WAMC- higher gpa low DAT

[pearlywhites1422]

Hi!! I need some advice as I took my DAT July 31st and scored below average. I rushed my studying as I overloaded my schedule this summer/ tried to take it to apply this cycle. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!!

GPA: 3.89

DAT: (1st time taking)
AA 18
TS 17
PAT 16
QR 16
RC 21
BIO 17
GC 19
OC 16

Majors:
BS of Psychology
BS of Human Biology
Minor: Leadership of Organizations

MI Resident
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing: ~125 hours between 3 general dentists (45, 5, 75)
Volunteering: ~250 (Red Cross blood drives, homeless shelter, hospital, online listening service, service trip, etc)
Leadership: ULA position, VP of service for community service student org, UA position
Employment: ~1200 hours (2 summers customer service professional at a country club)
~200 hours (Undergraduate Learning Assistant for the general chemistry dept. 2 semesters)
Assisting: ~190 hours (1 summer- fully assisting creating temp crowns, taking x-rays, charting, flipping ops, hygiene, etc.)
Other EC: pre-dental club, undergraduate assistant for psychology, women emp. club, psychology club, ASB community service student org, global brigades club
Honors/Awards: Deans list all semesters, community service scholar scholarship x2
LORs: 1 general dentist (very strong), general chemistry professor/ULA supervisor (strong), organic chemistry 1 and 2 professor (decent)
Dental school open houses/programs: Open house University of Michigan, Impressions program University of Michigan, Open house Detroit Mercy, Impressions Program Detroit Mercy
Misc info/questions: Will earning an A in both org 1 and 2/ OC prof letter help offset my OC DAT score? What schools have cutoffs for my DAT scores?? First generation.
Range of perceptual ability things listed on my app hopefully to offset my PAT score?? (sports, painting, instrument, other art, using high/low speed drills making temporary crowns, etc)

Tentative Schools List (plan to cut down #)
(open to suggestions- open to anywhere clinical heavy)
Boston
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial
Marquette
Midwestern IL/AZ
NYU
Nova
Alabama
Tufts
Colorado
Detroit Mercy
Michigan
Tennessee

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[Mr.Smile12]

I think your fine motor dexterity activity is very helpful, but I tell people the PAT is like reading an eye chart at the optometrist's office... it tests how good you are in the ways dentists may have to perceive things, no matter how well you can see. It's also a standardized test that requires practice, just as getting good with your hands will require practice. Same thing goes in how I interpret DAT scores vs. comparable grades on the transcript. Now, you can ask a lot of dentist faculty who can tell you with enough focused practice, you can be taught those visual skills. Most are less dangerous than driving a car in reverse gear using your mirrors in the middle of a typhoon/hurricane.

 

[macsak]

Hi!! I need some advice as I took my DAT July 31st and scored below average. I rushed my studying as I overloaded my schedule this summer/ tried to take it to apply this cycle. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!!

GPA: 3.89

DAT: (1st time taking)
AA 18
TS 17
PAT 16
QR 16
RC 21
BIO 17
GC 19
OC 16

Majors:
BS of Psychology
BS of Human Biology
Minor: Leadership of Organizations

MI Resident
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing: ~125 hours between 3 general dentists (45, 5, 75)
Volunteering: ~250 (Red Cross blood drives, homeless shelter, hospital, online listening service, service trip, etc)
Leadership: ULA position, VP of service for community service student org, UA position
Employment: ~1200 hours (2 summers customer service professional at a country club)
~200 hours (Undergraduate Learning Assistant for the general chemistry dept. 2 semesters)
Assisting: ~190 hours (1 summer- fully assisting creating temp crowns, taking x-rays, charting, flipping ops, hygiene, etc.)
Other EC: pre-dental club, undergraduate assistant for psychology, women emp. club, psychology club, ASB community service student org, global brigades club
Honors/Awards: Deans list all semesters, community service scholar scholarship x2
LORs: 1 general dentist (very strong), general chemistry professor/ULA supervisor (strong), organic chemistry 1 and 2 professor (decent)
Dental school open houses/programs: Open house University of Michigan, Impressions program University of Michigan, Open house Detroit Mercy, Impressions Program Detroit Mercy
Misc info/questions: Will earning an A in both org 1 and 2/ OC prof letter help offset my OC DAT score? What schools have cutoffs for my DAT scores?? First generation.
Range of perceptual ability things listed on my app hopefully to offset my PAT score?? (sports, painting, instrument, other art, using high/low speed drills making temporary crowns, etc)

