Poor Pat-retake DAT?

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Cindy82

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Hi everyone,

Just got back from DAT.

This is what I got:

AA:20
PAT:15 🙁
QR:16 🙁
RC:20
BIO:25
GC:19
OC:18
TS:20

My overall GPA is about 3.67.
I am applying to UCLA,UCSF,LLU,UOP,USC, Nova, Boston, Tufts, Columbia, NYU,Temple, Case Western. UPenn,Indiana, UMaryland...etc.

Considering that I am an international student, have no research experience, but has about 240 hours of shadowing, would I have a good chance at any of these school with such scores?

Should I retake the dat?

Thanks for any advice
 
i'm an international student from Vietnam. i think it doesn't matter if you apply to private school, you will have a great chance to get in with decent score. SChools that you listed, i think you would get into Tufts, they don't care much abotu PAT, others might. I got the same PAT and got denied becoz of that in spite of having a pretty good profile. I think you should apply early. If you really want to get into schools in CA, you might have to retake the DAT...sorry. ANyways, your stats are very appealing. Goodluck!!!
 
I agree with my1molar, if you want to get into the cali schools and UPenn, you need to re-take the DAT. The other schools you listed might not have a problem with your PAT score, but a school like UOP definetly will. The big privates that you listed like Nova, Tufts, NYU, etc. won't care as much, they will focus on that 25 you got in Bio (good job there!). So the answer to your question depends on where you really want to go???
 
Hmmm... well there are normally two very different responses to this type of question. One school of thought says 'no' because if you do poorly a second time, it will validate the first set of scores. Another school of thought says that you should retake it, as the scores are low enough and may make some dental schools shy away from you.

In order to give you advice, I'd have to know more about your situation. How well did you study for the PAT and QR sections? Do you think that if you put in more work, that you would do better? Also, what were you getting on the Topscore PAT sections?

On another note, if anyone wants good practice for the PAT, acethedat.com is very good for this section. It's actually harder than the PAT section on the real DAT, and I thought it was great preparation. Their other sections aren't very good, though.
 
JRogoff said:
I agree with my1molar, if you want to get into the cali schools and UPenn, you need to re-take the DAT. The other schools you listed might not have a problem with your PAT score, but a school like UOP definetly will. The big privates that you listed like Nova, Tufts, NYU, etc. won't care as much, they will focus on that 25 you got in Bio (good job there!). So the answer to your question depends on where you really want to go???
Hmmmmm.... 😉

Always got my mind firmly planted in the gutter. Sorry. 😀

Seriously: I don't know enough about situations like yours to be able to offer any helpful advice, but I can say congrats on your scores, esp. bio!
 
Hi,

Thanks for the advices. I am seriously considering of retaking the DAT.

However, since I won't be able to take it until about October, do you think that combinations of DAT, GPA and activities will get me some interviews at the schools that I mentioned in between now and October?

Also if anybody knows, please tell me which are the schools which care less about PAT besides those schools that I am applying to.

Thanks for any advice.
 
boy this one is a tough one. yes your PAT is low. However, your Bio, Sci, AA, and Gpa are all awesome. i really think that you'll get interviews from IU, Temple, and NYU.

here is what your important statslook like. AA, Sci, GPA ,PAT 20/20/3.7/15
i think that the rest of your stuff will cover for that PAT. i am not so sure how much emphasis schools put on QR. my guess is not much.

if i were you, i'd just keep studying for the next 90 days. if i see that i am getting interviews, then i'd forget about retaking it. on he other hand, if i see that i am not getting much in the mail, then its nothing but retaking the DAT.

good luck and keep us informed.
 
BTW, how is it that yo uare an international student?
i am confused, because i see that you are in CA. you went to school in the US right?
do you just mean that you aren't an American?
 
CA schools are state schools, right? - So, the tuition will be an arm and a leg for an international student attending state school. International students normally attend private schools, because its cheaper than State funded schools.

Also, doesnt state schools give least preference to International students - because of state requirements?
 
Yup, I realized that being an international students, the chances of being accepted to state schools especially UCLA are pretty slim. But since I live in CA now and hope to stay here, I just want to try my luck with these schools and see what happens.
 
unless if you are SDA, applying to LLU is a lost cause. LLU class of 98 was composed of 95 SDA and 3 LDS. I suggest to not retake the DAT unless you are sure you can improve. The schools I spoke with cared the least about QR which I got a 14 on.
 
Cindy82 said:
Hi everyone,

Just got back from DAT.

This is what I got:

AA:20
PAT:15 🙁
QR:16 🙁
RC:20
BIO:25
GC:19
OC:18
TS:20

My overall GPA is about 3.67.
I am applying to UCLA,UCSF,LLU,UOP,USC, Nova, Boston, Tufts, Columbia, NYU,Temple, Case Western. UPenn,Indiana, UMaryland...etc.

Considering that I am an international student, have no research experience, but has about 240 hours of shadowing, would I have a good chance at any of these school with such scores?

Should I retake the dat?

Thanks for any advice

You got some pretty awesome scores in biology... what materials did you use to study for biology? thanks!
 
I basically read the bio section from the big Kaplan book, and supplement it with bio textbook used for freshman classes. I think taking notes instead of just reading helps too.
 
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