"Lying" about re-take in order to get your app reviewed

[jarvistad]

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I'm in an interesting situation here - so i have a borderline DAT (AA 18) 18s across the board except for a 19 in PAT and 17 in GC...As you can probably expect, I'm not exactly thrilled with my scores and scheduled a re-take for October. Do you think this is a good idea? I know I can definitely improve but I am afraid that October will be too late in the process and I'll be hurting my chances at getting interviews.

In sum, I guess I'm just not 100% confident that I could be offered interviews/acceptances with my current DAT scores but I've seen applicants applying this cycle with comparable scores who have received invites…any advice? Should I cancel my re-take and just roll with my current scores, or just re-take in Oct, hopefully improve, and just play things later in the game?

i am getting e-mails/letters now saying that my application is INCOMPLETE as schools won't my move my application to the next step for review because i've indicated that i'm going to re-take in OCT...


What particularly scares me is my situation with Ohio State. I believe they are my #1 choice and probably my best shot at an acceptance (since I'm an Ohio resident). They've e-mailed me and stated that they won't review my application until they receive the scores of my re-take since I indicated that I will re-take in October on my AADSAS application. They only have 3 interview dates: one day in October, November, and December. They don't offer interviews after that and I'm afraid that my re-take may compromise my application being reviewed earlier; it will most definitely not put me in the running for an October interview, and may even lessen my chances at an interview in November. I just don't know what to do and I want to play everything the right way.


I know this is borderline at best but would it be acceptable to tell schools that I won't be re-taking the DAT so they'll review my application and maybe i'll land some invites - then still take the DAT in OCT and send them the scores claiming i decided to re-take last minute??😕

 

[Persevere13]

hmmmmm....

 

[rockinginrio]

That is exactly what I would do. There is not a chance I would want my application to sit around until October. I am getting antsy now because I havent gotten any invites. It would die if I had to wait until October before they even looked at me.

 

[YayTeeth]

How many schools have said this to you? Won't they still take into consideration your previous scores and your overall appln before they keep you on hold? This situation worries me too b/c I indicated a retake too...maybe I should cancel my retake...but how do I go about that? Call schools??

 

[haisha ni narou]

I'm in the same boat. Debating on what I should do as well.

 

[TeamGuo]

I was in the same situation. My initial plan was to retake the DAT without notifying to schools because I didn't want them to put my app. on hold, but apparently without thinking I mentioned that I will be retaking my DAT on AADSAS. whew....

but then again, I still received 2 interviews so far and the rest of the schools are waiting for my new scores.

So some schools don't put you on hold just because you are retaking.

Good luck

 

[SugarNaCl]

This is why I tell everyone retaking, to schedule the DAT without sending in any free scores. After the exam, ONLY IF you do better, let schools know that you retook it and are sending the scores. It would cost a bit more because you wouldn't get your first 5 schools for free, but this is win win because if you submit new DAT scores, they will reeval. your app anyway if you told them you were retaking or not.

You have holed yourself in by saying you are retaking. Now, I feel you have to or it will look bad and October is getting late.

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

I was in the same situation as you, but it doesn't make any sense. Why would you want them to review your application to reach a decision? Wouldn't you want adcoms to look at your new DAT score and not base their decision off your old ones (which is the whole reason why you are taking the exam in the first place)?

 

[doc toothache]

"Lying" certainly is one way of starting on the track to a professional school.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527651

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

"Lying" certainly is one way of starting on the track to a professional school.

seriously! I can't believe there's a thread pertaining to this topic. 👎

 

[haisha ni narou]

seriously! I can't believe there's a thread pertaining to this topic. 👎

I don't think it is so much lying as it is a change of plans. I am in the same boat as the OP but after speaking with some ADCOMs and was advised my DAT was fine and that I should not retake. I mentioned on my AADSAS that I was going to retake this fall but now I am not sure anymore.

 

[somethinpositiv]

Well, if you told them you were NOT going to retake, actually retook it, and then said "oh yeah, I happened to retake the DAT after all", it does not look good. You either come across as dishonest ("lying" about it), fickle and irresponsible (why didn't you inform Dental school when you changed your mind and decided to retake again?), or really shady (what other kind of tricky, shady behavior is this kid going to do in D-school?).

I've heard of people who were in their 4th year of Dent, and then the school found out that the student lied about the smallest thing on their AADSAS, and kicked them out right before they were supposed to graduate. It's called morals and ethics, maybe you guys should take a class on it. Schools don't want to produce unethical dentists that will blacken the school's name and reputation.

Go ahead and lie about your DAT. Lie on your ADDSAS, and during your interview. Cheat in class. ect. I will laugh when you get kicked out of D-school as a 4th year, and your dreams of being a Dentist are dashed, all because of a simple lie.

Just stick to your word and do what you say you will do, that's what a decent human being would do, and what an ethical Dentist would do.