WAMC for 2023-2024 Cycle? Low PAT

[InfinityH]

Date of submission: Hopefully June 1st
Overall GPA: 3.83
Science GPA: 3.71
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.61
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 20AA/19TS/16PAT; 20 BIO, 19 GC, 17 OC, 26 RC, 19 QR
State of Residence: AZ

Undergrad Attended: Arizona State
Major: Medical Microbiology
Minor: Chemistry
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 200 Hours (160 GD; 40 Endo)
Volunteering Experience: 150 Hours (70 piano for Elderly, 30 foodbank, 50 homeless shelter)
Employment: Walmart (20 hours/week for first 2 years), Chemistry TA (10 hours/week)
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars: Competitive Piano, Drawing, Leadership in Sustainability Club
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List for all semesters
LOR type and strength: Cell Bio (Strong), Analytical Chem (Strong), Dentist (Strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: 1st Gen student and considered disadvantaged. Uncle is legacy at BU.
School list:
-AT Stills (AZ and MO)
-Boston
-Case Western
-USC
-Indiana
-LECOM
-Marquette
-Midwestern (AZ and IL)
-NYU
-NOVA
-Temple
-Tufts
-Buffalo
-UDM
-Chicago
-Louisville
-UNE
-Western
Please include a list of schools you are interested in applying to! It is much easier for users to help you when you have taken the time to construct your own school list first!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That PAT is going to hold you back. Check with schools high on your wishlist about whether they screen out low DAT subscores. I would prefer a little more food bank and shelter hours to be greater than your piano for elderly as they show more of your ability to stretch out of your comfort zone.

 

[Ryxndek]

I would Take some of the private schools off your list. With your GPA you are more competitive for state schools so I would add some in there. Limit the list to 10-12 schools tops. 18 is way too much and will cost you a lot of money. You should be careful with schools that have 17 subscore minimums. Your 16 PAT will screen you out automatically, so avoid those schools unless you retake your DAT.

What have you done for hand eye coordination to help bolster your subpar PAT? That’s the only thing that stands out to me on your application, piano is good but is there anything else? If you can show schools you have some skills they can look past it given everything else.

I would take off USC/NYU for their super high tuition costs and you’ll probably get screened out from NOVA given your stats are better than their averages. You can go on the NOVA thread to see what I’m talking about but if you really want to go to school there then still apply.

 

[InfinityH]

That PAT is going to hold you back. Check with schools high on your wishlist about whether they screen out low DAT subscores. I would prefer a little more food bank and shelter hours to be greater than your piano for elderly as they show more of your ability to stretch out of your comfort zone.

I was considering retaking my DAT just to improve my PAT score, do you think it is worth it?

 

[InfinityH]

I would Take some of the private schools off your list. With your GPA you are more competitive for state schools so I would add some in there. Limit the list to 10-12 schools tops. 18 is way too much and will cost you a lot of money. You should be careful with schools that have 17 subscore minimums. Your 16 PAT will screen you out automatically, so avoid those schools unless you retake your DAT.

What have you done for hand eye coordination to help bolster your subpar PAT? That’s the only thing that stands out to me on your application, piano is good but is there anything else? If you can show schools you have some skills they can look past it given everything else.

I would take off USC/NYU for their super high tuition costs and you’ll probably get screened out from NOVA given your stats are better than their averages. You can go on the NOVA thread to see what I’m talking about but if you really want to go to school there then still apply.

I was thinking of retaking my DAT to improve the PAT section. Would it be worth it?

 

[Ryxndek]

I was thinking of retaking my DAT to improve the PAT section. Would it be worth it?

If you think you can score higher then yes. Paying to retake the exam and making you a better applicant for cheaper state schools will save you a lot more money down the line.

 

[InfinityH]

If you think you can score higher then yes. Paying to retake the exam and making you a better applicant for cheaper state schools will save you a lot more money down the line.

