Is this DAT score good enough

[Tomapbobo]

I took the DAT and got PAT:18 QR:18 RC:24 BIO:17 GC:17 OR:19 TS:19 AA:19? Thank you for the help

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[Palpit]

I think it's right on the cusp. You didn't do badly, but 17's can be seen as the minimum for dental schools. Retaking the DAT and improving your Bio, GC, and PAT score specifically will help immensely.

I don't know if it's a "good enough" score, but it could be based on what schools you're aiming for as well as your dental experiences, personal statement, LORs, and other application aspects.

 

[ChemistryDentist]

The information you gave us really isn't enough to tell you if your score is "good enough." In fact, no one on this forum can tell you that. Only dental school adcoms can. That being said, I believe your scores are now average or slightly below average for enrollees into dental schools. Doing some quick googling, the AA for 2018 was a 20.5 (which you are slightly below). According to the 2017 numbers released by the ADA (found here: http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Education and Careers/Files/dat_users_manual.ashx), here are your percentiles:

QR​	60%​
RC​	92.8%​
BIO​	36.9%​
GC​	34.6%​
OC​	59.2%​
TS​	63%​
PAT​	42%​
AA​	60%​

Keep in mind these percentiles tend to go up every year, or so at least seems the trend. So you're well below the 50th percentile for some of the scores, and decently above it for others. If you're aiming at getting into some of the top in-state or private dental schools, I think you should seriously consider retaking the DAT. Your scores are by no means "bad," but they're lower than many of the other applicants it would seem from these stats.

Now this answer may change based on your GPA. You want a GPA that matches your DAT score well. If you have a 4.0 GPA, you should be getting at least a 23 AA / TS DAT I would think. If you have a 3.5, you may be able to get a slightly lower score. But remember, the higher the score, the higher the chances! You also must keep in mind extracurriculars, research, and volunteering as well, which all play a part in your chances.

In the end, you need to decide if your scores are "good enough" for you and the schools you want to apply to. If you plan on getting accepted this cycle, I would say your chances are slim at this point in the cycle unless you have an outstanding other portion of your application. If you retake and reapply (or resubmit your scores this cycle), and do much better, your chances should go up.

Best of luck!

 

[DAT Destroyer]

I took the DAT and got PAT:18 QR:18 RC:24 BIO:17 GC:17 OR:19 TS:19 AA:19? Thank you for the help

Your DAT score is just part of the application, depending on where you are applying, your GPA and other factors you might have a decent chance of getting an interview. Your best bet is to call the schools and get their advice.

Wishing you the best

Nancy

 

[SmileyKris]

I took the DAT and got PAT:18 QR:18 RC:24 BIO:17 GC:17 OR:19 TS:19 AA:19? Thank you for the help

Some schools say they like to see all science sections higher than a certain number. I would look at every school individually and see what that is. Also, your total science doesn’t really add up correctly to a 19. Biology is counted a little bit more, maybe you looked at it wrong. Overall, a TS and AA of a 19 isn’t bad and people get accepted with it all the time. If it’s actually an 18 TS that might decrease your chnaces a little.

 

[artist2022]

Also, your total science doesn’t really add up correctly to a 19. Biology is counted a little bit more, maybe you looked at it wrong.

TS is not an average of the three science scores. It's based on the raw number of correct answers out of 100. From the ADA's FAQs about the DAT: "The Total Science score is NOT the rounded average of a candidate’s scale scores in Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry."

OP, people get in with 19's all the time, but it really depends on what else is on your application and where you apply. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance, I think retaking and getting a 21+ (which is close to the average of those that matriculate into dental school, 20.7) would be the way to go.

 

[4thgen]

19AA and 19TS might be slightly below average BUT reading comprehension is weighted the most out of all of them. Because your RC is so high I would say that this is a good enough score to get your foot in the door for some interviews if you have a GPA around 3.5 and everything else is is solid.

 

[deleted945327]

19AA and 19TS might be slightly below average BUT reading comprehension is weighted the most out of all of them. Because your RC is so high I would say that this is a good enough score to get your foot in the door for some interviews if you have a GPA around 3.5 and everything else is is solid.

RC is not weighted the most. Your sciences along with TS is weighted most. I’ve seen people get interviews with 14 RC.

Extra info: Most people thought TS is the average of your sciences (biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry), but it’s not. TS is the total amount of questions correct out of the 100 questions in science (40 in biology, 30 in GC, and 30 in OC).

edit: just noticed artist said the same thing about TS

 

[deleted945327]

TS is not an average of the three science scores. It's based on the raw number of correct answers out of 100. From the ADA's FAQs about the DAT: "The Total Science score is NOT the rounded average of a candidate’s scale scores in Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry."

