Just took DAT

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
S

Sunspear

Full Member
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
378
Reaction score
1
Members do not see this ad.
Hey guys,

I just took my DAT (first time) today and thought I'd share my scores with you. I was extremely nervous, of course, but pleasantly surprised with the results. 🙂 Seriously, I don't think my heart has ever pounded as fast in my entire life as it did when I went to get my results after the math section.

Bio: 24
G-Chem: 23
O-Chem: 21
PAT: 22
RC: 23
QR: 20
TS: 23
AA: 22

My overall GPA will be about a 3.4, with science GPA maybe a point or two lower. Bio major with music and spanish double minor, 300+ hours of volunteer clinic experience. What are my chances looking like? 😕 I'd like to stay within CA (in-state resident). :xf:

For test resources, I used Achiever (much harder than necessary; still, it motivates you to study even more), TopScore (highly recommended - very similar! I loved TopScore 👍), Crack DAT PAT (highly recommended for PAT practice!), Kaplan blue book (a good introduction to areas of weakness), DAT destroyer (GREAT for o-chem), and DAT math (eh...).

I spent about 3-4 weeks of intense studying (i.e., from when the semester ended in December up until the test date) with a full-length practice test done almost every day in the week prior to the test.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
First off, outstanding scores, bravo!

What did you use to study for Bio (other than the fact that you're a bio major 😉

Why "Eh.." for DAT (destroyer?) math?

In regard to CDP, how often did you take the tests, and what kind of scores did you have on them in the end?

Best of luck with applying in the summer, I think your stats are fine (could you even raise your GPA much by then anyway?).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Berkguy said:
Hey guys,

I just took my DAT (first time) today and thought I'd share my scores with you. I was extremely nervous, of course, but pleasantly surprised with the results. 🙂 Seriously, I don't think my heart has ever pounded as fast in my entire life as it did when I went to get my results after the math section.

Bio: 24
G-Chem: 23
O-Chem: 21
PAT: 22
RC: 23
QR: 20
TS: 23
AA: 22

My overall GPA will be about a 3.4, with science GPA maybe a point or two lower. Bio major with music and spanish double minor, 300+ hours of volunteer clinic experience. What are my chances looking like? 😕 I'd like to stay within CA (in-state resident). :xf:

For test resources, I used Achiever (much harder than necessary; still, it motivates you to study even more), TopScore (highly recommended - very similar! I loved TopScore 👍), Crack DAT PAT (highly recommended for PAT practice!), Kaplan blue book (a good introduction to areas of weakness), DAT destroyer (GREAT for o-chem), and DAT math (eh...).

I spent about 3-4 weeks of intense studying (i.e., from when the semester ended in December up until the test date) with a full-length practice test done almost every day in the week prior to the test.
Click to expand...

Great scores, man! You killed it!!! I did the same as you--studied from end of December until my test day.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
invictusx said:
Great scores, man! You killed it!!! I did the same as you--studied from end of December until my test day.

I had similar scores but my RC was HORRID. I got a 17 in RC, though.. 29 GC, 28 OC, 22 BIO, 20 QR, 22 PAT, 23 AA and 25 TS

I'm also in the same boat as you in terms of grades. I have approximately a near 3.6 GPA overall [Economics major] and around a 3.4 sGPA (however, there are legitimate reasons for it). So I'm just worried my GPA isn't high enough coupled with my 17 in RC. I also have a lot of good EC (research, shadow, missions, comm. outreach) and leadership roles (secretary of predental society, and a couple of more for an extensive period of time).

So.. I have no idea where I stand. Thoughts anyone?
Click to expand...
Stick to your own thread. 😴

OP, great scores.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Berkguy said:
Bio: 24
G-Chem: 23
O-Chem: 21
PAT: 22
RC: 23
QR: 20
TS: 23
AA: 22

My overall GPA will be about a 3.4, with science GPA maybe a point or two lower. Bio major with music and spanish double minor, 300+ hours of volunteer clinic experience. What are my chances looking like? 😕 I'd like to stay within CA (in-state resident). :xf:
Click to expand...

Your overall gpa is a bit on the low side; however, you AA/TS really level up the playing field. You'll do fine if you apply broadly. I applied to 15 or so schools with similiar scores and have 8 interviews. (check predents link) That should give you some comfort.

