Pre-dent question - high TS, but low RC. please help!

[oral09]

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Hi, I know that there are some admission officers, professors, dentists, and dental students are giving advice in this forum. I have a question about my application. Would someone please give me some advice. I have 3.97 Science GPA, and 3.93 overall GPA (B.S in Biology). I recently took the DAT, I made 24 on the total science, 21 on Academic Average, and 20 on the PAT. However, I did really bad on the Reading section. I only made 14. This is what I am worrying about.

I submitted my application on June 1st, and I am wonderring if I should request to send out my DAT score and complete my application or I should retake it.

Does anybody know if the addmision officers pay attention to the overall score or individual score. I have checked some schools and I only saw that they require the minimum score on the Total science and average, but I did not see they have a minimum requirement for the reading section.

Can someone give me some advice what I should do? Do you know someone get in dental school with low RC. Any input is thankful.

thank you.

 

[dreaming2k5]

It's no secret that computers pretty much slash out everyone that falls below certain GPA and DAT scores. With that in mind, because of your 14, your app may not ever see daylight and get trashed automatically (after they take your secondary app fee).

I'd recommend you either 1) visit the schools you REALLY want to attend about a month after your apps are sent out from AADSAS and make sure to introduce yourself to the admission people (so they'd pull your junked app out of the trash) or 2) retake the DAT

Either way, suck to be you to get a 14 on reading. If I was on the admissions committee I'd be like, "this guy needs time to memorize crap, but can't handle fast paced info - he isn't suitable for dental school... *REJECTED!* 👎"

 

[Dukie]

It's no secret that computers pretty much slash out everyone that falls below certain GPA and DAT scores. With that in mind, because of your 14, your app may not ever see daylight and get trashed automatically (after they take your secondary app fee).

I'd recommend you either 1) visit the schools you REALLY want to attend about a month after your apps are sent out from AADSAS and make sure to introduce yourself to the admission people (so they'd pull your junked app out of the trash) or 2) retake the DAT

Either way, suck to be you to get a 14 on reading. If I was on the admissions committee I'd be like, "this guy needs time to memorize crap, but can't handle fast paced info - he isn't suitable for dental school... *REJECTED!* 👎"

What a compassionate post. To answer the OP's question- in my view, you are probably ok. A 14 on reading comp will probably hurt you- it is a red flag. However, your grades and other scores are so strong that I think you will certainly get a number of interviews. If you want to be very selective and have the choice of all of your top programs, then you may want to take it again. If you are ok going basically anywhere, you will get in somewhere. Good luck!

 

[HupHolland]

I'd definitely recommend calling the schools you're really interested to make sure your application isn't filtered out based on your RC score. I was in a similar position a couple years ago. I had high AA and TS scores (22) and low RC score (17) and I still got into a couple schools. My GPA was a little lower, too... 3.6ish.

You definitely have a shot, but you need to put forth some effort by either networking with schools or retaking the exam to get that score up. There was a study done showing the correlation between RC score and dental school success. That's why schools take RC so seriously.

-Hup!

 

[DrReo]

networking

-Hup!

One of lifes greats things that one should master. Hence, "it isn't what you know, but rather who you know."

 

[iopdentist]

I was in the similar situation, and yes: interviewers will throw you tons of questions regarding your low RC score, Be prepared. 👍

 

[doc3232]

What was your QR score? 17ish?

 

[rose786]

I second calling the schools. Many have cutoffs, while others really emphasize the RC score.

At the same time, you're other scores and gpa are excellent. You should have no problem if you apply broadly, IMO.

 

[mddang]

In his DAT score thread, the OP said that english is his second language, which explains the poor RC score.

 

[doc toothache]

Interesting. English is good enough to have a gpa of 3.9 and AA of 20, but when it comes to low RC it must be a language problem.

 

[sajjy]

In his DAT score thread, the OP said that english is his second language, which explains the poor RC score.

wow...you are really concerned with everyones' RC score...arent you...LOL😀😀

 

[War Eagle]

Retake it. A 14 in any section looks bad. I'm sure you could do better.

 

[mantraman1010]

...

 

[mddang]

wow...you are really concerned with everyones' RC score...arent you...LOL😀😀

Naw, but I just remember him talking about the exact same thign in his other thread. 😱


You've gotta give it to those Fobs, man..

 

[whoispittsnogle]

retake it cuz the rest of your stats are amazing. u know u can do better than a 14. and no one is touching that 3.97😱

 

[TeamGuo]

Naw, but I just remember him talking about the exact same thign in his other thread. 😱


You've gotta give it to those Fobs, man..

kk fobs generally kick ass in the TS section.