I think the schools I put on my Wishlist do not have a sub score minimum, so would a 16 PAT still be screened out? In your opinion, if a school does not have a PAT cutoff, does a low PAT still look bad then?

 

[Ryxndek]

I think the schools I put on my Wishlist do not have a sub score minimum, so would a 16 PAT still be screened out? In your opinion, if a school does not have a PAT cutoff, does a low PAT still look bad then?

Schools will try to nitpick your application. If you’re put up against an application that has a similar gpa and DAT but a higher PAT they might choose them over you for an interview. The only thing they could pull apart on your app is that score, and I doubt you want that to be a reason why you didn’t get an interview.

So yes, a low PAT still doesn’t look great for you even if they don’t have cutoffs. My guess is you’ll find state schools have cutoffs (almost positive Buffalo does) while private schools don’t.

 

[InfinityH]

Schools will try to nitpick your application. If you’re put up against an application that has a similar gpa and DAT but a higher PAT they might choose them over you for an interview. The only thing they could pull apart on your app is that score, and I doubt you want that to be a reason why you didn’t get an interview.

So yes, a low PAT still doesn’t look great for you even if they don’t have cutoffs. My guess is you’ll find state schools have cutoffs (almost positive Buffalo does) while private schools don’t.

I see, thank you! Yes, buffalo has cutoffs at 15 for the subsections, except RC at 16.

 

[Ryxndek]

I see, thank you! Yes, buffalo has cutoffs at 15 for the subsections, except RC at 16.

Gotcha okay, thought it was higher but can’t quite remember. Thank you and good luck!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I think the schools I put on my Wishlist do not have a sub score minimum, so would a 16 PAT still be screened out? In your opinion, if a school does not have a PAT cutoff, does a low PAT still look bad then?

If it doesn't get screened out by policy, it gets screened out because more candidates will beat your score. J just because there is a cutoff does not mean you are competitive if the pool still beats you. Schools have GPA cutoffs of 3.0, but that doesn't mean you have an equal shot as someone who has a 3.7.

 

[macsak]

Date of submission: Hopefully June 1st
Overall GPA: 3.83
Science GPA: 3.71
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.61
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 20AA/19TS/16PAT; 20 BIO, 19 GC, 17 OC, 26 RC, 19 QR
State of Residence: AZ

Undergrad Attended: Arizona State
Major: Medical Microbiology
Minor: Chemistry
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing Experience: 200 Hours (160 GD; 40 Endo)
Volunteering Experience: 150 Hours (70 piano for Elderly, 30 foodbank, 50 homeless shelter)
Employment: Walmart (20 hours/week for first 2 years), Chemistry TA (10 hours/week)
Research: None
Other Extracurriculars: Competitive Piano, Drawing, Leadership in Sustainability Club
Relevant Honors or Awards: Dean's List for all semesters
LOR type and strength: Cell Bio (Strong), Analytical Chem (Strong), Dentist (Strong)
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: 1st Gen student and considered disadvantaged. Uncle is legacy at BU.
School list:
-AT Stills (AZ and MO)
-Boston
-Case Western
-USC
-Indiana
-LECOM
-Marquette
-Midwestern (AZ and IL)
-NYU
-NOVA
-Temple
-Tufts
-Buffalo
-UDM
-Chicago
-Louisville
-UNE
-Western
Please include a list of schools you are interested in applying to! It is much easier for users to help you when you have taken the time to construct your own school list first!

19 TS is not a great score for someone with a 3.71 sGPA
and 20AA/19TS is not that great for OOS publics
your list, while i agree it is long, may be kinda necessary because privates are closer to your DAT scores
if you are sure you can score higher, you should retake so you can have a shorter list with more OOS publics...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I was considering retaking my DAT just to improve my PAT score, do you think it is worth it?

Since you have asked this question multiple times:

You probably should retake because as pointed out your overall DAT performance should be better for a higher likelihood of success. Most matriculants are scoring above 20 across all topics (more like 22+ as a real goal).