Regarding california, it's tough to get into a state school even with super high gpas/dats, with exception to UCSF. UCSF picks its applicants...really randomly in my opinion. That being said, you probably have a higher chance with the private california universities. You have western, usc, uop, loma linda, which are all around your gpa; however, your DAT scores are above their average. So you most likely have a good chance there.

Apply broadly and you'll do fine. No need to sweat anymore. Sweat for the interviews.

@Invictus, You have your own thread. And obviously you aren't worried about your scores, you have your stats listed under your sig like some trophee. :troll:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Congratulation to your scores!! Honestly i think you have a huge chance of getting into the scholl of your choice.. GO For IT!!!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Kahr said:
First off, outstanding scores, bravo!

What did you use to study for Bio (other than the fact that you're a bio major 😉

Why "Eh.." for DAT (destroyer?) math?

In regard to CDP, how often did you take the tests, and what kind of scores did you have on them in the end?

Best of luck with applying in the summer, I think your stats are fine (could you even raise your GPA much by then anyway?).
Click to expand...

Thanks, Kahr! For Bio, because there was so much information (almost all of which I had learned already, but forgotten some :scared:), I just went through Achiever and TopScore practice tests, and then referenced my Biology textbook from college (as well as Barron's AP Biology book) whenever I needed to brush up on certain details. For example, there was a question I remember on an Achiever practice test that asked about the specifics of photosynthesis :luck: and exactly how much ATP are involved with the production of glucose. Needless to say, I didn't remember that specific number, so I referenced the textbook to learn more and brush up on the light cycle, Calvin cycle details, etc.

I said "Eh..." for the Math Destroyer because honestly I felt like the actual QR was much easier than most of the problems I encountered in the Math Destroyer. I just remember being very discouraged with the difficulty of the Math Destroyer -- then again, math has never been my forte. However, come the actual test day, I found that I was sailing through the math pretty well (unlike my study sessions with the math destroyer). It's still good practice, though.

For Crack DAT PAT, I bought the 10-test version, and took one full-length PAT starting a month before the exam, and then once I got to around a week before the exam, I was doing two full-length PATs per day. When I first started doing CDP, I was getting mostly 18's and 19's. However, after a week or two I started averaging 20's and 21's, and during the last week before the actual PAT, I was consistently scoring 22. Again I highly recommend CDP! The practice will do wonders for your PAT score. 😍 I know everyone says this, but PAT problems are usually an acquired taste. Practice, practice, practice -- and CDP was really instrumental with that for me.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hey guys, so as I'm narrowing my list of schools I'm going to apply to, do you have any tips for specific schools? I'm kind of in that "lower GPA, but high DAT score" boat. My overall GPA will be 3.38, and science GPA will be a 3.26. My DAT scores, of course, are listed earlier in the thread.

So besides my in-state schools (UCSF and UCLA), I'm planning on applying to UoP, USC, and Western. I plan on applying to ASDOH, because they apparently favor candidates with a focus on community outreach and volunteering for the health of the underserved (which I have lots of experience doing). I do have some community college classes, including two science pre-reqs (chem and physics), so that rules out Tufts and Temple, and Boston University (unless I wanted to repeat the chem and physics).

So what are some other good schools that would fit my profile... UNLV? Michigan? NYU? Columbia?

Thanks for any tips. 🙂
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Berkguy said:
So I got my GPAs officially calculated! Overall 3.40, Science 3.24, BCP 3.14. Will these scores help despite my subpar gpa?
Click to expand...


you're fine lol, you have great DAT scores. I know people who got into UCSF and UCLA last cycle with a lower gpa and lower DAT scores than you. I'm not making a guarantee for you, but as long as you have good extracurrics and a good personal statement you should be fine with the schools you applied to (esp. USC)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
berk,

First, awesome job. Enjoy the next few days then get going on any secondaries you have not completed yet. You will definitely get interviews and in somewhere, just don't let yourself lose that early application by not finishing secondaries in a timely manner and your golden...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Congrats on these awesome scores and best of luck in the application cycle! How were your Achiever scores in comparison?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks. I was a point or two higher than TopScore and three or four points higher than Achiever. When I first did the Achiever tests, I wanted to give up -- however, having done all the Achiever tests, it really helped a lot. I made sure to make flash cards of all the problems that challenged me in Achiever (which were quite a few). It was very worthwhile despite being considerably more difficult than the actual DAT.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Did I fall asleep for 5 years while the average GPA for dental acceptance shot to 4.0? I honestly think some of you people are on the insane side. A 3.3 science GPA is nothing to sneeze at. GPA's can also be misleading. They can be artificically inflated with crap classes and they are not standardized. I will take the 2.5 MIT GPA over the 4.0 Bob Jones University GPA on my team any day of the year.

