How to Prep for a DAT Retake?

Can you retake the DAT? Yes, while it can be a daunting task, with the right approach, it doesn't have to be. Over the years, we have noticed that the students who set themselves up for success always tend to improve their DAT score and perform better, which is important for gaining admission to dental schools.

I. When Should You Retake the DAT?

You should only retake the DAT if you are confident that you can achieve a higher DAT score than your previous DAT attempt, as improving your DAT scores is crucial for strengthening your application to dental schools. If your DAT score is less than your previous attempt, it will look poorly when dental school admission committees review your application. This means that if you scored a 23AA, you should give it some serious consideration whether you want to retake the DAT or not. However, if you scored an 18AA and are confident you can do better, we recommend taking a second attempt or a DAT retake.

II. Advice on Retakes

How long do you have to wait to retake the DAT? The best advice we have when starting your preparation for a retake is to understand why you are retaking the Dental Admissions Test. Specifically, was it a lack of knowledge of the content, not enough practice tests, or misinterpretation of the question? If it is content-based, you should focus more attention on content review than you did before.

Furthermore, one of the biggest mistakes that students make while preparing for the DAT is committing to other time-consuming activities that interfere with DAT preparation. This can be anything from a part-time job, research projects, or even volunteer work that is time-consuming. Although there is nothing wrong with doing this, it’s important that none of these other obligations interfere with your DAT preparations leading up to test day.

III. How Should You Prepare for the DAT?

For your retake, you want to hone your attention on the weakest subject areas, including any subject areas that you scored poorly on the previous attempt. This means that you spend extra time reviewing those subject areas and taking practice tests to identify areas of weakness. These practice tests will allow you to assess your improvement and guide your study schedule. For more information about exactly how you should prepare, we recommend checking out another guide that goes into that in detail by clicking here.

Hopefully, this helps you in your DAT preparation. Please reach out to our team if you have any questions. 😊