Postpone my DAT?

[Dental140]

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I am scheduled to take my DAT July 30th but I do not feel ready at all. I am following Ari's study schedule and I am about a week and a half behind... (I procrastinated at the beginning and now I am trying to complete 2 days worth in one day and have removed my review days...) I feel like I am not retaining as much information as I could be because I am trying to cramp in everything and don't ever have time to really sit down and just review my notes ( I review my notes on specific questions from DAT Destroyer, but the questions are all random and it's also taking me forever and I am really stressing out (which is not helping in retaining material either), and am getting so discouraged because I have not been able to complete all the 2 day material in one day so I have to keep pushing back my study schedule ( I just finished going over AP Cliffs/Barron's- that took so much time and I don't even know if I retained that much!!).

Anyway I'm thinking of postponing it to August 13th (or any day really, that second week of August). I feel like I would feel so much better about my studying because I would have more reasonable study schedule again and since I am now in a study groove I would use this extra time wisely and get back on track. ( Also, I submitted my application in the middle of June & my GPA is STILL not verified so my application has not been sent out yet ( my last transcript was received the 25th, even though I requested it from my school on the 9th....WTF???..I requested my first two transcript the 3rd and they were received on the 11th so I really don't understand what took so long on that last transcript...maybe I should have resent...actually it probably doesn't matter because most schools won't look at my app until they get my DAT scores... AHHH I AM SO STRESSED!!!!).

ANYWAY, the only thing that I need to complete is this exam....would taking my DAT on the 13th of August instead be too late???? I have heard so many mixed reviews about taking it in August....I just want to make sure I do not have to retake this exam and I want to do the very best I can. But my DAT scores wouldn't be received until 2-3 weeks after correct??? So schools wouldn't be receiving my scores until the end of August/first week of September...that's way too late isn't it??? I really don't know what to do.....any advice would be helpful!

I apologize for the novel....recap: IS MID AUGUST TOO LATE TO TAKE MY DAT???

 

[ajj70]

Take a practice test, see where you are scoring and then go from there whether you should reschedule or not. What is your GPA breakdown?

 

[hellofuturedentists]

I don't think it's too late. Sure, it's not ideal, but if you'd be way more comfortable and prepared in August, take it them. I'm sure you (and schools) would rather get a 20+ from postponing than get a 17 in July because you were too behind on studying (and then you'd have to retake it in October, which is definitely late). If you rock the DAT, it will be fine. And, like karanja said, you can always fax your unofficial score report to the schools. They won't technically review you until the official scores are in, but it would probably help!

 

[Dental140]

Sounds like you answered your own question. If you postpone, however, you should do your best to stay focused and on course. You'll never truly feel ready for the exam.

Is August too late? That depends on the cutoff date designated by each school to which you're applying. You're right that it takes a few weeks to process and send out your DAT score. In the meantime, you could always call or write your schools and let them know your unofficial scores.

The transcript processing times you shared are pretty standard. AADSAS is fairly quick during the first 1-2 weeks of the cycle, but as more applicants hop on the bandwagon, they get bogged down.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Thank you for your advice! I guess it does sound like I answered my own question, but I am just so worried that I'd be ruining my chances by postponing... Also what do you mean by the cutoff dates designated by each school? Is that the date when they want all your application materials in by? (most schools say December 1st/January 1st and one that I'm applying to says November 1st... aren't these dates super late though?)

 

[Dental140]

Take a practice test, see where you are scoring and then go from there whether you should reschedule or not. What is your GPA breakdown?

I took that free practice test from Kaplan a couple weeks ago and did awful..it was so discouraging. But I think I definitely need to take another one to see where I am at now. My GPA hasn't been verified yet, but I believe 3.8 overall. Science I'm not sure which ones they will count or not... but I got a C,C- in Gen Chem 1,2, but retook GC2 and got an A. [screwed up my freshman year...] I'm a bio major, all my other science courses were mostly A's.

 

[Dental140]

I don't think it's too late. Sure, it's not ideal, but if you'd be way more comfortable and prepared in August, take it them. I'm sure you (and schools) would rather get a 20+ from postponing than get a 17 in July because you were too behind on studying (and then you'd have to retake it in October, which is definitely late). If you rock the DAT, it will be fine. And, like karanja said, you can always fax your unofficial score report to the schools. They won't technically review you until the official scores are in, but it would probably help!

Exactly my thought! late but 20+ DAT vs kind of early but not so swell DAT... I guess what I'm really nervous about is if they'll even look at my application in late August...So many people have a complete application right now I feel like, while mine would not be complete until late August if I postpone. Rolling admissions is so stressful....I know I have no one to blame but myself, and these are the consequences of my procrastination at the beginning... 🙁 I just felt like I had more time than I really did...

But yeah either way I will definitely fax them my scores!

 

[Dental140]

Correct. Each school has no later than dates for application requirements. A lot of schools' cutoff dates for the DAT is Nov 1. Others want it sooner, some will accept it later. Depends on their admissions process. So you should contact them directly to see how a DAT score posting in or around September will affect your application.

Oh that makes sense. I will definitely call them! Thank you so much!

 

[bb2014]

yolo..take it in July, I have the same dilemma but pushing hard these last two weeks before my exam on the 23rd. Definitely don't want it to be late. If you really want it, you're gonna make it happen and study before the 30th. I know people who studied everything for 2-3 weeks and got 21's. These are students I shadowed at UCLA btw.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Exactly my thought! late but 20+ DAT vs kind of early but not so swell DAT... I guess what I'm really nervous about is if they'll even look at my application in late August...So many people have a complete application right now I feel like, while mine would not be complete until late August if I postpone. Rolling admissions is so stressful....I know I have no one to blame but myself, and these are the consequences of my procrastination at the beginning... 🙁 I just felt like I had more time than I really did...

But yeah either way I will definitely fax them my scores!

Oh they'll definitely look at it in August. You might just get a later interview. Or maybe you'll still get pre-dec (I'm not an expert). If they say the deadline is December technically, you're still way before that. In the long run, I'm sure you'd rather get a better score by waiting if you think it'd help.
Maybe you can study your a** off until a day or two before your test, then postpone last minute if you feel like you need to.

 

[Dental140]

Oh they'll definitely look at it in August. You might just get a later interview. Or maybe you'll still get pre-dec (I'm not an expert). If they say the deadline is December technically, you're still way before that. In the long run, I'm sure you'd rather get a better score by waiting if you think it'd help.
Maybe you can study your a** off until a day or two before your test, then postpone last minute if you feel like you need to.

You're right....maybe i'll wait a little longer before I decide. Thanks for your advice!!

 

[postpitadh]

dude! do not take the test until you're scoring over 20s on practice tests (i used bootcamp to gauge my progress). i know multiple people that applied in september and october and still got into more competitive schools. interviewers might ask why you applied so late, but that's better than a mediocre DAT and not getting interviews at all

 

[Dental140]

dude! do not take the test until you're scoring over 20s on practice tests (i used bootcamp to gauge my progress). i know multiple people that applied in september and october and still got into more competitive schools. interviewers might ask why you applied so late, but that's better than a mediocre DAT and not getting interviews at all

Ah that makes me feel so much better!!! I totally agree! I think I will hold back on postponing until I am closer to my exam date and having taking more practice tests. Thanks for your advice!

 

[wildzodiac]

Nothing wrong with postponing your date by 2 weeks. You are still in the running once your DAT is verified. Like someone said earlier, you can never feel truly confident going into the testing center on exam day, but you should go in with the mindset that you know that you did everything in your power to prepare youself to get as high a score as possible. Best of luck!