North or South of the Border

[shane.]

I suppose this thread could belong in the DAT forums, but I figure it will get more response here.

H'okay,

So I'm planning on applying to a number of schools for the 2007/2008 cycle, and i'm unsure where I should write the DAT. You should know i'm a resident of Canada. There are basically two options i'm considering.

First, I could write the canadian DAT on the February date (one of two dates to write. Another is in November) coming up and if i'm not happy with my score I can re-write on the successive November 2007 date (which is getting a bit late in the application proccess). My concern with following this route is that I will be preoccupied with a full course load while studying for the exam.

My second option is to make a trip south of the border and write the american DAT with the option of writing on a date of my choice. If I choose to take this route I could start studying immediately after school is out (late april) and write sometime around August (still plenty early for schools to get my scores).

I'm really leaning to the second option. I just feel that I will be able to concentrate all my attention/resources toward the DAT and that this will probably result in more successful test scores. Further, I feel that the american DAT would accompany my strengths (organic chemistry, quanitative reasoning) more so than the canadian DAT. Plus, I'm going to need some impressive scores to be considered a competitive applicant (despite a high GPA) considering i'm currently in my second year of a BSc. degree.

So, now comes the reason i'm posting this on SDN.

If you have any thoughts, or personal experiences that pertain to my situation, please feel free to share your insight.

Thanks in advance,

shane.

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[SMCohen]

If you live in Toronto, someone said that you can write the American DAT at a Prometric Centre in North York.

 

[dddsmack]

I wish I could have written my own DAT. Someone else wrote mine and it was a b*tch.

 

[bruinpredent]

I wish I could have written my own DAT. Someone else wrote mine and it was a b*tch.

uh, yea...that "joke" got old the first time some one made it. way to beat a dead horse


to the op...its nice that you guys actually have the option of using the canadian version of the test for both american and canadian dental schools, i wish i could use my U.S. DAT score for canadian schools, esp. since my aunt is at UBC.

 

[dddsmack]

You can use your US score at canadian schools. I applied to dalhousie and they thought my scores were great.

I am serious about writing my own DAT, It would have been way easier.

 

[shane.]

edit..

 

[shane.]

to the op...its nice that you guys actually have the option of using the canadian version of the test for both american and canadian dental schools, i wish i could use my U.S. DAT score for canadian schools, esp. since my aunt is at UBC.

I agree, having the option is a luxury. UBC is a great place and Vancouver is a beautiful place to live with lots of things to do (a number of quality ski hills only minutes from the city) if you have the time. Not to mention Whistler is close.

If you live in Toronto, someone said that you can write the American DAT at a Prometric Centre in North York.

Is this the only Prometric Centre that offers it in Canada. I live on Vancouver Island (just above Seattle) and it would be easier for me to just pop down to Washington and write it down there.

Also, I don't plan on applying to any Canadian schools.

 

[bruinpredent]

You can use your US score at canadian schools. I applied to dalhousie and they thought my scores were great.

I am serious about writing my own DAT, It would have been way easier.

thats interesting, because i recall reading somewhere either on the ADA website or in the application "instructions" that we couldn't use our scores for canadian schools. if thats the case, then i'm def applying to ubc

 

[dddsmack]

I don't know about any other school other than dalhousie. They interviewed me.

 

[bruinpredent]

did you apply to any other dental schools besides dalhousie?

 

[SMCohen]

Is this the only Prometric Centre that offers it in Canada. I live on Vancouver Island (just above Seattle) and it would be easier for me to just pop down to Washington and write it down there.

Also, I don't plan on applying to any Canadian schools.

Well, even if you don't plan on applying to any Canadian schools now at least you will still have the option if you write the Canadian DAT.

On the other hand, if you feel you would do better writing the American DAT then I say go with whichever makes you feel more comfortable. Personally, I was extremely happy to not have to write an Organic Chem section.

As for Prometric Centres in Canada, I found one located in Burnaby. Here are the details:

THOMSON PROMETRIC TEST CENTER
BURNABY, BC, CAN V5H 4J2
Phone: 604-438-7246
Site Code: 5129
454-4800 KINGSWAY
METROTOWN CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE

Check out Thompson Prometric for more details or other locations.

