Need Advice Please, DAT taken today.

[LolaLu]

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Hi All,
I took my DAT today and was extremely disappointed in my scores.
PAT: 20
QR:15
RC:20
BIO:18
GG:19
OC:18
TS:18
AA:18

I studied 3 months, used all the resources that had the highest reviews on SDN: Chad's Videos, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Ferralis Notes, AP Cliffs and DATBootcamp. And yet after all that studying these were my scores, and that QR was a huge shock so yeah I'm a nervous wreck. My gpa (3.43) is not that high so I knew I needed to have a high DAT to make up for it. So yeah I'm pretty devastated. I do have good Extracurriculars: Analytical Chemistry Research, Shadowing General Dentist~150 hours, Supplemental Instructor for Statistics, Vice President of Public Relation for a Co-Ed Health Fraternity.

Now to my question: It is only March and Applications open up in June. Should I retake in June and apply ? Or should I just take a gap year, retake the DAT sometime next year and apply the summer after this one? I mean I believe I definitely need to retake but which way is better?

 

[Blake1e]

Hi All,
I took my DAT today and was extremely disappointed in my scores.
PAT: 20
QR:15
RC:20
BIO:18
GG:19
OC:OC
TS:18
AA:18

I studied 3 months, used all the resources that had the highest reviews on SDN: Chad's Videos, DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer, Ferralis Notes, AP Cliffs and DATBootcamp. And yet after all that studying these were my scores, and that QR was a huge shock so yeah I'm a nervous wreck. My gpa (3.43) is not that high so I knew I needed to have a high DAT to make up for it. So yeah I'm pretty devastated. I do have good Extracurriculars: Analytical Chemistry Research, Shadowing General Dentist~150 hours, Supplemental Instructor for Statistics, Vice President of Public Relation for a Co-Ed Health Fraternity.

Now to my question: It is only March and Applications open up in June. Should I retake in June and apply again? Or should I just take a gap year, retake the DAT sometime next year and apply the summer after this one? I mean I believe I definitely need to retake but which way is better?

If your current class load isn't too high then you should retake it in June. However if you're taking a bunch of tough classes, you may not have enough time to study for the DAT. If that's the case take it around early July and your app won't be early but it also won't be late. That's better than applying a whole year later.

 

[LolaLu]

@Blake1e That's what I though too. Thanks for the advice, also your DAT scores are wonderful, do you have any advice for me?

 

[dds2b219]

Apply as early as possible. Take dat again in June and email your new unofficial scores the day you take it to any school who will accept them. That's what I would do. Just get that application out ASAP. I wouldn't take a year off by any means

 

[Blake1e]

@Blake1e That's what I though too. Thanks for the advice, also your DAT scores are wonderful, do you have any advice for me?

Focus more on studying for the DAT. Review all your study materials 3+ times and consider buying more materials. For the QR, when youre studying, try to not use the calculator it just slows you down. Do the calculations in your head, itll be much faster than a calculator with some practice. Only use the calculator if you really need to. With your GPA, I can tell its within your ability to get at least 21AA, you just gotta put the time in studying without getting distracted with your other work.

 

[derbear]

Little tip for QR:
What I do is I go through the QR and answer all of the questions that are easy and will take me less than a minute to answer. Get all of these easy ones out of the way. You have to keep in mind that a long QR question and a short QR question are worth the exact same amount. After you have gone and done all of the easy/fast questions, go back and start plugging away at the harder ones.

Look at it this way. If you spend time working on the long ones right away, you may run out of time and you have lost the opportunity to answer really simple easy questions that you may never had the chance of getting to. Just some food for thought 🙂.

 

[gatsby121]

Little tip for QR:
What I do is I go through the QR and answer all of the questions that are easy and will take me less than a minute to answer. Get all of these easy ones out of the way. You have to keep in mind that a long QR question and a short QR question are worth the exact same amount. After you have gone and done all of the easy/fast questions, go back and start plugging away at the harder ones.

Look at it this way. If you spend time working on the long ones right away, you may run out of time and you have lost the opportunity to answer really simple easy questions that you may never had the chance of getting to. Just some food for thought 🙂.

I am terrible at math (aka resisted the subject, was lazy with it and chose not to learn it to my potential) and was petrified of the QR section. this is exactly what i did and got an 18 on QR which i was thrilled about lol.

 

[derbear]

I am terrible at math (aka resisted the subject, was lazy with it and chose not to learn it to my potential) and was petrified of the QR section. this is exactly what i did and got an 18 on QR which i was thrilled about lol.

Chad's videos has all you really need to solve the majority of QR questions. Don't be intimidated by it and take some time to learn the basic formulae and equations. The amount of knowledge for QR really isn't that much compared to the sciences and if you just grind for a few days, you can get most of it under your belt. Don't panic during the QR section, just take it one question at a time 🙂.

 

[Incis0r]

Hi All,
I took my DAT today and was extremely disappointed in my scores.
PAT: 20
QR:15
RC:20
BIO:18
GG:19
OC:OC
TS:18
AA:18

What did you get on OC?

