as you have strong DAT's, so if I were you I would probably retake. I did Kaplan turoring/online/classroom and had great results (though its pretty expensive), and I credit my high dat's with my success on the second go-round (two offers of admission). The way I see it, DAT's are something that you can go ahead and improve dramatically in a few months (unlike gpa) and give yourself a big boost in gaining admission.

Thats my two cents anyway, good luck with the whole process

 

[swtcatastrophe]

i think your RC and PAT are good. if you could get your TS and QR up, it would be to your benefit. the better application you go in with the better chance you're giving yourself--and hopefully less stress too. also, i have heard that some schools have minimum scores for the sections (usually like 16-17). just a few things to take into consideration. and it's still early enough for you to retake the DATs and not have it delay your application at all.

 

[blankguy]

Sheri,
you have very borderline stats. A retake of the DAT is in order. Don't worry about your RC and PAT scores, they might drop a little the main score that schools look at are the Academic average and Total Science scores. A 20 in those scores with say 19 in RC and PAT looks better than your scores. As long as there isn't a catastrophic drop in scores in the RC and PAT you should be fine in the retake.

 

[JamieMac]

...the main score that schools look at are the Academic average and Total Science scores.

I'm not sure I agree with blank(etstatement)guy. I know...lame.

First of all, I think it is too general to state that the "main scores" are AA/TS. The two schools I targeted both indicated that RC and BIO were the most important to them, because it was determined that these were correlated with a student's success in dental school.

Secondly, I think the OP's chances of success are dependent upon many other factors: grades, EC, experience, and lets not forget WHERE she applies.

I know a couple of people who got in with 18s...it can be done. Safe to say you will not have a chance at Harvard or some of the other upper echelon schools with that score. Just do a little research about the schools you plan to apply to...If you're scores do not fit in, retake it. And...IF you think you can do better, DEFINITELY retake.

Good luck.

 

[bodiddely]

Borderline, but I personally wouldn't risk applying with those stats

What's the risk? Do you just mean the risk of losing all the money spent applying?

 

[youngmc27]

I got in with an 18 DAT score and I have a little higher GPA and a Masters but it can be done. There are others in my class with an 18 DAT and no masters so give it a shot and if you want to retake the DAT then do it but you never know until you try.

 

[blankguy]

I'm not sure I agree with blank(etstatement)guy. I know...lame.

First of all, I think it is too general to state that the "main scores" are AA/TS. The two schools I targeted both indicated that RC and BIO were the most important to them, because it was determined that these were correlated with a student's success in dental school.

Secondly, I think the OP's chances of success are dependent upon many other factors: grades, EC, experience, and lets not forget WHERE she applies.

I know a couple of people who got in with 18s...it can be done. Safe to say you will not have a chance at Harvard or some of the other upper echelon schools with that score. Just do a little research about the schools you plan to apply to...If you're scores do not fit in, retake it. And...IF you think you can do better, DEFINITELY retake.

Good luck.

Sure it varies from school to school. But I think everybody will agree the academic scores are very important. If you had an applicant with low science scores and high PAT and RC it wouldn't look that good especially with a borderline GPA. Let's face it science scores is a measure on how you learned the sciences. If they are not that great even with high PAT and RC with so so GPA it might be a red flag.

If the applicant has borderline GPA with DAT 18 then a DAT retake should be considered. Given the credentials being presented it is very borderline, and it wouldn't matter where the OP applied. She might get in but if she doesn't all the schools will probably end up telling similar stories.

 

[already954]

I think that the 15 QR is an application killer. 18 is not a bad score if the everything is closer to eighteen. I know that many places a sixteen on any section is the absolute lowest score they will take.

I know that other extra curricular activities matter, but in initial screening of applications schools have minimum standards that have to be met and they won't even look at you if you don't meet just one of their standards.

For example this is from Pitt's website:

"It is expected that an applicant achieve an academic average and PAT score of at least 16 on each section of the test... A score of 20 in each section is competitive."

There are some schools that would accept a 15 QR but they are very, very scarce.

I just wanted to be honest so that you can improve your chances of getting in.

I however could be wrong. I am not above that. Is there anyone who got into dental school with a 15 on any section of the DAT?

 

[JamieMac]

There are some schools that would accept a 15 QR but they are very, very scarce.[/COLOR][/U][/B]

Hmmm...I have to disagree with you here - especially about the QR section. If someone does pretty well on most of the other sections, and gets a 15 on the QR, it might not hurt them at all. Do a quick search on predents.com, and you will find that it is not as much of a rarity as you think. A 15 in RC or BIO, I might be inclined to agree with, but not QR. I've spoken with at least 5 people who got in to various schools with a 15 on QR. Yes, some schools do abide by a specific cutoff score for each section, but for others it is just a benchmark.

 

[CMistry]

Well, as you can see, the consensus is that NO, an 18 is not good enough in your situation.

I would have to agree. I'm not saying there aren't there's plenty of applicants with those numbers who get in each year. But if you want more of a "gaurantee" (I use that term loosly, nothing is gauranteed), you should score a bit higher.