 

[dddsmack]

That was the only school I applied to.

I get the whole centre and zeb thing but,
seriously why do people from america jr say they write the dat?

 

[DDSMAN2006]

I get the whole centre and zeb thing but,
seriously why do people from america jr say they write the dat?

Because the entire rest of the english speaking WORLD talks that way.

 

[dddsmack]

so even though you take a test, canadians and the rest of the world says write a test?

I am so ignorant. Sorry I have never heard of that ever. Damn egocentric americans.

 

[DDSMAN2006]

so even though you take a test, canadians and the rest of the world says write a test?

Yes.

 

[dddsmack]

gotcha, I honestly had never heard of that.

Good Luck

 

[shane.]

SMCohen, thanks for pointing that out, the Burnaby location will save me a lot of travelling.

 

[Smooth Operater]

Hello guys,

I think I am in the same boat as Shane. I am a Canadian living in Vancouver, and plan to write the Canadian DAT this Nov. But Given my poor GPA (3.3), I only have a small chance getting into UBC dentistry. I have no hope for other dental schools in Canada.

It is nice to find out that I can write the American DAT in Burnaby if I choose to since I live soo close to there

But to those Canadians who are applying to US schools, Can I just use the Canadian DAT score to apply to US schools. Did you know anyone who got in with Canadian score?

 

[Nomar]

Sure can, I used my canadian DAT scores for US school applications. Ya, pretty much no luck with UBC with that GPA, mine is around there and they give rankings for applicants and my GPA was like 25 . However, my personal attributes were like 98 and alas my DAT was around 50 but those were with my sub par 1st write DAT. Good Luck.

 

[tamkhan]

so even though you take a test, canadians and the rest of the world says write a test?

I am so ignorant. Sorry I have never heard of that ever. Damn egocentric americans.

ive also heard people saying that they have to GIVE the test!

smcohen, fellow torontonian ..do you have any interviews yet? i am seriously worrying now. i have no interviews at all. i dont think my gpa (3.4 cgpa, 3.55bcp, 3.48sgpa) or dat (22/21/16 ) are all THAT bad.
seriously, what is a person to do who has no interviews so far??

 

[SMCohen]

smcohen, fellow torontonian ..do you have any interviews yet? i am seriously worrying now. i have no interviews at all. i dont think my gpa (3.4 cgpa, 3.55bcp, 3.48sgpa) or dat (22/21/16 ) are all THAT bad.
seriously, what is a person to do who has no interviews so far??

Nope, no interviews and I am definitely sweating it! My GPA is listed below and my printouts were mailed Aug 4. I will be thrilled to get in anywhere (but preferably Buffalo).

 

[KHANSAHAAB]

What the @$!%?!?! That means they take 48 Canadians... doesn't sound very realistic.

20% of out-of-staters they accept. I did some math using numbers in the adea book and it came out to 11.1%.

 

[KHANSAHAAB]

Buffalo is definitely my number 1 too. I was put on their "continuing to review" list. But to be honest, I'd be happy wherever I get in.

I've heard that NYU accepts 20% canadians, is that true?

G'luck to all!!

 

[tamkhan]

true. id go with anywhere, too.
and, yes, nyu takes quite a few cdns. i know a guy from uoft who got into nyu with a full scholarship (4 year).

 

[mf83]

I'm a resident of BC, I write the canadian DAT, and I did great on everything except for the Carving, I thought that shouldn't matter much, but I think it kind of did, the only school I got admission from is NYU, I talked to a friend who is a D1 , she said " go anywhere but NYU, here it is not like you are in a professional school at all, no one cares much, and comparing to the MONEY they get, they don;t do much!"

So, here I am, disappointed, I wish I knew about the DAT centre in Burnaby before, I would have written the American DAT for sure, but now,,..... don;t know if it is a good idea to wait for a year or just go to a place where its students are shouting "SAVE YOURSELVES!!!!!!!!!!"