Should I wait to take the DAT...Take it once?

[MSNO79]

Here is my situation. I scheduled my DAT test back in Feb. of this year and now it is coming up next week. I don't feel prepared, but I was going to take it just to see what it is like, find my weaknesses, see if I am studying correctly, etc....I'm not sure if I should take it next week or put it off till Oct. this year. I would still have time to get scores in....but should I give myself two chances between now and when the scores are due or take the three months (not going to be enrolled as a full-time student) and study like a fool???

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[4thMolar]

Since you don't feel prepared right now, I would just reschedule it to take in another month (or however long you think you may need). October is really late (your app won't even be reviewed until then), and i think it would be a bad idea to take it next week just to see how it's like. I mean how would you feel if you came out with like a 14? Just study for another month and take it, in my opinion.

 

[nze82]

Here is my situation. I scheduled my DAT test back in Feb. of this year and now it is coming up next week. I don't feel prepared, but I was going to take it just to see what it is like, find my weaknesses, see if I am studying correctly, etc....I'm not sure if I should take it next week or put it off till Oct. this year. I would still have time to get scores in....but should I give myself two chances between now and when the scores are due or take the three months (not going to be enrolled as a full-time student) and study like a fool???

First of all, no matter how hard you've studied, you always start freaking out and you feel unprepared a week before the test. I studied three months straight, and I still wasn't sure if I was prepared 4-5 days before the exam. So, that's completely natural.
Second, the DAT exam is not there for practice. If you want practice in order to figure out your strengths and weakness you should do practice exams provided by KAPLAN, TopScore, DAT Achiever, etc. Do NOT risk your DAT score just to get a feel for the test.
Here's the thing, the later you take the exam the later your scores will get processed, and the later your application will be reviewed. In return, you'll get a later interview and you'll be competing for fewer spots. So, the later you decide to take the DAT the better your scores must be for you to have a decent chance of getting in. The decision is yours to make. Do you think if you invest another month in studying, you can get 21+ scores? If yes, then why not! Take the time and rock the exam. However, if you think this additional month of studying won't make that big of a difference in your scores, I suggest you take the DAT next week, and get it out of the way.

Good Luck

 

[MTD52]

I'm in the same boat as you, and I'm making a final decision as to what to do in the next few days. I scheduled mine a while back too, and it's for July 1st right now. That would put me at mid Oct for a retake, which, as 4thMolar said, is fairly late. It's definitely not out of reach to get in, but it's late. I think if you have a month of no other obligations (i.e. not going to school), it's probably worth the wait. IMO, if you do bad the first time you take it, it can only hurt your chance of getting in, which is worse than having no DAT score in at all. On the other hand, if you wait and do well, even though it's a later application, you'll have a much better shot.

I think I'm going to postpone a few weeks and take my best shot at doing well one time.