Tentative Schools List (plan to cut down #)
(open to suggestions- open to anywhere clinical heavy)
Boston
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial
Marquette
Midwestern IL/AZ
NYU
Nova
Alabama
Tufts
Colorado
Detroit Mercy
Michigan
Tennessee

why do you plan to cut down # of schools?
how many are you going to apply to?

 

[macsak]

Hi!! I need some advice as I took my DAT July 31st and scored below average. I rushed my studying as I overloaded my schedule this summer/ tried to take it to apply this cycle. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!!

GPA: 3.89

DAT: (1st time taking)
AA 18
TS 17
PAT 16
QR 16
RC 21
BIO 17
GC 19
OC 16

Majors:
BS of Psychology
BS of Human Biology
Minor: Leadership of Organizations

MI Resident
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing: ~125 hours between 3 general dentists (45, 5, 75)
Volunteering: ~250 (Red Cross blood drives, homeless shelter, hospital, online listening service, service trip, etc)
Leadership: ULA position, VP of service for community service student org, UA position
Employment: ~1200 hours (2 summers customer service professional at a country club)
~200 hours (Undergraduate Learning Assistant for the general chemistry dept. 2 semesters)
Assisting: ~190 hours (1 summer- fully assisting creating temp crowns, taking x-rays, charting, flipping ops, hygiene, etc.)
Other EC: pre-dental club, undergraduate assistant for psychology, women emp. club, psychology club, ASB community service student org, global brigades club
Honors/Awards: Deans list all semesters, community service scholar scholarship x2
LORs: 1 general dentist (very strong), general chemistry professor/ULA supervisor (strong), organic chemistry 1 and 2 professor (decent)
Dental school open houses/programs: Open house University of Michigan, Impressions program University of Michigan, Open house Detroit Mercy, Impressions Program Detroit Mercy
Misc info/questions: Will earning an A in both org 1 and 2/ OC prof letter help offset my OC DAT score? What schools have cutoffs for my DAT scores?? First generation.
Range of perceptual ability things listed on my app hopefully to offset my PAT score?? (sports, painting, instrument, other art, using high/low speed drills making temporary crowns, etc)

Tentative Schools List (plan to cut down #)
(open to suggestions- open to anywhere clinical heavy)
Boston
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial
Marquette
Midwestern IL/AZ
NYU
Nova
Alabama
Tufts
Colorado
Detroit Mercy
Michigan
Tennessee

why alabama? colorado? tennessee? lincoln?

 

[predental3!]

Hi!! I need some advice as I took my DAT July 31st and scored below average. I rushed my studying as I overloaded my schedule this summer/ tried to take it to apply this cycle. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!!

