Should I Retest?

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drdoodle

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Hi there everyone... I'm new here but have been silently observing the posts for some time. I took my DAT last weekend and I don't know if I should retest, here's what I got:

AA: 18
TS: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 21 🙂
B: 19
GC: 17
OC: 16 (was totally lost on this section, but looks like I'm a decent guesser!)
QR: 17

Any thoughts? It appears that I've made all "cut offs" (as discussed in these forums) with my scores but as you can see they're not super impressive either... the earliest I can retake would be beginning of September. Should I?

I have no desire to go to Harvard, just wanna get in SOMEWHERE! I have decent GPAs (~3.4sci, ~3.6cum, 3.96postbacc) and outstanding extracurrics, just afraid schools won't even look through the rest of my file before throwing it out based on my AA.

P.S. You guys are great! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this 😍
 
drdoodle said:
Hi there everyone... I'm new here but have been silently observing the posts for some time. I took my DAT last weekend and I don't know if I should retest, here's what I got:

AA: 18
TS: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 21 🙂
B: 19
GC: 17
OC: 16 (was totally lost on this section, but looks like I'm a decent guesser!)
QR: 17

Any thoughts? It appears that I've made all "cut offs" (as discussed in these forums) with my scores but as you can see they're not super impressive either... the earliest I can retake would be beginning of September. Should I?

I have no desire to go to Harvard, just wanna get in SOMEWHERE! I have decent GPAs (~3.4sci, ~3.6cum, 3.96postbacc) and outstanding extracurrics, just afraid schools won't even look through the rest of my file before throwing it out based on my AA.

P.S. You guys are great! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this 😍

I would say that you have a shot if you apply early. I would definately give this year a try and then see what kind of interviews you get. Good luck.
 
drdoodle said:
Hi there everyone... I'm new here but have been silently observing the posts for some time. I took my DAT last weekend and I don't know if I should retest, here's what I got:

AA: 18
TS: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 21 🙂
B: 19
GC: 17
OC: 16 (was totally lost on this section, but looks like I'm a decent guesser!)
QR: 17

Any thoughts? It appears that I've made all "cut offs" (as discussed in these forums) with my scores but as you can see they're not super impressive either... the earliest I can retake would be beginning of September. Should I?

I have no desire to go to Harvard, just wanna get in SOMEWHERE! I have decent GPAs (~3.4sci, ~3.6cum, 3.96postbacc) and outstanding extracurrics, just afraid schools won't even look through the rest of my file before throwing it out based on my AA.

P.S. You guys are great! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this 😍

Judging on the previous thread about the national average for the DAT (which is what you have, an 18), I wouldn't be too worried. Although to be safe, I would be in contact with the schools you are applying to and ask them how those DAT scores may affect you (seeing as though a 16 in o-chem is a little border-line especially and how things seem to be getting more competitive). At any rate, if you feel you can do better, September does not seem too late if the schools already have your completed application and know you are working on your score. It doesn't take too long to send out score reports.
 
drdoodle said:
P.S. You guys are great! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this 😍

I assure you if you were alone in this it would be a helluva lot easier for you to get into a dental school somewhere. Care to revise your statement? jk.

I think your scores are mediocre...decent. Nothing stellar, nothing awful. Congrats.

Your GPA is there...so it's up to you if you want to remove more doubt associated with your DAT score or just give it a whirl with what ya got.

Good luck. 👍
 
Ok, so my DAT is on Wednesday and I have been studying pretty hardcore for about a month now. I have been using Kaplan, Barron's, Topscore, and most recently Achiever. I was doing fine on my practice tests until I just ordered achiever---I just finished my last practice test and all of the scores were 15-19 (except RC which I didn't take and QR which was 21)...not as high as I'd hoped! Can I expect to do better on the real thing? Achiever did seem ridiculously hard.... Also, from you 20+ers out there (congrats, btw) what should I expect for the SNS section? Some practice tests are so much more difficult than others that its hard to gauge... Some one give me some insight please!

GPA: 4.00

Hoping for early admission at U of MN.....fingers crossed for wednesday!
 
drdoodle said:
Hi there everyone... I'm new here but have been silently observing the posts for some time. I took my DAT last weekend and I don't know if I should retest, here's what I got:

AA: 18
TS: 17
PAT: 19
RC: 21 🙂
B: 19
GC: 17
OC: 16 (was totally lost on this section, but looks like I'm a decent guesser!)
QR: 17

Any thoughts? It appears that I've made all "cut offs" (as discussed in these forums) with my scores but as you can see they're not super impressive either... the earliest I can retake would be beginning of September. Should I?

I have no desire to go to Harvard, just wanna get in SOMEWHERE! I have decent GPAs (~3.4sci, ~3.6cum, 3.96postbacc) and outstanding extracurrics, just afraid schools won't even look through the rest of my file before throwing it out based on my AA.

P.S. You guys are great! It's so nice to know I'm not alone in this 😍

tough call it looks like you could do it but id feel a little uneasy with a 17 TS i would take it again but thats just how I am I would hate to go through the whole process again of applications if things dont work out
 
Toothfairy08 said:
Ok, so my DAT is on Wednesday and I have been studying pretty hardcore for about a month now. I have been using Kaplan, Barron's, Topscore, and most recently Achiever. I was doing fine on my practice tests until I just ordered achiever---I just finished my last practice test and all of the scores were 15-19 (except RC which I didn't take and QR which was 21)...not as high as I'd hoped! Can I expect to do better on the real thing? Achiever did seem ridiculously hard.... Also, from you 20+ers out there (congrats, btw) what should I expect for the SNS section? Some practice tests are so much more difficult than others that its hard to gauge... Some one give me some insight please!

GPA: 4.00

Hoping for early admission at U of MN.....fingers crossed for wednesday!

Once again, Achiever is not a good guage of how you will perform on the actual test. I scored low in all sections. In fact, I scored low on all my practice tests, but it's probably because I didn't take them all that seriously. You're doing fine. U of MN offers early admission?
 
35 spots/100 for the entering class....they prefer that you live in MN and that you will have a degree when you enter...
 
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