is low PA very bad?

[yungwunn911]

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Hi all,

as my career path may have changed, I just took the DAT out of the blue.

my AA was 18 which seems to be average. But my PA was 15. I haven't studied for the exam, so seein shapes that were so close to each other was stressful and i kind of ran out of time for the easier questions twoard the end.

I want to stay in the tristate area for school, umdnj or nyu.

thanks

edit:

PA 15
RC 17
B 19
GC 18
OC 17
TS 18
AA 18

 

[iwannabadentist]

i had AA and TS of 19 and PA of 16. I am retaking end of May. Very disappointing to retake the entire thing for only one lousy section...but it must be done. Dental schools are getting to be very competitive, I would suggest you retake. What is your GPA/EC like?

 

[doc3232]

Some schools will probably auto reject for a low PAT. Some won't care about it though.

 

[NyCzPeter]

Hi all,

as my career path may have changed, I just took the DAT out of the blue.

my AA was 18 which seems to be average. But my PA was 15. I haven't studied for the exam, so seein shapes that were so close to each other was stressful and i kind of ran out of time for the easier questions twoard the end.

I want to stay in the tristate area for school, umdnj or nyu.

thanks

edit:

PA 15
RC 17
B 19
GC 18
OC 17
TS 18
AA 18

Coming into dentistry because have a 3.2 gpa and got a 22 on the mcats is not a very good reason. Besides, your subpar GPA and dee ats will not likely to get you even an interview at umdnj or nyu. Also, the fact that you just took the dats "out of the blue" clearly shows you have not given much though and have no real interest in pursueing dentistry. So usually I'd say best of luck, but in this case, I would just be lieing out of my @$$. For all of our sakes, I hope you never step foot into a dental school.

 

[yungwunn911]

Coming into dentistry because have a 3.2 gpa and got a 22 on the mcats is not a very good reason. Besides, your subpar GPA and dee ats will not likely to get you even an interview at umdnj or nyu. Also, the fact that you just took the dats "out of the blue" clearly shows you have not given much though and have no real interest in pursueing dentistry. So usually I'd say best of luck, but in this case, I would just be lieing out of my @$$. For all of our sakes, I hope you never step foot into a dental school.

I didn't really ask for an ethics or a "why do you want to be a dentist response". You shouldn't be so ignorant, pathetic, and quite frankly fake when trying to "help" people on these forums.

Good job on playing detective, maybe you should pursue the FBI. Gluck at stony though.

 

[yungwunn911]

i had AA and TS of 19 and PA of 16. I am retaking end of May. Very disappointing to retake the entire thing for only one lousy section...but it must be done. Dental schools are getting to be very competitive, I would suggest you retake. What is your GPA/EC like?

GPA is 3.3, which makes me think i should retake it hard core and go for a 20+ but the slot and view problems really get to me!

ECs are pretty strong (or so i think). Have many volunteer hours at the hospital and shadow hours with a dentist. Also, pretty involved at school

 

[NyCzPeter]

I didn't really ask for an ethics or a "why do you want to be a dentist response". You shouldn't be so ignorant, pathetic, and quite frankly fake when trying to "help" people on these forums.

Good job on playing detective, maybe you should pursue the FBI. Gluck at stony though.

Rule 0 n00b.
I never claimed to be "helping" anyone on these forums. Its very much a source of entertainment for me. Doesn't take a detective to click your name and scroll down the list of previous posts. Thanks for the wishes, good luck at whatever you do, but I sure as hell hope it won't be dentistry.

 

[yuppers]

I didn't really ask for an ethics or a "why do you want to be a dentist response". You shouldn't be so ignorant, pathetic, and quite frankly fake when trying to "help" people on these forums.

Good job on playing detective, maybe you should pursue the FBI. Gluck at stony though.

Dont get angry because he is spot on and you know it. Remember that you have to write a personal statement that answers why dentistry, need some dental-related experieces, go to an interview where you will answer why you have taken the MCAT, etc..... (just try not to lie too much because the adcoms are not dumb and they have dealt this this stuff for awhile.)
Go for medicine if that is what you really want... or you could regret doing something you dont want.

 

[R9973]

its a funny misconception that dental school is much easier to get into than medical school.

its an even funnier misconception when the ex pre-med cant get into dental school.

 

[saltlake007]

just curious but do the adcom know if you've taken the mcat or pcat..?

 

[yungwunn911]

I'm not angry at all. Just makes me upset when some1 talks and doesn't know who or what they are talking about.

