Need help with several questions regarding timeline

[Exoduso]

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So I recently decided to switch from premed to predental, but have only begun searching for DAT materials.
I am going to be out of the country for several weddings and will only be back mid-July, however.

1. Considering it will take me about 6-8 weeks to study for the test and take it, I can't do it before I leave. Will taking that time to study after getting back (meaning I will only take the test around mid-August at the latest) be "too late" for this application cycle? How about if I perform well?
2. Also, can you submit your application before the score is officially sent to the schools? When would I generally be able to send the application out? Before or after I take the test? Or only once several weeks have passed from the exam date?
3. If I don't apply in this cycle, one of my chemistry classes (1st inorganic chem class) will be older than 5 years... is that a problem for many schools if it's just one class? I would rather not retake it.

Thank you all!

 

[darknightzzz]

So I recently decided to switch from premed to predental, but have only begun searching for DAT materials.
I am going to be out of the country for several weddings and will only be back mid-July, however.

1. Considering it will take me about 6-8 weeks to study for the test and take it, I can't do it before I leave. Will taking that time to study after getting back (meaning I will only take the test around mid-August at the latest) be "too late" for this application cycle? How about if I perform well?
2. Also, can you submit your application before the score is officially sent to the schools? When would I generally be able to send the application out? Before or after I take the test? Or only once several weeks have passed from the exam date?
3. If I don't apply in this cycle, one of my chemistry classes (1st inorganic chem class) will be older than 5 years... is that a problem for many schools if it's just one class? I would rather not retake it.

Thank you all!

lol the switch welcomes you

1. up to your GPA and your DAT score, higher than 20, 3.7 above, august and september (complete application) may be late and pushing it. After you take DAT, it will take 1 month before it become officially posted and the schools receive them. s
2. you can submit app before score is posted and sent. However, your app will be in the pile to be review later. You can only save the verification time. so add your test date + 1 extra month = the date your app will be complete
3. dental schools dont really care about outdated classes (more than 5 years, that gotta do more with pharm schools) as long as you do well on the DAT. I may be wrong on this but I never see anyone mentioning this. Some do partial post bachelor to retake the classes for DAT. However, they have the 2 year (some 3 years) expiration date for DAT test though

 

[Exoduso]

So basically what you're saying is it's better to just wait until next year... which is a shame because I'm already a year since graduating, and this means I will spend another two years out of school before starting, assuming that I get accepted into a school in the next application cycle. Not starting school until 2017 just sounds rough I guess.

 

[ajj70]

When are you leaving?

 

[midman19]

If you just barely switched to dental then I would guess you'll need a year to do some things that will prove you are really interested in dentistry such as shadowing, etc.. You don't want them to think you switched to predental last minute because you didn't have a chance getting into med school.

 

[pilotdentist]

Mid Aug is not too late. You won't be in the first round of interviews, but there's plenty of time to get in if you have a competitive application. School interview all the way to Feb/March and typically invite applicants 1 mo before.

Try to get 100 hrs of shadowing before your application and have a dentist rec letter lined up from whoever you shadow.

 

[pilotdentist]

I applied to some school in June and others in late August and had pre-Dec interviews from both groups. It's not too late at all.

 

[Exoduso]

I'm leaving June 1-July 15. I am already shadowing two dentists so I'll have both the hours and the letters lined up, so that's not as much of an issue. Mainly I am worried about the timeline of the DAT and when I'll be able to actually send in my application since I'm assuming I'll need 8-10 weeks to study for the exam.

 

[pilotdentist]

You'll have time. Take it by the end of August if your ready. It's only 2 weeks for the scores to show up officially after its taken, not a month like stated above.

Having a good score is more important than 2 or 3 weeks earlier app complete date. Take your time, spend money on the good resources (chads videos, dat destroyer, DATBOOTCAMP, DATQVAULT) and get 20+.