Recommended undergraduate for DAT

[ciruji]

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I heard is better to take Biology and Chemistry 1st year, Physics 2nd Year and Organic Chemistry 3rd year along with some social sciences courses.

 

[MedDevil]

I heard is better to take Biology and Chemistry 1st year, Physics 2nd Year and Organic Chemistry 3rd year along with some social sciences courses.

My recommendation is Bio + chem freshman year (Physics too if you're daring), Ochem + physics/other science classes sophomore year. Alternatively, you can hold off on taking physics until junior/senior year because it won't show up on the DAT.

This all really depends on how confident you are in your ability to keep up with these classes all at once and which subjects you're more comfortable with, so it might be best to take the classes at your own pace as long as you give yourself enough time to study for the DAT.

 

[segura11]

I wouldn't even mess with physics until after the DAT. It isn't on the test, so I put it off until senior year.

 

[Bottle]

yeah. im still not clear about my plans. but i will definitely avoid useless classes in my first 2 years.

use ur first 2 years to prepare for DAT. get it over with. than start taking phy and the rest.

 

[Toofly01]

yeah. im still not clear about my plans. but i will definitely avoid useless classes in my first 2 years.

use ur first 2 years to prepare for DAT. get it over with. than start taking phy and the rest.

It's not just abt 'getting it over with', the DAT score is only valid for three years. If OP takes the exam, for instance, in the summer after his sophomore year (as you suggest), and ends up having to reapply, he will only have that app cycle left before the scores expire. This is also assuming he does not take any add'l time off after college (aside from the reapp year).

 

[MedDevil]

It's not just abt 'getting it over with', the DAT score is only valid for three years. If OP takes the exam, for instance, in the summer after his sophomore year (as you suggest), he will only have 1 app cycle to utilize those scores before they expire (please correct me if I'm wrong). If he did not get in anywhere and had to reapply, he would then have to retake the DAT.

I'm curious about this too. I'm not sure if "valid for three years" means the timeline between taking the exam and matriculating to dental school or the time between taking the exam and sending in the AADSAS application, which would add an extra year of eligibility over the former scenario.

 

[Toofly01]

I updated the post hoping to allow for some ambiguity but I don't think I achieved it... I just suggest waiting until spring of junior year to take the DAT, and applying that summer. It seems to work for most ppl! 🙂

 

[ATG20]

Isn't the order dictated by your degree program? You might be able to switch physics into year 2, but I think after that it'd start interfering with your upper-division schedule. A lot of physiology and neuroscience/cell bio courses at my UG required physics.

 

[ciruji]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Bottle]

It's not just abt 'getting it over with', the DAT score is only valid for three years. If OP takes the exam, for instance, in the summer after his sophomore year (as you suggest), and ends up having to reapply, he will only have that app cycle left before the scores expire. This is also assuming he does not take any add'l time off after college (aside from the reapp year).

Yeah this is bad side of it. But it will help you prepare. Taking the whole summer to study for dat. And here comes the best past. If you failed or did poorly, you could retake it in 3rd year summer without forcing yourself to have gap year.

 

[V3NOM]

I'm curious about this too. I'm not sure if "valid for three years" means the timeline between taking the exam and matriculating to dental school or the time between taking the exam and sending in the AADSAS application, which would add an extra year of eligibility over the former scenario.

I think is valid at the time you send the application.

 

[Longcatislong]

just get physics out of the way. I hated that class so much, with an enormous firey passion, but I'm glad that I got it done with so that it wasn't waiting for me later on. Before taking the DAT, take as many bio classes as you can. In addition to general bio, do anatomy, physiology, micro, cell bio and biochem. After you've taken these courses, studying for the DAT will be eaiser and you'll actually find the bio section less difficult. Also, if possible, try to take the DAT no more than a year after completing Ochem and Gchem, so that all the knowledge is still fresh in your mind.