(Texas Applicants advice please) Should I retake my DAT?

[user545935]

Hi everyone, I plan to be applying through TMDSAS for the 2021 cycle and was hoping people could provide some advice on whether I should retake or not. I recently showed my advisor my scores and she recommended I retake, but I've also seen people say that taking the second time could be risky due to some schools just looking at the most recent scores and that some people end up doing worse their second time around. I also see that my gpa and DAT are both slightly below the matriculants for Texas school's average, and I go to TAMU where I know people also applying my cycle are very competitive. Definitely have been stressing a lot about what I should do next so any advice is greatly appreciated.
Took my DAT end of this summer ended up with these scores:
PAT:19 QR:21 RC:21 Bio:19 GC:19 OC:22 TS:20 AA:20
My ogpa is at 3.61 right now hopefully I can bump it a bit higher after this semester, sgpa around 3.3
Volunteering and shadowing hours are both around 100, am consistently doing research and have a part time job, leadership is slightly lacking
(Currently a junior rn)

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[DAT Destroyer]

Hi, I am not a dental student but I can give you some solid advice. BTW, and have worked with Natasha Sneed, the administrative coordinator at TAMU for many years. It is indeed very competitive at most schools these days, that is why I always recommend that you contact the school directly with your scores and get their recommendation before taking the DAT again. Your scores are excellent with nothing low and you are correct you do run the risk of possibly scoring lower the 2nd time. I would make all other parts of you application as strong as possible and a really strong personal statement.

Hope this helps and I wish you the best...Nancy,co/owner, DAT Destroyer, Orgoman

 

[user545935]

Hi, I am not a dental student but I can give you some solid advice. BTW, and have worked with Natasha Sneed, the administrative coordinator at TAMU for many years. It is indeed very competitive at most schools these days, that is why I always recommend that you contact the school directly with your scores and get their recommendation before taking the DAT again. Your scores are excellent with nothing low and you are correct you do run the risk of possibly scoring lower the 2nd time. I would make all other parts of you application as strong as possible and a really strong personal statement.

Hope this helps and I wish you the best...Nancy,co/owner, DAT Destroyer, Orgoman

Thank you Nancy! Loved using the destroyer books while I was preparing, and I really appreciate your advice. I'll definitely reach out to the schools and try to work harder on my other parts of my application. Thank you and hope you have a great rest of your week!