Retaking DAT and submitting application

[kcng]

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Hey guys,

I called quite a few schools today with regard to submitting my application and retaking the DAT. My earliest retake will be in 9/20/2012 (which is pretty late). Some schools seem to review your file even with your first DAT scores (BU,Tuft,Temple), but they can't finalize until your 2nd DAT is in. However, some schools said your application will be on hold until your 2nd DAT's are in (NYU, Western). Are there dents/predents student in a similar situation as I am. The following are my scores.

Post-bac GPA: 3.83 (non-tradition/career changer, only science pre-reqs)
UCLA undergrad: 2.84

DAT:
Perceptual ability: 22
Quantitive Reasoning: 17
Reading Comprehension: 19
Biology: 18
General Chemistry: 20
Organic Chemistry: 21
Total Science: 19
Academic Average: 19

I feel like the best bet is to apply now and just tell them I'll be retaking. Suggestions and advice are welcome.

 

[premolar9]

You have a killer post-bacc. That's really good, and a 19 really isn't bad at all, paired with a 22 PAT. Did you ask the schools you called if you should retake? I would hesitate to retake with such a good GPA. I would ask them first, but apply ASAP definitely.

 

[RU1992]

Personally, I wouldn't retake and just apply now.

 

[Dent22519]

So, I'm in kind of a similar situation. I contacted 17 schools and a majority said they have continual reviews (don't hold app). Only a handful--Western, Roseman, UoP hold your app. Maryland and UMDNJ were really unclear in their email response, but it seems like they hold your app. My GPA is on the lower end of the spectrum, and my app will be mailed out with the second batch, so I'm kind of unwilling to give up that early app status so what I'm doing is not telling most of the schools (who do continual reviews) I'm retaking and telling the ones that hold (the ones I mentioned above) that I will be retaking. I'm not sure if that's a sound plan, so it would be great to hear what sdners think/have done.

 

[kcng]

@ premolar9: I called in and half the schools just listed their statistics of their incoming class (which was pretty useless). Tuft and NYU were the only school that was helpful at addressing my concerns. I think I will gamble and apply with my current DAT. I have a committee letter with strong letters, a recommendation letter from a dentist, (400 volunteer/shadowing hours @ a clinic, shadowed a general dentist, orthodontists, going to shadow a oral surgeon in July). I'll talk to my post-bacc advisor to see what she has to say. It seems like people that get interviews and acceptance have AA20+, that seem like the trend on SDN.

@Dent22519: I will pm you later and see what responds you got from the schools you contacted.

Going through another 2 months of studying just to increase a few points on DAT doesn't seem to have an advantage compared to applying early. I don't want to wait another cycle, and I'm getting older (not that old but will be 27 this year).

 

[Canard]

@ premolar9: I called in and half the schools just listed their statistics of their incoming class (which was pretty useless). Tuft and NYU were the only school that was helpful at addressing my concerns. I think I will gamble and apply with my current DAT. I have a committee letter with strong letters, a recommendation letter from a dentist, (400 volunteer/shadowing hours @ a clinic, shadowed a general dentist, orthodontists, going to shadow a oral surgeon in July). I'll talk to my post-bacc advisor to see what she has to say. It seems like people that get interviews and acceptance have AA20+, that seem like the trend on SDN.

@Dent22519: I will pm you later and see what responds you got from the schools you contacted.

Going through another 2 months of studying just to increase a few points on DAT doesn't seem to have an advantage compared to applying early. I don't want to wait another cycle, and I'm getting older (not that old but will be 27 this year).

I would caution the bolded part above. The average score of DAT is AA19.?? in most schools (granted it is getting higher each year). But you have strong extracurricular and depending on what career you had, it can definitely play a positive impact on the application. If you don't mind me asking, what was your career before?

3.85 for post bacc but how many credits have you taken? Did you take all the sci pre-req (~45 credits??) if you did then I think you are pretty good and they will understand that you have improved yourself and dentistry is something you want to do.

I wouldn't rule out the re-take of DAT but for now it seems solid. I am sure you will get interview if you applied broadly. Continue to get involved in dentistry, keep taking upper level sci courses and prepare for killer interview!! PM me if you have any question because I am also from non-traditional background and did career change.

Good luck!!

 

[kcng]

I did all the science pre-reqs in 1.5 years...around 45 units (bio 1+2, Gchem 1+2, Ochem 1+2, Physics 1+2, Microbio, Biochem, and all required labs) I didn't switch career (Psych) until really late in the game. Taking upper division courses will be ruled out because I need to be back in the work force. The post-bacc program was expensive.

My advisor told me to list on AADSAS that I will retake. But realistically how much higher will my points go up. I know I can improve QR if I actually study for it. Bio is a hit or miss. I ended up focusing on GChem more because I thought I was really slow on the calculations.

I'm afraid that if I tell schools I'm retaking in September...there is a chance they will
1) Put me on the "review" pile
2) Won't even look at my file until October

 

[dnkkoh]

I'm in the same boat as you guys. I took my DAT on June 1st and came away with a decent score: AA19, BIO19, GC20, OC20, TS19, PAT 20, QR16. Both my GPA and sGPA are 3.43 and I have plenty of shadowing, research, and volunteer hours. I finished my AADSAS right away on the 4th and have been receiving application fee requests from schools for a while now. I was planning a retake but I'm not sure that its worth possibly interrupting their review of my application to improve my QR section. Ideas?

 

[Bis-GMA111]

I'm in the same boat as you guys. I took my DAT on June 1st and came away with a decent score: AA19, BIO19, GC20, OC20, TS19, PAT 20, QR16. Both my GPA and sGPA are 3.43 and I have plenty of shadowing, research, and volunteer hours. I finished my AADSAS right away on the 4th and have been receiving application fee requests from schools for a while now. I was planning a retake but I'm not sure that its worth possibly interrupting their review of my application to improve my QR section. Ideas?

not worth it unless you're dead set on going to UNLV.

 

[kcng]

After careful consideration, I'm going to apply with my current scores. Waiting to retake is not a good idea for me. It will ultimately delay my application. So that being said I'm going to test my luck, and if I don't get secondaries or interviews until late October, then I will consider a retake.

@ Dent22519: Thanks for your help, I called again and schools are still vague about their reply.
@ Canard: Thanks for your advise, I talked to my advisor and she said similar things.