Throughout college I have always went back and forth on Medical and Dental school. I have experience in both areas, and when I graduated, I decided, OK lets take the MCAT and get to med school. I can't seem to get a high enough score to stay in the states and for family/personal issues I cannot leave the country and would really really prefer to stay tri state.

WIth that, I took the DAT 2 days after my last MCAT. I have respect for all profession, and don't consider at all that MD is easier than dental or vice versa. DAT is not a walk in the park, but for me it is more manageable than the MCAT.

I don't think that adcom would know that i took the mcat, nor would i really care. I have reason for the switch and its not the first nor the last time that some1 decides to switch a profession.

So hopefully, we can back on topic. IS the PAT a decision breaker for schools? Either way, I plan on taking the exam again, but I'd like to know how much emphasis is place on the PAT section.

 

[yuppers]

I'm not angry at all. Just makes me upset when some1 talks and doesn't know who or what they are talking about.

Throughout college I have always went back and forth on Medical and Dental school. I have experience in both areas, and when I graduated, I decided, OK lets take the MCAT and get to med school. I can't seem to get a high enough score to stay in the states and for family/personal issues I cannot leave the country and would really really prefer to stay tri state.

WIth that, I took the DAT 2 days after my last MCAT. I have respect for all profession, and don't consider at all that MD is easier than dental or vice versa. DAT is not a walk in the park, but for me it is more manageable than the MCAT.

I don't think that adcom would know that i took the mcat, nor would i really care. I have reason for the switch and its not the first nor the last time that some1 decides to switch a profession.

So hopefully, we can back on topic. IS the PAT a decision breaker for schools? Either way, I plan on taking the exam again, but I'd like to know how much emphasis is place on the PAT section.

They most likely will still ask you about the MCAT because there is a section on the app that asks if you have taken other tests, prep classes, etc.

But....about the PAT. Feel free to read about the section imporatance in this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=604894&page=2

Main point:
"The DATs are weighted very heavily in dental admissions decisions. Five of its component scores—academic average, science, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and biology—were each rated more important by U.S. schools than any other factor. On a scale of 1 (least important) to 9 (most important), the academic average was rated (median score) 9, science 8, perceptual ability 7, and the rest of the component scores 6 or below as respective individual criteria of importance in the admissions decision. Quantitative reasoning score was ranked least important among the DAT's component scores with a median of 2.2"

http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/full/69/10/1095

[FONT=helvetica, arial]Evaluation of Applicants to Predoctoral Dental Education Programs: Review of the Literature .

[FONT=arial, helvetica]Richard R. Ranney, D.D.S., M.S.; Margaret B. Wilson, D.D.S., M.B.A.; Robert B. Bennett, Ph.D. .
[SIZE=-1]J Dent Educ. 69(10): 1095-1106 2005[/SIZE]

So yeah, PAT is very important.

 

[yungwunn911]

They most likely will still ask you about the MCAT because there is a section on the app that asks if you have taken other tests, prep classes, etc.

But....about the PAT. Feel free to read about the section imporatance in this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=604894&page=2

Main point:
"The DATs are weighted very heavily in dental admissions decisions. Five of its component scores—academic average, science, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and biology—were each rated more important by U.S. schools than any other factor. On a scale of 1 (least important) to 9 (most important), the academic average was rated (median score) 9, science 8, perceptual ability 7, and the rest of the component scores 6 or below as respective individual criteria of importance in the admissions decision. Quantitative reasoning score was ranked least important among the DAT’s component scores with a median of 2.2"

http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/full/69/10/1095

[FONT=helvetica, arial]Evaluation of Applicants to Predoctoral Dental Education Programs: Review of the Literature .

[FONT=arial, helvetica]Richard R. Ranney, D.D.S., M.S.; Margaret B. Wilson, D.D.S., M.B.A.; Robert B. Bennett, Ph.D. .
[SIZE=-1]J Dent Educ. 69(10): 1095-1106 2005[/SIZE]

So yeah, PAT is very important.

thanks bro!

 

[doc toothache]

The low PA may turn out to be the least of your problems.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527690

 

[yungwunn911]

The low PA may turn out to be the least of your problems.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527690

great thread. thanks. It seems that PAT is all over the board for alot of school.

But to get into UMDNJ i'd have to boost my schools up by a few points.

 

[license2kill]

Wow, you guys are brutal! 😀 The man was premed and now he is thinking about going to dental school, give him a break- he already has a full plate.

For the OP, you need to raise your GPA and DAT. Those stats will get you nowhere fast. Especially if you want to stay in the tristate region with so many applicants.

