Retake DAT?

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sabal

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Hello everyone,

I recently took the DAT and got a 22AA, 23TS, and 21 PAT. I know to most people this is a great score, and by all means it is a great score to me as well. That being said, I do have some regret and mixed emotions about my score solely because I felt like my exam was much lower-yielded content compared to the majority of test takers. For reference, I took many DATBooster full lengths and got a 23-24AA and a 23PAT for the majority of them. I also took 4 Bootcamp full lengths and consistently got a 25-26AA, 25-27TS, and a 22-23 PAT. While my exam results are around the estimates on booster, I studied for a little bit over 5 months, especially biology. I was consistently getting 39/40 on every bio section and was extremely confident in that aspect. Apart from that, I honestly do feel as if I drew the short end of the stick with my exam. Most people score 1-2 points higher on the actual exam and claim that the exam was easier and more surface level, but that was not the case with me. I feel like my score doesn't represent the time, effort, and sacrifices I put into studying, while others have spent half the time studying and got a 3-4 point increase on their actual exam because the content was easier. Would it be stupid of me to retake it in hopes of getting a 24-25AA since I really do feel like I should have obtained it the first time if I was lucky with my exam's content? Or are these scores good enough to apply out of state and get interviews? I also think its worth mentioning that I am in no way trying to boast about my score, or trying to make it seem worse than what it is, I'm just trying to gain a logical and reasonable approach to what I should do based on everything.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Hello everyone,

I recently took the DAT and got a 22AA, 23TS, and 21 PAT. I know to most people this is a great score, and by all means it is a great score to me as well. That being said, I do have some regret and mixed emotions about my score solely because I felt like my exam was much lower-yielded content compared to the majority of test takers. For reference, I took many DATBooster full lengths and got a 23-24AA and a 23PAT for the majority of them. I also took 4 Bootcamp full lengths and consistently got a 25-26AA, 25-27TS, and a 22-23 PAT. While my exam results are around the estimates on booster, I studied for a little bit over 5 months, especially biology. I was consistently getting 39/40 on every bio section and was extremely confident in that aspect. Apart from that, I honestly do feel as if I drew the short end of the stick with my exam. Most people score 1-2 points higher on the actual exam and claim that the exam was easier and more surface level, but that was not the case with me. I feel like my score doesn't represent the time, effort, and sacrifices I put into studying, while others have spent half the time studying and got a 3-4 point increase on their actual exam because the content was easier. Would it be stupid of me to retake it in hopes of getting a 24-25AA since I really do feel like I should have obtained it the first time if I was lucky with my exam's content? Or are these scores good enough to apply out of state and get interviews? I also think its worth mentioning that I am in no way trying to boast about my score, or trying to make it seem worse than what it is, I'm just trying to gain a logical and reasonable approach to what I should do based on everything.

Thanks for the advice!
It's not uncommon to face challenges when relying on scores from timed tests. From my years of experience working with students, I've often seen individuals score lower than they had anticipated. The good news? This doesn’t define your capabilities or limit your potential. Take pride in your excellent scores and stay focused on moving forward with your application process. The next step is securing those interviews, and you're well on your way!

Wishing you the best
Nancy, co/owner, DAT Destroyers
 
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