Should I apply with this DAT score?

[sedination]

Hello,

I am a Canadian considering applying to US dental schools and just wrote the DAT yesterday. I have very little knowledge on what scores need to be attained to be competitive in American dental schools. Can someone give me advice? Here are my scores:

Quantitative Reasoning - 29
Reading Comprehension - 26
Total Science - 19
Perceptual Ability - 13
Academic Average - 22

My concern is my abysmal PAT score (8th percentile!). With a PAT score like that, will ANY school consider me for interview? Are my marks competitive?

Thank you.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[teefRcool]

Hello,

I am a Canadian considering applying to US dental schools and just wrote the DAT yesterday. I have very little knowledge on what scores need to be attained to be competitive in American dental schools. Can someone give me advice? Here are my scores:

Quantitative Reasoning - 29
Reading Comprehension - 26
Total Science - 19
Perceptual Ability - 13
Academic Average - 22

My concern is my abysmal PAT score (8th percentile!). With a PAT score like that, will ANY school consider me for interview? Are my marks competitive?

Thank you.

Jeez man what happened on the PAT your other scores are impressive. Call the schools and ask them yourself

 

[sedination]

Jeez man what happened on the PAT your other scores are impressive. Call the schools and ask them yourself

I can't move those damn objects around in my head. Don't know makes me wonder if I'm cut out for dentistry. Plus I'm pretty terrible with my hands (got a C- in Grade 5 art class ).

 

[12YearOldKid]

Ouch! That is probably the lowest PAT score I have ever heard of. No offense intended. Do you think you could bring that up at all and still do about the same on the academic portion? That is what I would do.

If you don't think you can improve I guess you just have to apply and see where that gets you. Good Luck.

 

[teefRcool]

I can't move those damn objects around in my head. Don't know makes me wonder if I'm cut out for dentistry. Plus I'm pretty terrible with my hands (got a C- in Grade 5 art class ).

How did u study for the sciences and what resources did you use. I mean ur other scores are really good, really really good.

I think u still have a chance though depending on your gpa.

 

[v&andy_yankee]

apply NOW ASAP. your scores are GREAT. even though the PAT score is low, you do have to remember that it's the AA that schools really care about--there's a reason why the DATs report those two scores separately. also, if you look at the average DATs for all the schools, the PAT is invariably lower than the AA. personally, that tells me that the schools really don't give a crap about the PAT--that's what dental school is for, they're going to teach you that stuff.

you other scores are AWESOME, don't delay in applying! b/c waiting right now is the worst thing you can do to yourself.

 

[howui3]

You should call each of the schools you want to apply to and find out if a score of 13 on any section is acceptable.

Some schools have cut-offs, meaning if you do not have a certain score in each section you will not be considered as a valid applicant.

Here is a quick example, if you want to verify go to Tufts dental school website and look under DDS admissions. They have a minimum:

15 Academic Average
14 Perceptual Ability
15 Total Science

So in your case, Tufts is out of the question. So call the schools first.

 

[ARguy]

when I interviewed at one school they told us they don't care what our PAT scores were.

 

[oldboy]

schools definitely care about the PAT. It is true that it is not weighed anywhere near the same as the AA, but you still need to get a somewhat decent score. A 17 is one thing, but a 13 is something else. The PAT is the easiest part of the DAT to master, so practice and study it and take it again and I am sure you will not only blow your old PAT score out of the water, but probably increase your AA significantly as well. Or i could be wrong.

 

[Okasha]

it depends on your GPA. My bro had 14 on his PAT, and he got accepted to upenn. It is because he had 3.95 in his undergrad.
Call the schools and talk with them.

 

[monagh11]

Hello,

I am a Canadian considering applying to US dental schools and just wrote the DAT yesterday. I have very little knowledge on what scores need to be attained to be competitive in American dental schools. Can someone give me advice? Here are my scores:

Quantitative Reasoning - 29
Reading Comprehension - 26
Total Science - 19
Perceptual Ability - 13
Academic Average - 22

My concern is my abysmal PAT score (8th percentile!). With a PAT score like that, will ANY school consider me for interview? Are my marks competitive?

Thank you.

UMKC I don't think really cares about the PAT score, check them out.

 

[sedination]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. After reading this I think I will go ahead and send in my American dental application.

 

[sedination]

How did u study for the sciences and what resources did you use. I mean ur other scores are really good, really really good.

I think u still have a chance though depending on your gpa.

Hi teefRcool. I signed up for the Kaplan DAT Online course and studied solely from that. It was a great resource: textbooks, online practice questions and even online lessons (although the lessons were not very useful).