I joined the dark side from once being premed, but I did my research and really felt that dentistry was for me. I have never regretted my decision. But I have friends in similar situations who are not competitive enough for medical school so they are in the middle between M and D school and with that type of commitment, adcoms will not like you.

 

[R9973]

Not brutal, just observant.

You scheduled your DAT days after your MCAT? hmmm

 

[NyCzPeter]

Not brutal, just observant.

You scheduled your DAT days after your MCAT? hmmm

lol not just days after Mcat, days after getting a 22 on the mcat. hmmmmm

As for the original question. Yes your PAT is a serious red flag

 

[yungwunn911]

well, I don't know what I got on the MCAT yet. Its takes 4 weeks to get the scores. 23, was my previous mcat score

 

[license2kill]

lol not just days after Mcat, days after getting a 22 on the mcat. hmmmmm

As for the original question. Yes your PAT is a serious red flag

After a 22 on the MCAT??? Hmmm........

 

[R9973]

lets say you score a 38 on your MCAT. You've said you're dental now, but lets assume you retake and score 17 / 17 / 17. Would you apply to med school or buckle down to study for the DAT again?

 

[NyCzPeter]

lets say you score a 38 on your MCAT. You've said you're dental now, but lets assume you retake and score 17 / 17 / 17. Would you apply to med school or buckle down to study for the DAT again?

lol haha got em by the balls!

 

[DDSJA]

Just retake your DAT and boost your GPA. No need for all the bashing in this thread.

 

[sdooner30]

Yeah, I would suggest retaking the Dat as well. And if you have time, you should take some more classes and boost that GPA up a little. Also, remember to go and shadow a dentist to further confirm that dentistry is the career you see yourself doing for the rest of your life. Good luck!

 

[Homing Swan]

I just wanna say that I have been lurking in this forum for almost two years, and I have never felt so frustrated with calling myself pre-dent as I was today. I have a group of about 5 friends that are all pre-dent, we work hard and we try to be at the top of our classes. We love to make fun of the pre-med students who are all in the front with their hands raised eager to impress their professors as much as the next pre-dental students. However, we want to be dentists because we want to serve in our community as well as internationaly. If yungwunn whatever wants to be a dentist now, let him. If tomorrow he wakes up and wants to be a firefighter, who cares. Lets not be so pretentious. I wish that dental schools knew who we were on here so that they could see how we really are, outside the interview and personal statements, so they could see if we do service hours to look good or to actually help.

 

[yungwunn911]

I just wanna say that I have been lurking in this forum for almost two years, and I have never felt so frustrated with calling myself pre-dent as I was today. I have a group of about 5 friends that are all pre-dent, we work hard and we try to be at the top of our classes. We love to make fun of the pre-med students who are all in the front with their hands raised eager to impress their professors as much as the next pre-dental students. However, we want to be dentists because we want to serve in our community as well as internationaly. If yungwunn whatever wants to be a dentist now, let him. If tomorrow he wakes up and wants to be a firefighter, who cares. Lets not be so pretentious. I wish that dental schools knew who we were on here so that they could see how we really are, outside the interview and personal statements, so they could see if we do service hours to look good or to actually help.

if you want to serve your community so bad, why would you bash the pre-med student who are just trying to get goood regnition from their professors by answering questions that you prob feel to good to answer?

I think a lot of you dental student think too highly of yourselves. and intead of bashing me for being on the border of 2 professions, you should reconsider why you want to be a dentist. a lot of you claim to want to "help" people. your doing a very pathetic job thus far.

 

[R9973]

your doing a very pathetic job thus far.

so are you👍

 

[clockwork]

3.3 GPA and 18 AA is avg for people that take the DAT...not for those that get accepted in general. of course there will be some wonderful stories you hear on SDN but if you want to make a better shot for yourself, up your DAT scores into 19-21 range.....all of them. the PAT 15 will hurt you, some schools have a 16 cutoff for interviews. your GPA is hard to change, but your DAT score isnt.

 

[adizzle87]

You should retake, most schools have strict cutoffs for PATs I believe. I think people are frustrated with you because it comes off as a little arrogant to not only switch from pre-med to predent simply because your MCAT was low, but because you took the DAT without preparation. Some people here take months off to study for it which is why they probably find it baffling that you would just take it "out of the blue."

 

[yungwunn911]

thanks for everyone's suggestions and comments.

adizzle, you a big bimmer fan?

 

[brightsmiles9]

Retake, best of luck to you!!