Taking the DAT mid August. Assuming I do well enough, would I have enough time to start and submit an application?

[bparsa11]

Hi! This is my first post here so hopefully I'm not violating any of the forum rules or anything.

My DAT is scheduled for about 3 and a half weeks from now and i've been getting mostly 21s with one 20 on practice exams i've taken on DAT bootcamp. My plan is to take the application one day at a time, focusing obviously on just doing as well on the DAT as possible, with a strong likelihood of taking a gap year.

However, assuming I do well enough on my DAT, would I have enough time to start an entire application mid august and submit it in time?

I have completed shadowing, volunteering, research, etc, but I have not asked for rec letters or anything of that sort. Would I have enough time?

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[Leahjoos]

Hey! My exam is a week away and I submitted my application in June without them. I would recommend you submitting as soon as possible if you want to enter this cycle. Some schools do rolling admissions, some have application deadlines. The earlier you submit the earlier they can review your application I currently have 5/11 schools reviewing mines without my scores.

Keep in mind they take a while to even get to your application. Some schools are just reviewing mines after weeks of it being submitted, also nothing starts until you do secondary applications also which takes time to even get from schools.

 

[Leahjoos]

Hi! This is my first post here so hopefully I'm not violating any of the forum rules or anything.

My DAT is scheduled for about 3 and a half weeks from now and i've been getting mostly 21s with one 20 on practice exams i've taken on DAT bootcamp. My plan is to take the application one day at a time, focusing obviously on just doing as well on the DAT as possible, with a strong likelihood of taking a gap year.

However, assuming I do well enough on my DAT, would I have enough time to start an entire application mid august and submit it in time?

I have completed shadowing, volunteering, research, etc, but I have not asked for rec letters or anything of that sort. Would I have enough time?

Ask for letters now, and try to complete as sooooooooon as possible is my best advice to you. If you are scoring that way on practice exams you’ll do well. Prepare to do well on the exam don’t second guess yourself get everything submitted.

 

[bparsa11]

Would it be realistic for me to start my app late august and still get interviews to good schools?

Let's say I do as well as I'm doing on the practice exams (21 AA), and with my 3.75 gpa, would I still get interviews assuming it takes me a month to finish the app and I submit everything by September 20ish?

 

[Leahjoos]

Would it be realistic for me to start my app late august and still get interviews to good schools?

Let's say I do as well as I'm doing on the practice exams (21 AA), and with my 3.75 gpa, would I still get interviews assuming it takes me a month to finish the app and I submit everything by September 20ish?

I think if you get that with those stats you have a good chance, but why wait to start you know. Interviews and stuff have already been starting. The sooner the better! Don’t rush the application if you need that time to perfect it I’d say just do your best to submit before the schools you wanna go to deadline. There are many applicants with 3.75s and possibly higher DAT scores so you wanna give yourself an advantage by securing a seat as soon as you can.

I know the schools I wanna go to they fill seats and give interviews at different times of the year. So just keep in mind although you are a good applicant for a single school they probably receive 2,000-3500 applications for 60-100 seat class. Perfect your application but just know there are potentially a lot of more competitive or even less competitive people that have submitted weeks ago and are already in the queue.

 

[bparsa11]

My hesitation to start right now is that I feel like It'll distract me in terms of studying for the DAT. I want to take things a day at a time and I feel like I shouldn't start my app until my DAT is as high as possible. But I totally see your point and you're spot on. Spots fill up fast. Maybe I should just ask for rec letters for now and see how things go.

Either way, taking a gap year won't hurt my application would it? Even if I just spend that year working or relaxing?

 

[axiumgod]

Start your app now and submit as soon as you have your DAT scores. August is not too late

 

[Leahjoos]

My hesitation to start right now is that I feel like It'll distract me in terms of studying for the DAT. I want to take things a day at a time and I feel like I shouldn't start my app until my DAT is as high as possible. But I totally see your point and you're spot on. Spots fill up fast. Maybe I should just ask for rec letters for now and see how things go.