OP, people get in with 19's all the time, but it really depends on what else is on your application and where you apply. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance, I think retaking and getting a 21+ (which is close to the average of those that matriculate into dental school, 20.7) would be the way to go.

I think what they meant by their total science being a 19 means there’s no way they got a 19 TS with 17 in bio, 17 in GC, 19 in orgo. Biology has the most set of questions and so it doesn’t add up for TS to be at 19 when you received 17 in two of 3 with only one of them being 19 in orgo (which isn’t even bio) to have a 19 TS.

 

[deleted945327]

I took the DAT and got PAT:18 QR:18 RC:24 BIO:17 GC:17 OR:19 TS:19 AA:19? Thank you for the help

People get in with your scores but it really depends on your application and GPA’s. One thing I learned from this cycle, never take anyone’s advice on here literal. I was told that I should apply next year (this was artist2022 telling me that “no offense” she was just giving me advice from her experiences and other people’s stories) because I was applying late August with a 19 AA, 20 TS, and 15 in QR. I received 5 interviews (all pre-December) and my GPA is slightly above average for applicants. Just don’t doubt yourself because any shot you don’t take is a missed shot. You really don’t know what to expect and don’t realize what you’re capable of until you put yourself out there.

 

[SmileyKris]

I think what they meant by their total science being a 19 means there’s no way they got a 19 TS with 17 in bio, 17 in GC, 19 in orgo. Biology has the most set of questions and so it doesn’t add up for TS to be at 19 when you received 17 in two of 3 with only one of them being 19 in orgo (which isn’t even bio) to have a 19 TS.

That’s exactly what I meant. I could be wrong, but that’s how it was explained to me when I called and asked.

 

[SmileyKris]

People get in with your scores but it really depends on your application and GPA’s. One thing I learned from this cycle, never take anyone’s advice on here literal. I was told that I should apply next year (this was artist2022 telling me that “no offense” she was just giving me advice from her experiences and other people’s stories) because I was applying late August with a 19 AA, 20 TS, and 15 in QR. I received 5 interviews (all pre-December) and my GPA is slightly above average for applicants. Just don’t doubt yourself because any shot you don’t take is a missed shot. You really don’t know what to expect and don’t realize what you’re capable of until you put yourself out there.

Completely agree! If you don’t get in you try again, but don’t give up before trying. Just apply to schools that are within your statistics. Plenty of schools interview later in the cycle as well.

 

[artist2022]

I was told that I should apply next year (this was artist2022 telling me that “no offense” she was just giving me advice from her experiences and other people’s stories) because I was applying late August with a 19 AA, 20 TS, and 15 in QR.

It was with no offense and you even privately messaged me for more help. Kudos to you on your interviews. There just might've been something on your application that stood out to adcoms, but your case happens to be the exception, not the norm. Also, anyone's goal should be to get into the cheapest school possible, and higher DAT scores will give you a better chance at that. I have never tried to belittle or discourage you or anyone else on the forum, I've just tried to give my input to help people have the best possible chance at getting in. No need to take offense at that. Good luck.

 

[deleted945327]

It was with no offense and you even privately messaged me for more help. Kudos to you on your interviews. There just might've been something on your application that stood out to adcoms, but your case happens to be the exception, not the norm. Also, anyone's goal should be to get into the cheapest school possible, and higher DAT scores will give you a better chance at that. I have never tried to belittle or discourage you or anyone else on the forum, I've just tried to give my input to help people have the best possible chance at getting in. No need to take offense at that. Good luck.

I wasn’t taking offense at that, I was just giving the person my experience with how getting advice from others should never be taken literal, and thank you artist.

 

[4thgen]

RC is not weighted the most. Your sciences along with TS is weighted most. I’ve seen people get interviews with 14 RC.

Extra info: Most people thought TS is the average of your sciences (biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry), but it’s not. TS is the total amount of questions correct out of the 100 questions in science (40 in biology, 30 in GC, and 30 in OC).

edit: just noticed artist said the same thing about TS

In this situation, having a High RC will off set his TS score which is slightly lower than average. RC has the highest correlation to how well a student will do in dental school.

 

[deleted945327]

In this situation, having a High RC will off set his TS score which is slightly lower than average. RC has the highest correlation to how well a student will do in dental school.

True