Should I re-take the DAT or wait it out?

[shamrock2006]

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Ok, maybe this is just me being overly worried or whatever, but I'm thinking that maybe if I study like no other for the next month or so..and re-take the DAT for this cycle i'd have a better shot. I scored an 18AA (16 QR👎 , 19 RC), TS 19 (GenChem 17👎 , Orgo 19, Bio 21), and 22 PAT (just wanted to give a little more detail than my signature shows)..i'm wondering if I should just beat my brains in and study like made and retake the DAT before this cycle ends..or if I should just wait it out...this was my 2nd time taking the DAT, the first time I got an 18/17..I didn't really study b/c i was much cockier than I should have been, stupid of course. So what do you guys think? and for all those who are interested, I've had 5 Interviews pre-dec 1st, 4 waitlists, still waiting on NYU, 3 rejections, and like 9 I haven't heard from yet..if that helps. Good Luck and Congrats to the class of 2011!!

 

[elnaz_GW]

I think your scores are good enough at least to get into NYU. I know people who have gotten accepted with lower DAT scores than you and slightly higher GPAs. I think you should just wait. I don't think it is recommended to take the DAT more than twice because they have already seen your progress. If I were you I'd just wait. Good thing you applied to many schools! Being waitlisted is a good thing. Trust me all of us are applying to many schools but at the end we get to pick one. I have been accepted to 5 schools NYU is one of them. I am planning on going to pitt or michigan. There you go they might just give you my spot. so don't worry you will definitely get in somewhere.

 

[shamrock2006]

thanks for the response, i'm just totally freaked. I know my GPA is a little lower than I'd like it to be, early on in college I had a really rough semester that killed me, but my last 5 my GPA ranged from a 3.5 to a 4.0..and taking very tough upper level sciences that schools want to see as well as a bunch of other "well rounded" courses (lits, philosophies, theologies, histories, etc...), hopefully they look at the progress..I'm just gettin worried that I"m going to end up w/ a stack of waitlist letters...letters basically telling me i'm good, just not good enough haha....oh and as far as NYU goes, i called them today and for some reason I still haven't received any word from them about my november interview..she said "i cant tell you of your status..but it doesnt look like it has changed"..seems to me she did give me some unintentional info on my status haha....anywho, i hope you are right..and i eventually get in somewhere....congrats to you though on gettin into 5 schools...you're my hero

 

[lilvietgrl]

i know what you mean. i'm beginning to freak out and i only applied to texas schools. now i wish i had applied to some out of state schools to increase my chances. i guess i'll just wait it out too because my GPA is a little higher and i have similar DAT scores as well.

 

[PDizzle]

It's still pretty early in the acceptance cycle so good things can still happen. You should really start to worry around the end of Feb and early March.

Wait until the first wave of people make their decision then turn down the other schools they got into(around Jan 15th or so). NYU isn't a first pick for most students (please don't start a flame war, it's just a fact) so you have a good shot at it as a lot of positions open up later.

If you don't get in this cycle, you can relax a little and spend a lot of time and get a much better DAT score. You will get in next year for sure.

I say, don't take it.

 

[PedioDr0185]

I think that you will be fine, and that you just need to wait out. I am sure that you will get into dental school somewhere. Especially since you had five interviews before Dec. 1st. Good luck!

 

[reapply2007]

I would retake in the late spring. If you don't get in this year, you'll have a fresh set of scores - which hopefully go up since your last application. If you get waitlisted this year you can send your new scores before May 1 and this could increase your chance of getting off the waitlist, along with spring semester grades of course.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Taking it now won't help you this cycle. If you do retake it, it will be for the next application cycle. So, if you don't get any acceptances, then plan on retaking it in April or May, which will allow you to get your application in early.

 

[shamrock2006]

thanks everyone, i appreciate the input. I just didn't think it would be this much of a hassle. Back at school ( i am a recent graduate)..i was told by my advising office that if you score 18's across on the DAT and can pull a 3.3 Cum/Sci GPA that you should be fine for dental school. Apparently that is not the case anymore. And, being that I'm a recent graduate..if I dont get in this cycle I have no idea what i'm going to do. If i go back for a masters than I can't apply for another couple of years, at least. what really makes matters worse is that, just a couple of weeks ago I was apparently selected for the Air Force Scholarship..something that I was really hoping for and was looking forward to a career in the military as a dentist....so no i have basically "free" tuition, but nowhere to go.