GPA: 3.89

DAT: (1st time taking)
AA 18
TS 17
PAT 16
QR 16
RC 21
BIO 17
GC 19
OC 16

Majors:
BS of Psychology
BS of Human Biology
Minor: Leadership of Organizations

MI Resident
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing: ~125 hours between 3 general dentists (45, 5, 75)
Volunteering: ~250 (Red Cross blood drives, homeless shelter, hospital, online listening service, service trip, etc)
Leadership: ULA position, VP of service for community service student org, UA position
Employment: ~1200 hours (2 summers customer service professional at a country club)
~200 hours (Undergraduate Learning Assistant for the general chemistry dept. 2 semesters)
Assisting: ~190 hours (1 summer- fully assisting creating temp crowns, taking x-rays, charting, flipping ops, hygiene, etc.)
Other EC: pre-dental club, undergraduate assistant for psychology, women emp. club, psychology club, ASB community service student org, global brigades club
Honors/Awards: Deans list all semesters, community service scholar scholarship x2
LORs: 1 general dentist (very strong), general chemistry professor/ULA supervisor (strong), organic chemistry 1 and 2 professor (decent)
Dental school open houses/programs: Open house University of Michigan, Impressions program University of Michigan, Open house Detroit Mercy, Impressions Program Detroit Mercy
Misc info/questions: Will earning an A in both org 1 and 2/ OC prof letter help offset my OC DAT score? What schools have cutoffs for my DAT scores?? First generation.
Range of perceptual ability things listed on my app hopefully to offset my PAT score?? (sports, painting, instrument, other art, using high/low speed drills making temporary crowns, etc)

Tentative Schools List (plan to cut down #)
(open to suggestions- open to anywhere clinical heavy)
Boston
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial
Marquette
Midwestern IL/AZ
NYU
Nova
Alabama
Tufts
Colorado
Detroit Mercy
Michigan
Tennessee

Hey! I'm a current applicant as well and have applied to some of the schools on your list. I would say that having a lower DAT makes it harder to achieve a state school, especially the ones you are out of state for. I know that Tennessee and UAB (AL) are pretty competitive for DAT scores, they might decline you just based on that alone. Lincoln Memorial is a good one for your list, I would also maybe consider Creighton or Case Western (just primarily more private schools given the DAT score). Unless you plan to retake the DAT, which I would advise if you're trying to go to a state / cheaper school. This may delay your application until next cycle though since studying will take a good few months.

For this cycle, you may want to consider the ATSU schools (Missouri and Arizona) since I think they are less focused on DAT score and more on volunteer work and experiences - you have a lot of solid volunteer work and assisting experience! That will strengthen your app if you apply this cycle. Since you are considering LMU which is a fairly new school, you may want to add Kansas City University to your list - it just opened so I think they are less competitive than most, but it is an expensive private school and isn't fully accredited (like LMU). Since they aren't accredited it is a risk if you end up attending. I hope this somewhat helps - good luck!

 

[pearlywhites1422]

why alabama? colorado? tennessee? lincoln?

I have family in Colorado and Tennessee. I had just read good student reviews on Alabama's clinical

 

[pearlywhites1422]

Hey! I'm a current applicant as well and have applied to some of the schools on your list. I would say that having a lower DAT makes it harder to achieve a state school, especially the ones you are out of state for. I know that Tennessee and UAB (AL) are pretty competitive for DAT scores, they might decline you just based on that alone. Lincoln Memorial is a good one for your list, I would also maybe consider Creighton or Case Western (just primarily more private schools given the DAT score). Unless you plan to retake the DAT, which I would advise if you're trying to go to a state / cheaper school. This may delay your application until next cycle though since studying will take a good few months.

For this cycle, you may want to consider the ATSU schools (Missouri and Arizona) since I think they are less focused on DAT score and more on volunteer work and experiences - you have a lot of solid volunteer work and assisting experience! That will strengthen your app if you apply this cycle. Since you are considering LMU which is a fairly new school, you may want to add Kansas City University to your list - it just opened so I think they are less competitive than most, but it is an expensive private school and isn't fully accredited (like LMU). Since they aren't accredited it is a risk if you end up attending. I hope this somewhat helps - good luck!

Can you speak more to the non-accredited. What are the risks? I guess I don't know fully what that entails.

 

[macsak]

Hey! I'm a current applicant as well and have applied to some of the schools on your list. I would say that having a lower DAT makes it harder to achieve a state school, especially the ones you are out of state for. I know that Tennessee and UAB (AL) are pretty competitive for DAT scores, they might decline you just based on that alone. Lincoln Memorial is a good one for your list, I would also maybe consider Creighton or Case Western (just primarily more private schools given the DAT score). Unless you plan to retake the DAT, which I would advise if you're trying to go to a state / cheaper school. This may delay your application until next cycle though since studying will take a good few months.

