Need advice ASAP!!!!

[JNew]

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So to make a long story short I retook my DAT last week and my computer froze. I lost three minutes off my actual test and lost my momentum as well. I just found out today that I am allowed to retake and must do so with in 30 days. If I retake I lose my old scores which were as follows:
pat:21
qr:18
rc:20
bio:19
chem:19
ochem:21
ts:20
aa:19

My old scores were aa:19 ts:19 pat:20 - not a huge improvement

I know that I could do better and I was expecting higher then this on my DAT but was really thrown off by the comp freeze. Im nervous to retake considering the randomness of the test but I also really want to do better.

I need to decide very soon .... please help!!

 

[iamgosu]

retake it
you don't have to pay extra right?

mgiht as well retake it, and brush up on the stuff you saw on the test (i'm sure you remember some questions)

 

[pacific2013]

Retake it! You didn't improve your scores so you have a free 2nd chance to improve it!

 

[JNew]

Thanks for the replies! Here are the problems though:
1. My wife is expecting a baby next week (her due date is July 9th). So I have no idea what is going to be with that.
2. Even though there's a good chance that I would do better, there is also a chance of doing the same or worse, considering the randomness of the test. If that happened it would be hard to live down (considering I am still in acceptance range now).
3. There still is that stress of doing it again (it takes a toll.)
4. I did improve my application since last time, including more science classes, shadowing hours, and a completely new personal statement. I have around a 3.9 gpa for both science and overall and am a psych major.

I would have to retake it within 30 days!

Anymore advice considering these things?

 

[tudyfrutie]

which schools do you wish to get in

 

[alanan84]

Wow, that's a tough call.

If it were me, I think I'd lean towards retaking it... Especially if you felt like the computer freeze really messed you up.

 

[JNew]

I guess I would say that my first choice is Maryland (I am out of state though; I'm a NY resident). I did have an interview with them the last time I applied and got on to the waiting list. I am really more interested in getting into at least one of the schools that I applied to. Here is a list:
Arizona
Case
Marquette
NYU
Nova
Temple
Tufts
Buffalo
Colorado
Detroit
Maryland
UMDNJ
Penn
Pittsburgh

I really only want to retake if I have to, (even though there is a good chance I would do better; my last topscore test 3 days before the DAT was AA-22, TS-21, PAT-23). I have not looked at any material since the test (I needed the break badly even though I had this stress on my head) and it makes me nervous the fact that i'm not fresh anymore...

Thanks for all the previous and future help!!!!

 

[MrBeans]

I'd re-take the test if I was in your situation.

You've only been "rusty" at the DAT topics for 1 week; you'll have plenty of time to bounce back to full competence in ~30 days.

Your scores are not bad, and your GPA is certainly good. It's not a necessity to re-take it, but if you really want to be as competitive as possible, re-take it! Regardless, either way you will be getting interviews, and I bet a few acceptances.

Since your wife is having a baby, you may want to consider not re-taking especially if it's your first child. You would probably want to be present and all attention in that situation.

 

[DQLEUCD]

Will the old scores be sent in as well? I'd e-mail the admissions office for each school and see where your score lies and the situation you are in. It is better to get those scores in now to the schools and then re-take it if you know you are going to do better.

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

To be completely honest, I wouldn't retake it if I was you. You have a superb GPA, your wife will be giving birth, so who knows how much sleep you'll get before the test, along with everything else going on. Do you really want to chance getting a lower score? A 19 on the DAT isn't a bad score that's right around average for a lot of schools and with your very high gpa should push you over the edge. Obviously acceptance isn't just gpa and dat but if you have good LORs and experiences I don't see how you couldn't get in to at LEAST one school if not all of them.

 

[snaggletoof]

ixnay on the retake.

 

[davidius]

same. i wouldn't retake. your scores aren't blow anyone's socks off but they're better than the scores of many others that got in. also in your favor is there is not a single bad score that you're holding (aka a 15 in qr but 23's on everything else). if you do not get in this round, i doubt it's your dat that would be holding you back...many others appear to have gotten in with worse scores.

 

[SeattleRDH]

I would retake it. Will you have family in town? You won't have to be home every minute after the baby is born. Schedule the retake for as far away as you can just in case the baby is late because you don't want to be in the test while she's in labor.

Remember, you are applying to dental school so that you can support your family, take every opportunity you can to improve your chances!

 

[JNew]

Thanks for all the replies! I ended up retaking and the baby held out. What divine providence was that computer freeze! These were my scores on the retake (btw the schools will not being seeing my first attempt!):

PAT-24
QR-19
RC-20
BIO-21
Chem-20
Ochem-23
TS-21
AA-21

So wow am I really happy I retook that (in hindsight at least)! Thanks again for all the replies!

 

[youknowthedrill]

Congrats!!! I hope you and your wife get a chance to celebrate before baby arrives.