(No offense to anybody at Bob Jones University. I actually think it's a fine school.)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dental Schools are eventually going to cap out too, I feel that the competition to getting into a good dental school is going to get harder and harder looking how the healthcare industry is panning out these days.

Since medical school applicants are so well rounded with (4.0 GPAs and 40 MCATs) they are actually turning their heads on these applicants and looking elsewhere in the apps to have a diversified class group.

I feel that dental school admissions are going to get to the level of medical schools one day when everybody is getting 4.0s and 23-24s or above (which they are now) that the admission boards are going to get tired of the overall rounded applicant and start looking elsewhere in the application.

Unfortunately we are no where near the end of that process yet.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
lol. have you looked at the data? Most people are no where near a 23/4.0 let alone a 21, 3.7 who are getting acceptances.

If you get a 23 and have a 4.0 and have 'okay' interview skills you're going to get in.

HannibalLecter said:
Dental Schools are eventually going to cap out too, I feel that the competition to getting into a good dental school is going to get harder and harder looking how the healthcare industry is panning out these days.

Since medical school applicants are so well rounded with (4.0 GPAs and 40 MCATs) they are actually turning their heads on these applicants and looking elsewhere in the apps to have a diversified class group.

I feel that dental school admissions are going to get to the level of medical schools one day when everybody is getting 4.0s and 23-24s or above (which they are now) that the admission boards are going to get tired of the overall rounded applicant and start looking elsewhere in the application.

Unfortunately we are no where near the end of that process yet.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
tms86 said:
what did you use to prepare for reading?
Click to expand...
To be honest, all I did to "study" for the reading section were the RC sections of the practice tests (for me, that was TopScore and Achiever). I'm already a strong reader and writer, so I didn't need to spend much time at all preparing for it. My strategy was to read the entire passage first - and take on an attitude of being interested in what I was reading (this helps comprehension a lot!). Having read the entire passage through, and really absorbing what it said, I found that many of the questions I could answer without even having to reference the passage! I finished early with about 12-13 minutes left. 🙂
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
As some have said, your GPA is not that high, but it's also not low either. And a 22 AA will only help you. Good job & good luck, you should be fine!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Berkguy said:
Thanks! I'm crossing my fingers as I wait for hopefully interviews to come! 🙂
Click to expand...

This is what happens when you go to a competitive school.

Seems like everyone from the UC schools has a GPA in the 3.4-3.5 range, and then they rape the DAT.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
HannibalLecter said:
Dental Schools are eventually going to cap out too, I feel that the competition to getting into a good dental school is going to get harder and harder looking how the healthcare industry is panning out these days.

Since medical school applicants are so well rounded with (4.0 GPAs and 40 MCATs) they are actually turning their heads on these applicants and looking elsewhere in the apps to have a diversified class group.

I feel that dental school admissions are going to get to the level of medical schools one day when everybody is getting 4.0s and 23-24s or above (which they are now) that the admission boards are going to get tired of the overall rounded applicant and start looking elsewhere in the application.

Unfortunately we are no where near the end of that process yet.
Click to expand...

You do understand that the score is based on a percentile which makes it impossible for thousands of people to score 23-24. Also, the MCAT is based on a percentile and I can assure you everyone is not scoring 40's as that is a ~99.99%.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
glo1984 said:
You do understand that the score is based on a percentile which makes it impossible for thousands of people to score 23-24. Also, the MCAT is based on a percentile and I can assure you everyone is not scoring 40's as that is a ~99.99%.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I don't think there will be a day when tons of people start getting scores like that - otherwise, it would render the percentiles useless.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

thrivingthroughlyf
Just took my DAT. Do I need to retake?
Replies
3
Views
2K
toyotasupra
T
Qokqok
Dat breakdown
Replies
0
Views
2K
Qokqok
Qokqok
M
DAT prep
Replies
0
Views
2K
memah.elhadi
M
A
Studying for DAT schedule
Replies
2
Views
2K
DAT Destroyer
DAT Destroyer
J
DAT Breakdown (June 17th 2025)
Replies
0
Views
1K
juliamcdonald
J
Top