 

[Lock_Jaw]

don't sweat the QR, schools don't mind if it's too low, but aim for 20's across the board. I used Crack the DAT and it helped tremendously with being familiar with the test layout (if you aren't already). It helps with timing and everything. Just keep at it, i'm sure you can do better next time. Try and take in June, you'll have enough time that's when i took mine.

 

[LolaLu]

Little tip for QR:
What I do is I go through the QR and answer all of the questions that are easy and will take me less than a minute to answer. Get all of these easy ones out of the way. You have to keep in mind that a long QR question and a short QR question are worth the exact same amount. After you have gone and done all of the easy/fast questions, go back and start plugging away at the harder ones.

Look at it this way. If you spend time working on the long ones right away, you may run out of time and you have lost the opportunity to answer really simple easy questions that you may never had the chance of getting to. Just some food for thought 🙂.

Yes that's what I did. I used the "Mark Method" I read off Bootcamp, went through all the easy ones first and then went back to the hard ones I marked. But I will just need more practice and build my stamina to not get mentally drained at the end.

 

[LolaLu]

What did you get on OC?

Oh Sorry, I didn't realize I didn't write it. I got an 18.

 

[Faux]

i dreaded my math section and delayed my exams multiple times just because of it.


qvualt helps a lot with math. But I've seen people with a 15 QR get in. Do a bit of research, call the schools you're interested in.

 

[LolaLu]

@Blake1e @derbear So I just called the Schools and they said they preferred I wait until after I retake it and send my application ONCE it is official through AADSAS, so I can't send my unofficial scores the day of. I know my DAT test date will be the first week of June, and then I will send it then, So is this kind of late to send my scores because I wanted to apply as early as possible but I'm assuming this isn't too late right?

 

[mordred]

@Blake1e @derbear So I just called the Schools and they said they preferred I wait until after I retake it and send my application ONCE it is official through AADSAS, so I can't send my unofficial scores the day of. I know my DAT test date will be the first week of June, and then I will send it then, So is this kind of late to send my scores because I wanted to apply as early as possible but I'm assuming this isn't too late right?

It's not too late to retake in the first week of June! Almost the same thing happened to me last year. I sat for the DAT while on Spring Break in March, after having studied since Thanksgiving. I was disappointed with my scores, retook the test the second week of June, and submitted my application almost immediately. I did not have a lot of time to study toward the end of the semester, but made the DAT and my application a full-time job for four weeks in May and June after exams. I brought my academic average up 3 points to a 21. My application did not go out until the first of July, but that was early enough to receive multiple interviews, most before 12/1. You've got this if you don't waste time in May.

 

[foxtrot83]

Yes that's what I did. I used the "Mark Method" I read off Bootcamp, went through all the easy ones first and then went back to the hard ones I marked. But I will just need more practice and build my stamina to not get mentally drained at the end.

I dreaded and still dread math problems. Another tip, use the tutorial time to write every freakin formula and other tips/tricks you can think of down on one of your scratch paper sheets, helps for GenChem too. Then all I did was refer to it whenever needed, less stress trying to remember things like socatoa, volume etc. etc.....my QR was 20...all practice exams I was scoring 17s. Keep your head up, give a go again this year, don't wait for the next cycle.

 

[Tebros]

if it makes you feel better, I got a 14 on my QR and I got into 2 schools and interviews to 4...haha so don't be too sad about it.

 

[LolaLu]

if it makes you feel better, I got a 14 on my QR and I got into 2 schools and interviews to 4...haha so don't be too sad about it.

@Tebros Ah that does make me feel better, and thank you all, I will retake in June and work harder!

 

[Tebros]

@LolaLu yeah, just make sure you submit your application EARLY june-july and you will definitely be getting interviews. (from there, just do great in the interviews and you're in. ) Your stats are sounding alot like mine. I just got lucky, applied early October and got in. I know many people who have better stats then me and have not gotten in applying during mid October. I also know many others who have worse scores than me and got in applying super early. Cheers.

 

[Iceskater22]

I would retake when you feel ready. I had to wait until the summer to start studying for the DAT because I wanted my last year of college athletics to have priority, I took it the first week of August and applied 2 weeks later.
So take it when you feel ready, if June puts you in a time crunch wait until july or August so you have the time you need to be successful, timing in your application is very important but not at the expense of your dat score!
also, find a friend or anyone you know that recently or is study for the dat, and get help on your week areas! I sucked at the PAT because I couldn't learn it in my own and a friend from school helped explain ( because I work better with people not machines....)
Hope this helps, good luck!!!

 

[dentory]

QR was my lowest score and I also got a 15. I put off studying for math til the end and only studied using chad's videos for 2 days...before my DAT. I still ended up getting into dental school. Not saying you shouldn't retake it but you might be able to get in with those scores if you do some research. I was considering retaking mine if I didn't get in this past cycle.