For this cycle, you may want to consider the ATSU schools (Missouri and Arizona) since I think they are less focused on DAT score and more on volunteer work and experiences - you have a lot of solid volunteer work and assisting experience! That will strengthen your app if you apply this cycle. Since you are considering LMU which is a fairly new school, you may want to add Kansas City University to your list - it just opened so I think they are less competitive than most, but it is an expensive private school and isn't fully accredited (like LMU). Since they aren't accredited it is a risk if you end up attending. I hope this somewhat helps - good luck!

they are accredited, just not fully accredited...

 

[macsak]

Can you speak more to the non-accredited. What are the risks? I guess I don't know fully what that entails.

look at the adea website...

 

[predental3!]

Can you speak more to the non-accredited. What are the risks? I guess I don't know fully what that entails.

From what I understand / have heard from others, if LMU and KCU don't pass one of the "steps of accreditation", their students graduate with a degree that is not accredited and this causes problems for things like FAFSA / government funding and issues with future jobs. I have not looked into it through ADEA so I don't know the full extent, I just know there is a risk involved if attending these schools if they are not awarded the full status of accreditation. If you are considering these schools I would try to research more about it though so you know what you're getting into!

 

[kashyranz]

Hi!! I need some advice as I took my DAT July 31st and scored below average. I rushed my studying as I overloaded my schedule this summer/ tried to take it to apply this cycle. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!!

GPA: 3.89

DAT: (1st time taking)
AA 18
TS 17
PAT 16
QR 16
RC 21
BIO 17
GC 19
OC 16

Majors:
BS of Psychology
BS of Human Biology
Minor: Leadership of Organizations

MI Resident
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? No

Shadowing: ~125 hours between 3 general dentists (45, 5, 75)
Volunteering: ~250 (Red Cross blood drives, homeless shelter, hospital, online listening service, service trip, etc)
Leadership: ULA position, VP of service for community service student org, UA position
Employment: ~1200 hours (2 summers customer service professional at a country club)
~200 hours (Undergraduate Learning Assistant for the general chemistry dept. 2 semesters)
Assisting: ~190 hours (1 summer- fully assisting creating temp crowns, taking x-rays, charting, flipping ops, hygiene, etc.)
Other EC: pre-dental club, undergraduate assistant for psychology, women emp. club, psychology club, ASB community service student org, global brigades club
Honors/Awards: Deans list all semesters, community service scholar scholarship x2
LORs: 1 general dentist (very strong), general chemistry professor/ULA supervisor (strong), organic chemistry 1 and 2 professor (decent)
Dental school open houses/programs: Open house University of Michigan, Impressions program University of Michigan, Open house Detroit Mercy, Impressions Program Detroit Mercy
Misc info/questions: Will earning an A in both org 1 and 2/ OC prof letter help offset my OC DAT score? What schools have cutoffs for my DAT scores?? First generation.
Range of perceptual ability things listed on my app hopefully to offset my PAT score?? (sports, painting, instrument, other art, using high/low speed drills making temporary crowns, etc)

Tentative Schools List (plan to cut down #)
(open to suggestions- open to anywhere clinical heavy)
Boston
LECOM
Lincoln Memorial
Marquette
Midwestern IL/AZ
NYU
Nova
Alabama
Tufts
Colorado
Detroit Mercy
Michigan
Tennessee

retake the DAT. having a 3.8 gpa with that low of a score just shows you rushed the exam. give yourself time for a retake and you'll destroy it. I see it being quite difficult to say you will 100% get acceptance with a score that low, but the admissions cycle is very random at times. reach out with my letter of intent in the next few weeks and start building connections to people in the schools to increase chances of getting in.