quick advice.. scores good enough?

[frawt86]

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I took the DAT this morning & scored the following:

Biology: 18
Gen. Chem: 19
Organic Chem: 19
TS: 19
PAT: 19
RC: 16
QR: 16
AA: 18

.. not so hot on the RC & QR, I know.. but I graduate in Dec. & I currently have a 3.977 overall GPA w/ a 4.0 in sciences.. volunteering @ a Childrens Dental Clinic & starting research for the summer.. after the time I've put into the studying, etc., I'm still not thrilled w/ the RC & QR scores, but I'm a terrible standardized test taker so I don't know the chances of me doing much better.. plus I'm not a bio major so the bio score is strictly representative of me reading the Kaplan book all the way through.. are the RC & QR going to kill me in the end?

 

[pasionatdentist]

I guess with your GPA, you should be fine... How did you prepare for DAT???

what's your major?

 

[frawt86]

I'm a psyc major.. it's random as hell but it's something I took interest in.. I've taken all the prerequisites though. I used kaplan's workshops & read through the majority of the kaplan DAT review notes (4-inch thick white book).. I actually didn't crack down studying until 18 days before the test (after finals were over with).. but I put in a good 100+ hours in those 18 days so I knew most of the sciences.. problem is I didn't study for RC & QR so I sort of shot myself in the foot.. I hear people say RC is more heavily weighted than anything else & then I hear the opposite so I'm not sure what to think is the truth.

I'm taking a science in June.. it's between cell molec & biochemistry.. I know biochem is a prerequisite for some schools.. which should I take?.. if I could pull an A in biochem I know it'd look a lot better than an A in cell molec.

 

[TeamGuo]

I think it would be best to take it one more time to imrpove the RC section and some of the other sections.

Nowadays it's so competitive that GPA is weighed down Vs DAT score.

So it is imperative to do well on the DAT to get in.

I am in the similar situation so that's why I am planning on to retake the DAT.

good luck

 

[playa2652]

I think you should retake because even though you have close to a 4.0 gpa, your DAT scores overall aren't that great and your total science scores should be at least 20 and RC is stressed a lot at many dental schools. Just my opinion

 

[KOM]

I think you should retake because even though you have close to a 4.0 gpa, your DAT scores overall aren't that great and your total science scores should be at least 20 and RC is stressed a lot at many dental schools. Just my opinion

Agreed. Nowadays there is way too much grade inflation in the US. Your high GPA and your low DAT suggest your school's curriculum and grading scale isn't on par with the rest of the nation. With a 4.0 GPA, one should score 20+ on the DAT no questions asked. Your scores will surely raise red flags.

 

[jigabodo]

I took the DAT this morning & scored the following:

Biology: 18
Gen. Chem: 19
Organic Chem: 19
TS: 19
PAT: 19
RC: 16
QR: 16
AA: 18

.. not so hot on the RC & QR, I know.. but I graduate in Dec. & I currently have a 3.977 overall GPA w/ a 4.0 in sciences.. volunteering @ a Childrens Dental Clinic & starting research for the summer.. after the time I've put into the studying, etc., I'm still not thrilled w/ the RC & QR scores, but I'm a terrible standardized test taker so I don't know the chances of me doing much better.. plus I'm not a bio major so the bio score is strictly representative of me reading the Kaplan book all the way through.. are the RC & QR going to kill me in the end?

I think you are borderline competitive. Whether you get in or not depends on:

1. If you have a state school to fall back on.
2. If you applied to enough schools.

 

[frawt86]

.. yea I'm not saying I'm proud of my scores.. but considering the trouble I have with standardized testing, I did much better than expected (@ least on the sciences & PAT).. but rather than raising red flags & suspicion that USC's (SC) curriculum is weak (which if they'd do a background check I'm sure it'd provide them with answers saying otherwise), would they not have any reason to suspect that some people just can't take standardized tests?.. I graduated high school with a 4.5, but couldn't get much higher than a 1000 on the SAT.. I'm hoping to apply to MUSC in charleston, but I agree, it is looking like a retake is my best option.. however, I disagree with the statement made about how schools are looking at GPAs less than DAT scores nowadays; that's saying that they don't care so much about the 4+ years you worked your ass off in college, but instead they care more about a single timed test score.

 

[jigabodo]

.. yea I'm not saying I'm proud of my scores.. but considering the trouble I have with standardized testing, I did much better than expected (@ least on the sciences & PAT).. but rather than raising red flags & suspicion that USC's (SC) curriculum is weak (which if they'd do a background check I'm sure it'd provide them with answers saying otherwise), would they not have any reason to suspect that some people just can't take standardized tests?.. I graduated high school with a 4.5, but couldn't get much higher than a 1000 on the SAT.. I'm hoping to apply to MUSC in charleston, but I agree, it is looking like a retake is my best option.. however, I disagree with the statement made about how schools are looking at GPAs less than DAT scores nowadays; that's saying that they don't care so much about the 4+ years you worked your ass off in college, but instead they care more about a single timed test score.

If you've always been having trouble with standardized tests, maybe you need to re-evaluate your test taking methods and work from there.

You know, DAT isn't going to be the last standardized test you will see. There are still NBDE part 1, part 2, WREB, NERB waiting for you!

 

[KOM]

..however, I disagree with the statement made about how schools are looking at GPAs less than DAT scores nowadays; that's saying that they don't care so much about the 4+ years you worked your ass off in college, but instead they care more about a single timed test score.

They're not, but you need to remember that a couple timed tests in dental school determine whether or not you get licensed. I was never a good standardized test taker either, but the first step to changing that is real easy - just stop telling yourself that you're not very good at them. It's all psychological.

 

[Zerconia2921]

Wish every school could take us all in that would be life. Looking at your scores which arent bad and your gpa which isnt bad ( j.k ) i think your okay. You ll get an interview. peace

 

[Saied]

isnt NBDE 1 and 2 for foreigned dentists only?

 

[smile101]

isnt NBDE 1 and 2 for foreigned dentists only?

NO!!!