Taking DAT late June ~ June 25th When should I apply?

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sl2obel2ts

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I know it is really important to apply ASAP. But I also realize that it is also important to apply when I am truly ready.

I am studying DAT and having lots of problem with Ochem. Need more time and practice. With my full-time job, I dont see myself taking the test in two months.

If I take my DAT late june, when should I apply? I am thinking around june 10th. I got all my letters of recs and everything ready. just DAT is the problem. I really want to be in the "first batch" of the application.

Please advise.

Thanks in advance.

Edit:

When is the latest date that I can take the test if I apply on May 15th (June 1st)? Considering how long it takes for the app to be processed and DAT score to be sent? I keep pushing the date back, which isn't a good sign. I should just PICK A DATE first. Help me choosing it.
 
if you have all your other stuff you can send it to AADSAS in may and submit without your DAT because your official scores will be sent by the ADA directly anyway. I forget when last years first batch was mailed by AADSAS but personally I submitted jun 7th and I was in like the 3rd or 4th batch mailed on jun 25th. I dont think being in the first batch is really necessary.
 
Apply. Your application, LOR, and transcripts will take the longest to process. Your DAT will be sent directly to the schools so it won't take as long to get to the schools. You will still be early with your scores sent on June 25th provided you get your other stuff sent earlier.
 
Apply as early as possible. AADSAS is what takes the longest to process, so get them started as early as you can (May). Once you take the DAT, most schools will allow you to fax them a copy of your unofficial score report while they are waiting for the official DAT score report from the ADA, so that they can continue to process your application if they receive your AADSAS before the DAT score report.
 
quit your job and focus on the DAT?

you really want to take the dat only once.
 
Not an option 🙁
need to make money to pay rent. and plus, my job is dental research. can't let that crucial part of my app go. 😛

anyway, when do you guys think the latest time that I can take my DAT is with applying June 1st (may 15th or whatever)?

Instead of saying take it asap, please share your thoughts.

The reason I can't focus well on DAT is... I got work, citizenship interview (immigration!) this month, my car failed smog test, and many other stupid little things in life.
 
I am planning on taking DAT in August. Is that going leave me out of chance to get to school?
thanks,
 
I took mine in September and had no problem getting in.
 
It takes four weeks for scores to be sent from the ADA to your schools. If you submit in late May you'll have an early app with AADSAS so you will likely not need to wait the full eight weeks for AADSAS to mail out, if everything goes well with AADSAS. However, you'll have an incomplete application at the schools until they get your DAT scores. As such, without DAT scores the schools that interview early (ie. Case) will likely not/may not consider your application when they start giving out invites. Generally, taking the DAT by mid/late summer should be OK for most schools.

Make sure to contact your schools with whatever additional materials/fees they request when you submit AADSAS. When you contact the schools, you could tell them when to expect DAT scores.
 
I think if you take your DAT at the end of July, there won't be any effect on your application timing. I submitted AADSAS on May 18th, but by the time my transcripts arrived and the the classes verified, it was the last week of June before it was even sent out to schools. My DAT scores were also at the schools early b/c I took the test the year prior. But then interview invites didn't start to come out until early to mid August, and that was only a handful of schools (Midwestern, Case, and Nova seemed to be the earliest ones on SDN). The bulk of my invites didn't arrive until early September. So taking the DAT by July 31st should put the scores in adcoms hands by no later than Aug 15th, which is early enough to be considered for 1st round interviews.
 
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