Whats going on, eh?

[chicksdigdocs]

I am a pre-med student taking the MCAT in April, and I thought .. hey... maybe it'll be fun if I take the DAT's.
So I took it, and I had NO CLUE what the format was, assuming it was similar to the MCAT. Anyway, I took it and this is what I got:

Perceptual Ability: 19
Quantitative Reasoning: 19
Reading Comprehension: 19
Biology: 14
Gen Chem: 17
Org Chem: 18
Total Science: 16
Academic Average: 17

I have no idea what these numbers mean. Are they decent? I don't know. I am a Electrical Engineering major and I'm taking my first semester of Bio ever right now. But im taking OChem 2 right now too. My GPA (cum and science) are roughly 3.65.

Anyone know what the AZ dental school average is like? It would be pretty cool to be an orthodontist if I don't get into med school.

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[SFPredent]

I am a pre-med student taking the MCAT in April, and I thought .. hey... maybe it'll be fun if I take the DAT's.
So I took it, and I had NO CLUE what the format was, assuming it was similar to the MCAT. Anyway, I took it and this is what I got:

Perceptual Ability: 19
Quantitative Reasoning: 19
Reading Comprehension: 19
Biology: 14
Gen Chem: 17
Org Chem: 18
Total Science: 16
Academic Average: 17

I have no idea what these numbers mean. Are they decent? I don't know. I am a Electrical Engineering major and I'm taking my first semester of Bio ever right now. But im taking OChem 2 right now too. My GPA (cum and science) are roughly 3.65.

Anyone know what the AZ dental school average is like? It would be pretty cool to be an orthodontist if I don't get into med school.

You should have 20+ in all sections to be competitive. Looks like you need the most work in the basic sciences, which is where you will need to improve for the MCAT as well. You def have a shot at getting into ds, but you should know that applying to multiple health professions is not looked upon favorably by adcoms. Spend some time shadowing MDs and orthodontists (and general dentists, since that is what ds is for) and decide which career is right for you before you waste the time and money applying to both.

 

[KOM]

You should have 20+ in all sections to be competitive.

No, you don't need 20+ in all sections to be competitive especially with that GPA. A 20AA is right around 90th percentile.

Having said that, your PA score is competitive but you should try to get those science scores up especially the bio part. A 14 in bio will probably kill your application at all schools unless you are a minority.

Remember, a 17-18 AA is right around the national average. Anything above and beyond that makes you that much more of a superior candidate.

 

[dentaldentist]

You thought it would be fun to take the DAT?!!!

Your scores are about average for the DAT which is probably not enough at most schools. The 14 on the bio section will pretty much kill your application as most schools will not take below a 16 on any section. You don't need 20+'s across the board unless you are applying to the best dental schools. You have a solid GPA so I would expect that an academic average and total science scores of about 18, with all individual scores of 17 or better will give you a good shot at many schools.

If you are truely interested in applying to dental school, make sure you go out and do some shadowing with a couple of dentists or dental specialists. There is nothing wrong with switching from an interest in medical school to an interest in dental school, but dental schools do not look favorably on an applicant applying to both especially with out any shadowing or dental related experience. Despite the belief that dental school is for the students that couldn't get into medical, that's not the case for the majority of dental students and its not a good idea to use dental school as a back if you don't get into medical. Sorry to go off on a tangent, but just thought I would throw that out there. Yes, dental school is easier to get into than medical school, but it is still quite competitive.

Anyway, raise your DAT scores a bit and demonstrate an interest in dentistry and you should be able to get a number of interviews.

 

[KOM]

Yes, dental school is easier to get into than medical school, but it is still quite competitive.

I don't think dental schools are easier to get into than osteopathic medical schools.

 

[dentaldentist]

I don't think dental schools are easier to get into than osteopathic medical schools.

Agreed. I was referring to Allopathic medical schools. And of course, some dental schools are much harder to get into than certain medical schools. But in general, allopathic medical schools are more difficult to get into then dental schools. Anyway, my point was that that while it might be a bit easier to get into dental school than medical school, its not the guaranteed backup that many pre-med students may think it is.