Which is a better DAT score?

[GonnaBADentist]

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Which of these two would be a better DAT score?

22AA, 18PAT

or

20AA, 22PAT

 

[DIRTIE]

Which of these two would be a better DAT score?

22AA, 18PAT

or

20AA, 22PAT

definately the first one

 

[RaiderNation]

I think 20's across the board looks better.

 

[etan4]

i think the academic gap in knowledge between a 20 and 22 AA will be more instrumental to a student's success than the spatial knowledge gap between an 18 and 22 PA. So the 22AA18PA wins, in my opinion.

 

[OffAngleHatchet]

Dental schools tend to look at the PAT pretty seriously... I've heard it said it's the best predictor of success as a dentist. That being said, if it really bothers you, talk to the admissions officers if you really want their opinion on how competitive you are.

 

[RaiderNation]

i think the academic gap in knowledge between a 20 and 22 AA will be more instrumental to a student's success than the spatial knowledge gap between an 18 and 22 PA. So the 22AA18PA wins, in my opinion.

Realistically, the difference between a 20 and a 22 is a few questions. So you're statement appears to be quite asinine.

 

[oldboy]

get real, a 22 AA compared to a 20 AA is wayyyy more influential than a 22PAT compared to an 18 PAT. Lets not forget that taken seperately they are ALL great scores (OK the 18PAT is decent, but still above average.)

 

[tinman831]

everyone on this forum has their own opinion on what makes a good score... and which section of the DAT weighs more. this is the same thing for the members of the admissions committees who review your scores. one interviewer might like the fact that you have 20's across the boards... one might like your higher AA. if you want an opinion that really matters, ask the people who will be looking at your applications and see what they have to say.

 

[etan4]

Realistically, the difference between a 20 and a 22 is a few questions. So you're statement appears to be quite asinine.

What you fail to realize is that the difference of only a few questions represents a wider gap in knowledge between the two test takers than initially apparent. This gap, despite being represented only by a few questions, most likely is larger than you presume. For example...if the test was reconstructed to have 3X more questions, the error would most likely go from 2 questions to 6 question (3X). In other words, despite the inability of the student who has the lower score to answer just those few questions MOST LIKELY represents an even deeper lack of knowledge on subjects that were NOT included in the exam questions. You simply didn't realize this.

 

[Sprgrover]

...You simply didn't realize this. You have been served.

Yet another thread that seemingly perpetuates the inability to see the forest through the trees...Despite all this, when your scores are 20+, the discrepancy between a 20 or a 22 really makes little difference at the end of the day. Any gap in knowledge represented by the difference between a 20 and 22 is far from wide and shouldn't be taken as any meaningful, long-term predictor of academic and professonial success. Furthermore let's not forget the interivew, the importance of which is often lost in threads like this. Yes, applicants with high DAT scores, such as the ones listed above, can and are rejected by dental schools if they don't interview well (i.e. lack good social and conversational skills).

 

[RaiderNation]

What you fail to realize is that the difference of only a few questions represents a wider gap in knowledge between the two test takers than initially apparent. This gap, despite being represented only by a few questions, most likely is larger than you presume. For example...if the test was reconstructed to have 3X more questions, the error would most likely go from 2 questions to 6 question (3X). In other words, despite the inability of the student who has the lower score to answer just those few questions MOST LIKELY represents an even deeper lack of knowledge on subjects that were NOT included in the exam questions. You simply didn't realize this.

Read Sprgrover's comment above. Thanks for playing.

 

[RaiderNation]

get real, a 22 AA compared to a 20 AA is wayyyy more influential than a 22PAT compared to an 18 PAT. Lets not forget that taken seperately they are ALL great scores (OK the 18PAT is decent, but still above average.)

Get a life.

 

[etan4]

Get a life.

Obviously you didn't do so hot on the AA portion of the DAT.

 

[aphistis]

Cool it, people.

 

[RaiderNation]

Obviously you didn't do so hot on the AA portion of the DAT.

Really? Can you tell me what I got on it then?

 

[IcemanDDS]

MCG says they weigh PAT heavier than AA. They said you can always teach someone the AA stuff, but PAT is much harder to grasp. Just what they said...

 

[Beestieboy]

Well, I took the DAT on July 19th and got a 22 on both AA and PAT. The percentiles were 98.9 for a 22 on the PAT and 98.7 for the AA. Pretty dang close. Things have changed percentile wise since them I'm sure but a friend of mine who scored an 18 said that was about in the 70th percentile at the time. The difference between 70th percentile and 98th is huge. I'd like to see consistent scores so 20's+ all around gets my vote.

But as people have said, call up the schools you are interested in and make a point of asking them this question. Also remember that your numbers will get you the inteview, but your interview gets you a seat at the school.

 

[tom3]

In other words, despite the inability of the student who has the lower score to answer just those few questions MOST LIKELY represents an even deeper lack of knowledge on subjects that were NOT included in the exam questions. You simply didn't realize this.

OR... he simply guessed those questions wrong while the other guessed them right.

i say 20/22 is more appealing.

 

[Todds2be@work]

20/22 for sure. 20's seems to be doing the magic that 18's are not able to.

 

[oldboy]

Get a life.

Where can i get one?

 

[GonnaBADentist]

-

 

[Audio]

What all of you have failed to ask is "What are the individual scores of the applicants?" For example the individual with the 22AA, 18PAT may have scores like: 21,25,23,21,19,18 wheras the other might have 20,18,19,21,22,22. A student with a 21AA, 19PAT may appear to have a score in-between these two students, however their scores could be: 24,20,16,24,16,19.

What we failed to ask? You're the idiot who opened the thread and posted this crap. Did you just want all of us to come in here and tell you that your average DAT score is gonna be ok 🙁 well, it's ok 🙁 So stfu 🙂

 

[GonnaBADentist]

What we failed to ask? You're the idiot who opened the thread and posted this crap. Did you just want all of us to come in here and tell you that your average DAT score is gonna be ok 🙁 well, it's ok 🙁 So stfu 🙂

I posted to get other's opinions. After I heard them, I gave my own. There is no "crap" in this thread other than you comment. Other's found the thread worth their time, and if you think otherwise, feel free to ignore it.