Taking DAT Winter Semester?

[SDERN]

Hey guys, so I recently decided that I want to go to dental school and I'm currently going into my Junior year. The thing is, I don't want to take a gap year and so I was wondering how practical does it sound to take light classes my winter semester, and then start studying over the Winter break and take it sometime during the Winter semester?
Any one have any experience doing something like this?
Also I'm done with almost all the classes that are recommended before taking the DAT.

P.S as a side note, I have maybe 5 actual hours of dentistry shadowing, is it a good idea to get a little more?

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[princeafrica]

Focus on getting 100+ hours of shadowing between now and June 2019. Start studying for the DAT around April or May (you will probably have a lot of time and no classes after school ends), take your DAT before the end of June.

I switched from pre-pharm to dentistry going into my junior year. I had zero hours of shadowing in dental. My friend connected me with a dentist who became my mentor and I managed to get 200 hours of shadowing between September 2017 and June 2018. I started studying for the DAT during winter break with the goal of taking it during my spring break. Didn't have enough time due to classes, as I was also trying to get a 4.0 to solidify a huge upward trend in my grades. I rescheduled my DAT to June 8th giving me 4 weeks of summer with no classes to take the DAT. Was satisfied with my score, submitted June 19th, now I am chilling.

 

[SDERN]

Focus on getting 100+ hours of shadowing between now and June 2019. Start studying for the DAT around April or May (you will probably have a lot of time and no classes after school ends), take your DAT before the end of June.

I switched from pre-pharm to dentistry going into my junior year. I had zero hours of shadowing in dental. My friend connected me with a dentist who became my mentor and I managed to get 200 hours of shadowing between September 2017 and June 2018. I started studying for the DAT during winter break with the goal of taking it during my spring break. Didn't have enough time due to classes, as I was also trying to get a 4.0 to solidify a huge upward trend in my grades. I rescheduled my DAT to June 8th giving me 4 weeks of summer with no classes to take the DAT. Was satisfied with my score, submitted June 19th, now I am chilling.

Wow awesome you were in a very similar situation very cool. Great points, I'm also trying to keep that GPA up. The problem is that my school ends spring early-ish June so I won't really have time there unless I submit my applications late I think? What do you think I should do, to me it seems like the best way to do it in my situation is to just study 3 weeks over the winter break, then take really light classes during the winter and study for it a bit more and take it then? Not sure though! :l

 

[princeafrica]

Wow awesome you were in a very similar situation very cool. Great points, I'm also trying to keep that GPA up. The problem is that my school ends spring early-ish June so I won't really have time there unless I submit my applications late I think? What do you think I should do, to me it seems like the best way to do it in my situation is to just study 3 weeks over the winter break, then take really light classes during the winter and study for it a bit more and take it then? Not sure though! :l

I think your plan will work if you can at least dedicate 4 hours each day to studying for this test!

 

[deleted903013]

I studied during winter break full time and took it the second week of winter semester. It is very doable. I studied a few hours a week during the fall semester and went hard during winter break. Also, try to get +50 shadowing hours.

 

[SDERN]

Sounds good thanks for the reassurance appreciate the advice!