Please help me

[Brown Sugar]

I am so frustrated. I am not sure if I should continue on this path. This has been my dream for so long and I am afraid that it may be slipping away.

I have been studying for the DAT for a while now and I thought that I was doing fine. I started taking a practice test and freaked out. Its like I was not retaining any information.I planned to take the exam on Sept first but I am not sure if I should take it at all now. I kept putting it off because I did not feel ready. Now I am seriously questioning whether or not i should apply to this cycle like I planned.My application is basically finished but not submitted yet.

I just feel like a failure; like I cannot keep anything in my head. What am I supposed to do now?:cry:

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[littlemissy]

well sept is late to take the dat but i feel u should still give it ur best. also what practice tests are u using. i did not use to many and i scored in the 20s; however i did go through tons of practice questions. its really about confidence and having a good understanding of all the topics. also if u really want to give this cycle a shot go ahead and apply. good luck.

 

[Montserrat]

We all go through that anxiety... hold it together and you'll be alright. Submit your application ASAP, because you can always tack those DAT scores on after your AADSAS application has been processed. Some schools are also fine with faxing them a copy of your personal scores, instead of waiting for the ADA's official mailed copy, so taking your DAT late might not be as bad as you think.

Take a few days off - and just chill. You sound pretty stressed bro, and while it wasn't a frolic in the park while I was studying, it should never be that hard on anyone.

 

[Brown Sugar]

well sept is late to take the dat but i feel u should still give it ur best. also what practice tests are u using. i did not use to many and i scored in the 20s; however i did go through tons of practice questions. its really about confidence and having a good understanding of all the topics. also if u really want to give this cycle a shot go ahead and apply. good luck.

Right now I am using kaplan and in the process of downloading achiever

 

[brown town]

I used the kaplan online course and actually ended up scoring HIGHER than my practice exam scores. Don't worry. Just motivate yourself to study hard and take as many practice tests as you can, they are called PRACTICE tests for a reason...so you can get used to taking the exam. First time I went through I ran out of time on every section...hell I even left half of them blank on the PAT section on my first practice test...it was a disaster.

Kaplan is good for gettin a solid foundation of the material but in my opinion the official DAT is very unique. The thing about these tests is you can never feel 100% prepared...you can study until you feel confident, but very few people are going to go in and ace the test.

Stay focused, submit your AADSAS, and give it your all, if you do, you wont have any regrets. Good luck!

 

[djeffreyt]

To be frank...don't apply this cycle.

Even if you submitted today, you're not exactly early any more. Your application will take several weeks to get finalized and sent out to schools from the date you submit. That means something like Mid September to early October. That's not necessarily a death knell for your app, but it makes it a lot harder to get recognition from application committees.

If you're not confident about your DATs, well, you might surprise yourself, but in case you do sub par, you will probably have wasted all that money from your applications.

I'm not a black and white person, life isn't that way, but odds are stacked against you because of timing and because of your own self-diagnosed lack of ability to do the DAT with confidence of a high score. I could name several people who applied late and got in. I can also name many more people who applied late with good DAT scores and Didn't get in. I can even name a few with Amazing applications, early submissions and wonderous DATs who didn't get in...so I'm not trying to pigeonhole you. But if I WERE YOU then I would take the DAT in September or October and see how I did and if I did well, I'd use those scores for next years cycle and have my application submitted by June 1st. (that means letting your LOR writers that you might need those same or revised letters sent again in a year). If I didn't do well on the DATs in September, I'd just use it as a learning experience and study for it again and retake it. You still would have plenty of time before next cycle and could use the time to make your app stronger rather than risk losing a bunch of app money on this cycle.

 

[JamieMac]

The process of applying to medical/dental school is very daunting and can play tricks on your mind. Don't let your performance on a couple of practice tests derail your ambition. As another post says...you may surprise yourself. I promise you that many people question themselves and their abilities throughout the process.

Submit your application now (including getting your transcripts sent)...work hard going into your DAT and see where it takes you. IF it doesn't work out now, you'll be more prepared for the next time.

If you really want it bad enough, don't give up. You will find a way to make it happen. Good luck.