 

[purduephigam]

If i go back for a masters than I can't apply for another couple of years, at least.

What makes you think this? I'm working toward a master's but if I'm accepted this year, you can bet I'll enroll in my dental school classes rather than my graduate classes next fall. I haven't heard of programs requiring people like me of their master's upon inductance, it's more of showing your dental schools that you are in fact a serious student and can handle the course load. You're essentially taking these classes for dental school; getting your master's is just a bonus.

 

[bruinpredent]

What makes you think this? I'm working toward a master's but if I'm accepted this year, you can bet I'll enroll in my dental school classes rather than my graduate classes next fall. I haven't heard of programs requiring people like me of their master's upon inductance, it's more of showing your dental schools that you are in fact a serious student and can handle the course load. You're essentially taking these classes for dental school; getting your master's is just a bonus.

i've heard that many of the dental schools wont accept you or let you into their school until you've finished grad school...they're not gonna pull you out of the grad program midway. i think i read this somewhere on the adea website, or perhaps in the adea guide to filling out the application or whatever

 

[shamrock2006]

i've heard that many of the dental schools wont accept you or let you into their school until you've finished grad school...they're not gonna pull you out of the grad program midway. i think i read this somewhere on the adea website, or perhaps in the adea guide to filling out the application or whatever

sorry i should have clarified..but this is what i was referring to..the post by bruinpredent. I've heard also that most schools won't take you until you finish your masters. granted i would love to get in SOMEWHERE this year..but i'm slowly coming to the realization that it isn't going to happen, which really sucks.

 

[bruinpredent]

sorry i should have clarified..but this is what i was referring to..the post by bruinpredent. I've heard also that most schools won't take you until you finish your masters. granted i would love to get in SOMEWHERE this year..but i'm slowly coming to the realization that it isn't going to happen, which really sucks.

you do realize its only december, right? if you look on predents, there are a TON of people who were interviewed in nov/dec/jan and didn't actually get in until march or end of april (last cycle).


don't give up yet. definitely plan a backup plan, but don't give up...i'm sure you'll be going to dental school next year, especially since your stats are not bad by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[shamrock2006]

thanks man, i hope you are right. I really want this bad and when i re-took my dat i thought i'd be ok, but seeing how so many people these days are score 20+ it just makes me a little nervous...i never thought an 18 would be an "iffy" score, but maybe I was just being naive. and now that I was selected for the Air Force Scholarship I want it even more..my goal is to be a military dentist and now that i'm sittin on that scholarship w/ no acceptances its very nerve wracking...its like winning a lifetime supply of gas but not having a car.

 

[CSI Dentist]

I feel your pain. I am thinking of retaking my DAT now too, just bc I can't sit still and wait around. I have 19AA.. but I feel like I need at least 20 .... I know it is still early in the cycle... but this waiting just sucks.

 

[merchantdds]

its late in the cycle, retake DAT if you have a 19, atleast shoot for a 20 however I have friends that gone in this year to some hard schools with an 18 but they have 3.8 and so on GPA

 

[shuna]

Guys -

Most D-schools do not fill out their classes before March. That is 3 more months!!!

If by March you don’t hear anything - then you can start panicking. Now it’s too early.

 

[shuna]

Guys -

Most D-schools do not fill out their classes before March. That is 3 more months!!!

If by March you don’t hear anything - then you can start panicking. Now it’s too early.

 

[DMD to Be]

You can get in with a 19AA, and even an 18AA 👍 ...but you better have a dang good GPA. (3.7++)

 

[shamrock2006]

You can get in with a 19AA, and even an 18AA 👍 ...but you better have a dang good GPA. (3.7++)

thats what i was afraid of. I definitely dont have that stellar GPA. i'm sub 3.5 in both cum and sci. had a rough semester my sophomore year and just TANKED..my sci and cum dropped below a 3.0 and i worked like mad basically acing everything to get it to where it is now, but i just dont know if it was enough..that maybe bad semester put me in a hole that i couldn't get out of GPA-wise. But at the same time, i'm just really curious if my stats suck arent good, how have i gotten 5 interviews already? all before december 1st? it doesnt make sense to me