Still confused about sending DAT scores

[518590]

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Hi,
I read many posts regarding this but I am still confused and wish to get my specific question answered.

I took DAT in January,

I did not even know which school I was going to apply, so I only checked
Pacific, UCLA, Harvard, Columbia, Penn.
(didn't know about SDN at the time..)
From what I heard, AADSAS automatically can access my DAT score and send to all the schools I apply,

BUT

in ADA website, it says

Requests for additional score reports must be submitted using the score report request form
available at www.ADA.org. The fee for dental schools or other recipients not selected at the
time of application to test is $32.50 😱per report/school. Additional score report requests for
"personal copies" will be fulfilled as unofficial score reports.

So, let's say I want to apply to Tufts.

I did not check when I registered for DAT.
My question is, do I need to pay 32.50 dollar and bother to send those scores to schools?
OR
do I just sit and wait because all the scores are going to be sent.
I have 5 more schools that I want to apply and these prices are no joke..

I hope this post can clarify others' concerns as well!

Thank you

 

[lr2014]

No, you don't need to pay for that. AADSAS will send it to Tufts because you included schools that use AADSAS.

 

[518590]

No, you don't need to pay for that. AADSAS will send it to Tufts because you included schools that use AADSAS.

Thank you. That is what I thought.

Could anyone explain why ada wrote that bold quotation that seems confusing?
or is it only me who is confused by that statement

 

[lr2014]

It's kinda stupid, just another way for them to steal money from us, the DAT is expensive enough already (even more than the MCAT). They should stop doing that.

 

[Paperclipz]

.

 

[518590]

Ok this will be my second time applying so let me tell you...any school that you did not check when you initially registered for the DAT, you have to now pay $32.50 to send your scores there!! That's why when you first register for the DAT, you should place a checkmark next to all the schools (even the ones you think you won't apply to b/c you never know if you change your mind).

Last yr I only placed a checkmark to about 7 schools thinking that it would be enough but then I decided to apply to New Jersey and I had to pay the extra $32. Sorry, it will be an added expense for each additional school you didn't register for.

this is the opposite of what lr2014 is saying...

back to confusion...

 

[lr2014]

this is the opposite of what lr2014 is saying...

back to confusion...

Well, I'm afraid that what Paperclipz said is not correct, even if you only check 1 school, if that school is part of the AADSAS program it will be uploaded to AADSAS and therefore will be sent to all the other schools in there, no matter if you didn't check the others at the beginning of the DAT application, if you check one it will be sent to the others with the dental school application. Now, if you didn't check any schools at the beginning of the DAT application then you will have to pay for one a report to one of the schools and then it will also be uploaded to AADSAS.

 

[Internationall]

That bold statement was probably correct when AADSAS used to not send the DAT scores to all of the schools. Nowadays, AADSAS takes care of that. If you checked at least one AADSAS participating school, then it will automatically collect the score and send to the schools you've applied through AADSAS.

However, some schools might wanna have the official score report besides the one that is sent from AADSAS (why do they make us pay ridiculous amount of money thru AADSAS if they're gonna ask for separate reports anyways? Silly...). That case, you may order separate reports to each school asking for them.

 

[ushaseos]

If your DAT scores reach AADSAS, then you're fine. They will upload the scores into their database and all the schools will have access to it. YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY ANYTHING EXTRA TO ADA TO HAVE YOUR SCORES SENT.

Make sure that your DAT scores reach AADSAS very quickly. Mine didn't and my application got delayed by a month because of it. As soon as you see that AADSAS has the scores you can rest easy. If they don't have your scores within 1-2 weeks after the application opens, assuming you've taken the DAT 2-3 months before June, then call AADSAS and figure it out ASAP.

 

[YSLee]

Check http://info.adea.org/depforum.aspx?forumId=81&tid=3191&g=posts&t=3191

An ADEA staff directly answered your question! You might want to ask any question you have regarding AADSAS on this forum. Answers are straight from ADEA staffs. 🙂

 

[ATG20]

Thank you. That is what I thought.

Could anyone explain why ada wrote that bold quotation that seems confusing?
or is it only me who is confused by that statement

From what I've heard from old applicants, it used to be that way. Now everything is centralized and once AADSAS receives a copy, you're set for any number of schools.

 

[Paperclipz]

Thanks for clarifying this matter and I apologize for my previous statement that was not correct.

When I applied last year, I was contacted by a school to send in my DAT scores because I never checked that individual school off when I initially registered for the exam...thus, having paid an extra $32.

I'm glad this is not the case for all schools. Good luck to all those applying.