Retake or nah?

[Glimmer1991]

Hi! I'd love some outside opinions. Not my DAT, but I'm not exactly sure how to advise on this one.

The ultimate goal is for him to get into UNC.

PAT 22
QR 17
RC 20
BIO 21
GC 20
OC 21
TS 20
AA 20

GPA: 3.96 oGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 4.0 BCP
(Made a B+ in some random writing class.)

Works as a student ambassador at school, about 3 hours/week. Mostly admissions events.

Has worked full-time during summers. Totals 400+ hours.

Volunteers at school and hosts prospective students overnight, showing them around the campus and what life at school is like. This is related to the student ambassador job, but isn't paid.

Shadowing ~60 hours at a dentist's office. Also volunteered there about 2 hours/week for 10 weeks. Going to get this shadowing hours number up to 100ish.

White male.

About to start junior year, so not applying until next cycle.

Retake? This score was achieved with MINIMAL effort... maybe studying 10 hrs/wk for 10 weeks. Should he buckle down and try again? He can definitely do better if he tried... but does he need to?

 

[willwash]

Nope. I wouldn't. From everything I've heard they don't care about QR anyway.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

No need to, unless he really wants to go to a competitive school with a higher DAT average.

 

[Glimmer1991]

Thanks, guys!

UNC is the goal. He'll probably be applying to UNC, ECU, Case Western, and a few other southern schools.

I think UNC's AA is a 21, but his QR is just pulling down his average, unfortunately. I'm not positive if the GPA will make up for it.

 

[I Brush My Teeth]

I think, if he has the time to, and he thinks he can do better, theres no harm in taking it again (if he 100% believes he can score higher).. otherwise a 20AA/20TS is a great score

 

[orgoman22]

Hi! I'd love some outside opinions. Not my DAT, but I'm not exactly sure how to advise on this one.

The ultimate goal is for him to get into UNC.

PAT 22
QR 17
RC 20
BIO 21
GC 20
OC 21
TS 20
AA 20

GPA: 3.98 oGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 4.0 BCP
(Made a B+ in some random writing class.)

Works as a student ambassador at school, about 4 hours/week. Mostly admissions events.

Has worked full-time through various summers, easily totaling over 400 hours from last summer alone.

Volunteers at school and hosts prospective students overnight, showing them around the campus and what life at school is like. This is related to the student ambassador job, but isn't paid.

Shadowing ~100 hours at a dentist's office. Also volunteered there about 2 hours/week for 10 weeks.

White male.

About to start junior year, so not applying until next cycle.

Retake? This score was achieved with MINIMAL effort... maybe studying 10 hrs/wk for 10 weeks. Should he buckle down and try again? He can definitely do better if he tried... but does he need to?

I would NOT take the DAT again with these scores and GPA, a 4.0 science GPA says a lot about this student..Dental schools will put a lot of weight on that...a 4.0 says it all. This student has worked very hard to attain that and dental schools will take notice. They want students who can keep up with the rigorous dental school schedule.

I would be VERY surprised if that did not get an interview invite from UNC

Congratulations!

Just my 2 cents

Nancy

 

[stag123]

For dental school, no.
But for UNC, probably, if he wants the best chance possible. UNC is pretty high average for DAT scores. IMO

 

[hellofuturedentists]

If he's an NC resident (assuming because you said he's applying to ECU) and 21 AA is average and he got a 20, I'd like to think he's fine. If 20 is the average, they accept people above and below it. Probably best not to risk doing worse.

 

[matardug]

I wouldnt retake, nice job congrats

 

[Glimmer1991]

Well, to make interviews a bit more "assured," he's decided to retake it. Thank you all so much for the help!