Sending DAT scores

[iwannabadentist]

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hey all,
someone just told me today that you have to wait 40 days after taking your DAT to send out your scores, or they will send your old scores. I took my DAT the 2nd time on May 27th, and sent out my scores on June 18th. Has anyone else of this 40 day rule cuz this is the first time I heard of it? Please tell me I did not just spend 500 bucks and sent out my old and crappy scores from the first time I took the DAT? 😕

 

[nze82]

hey all,
someone just told me today that you have to wait 40 days after taking your DAT to send out your scores, or they will send your old scores. I took my DAT the 2nd time on May 27th, and sent out my scores on June 18th. Has anyone else of this 40 day rule cuz this is the first time I heard of it? Please tell me I did not just spend 500 bucks and sent out my old and crappy scores from the first time I took the DAT? 😕

B.S.
When you take your exam, they will automatically forward the 4 recent scores to your designated schools!

 

[tsitneD]

oh man i lost $150 last cycle. They sent my old scores and i had to repay for new scores to be sent. I was so mad. they told me to pay again.

 

[tsitneD]

40 days? i thought it was 3-4 weeks. If thats the case then its going to delay the application.

 

[nze82]

oh man i lost $150 last cycle. They sent my old scores and i had to repay for new scores to be sent. I was so mad. they told me to pay again.

But wait! I called ADA and they said each time you take the test they send out up to 4 of your most recent scores. How did they fail to send your new scores along with the old ones?!

 

[nze82]

Here's what I found on ADA's website:

I have tested more than once; can I choose which scores are sent out?

You cannot choose to send any one particular set of scores. Our scoring system reports the four most recent sets of scores.
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/dat_faq.pdf

So, I'm guessing once you retake the test, they will add the recent scores to your report, and they will forward that report (along with your previous scores) to your designated schools!

 

[tsitneD]

What happen was that I took my DAT and submitted my application the next day b/c it was ready. I submitted for DAT request on ADA same day too and i did not know that we have to wait 3-4 weeks before we submit for the request. Then after two months later i found out those additional schools i had added for DAT did not recieve new DAT, ADA had sent the old ones b/c my new scores were not processed by them. To sent the new scores i had to pay again. I told ADA that i thought it takes 3-4 weeks for schools to recieve the scores but then its actually processing period for ADA before we can make a request.

obviously, this problem can only occur to people who took DAT twice.

 

[tsitneD]

So i recently took my DAT again and this time i ll make the request for DAT to be sent to additional schools after a month. Then school will recieve all scores.

 

[nze82]

What happen was that I took my DAT and submitted my application the next day b/c it was ready. I submitted for DAT request on ADA same day too and i did not know that we have to wait 3-4 weeks before we submit for the request. Then after two months later i found out those additional schools i had added for DAT did not recieve new DAT, ADA had sent the old ones b/c my new scores were not processed by them. To sent the new scores i had to pay again. I told ADA that i thought it takes 3-4 weeks for schools to recieve the scores but then its actually processing period for ADA before we can make a request.

obviously, this problem can only occur to people who took DAT twice.

Now let me ask you this. What if you have picked your designated schools when you registered for the exam? Do you still have to submit a request after you take the exam?
Because I remember last year, I chose 9 schools when I was registering for the DAT and that was it. All my scores were reported without the need to submit a different request after the test.

 

[tsitneD]

Now let me ask you this. What if you have picked your designated schools when you registered for the exam? Do you still have to submit a request after you take the exam?

No.. those schools are fine. They ll recieve new scores when ADA has new ones ready to be sent. You ll see in my post i was talking about the request for DAT to additional schools. They need to be more clear about this on their website. I recommend everyone to make sure b/c i found out about this when i called one of the schools and they told me they have NOT recieved my new scores. Two months after request i found out. I dont know why they dont understand the fact that when student makes a request we definitely want NEW scores to be added.

 

[nze82]

No.. those schools are fine. They ll recieve new scores when ADA has new ones ready to be sent. You ll see in my post i was talking about the request for DAT to additional schools. They need to be more clear about this on their website. I recommend everyone to make sure b/c i found out about this when i called one of the schools and they told me they have NOT recieved my new scores. Two months after request i found out. I dont know why they dont understand the fact that when student makes a request we definitely want NEW scores to be added.

Oh ok! tnx for clarifying that.
Yea! I agree, some of the stuff mentioned on their website is quite vague!

 

[4thMolar]

When you take the DAT for a second or third time, you initially select 5 schools that you can send the scores to (included with the fee). Now, if you want to send it to additional schools, you have to indicate that you want future scores to be sent (even if you are requesting the scores a week after you take the DAT). It takes ADA 3-4 weeks to process, so if you indicate past scores to be sent before the 3-4 weeks (after you take the DAT), it won't send your most recent score. Hope that makes sense.

 

[nze82]

When you take the DAT for a second or third time, you initially select 5 schools that you can send the scores to (included with the fee). Now, if you want to send it to additional schools, you have to indicate that you want future scores to be sent (even if you are requesting the scores a week after you take the DAT). It takes ADA 3-4 weeks to process, so if you indicate past scores to be sent before the 3-4 weeks (after you take the DAT), it won't send your most recent score. Hope that makes sense.

You can choose more than 5 schools when you're registering for the exam. You just have to pay for it. I chose 9 schools last year and 11 schools this year, right when I was registering for my DAT.
I don't even know why people wait to add schools after the exam. Why not choose all the schools at once to avoid all these complications?

 

[4thMolar]

You can choose more than 5 schools when you're registering for the exam. You just have to pay for it. I chose 9 schools last year and 11 schools this year, right when I was registering for my DAT.
I don't even know why people wait to add schools after the exam. Why not choose all the schools at once to avoid all these complications?

Oh sorry, I meant if you wanted to send to additional schools at a later date.

 

[tsitneD]

You can choose more than 5 schools when you're registering for the exam. You just have to pay for it. I chose 9 schools last year and 11 schools this year, right when I was registering for my DAT.
I don't even know why people wait to add schools after the exam. Why not choose all the schools at once to avoid all these complications?

i think in that case you are fine. most people register too early when not even sure which schools to apply.

That part online where they ask about past scores and future scores to be sent is kind of confusing. If i am done with DAT i ll assume them as my past scores.

 

[iwannabadentist]

wel im gonna call them tomo just to be safe, but on the electronic application, here's what it says:

On or before 5/8/2009 After 5/8/2009 After 6/22/2009

I took my first DAT on Jan 22 and the 2nd one on May 27th, so if I selected the middle option, hopefully they will send the right scores. I don't care if they also send the old scores, as long as they send the new ones too! I'm sorta trippin cuz thats 500 bucks down the drain if i have to send it again!