Retake the DAT this cycle (2020-21) or Wait?

[fredthomas17]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping to get opinions on whether I should look to retake the DAT this cycle or wait and just see if God has a miracle with my current package. I took the exam in August so I understand that the earliest would be November for a retake. Acceptance letters are sent out in December, cycle closes in January. Is it worth it to try to squeeze in another test or not? I'm leaning towards waiting because my GPA is a 3.09 ( I know its not as competitive ) but it'll be better after this Fall Semester and I believe I'll be more competitive for next year cycle with a year worth of DAT studying and a higher GPA. Overall, outside of academics my package is strong.

My DAT scores (be nice haha)
TS: 17
AA: 18
PAT: 18
QR: 15
BIO: 17
CHEM: 16
OC: 21
RC: 23

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[artist2022]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping to get opinions on whether I should look to retake the DAT this cycle or wait and just see if God has a miracle with my current package. I took the exam in August so I understand that the earliest would be November for a retake. Acceptance letters are sent out in December, cycle closes in January. Is it worth it to try to squeeze in another test or not? I'm leaning towards waiting because my GPA is a 3.09 ( I know its not as competitive ) but it'll be better after this Fall Semester and I believe I'll be more competitive for next year cycle with a year worth of DAT studying and a higher GPA. Overall, outside of academics my package is strong.

My DAT scores (be nice haha)
TS: 17
AA: 18
PAT: 18
QR: 15
BIO: 17
CHEM: 16
OC: 21
RC: 23

Retake next march ish and apply early next cycle. With these scores already on your record (schools can see past attempts), you need to make a huge improvement to show schools you can handle a rigorous curriculum - right now, neither your GPA nor your DAT show that. Spend more time before your retake so that you hit a minimum of 20 in every section.

 

[fredthomas17]

Retake next march ish and apply early next cycle. With these scores already on your record (schools can see past attempts), you need to make a huge improvement to show schools you can handle a rigorous curriculum - right now, neither your GPA nor your DAT show that. Spend more time before your retake so that you hit a minimum of 20 in every section.

Thank you, how do I improve my Biology score significantly? (since it covers all aspects of life). I was using DAT Destroyer

 

[Hi Just Lurking]

I made an enormous google document that had everything I needed to know about biology. Then, I would go through it and quiz myself periodically on the basic themes.

It depends on the person. This worked for me. Other people will say you should bring flash cards with you to the bathroom or use quizlet while you’re waiting for your Uber Eats order. Whatever works best for you.

 

[eas2020]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping to get opinions on whether I should look to retake the DAT this cycle or wait and just see if God has a miracle with my current package. I took the exam in August so I understand that the earliest would be November for a retake. Acceptance letters are sent out in December, cycle closes in January. Is it worth it to try to squeeze in another test or not? I'm leaning towards waiting because my GPA is a 3.09 ( I know its not as competitive ) but it'll be better after this Fall Semester and I believe I'll be more competitive for next year cycle with a year worth of DAT studying and a higher GPA. Overall, outside of academics my package is strong.

My DAT scores (be nice haha)
TS: 17
AA: 18
PAT: 18
QR: 15
BIO: 17
CHEM: 16
OC: 21
RC: 23

I highly recommend pursuing a masters program (biomedical, physiology, high yeild sciences) to show dental school committees that you are capable of intergrating into the challenging courses present in dental school. Even if you get a 20+ DAT, you still need to prove you can handle rigorous courses. You may get an interview, but for an acceptance please consider my advice! Best of luck!

 

[Pink.Flamingo]

If you have the time to retake it this cycle (no fall classes) and you're able to afford it, retake it this cycle!! I know after taking the exam, you don't want to look at the material again but its still fresh in your head. If you take it next year, you have to start all over again from 0. Everything you learned goes to waste. Right now, you have learned material fresh in your mind. Now it's just a matter of practice and memorizing. You are currently in the cycle, which means you already paid and submitted personal statement, letter of req, ect. I think it's better to submit a new killer DAT score even if it's in November than keeping your current DAT scores (which honestly, most likely won't get you an interview because of your low GPA alongside it). Now with all that being said, if you are currently taking fall classes, I would wait until next summer to be fully dedicated and earn a higher score.

BTW: the cycle does not end in January. I believe the last deadline to submit an application is in February for NYU and Tufts, but you can receive interviews all the way till March for some schools and acceptance letters all the way till June.