plz help do i retake :(

[brannie]

hi im stuck between applying this and next cycle. i just graduated from an ivy as a bio major with a psych minor and i decided in december 2021 that I wanted to do dental school. Here are some of my stats:
GPA: 3.52
sGPA: 3.2
Volunteer hours: ~400
Research hours: ~200
Shadowing hours: ~100
worked over 1000 hours at various jobs since college started; from a single parent immigrant household
~150 of these hours are from a dental assistant position where i would be returning for my gap year(s)
President of a club; very involved mainly in my church community

I'm fairly confident in my LORs. I was very close to the professors I received them from, as well as the dentist being my boss who I am also fairly close to.

the biggest roadblock i would say is my DAT score, because I took it after ~1 month of studying in January
AA: 21.6
TS: 22
PAT: 24
the issue is that my orgo score: 15
Chem: 21
RC: 23
Bio: 24
QR: 25

im taking another one in 2 weeks but im so burnt out from school and unmotivated. any advice? do i even take it again? what do i do :')

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[SoggyToast123]

what happened to OC?

I would just power through and retake the DAT. I think most schools have a cutoff of 16 for every section, with the exception of QR if the rest of the app is solid. also, your chances for top targets go up drastically if you can nudge OC to even a 20 or 19.

The only reasons to not take it would be if you weren't confident in the other sections, but you managed a 24 bio and a 21 GC so you got this.

 

[DAT Destroyer]

hi im stuck between applying this and next cycle. i just graduated from an ivy as a bio major with a psych minor and i decided in december 2021 that I wanted to do dental school. Here are some of my stats:
GPA: 3.52
sGPA: 3.2
Volunteer hours: ~400
Research hours: ~200
Shadowing hours: ~100
worked over 1000 hours at various jobs since college started; from a single parent immigrant household
~150 of these hours are from a dental assistant position where i would be returning for my gap year(s)
President of a club; very involved mainly in my church community

I'm fairly confident in my LORs. I was very close to the professors I received them from, as well as the dentist being my boss who I am also fairly close to.

the biggest roadblock i would say is my DAT score, because I took it after ~1 month of studying in January
AA: 21.6
TS: 22
PAT: 24
the issue is that my orgo score: 15
Chem: 21
RC: 23
Bio: 24
QR: 25

im taking another one in 2 weeks but im so burnt out from school and unmotivated. any advice? do i even take it again? what do i do :')

Your scores are great with that one bad score. IMO, that 15 in Orgo is damaging at most schools. If in doubt contact the school(s) you want to attend. I assume since you are attending an IVY school now you are considering some of those for dental school and a 15 IMO would be an auto rejection. What concerns me is your statement "burnt out and unmotivated". I would reschedule your DAT asap, when going into to take the DAT you need to feel motivated and ready to Destroy it. Give yourself a break and regroup, don't be in a rush to retake.

I am on your team and wish you the best.

Nancy, co/owner, Destroyers