Either way, taking a gap year won't hurt my application would it? Even if I just spend that year working or relaxing?

I started my application May 12th when it opened, so I was multi tasking with studying and completing it. If you are taking a gap year then I don’t think you need to apply for this cycle, you’d have to apply for the next cycle 2021-2022 if I’m not mistaken. The application is open for people wanting to matriculate next fall.

If you wanna matriculate this fall get recommendation letters it took me so long to get one from my dentist probably 3-4 weeks for her to respond and then I got a committee letter that I haven’t received yet. Take all of the delays into consideration! Also when u submit your transcripts and stuff have to be verified first so that takes time also! Read the last paragraph

 

[bparsa11]

Damn so I guess the odds aren't really in my favor lol

I was leaning on taking a gap year but I wasn't necessarily opposed to applying this cycle either but it looks like I'm a bit behind.

Either way it won't hurt to hold onto a DAT score for a year before I apply right? Let's say I do slightly worse than I hoped (20AA), and instead of retaking, I apply with that score. Dental schools wouldn't look down upon me for not retaking right? Assuming the 20 AA falls around their mean?

 

[Leahjoos]

Damn so I guess the odds aren't really in my favor lol

I was leaning on taking a gap year but I wasn't necessarily opposed to applying this cycle either but it looks like I'm a bit behind.

Either way it won't hurt to hold onto a DAT score for a year before I apply right? Let's say I do slightly worse than I hoped (20AA), and instead of retaking, I apply with that score. Dental schools wouldn't look down upon me for not retaking right? Assuming the 20 AA falls around their mean?

Honestly a 20 AA Is not a bad score. A lot of dental schools want 17-18 and above because that’s average. 20 is above the average . If your Gpa is 3.75 dude I think you will get some interviews & acceptances depending on where you apply & how well rounded your app is. Also you are still in a good position, with COVID luckily everything is sorta delayed so I don’t think it’s too late. If you are confident you’ll get a 20AA+ and above. Apply! Don’t over think it. They won’t look down on you for retaking but make sure you improve if you have to retake but think in the present now! Focus on killing your exam so you don’t have to retake.

If you are leaning towards a gap year and your mind is set on doing that I wouldn’t wast money applying I spent $1000 on application fees for the schools I applied to so far. Save your money if you wanna take a gap year. I just would say don’t take a gap year because you feel like you won’t get in, be confident enough that you will get in. If you are taking it to catch a breather and you really need a break save your money from applying and focus on killing the DAT so that when you do apply you have 0 worries.

 

[CApredent777]

I took my DAT last year on Aug 31st and it was confirmed in mid-late September. I got into my top choice and had some pre-dec interviews still.

FYI I was scoring similar on Bootcamp and got a 23 on the real thing, I had a slightly lower GPA too. If you don't want to wait another year, I'd so go for it. Also, feel free to PM me if youd like.

 

[clark5013]

The application itself doesnt take a long time. What takes people a long time is getting their letters and uploading them, writing their personal statement and getting their DAT scores if it hasnt been taken. Are you a good writer? Can you finish your personal statement in 2days? because if you can and you already have your letter of rec, your application easily be finished in less than half a day. People just take a long time than expected on the personal statement, letters, and DAT.

 

[Leahjoos]

The application itself doesnt take a long time. What takes people a long time is getting their letters and uploading them, writing their personal statement and getting their DAT scores if it hasnt been taken. Are you a good writer? Can you finish your personal statement in 2days? because if you can and you already have your letter of rec, your application easily be finished in less than half a day. People just take a long time than expected on the personal statement, letters, and DAT.

I definitely agree it’s just the waiting process for letters, verification etc that takes long. The application is not very long to complete. So even setting a day aside to purely work on that application is doable because at the end of the day the application is just as important as the DAT.