-Cyrus

 

[already954]

JamieMAC


If that is the case why don't you direct the OP to those individuals so that the OP can understand what it took for them to get in with a 15 on QR. If the OP does not want to retake the DAT this information will be very valuable to her.

You can disagree all you want but until we hear from people who got in with a 15 QR I am not inclined to beleive you.

So I again ask if there is anyone on SDN that has been accepted to dental school for 2008 with a 15 on any section of the DAT?

The main goal of this thread is to give the OP a realistic view of the likelyhood of being accepted. Be carful not to give false hope.

Now do the math lets say there are 5 people on predents that got in with a 15 QR multiply that by 10 to be more fair of how many are represented on predents. So a total of 50 lets say. 4305 is the number of total seats listed on predents which is from the ADEA.

50/4305= 1 % chance of admittance.

Even with an inflated number like 50 there is only a 1% chance of getting in.

Again I want the OP to get in and have the best chances. I don't want to say do it when the chances are slim at best.

 

[JamieMac]

I randomly selected 6 popular schools on predents, and found the following schools accepted students with 15 (or lower) in QR:

(2) - NYU
(3) - Maryland
(2) - VCU
(2) - Michigan, (1) wait-listed
(4) - Buffalo**
(2) - Ohio State

*Many people with lower AA chose not to report each section.
**Buffalo accepted two people with a 14, and another with a 13 in RC.

Also, it is very likely that those on predents have higher stats (inflated or not) than most applying.

QR < or = 15...Not so rare at all.

My $.02

 

[JamieMac]

Now do the math lets say there are 5 people on predents that got in with a 15 QR multiply that by 10 to be more fair of how many are represented on predents. So a total of 50 lets say. 4305 is the number of total seats listed on predents which is from the ADEA.

First of all, it took less than 10 minutes to find 15 people at 6 selected quality schools who received a 15 or lower on the QR...ONLY 6 schools! AND these were people who CHOSE to report their scores. The probability is extremely high that those on predents are not even the best representation of those applying/accepted. Again, there were several with lower or equal AA of 18, that chose NOT to report their sectional scores.

Also, I don't agree with your computation at all. Way too many assumptions.

Again I want the OP to get in and have the best chances. I don't want to say do it when the chances are slim at best.

Secondly, I agree that the OP would have a better chance of getting in with a higher (and more balanced DAT), but I disagree with your doom and gloom prediction of her chances. Her chances are definitely better than "slim at best."

 

[already954]

jamieMac Quote:

"I randomly selected 6 popular schools on predents, and found the following schools accepted students with 15 (or lower) in QR:

(2) - NYU
(3) - Maryland
(2) - VCU
(2) - Michigan, (1) wait-listed
(4) - Buffalo**
(2) - Ohio State

*Many people with lower AA chose not to report each section.
**Buffalo accepted two people with a 14, and another with a 13 in RC.

Also, it is very likely that those on predents have higher stats (inflated or not) than most applying.

QR < or = 15...Not so rare at all.

My $.02"


I stand corrected.

There you go sheri on www.predents.com you can look at the stats of those accpeted with a 15 on the QR and which schools they got into. This way you can have a way better idea of where to apply if you don't take the DAT again. Also you will have a better chance to get into a state school where you have residence.

Good Luck!!

 

[TheWiredNerv]

JamieMAC


If that is the case why don't you direct the OP to those individuals so that the OP can understand what it took for them to get in with a 15 on QR. If the OP does not want to retake the DAT this information will be very valuable to her.

You can disagree all you want but until we hear from people who got in with a 15 QR I am not inclined to beleive you.

So I again ask if there is anyone on SDN that has been accepted to dental school for 2008 with a 15 on any section of the DAT?

I was accepted to every dental school I interviewed at and got offered numerous scholarships. I have a 15 on QR. Perhaps QR isn't held as significant compared to the other sections or perhaps all the other parts of my application made QR seem insignificant, I dunno.

 

[Danny0230]

I randomly selected 6 popular schools on predents, and found the following schools accepted students with 15 (or lower) in QR:

(2) - NYU
(3) - Maryland
(2) - VCU
(2) - Michigan, (1) wait-listed
(4) - Buffalo**
(2) - Ohio State

*Many people with lower AA chose not to report each section.
**Buffalo accepted two people with a 14, and another with a 13 in RC.

Also, it is very likely that those on predents have higher stats (inflated or not) than most applying.

QR < or = 15...Not so rare at all.

My $.02

thanks for searching me out and exposing me haha

I had 5 interviews with a 14 QR and was specifically told by many of them that they do not care about QR at all. I applied to 12 schools and only got 3 outright rejections, so 9/12 schools seem to not have a problem with it. One even told me that when the test was revised last year QR was made more difficult and scores plummeted because of it. They obviously take that into consideration. Another told me they dont even know why the section is still on the DAT. A low QR is definitely definitely not a big deal as long as the rest of your app. is solid.

But to the OP, I agree with the general concenus. Your gpa is too borderline to risk applying without retaking.

 

[already954]

congratulations you guys!! I have changed my mind.