Is late August 2nd too late to take the DAT?

[skim1988]

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Hey guys. I already submitted my application today, June 2. But, I'm scheduled to take the DAT on August 2nd. I know that it takes about 2-3 weeks for AADSAS to receive and send out my DAT scores. I also know that dental schools do not look at applications without DAT scores. So if I do take DAT first week of August, would my application be considered late? If so, how important is it to apply early? The schools I'm aiming for is UCLA, UCSF, and Columbia. I am a CA resident.

sci gpa: 3.73
overall gpa: 3.775
I worked as a dental assistant for 3 years during undergrad (~1500 hrs)
I have a research paper that is going to be sumitted to a scientific journal in hope of getting published.

 

[dentalWorks]

Hey guys. I already submitted my application today, June 2. But, I'm scheduled to take the DAT on August 2nd. I know that it takes about 2-3 weeks for AADSAS to receive and send out my DAT scores. I also know that dental schools do not look at applications without DAT scores. So if I do take DAT first week of August, would my application be considered late? If so, how important is it to apply early? The schools I'm aiming for is UCLA, UCSF, and Columbia. I am a CA resident.

sci gpa: 3.73
overall gpa: 3.775
I worked as a dental assistant for 3 years during undergrad (~1500 hrs)
I have a research paper that is going to be sumitted to a scientific journal in hope of getting published.

ur only applying to 3 schools????

As far as august DAT goes, I dunno if your early/late, but I can assure you, there will be about 3000-5000+ people a head of you.

 

[Osity]

ur only applying to 3 schools????

As far as august dat goes, i dunno if your early/late, but i can assure you, there will be about 3000-5000+ people a head of you.

+1

You are going to need to apply to more than three schools. Your GPA is great, but you still need to add schools. There are many people with 3.7+ GPA and 20+ DAT who never even get interviewed at some schools because of the randomness of this whole process. You need to give yourself a better chance, so apply to 10 schools or so considering you GPA (hopefully your DAT follows suit).

I would highly suggest that you take you DAT earlier. Your application will be complete near the end of August or first part of September. That gives thousands of applicants, like dentalworks said, a three month head start on you. To put that in perspective, schools start sending out interview invitations in July.

 

[John Durian]

That's pretty damn late.

 

[hell0k1tty]

I took my DAT last year on August 12 so my application wasn't completed until Sept 1. I think it was a major reason why I didn't hear back from any schools except for my state school.

 

[skim1988]

thanks guys. I really appreciate your opinions.

I guess I'll just try my best to take the DAT in a month. Hopefully a month is enough to prepare for the test.😳

 

[WhichRoom]

I took my DAT last year on August 31st. My app was sent in around july tenth. I had ok extra curriculars, ~70 hours shadowing a 21 DAT and a 3.93 cum. If you need that much time for the dat I would say take it, although i felt that what i studied in june was out of my head. I would def apply to at least 7 schools, i applied to 7, got interviews at 6 and got accepted at the ones I interviewed at.

 

[skim1988]

ur only applying to 3 schools????

As far as august DAT goes, I dunno if your early/late, but I can assure you, there will be about 3000-5000+ people a head of you.

I took my DAT last year on August 31st. My app was sent in around july tenth. I had ok extra curriculars, ~70 hours shadowing a 21 DAT and a 3.93 cum. If you need that much time for the dat I would say take it, although i felt that what i studied in june was out of my head. I would def apply to at least 7 schools, i applied to 7, got interviews at 6 and got accepted at the ones I interviewed at.

Sorry. I should have been more clear. I am planning to apply to 12 dental schools. It's just that I really want to get into my state dental schools(UCLA, UCSF) or Columbia. Hope 12 schools are enough

 

[rockclock]

you have good experience and a good GPA...if you can back it all up with a 23+ DAT you'll be fine. applying later isn't the end of the world, especially if you have solid stats and a good application, which you seem to have.

i took the DAT the last week in July last cycle and applied the first week in August. Cali resident. Got into all three of the schools you're aiming for.

 

[Lane138]

I crammed for my DATs in only one month (barely knowing any orgo beforehand too), and did perfectly fine. Perfectly fine, meaning >25. So it's possible! You don't want to risk having a good score in August but having it not mean anything because schools don't have slots left.

 

[K9sbestfriend]

I took my DAT last year on August 31st. My app was sent in around july tenth. I had ok extra curriculars, ~70 hours shadowing a 21 DAT and a 3.93 cum. If you need that much time for the dat I would say take it, although i felt that what i studied in june was out of my head. I would def apply to at least 7 schools, i applied to 7, got interviews at 6 and got accepted at the ones I interviewed at.

I tend to agree with whichroom on this. Take the time you need to do well on the dat (I took mine aug 18th). I understand promoting the urgency of an early app for the sake of assurance but to suggest an aug 2nd dat date means you closed the doors to getting interviews/acceptances is inaccurate.

12 schools, solid gpa's, good ECs/volunteering and a good Dat score (20+): With those numbers you would be statistically way ahead of me to get interviews. So in my opinion you would be fine... but my opinion is all based on 20+ DAT score. The only problem with august is if you must retake you are looking at november.

 

[beeho]

if you do quite well on the DAT, then it's not TOO LATE in the game. just relatively, it's later than most applicants (of course). perhaps expanding your d-school list? the only time i would apply to only a few schools is if i had everything done by about now, and i had in-state status on them.

 

[Noelle23]

So... Last year I applied in October and took the DAT in November with not very much studying. I got an 18/18/18🙁 (retaking July 17th) I got married late summer and had a baby so time was limited for me. Anyhow, I only applied to a few schools as well. So, I made a lot of mistakes last cycle. Nonetheless, I got waitlisted at UCSF and I am OOS. That being said, I think that the earlier you can take it the better but exceptions are made all the time. Ie, UCSF cutoff for taking the DAT is Oct 15th and they obvisously made an exception for my extremely late DAT because they liked the rest of my app. But if it is at all possible to take it earlier then it is within your best interest to do so. Believe me you dont want to be doing this again next year!

 

[MDixon2429]

Thank you for your reply "WhichRoom." Helped me out alot! I think it is better to take your time and be proud of your application than to rush just for the sake of getting it over with. I have to take my DAT mid-August...I think confidence plays a major role in this process too. If you have it, admissions committees will sense it...

 

[MDixon2429]

I took my DAT last year on August 31st. My app was sent in around july tenth. I had ok extra curriculars, ~70 hours shadowing a 21 DAT and a 3.93 cum. If you need that much time for the dat I would say take it, although i felt that what i studied in june was out of my head. I would def apply to at least 7 schools, i applied to 7, got interviews at 6 and got accepted at the ones I interviewed at.

hank you for your reply "WhichRoom." Helped me out alot! I think it is better to take your time and be proud of your application than to rush just for the sake of getting it over with. I have to take my DAT mid-August...I think confidence plays a major role in this process too. If you have it, admissions committees will sense it...

 

[Doc Smile]

That's pretty damn late.

+1👍

 

[shahinc]

I am not sure about Late or Early ... I wrote mine in Aug 3 last year and schools got the results at Aug 27 !!! It does take a good 3 weeks before schools can get your result.

 

[udonzilla]

It's not late .... and it's not advised. However, I took my dats in October and I was fine. I'm glad you are applying to more than just 3 schools as we all previously though.

Good luck