When Should You Take the DAT? The Ideal Timeline
/Learn when to take the DAT, including deadlines, how to plan your test date, and strategies for scheduling it within your predental journey
learn the best time to take the dat
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Introduction
Taking the DAT is just one of the many requirements you’ll have to fulfill as a predental student. Similar to your premed colleagues, your dental school application process will consist of writing a personal statement, submitting secondary essays, and procuring letters of recommendation all while keeping your grades up and managing extracurricular commitments.
With so much on your plate, it begs the question, “When should you take the DAT?” As a primary component of your application, your score on this one test will determine your likelihood of getting into dental school. Therefore, having a proper plan in place and knowing the most opportune time to take the exam for your situation will help you achieve your highest DAT score and continue on your path to dental school.
Our students routinely ask us questions such as, “When is the earliest I can take the DAT?”, “When is the latest I can take the DAT?”, or “Is there a best time to take the DAT?” The answer is not quite straightforward as you’ll need to weigh factors that pertain to you specifically and map out a course of action.
The good news is that the DAT is offered year-round, so finding a time that suits you, whether in the fall, spring, or summer, shouldn’t be much of an issue.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at these factors and how they affect the ideal time to take the DAT. We’ll also answer your most pressing questions while exploring ways you can maximize your chances for acing the exam.
(Suggested reading: DAT Test Dates: A Complete Summary (Score Release Timeframe Included))
When is the earliest I should take the DAT?
If you’re really motivated, the earliest time to take the DAT would be near the end of your sophomore year or during the summer between your sophomore and junior years. At this point in your predental education, you’ll have taken many of the classes covering the material on the test, but some self-study will likely be required for the more advanced material.
The advantage to taking it this early in your journey is that you’ll leave plenty of time for a retake, if necessary. Additionally, you’ll have plenty of space to focus on essays and extracurriculars during your last two years of undergrad instead of struggling to fit DAT study time around these other commitments.
Remember that admission to dental school is a holistic process. Dental school adcoms want to see that you have volunteering and shadowing experience in addition to a top-tier DAT score when they evaluate your application. Planning the DAT around this will go a long way to reducing your stress levels and keeping your grades high.
When is the latest I should take the DAT?
The latest we’d recommend taking the DAT is during the spring semester of the year you plan to apply to dental school. For example, if you wish to apply during the 2023-2024 cycle, you could take the DAT in January or February and still be able to submit your application by the earliest open date of May 30th.
It takes about 3-4 weeks for your DAT scores to be returned, so you might want to consider this when taking the test at a later date. While it is possible to submit your application and send in your scores later, we don’t recommend this as adcoms won’t be actively reviewing an incomplete application and it’s always best to apply early in the cycle when there are the largest number of seats open.
Taking the DAT at this point in your education means you will have satisfied most predental requirements and have encountered most of the exam’s material. However, this option won’t leave you with much time to retake the exam if you’re not satisfied with your score.
(Suggested reading: Should I Retake the DAT?)
A timeline for your final DAT test date
Here’s a conventional estimate of a timeline that we often give our students. Keep in mind, some things may change for your situation.
Summer before your application year (i.e., June–August): Study for the DAT
Fall before your application year (i.e., September): Take the DAT once
Winter of your application year (i.e., January–April): Retake the DAT, if necessary
As mentioned earlier the DAT has the advantage of being offered year-round, so you can find a test date that suits you at any time of year. However, you may only take the test once every 90 days and a maximum of three times. You may not need to include a second test date in your schedule, but if you do, it will require you to wait a minimum of three months so it’s important to give yourself enough time for this.
When should you not take the DAT?
The DAT is staggeringly important to your future and your chances of acceptance into dental school. Therefore, ensuring you’re as prepared as possible before taking the test is paramount.
We advise our students not to take the DAT if:
You’ve taken some ADA practice exams and you know you’re missing more questions than you should. You won’t get a final score on the practice exam, but you will be told which questions you got right for each section.
You haven’t completed enough of your prerequisites that cover the subjects on the exam. It’s a good idea to have at least 80% of these out of the way before the test.
You’re overwhelmed with other commitments (such as classes or extracurriculars) and you know these will eat into your study time for the DAT.
What’s the absolute latest date I can take the DAT without delaying my dental school application?
The majority of dental schools use the ADEA AADSAS application system, and it takes roughly a month after taking the test for your results to post to your dental school application. Assuming everything else with your application has been submitted and in good order, you’d want to take the DAT a little more than a month before each school’s final deadline.
If you’re applying to dental schools in Texas, you’ll use the TMDSAS application system, in which case, the final deadline is November 15.
What factors should you consider when deciding when to take the DAT?
In order to properly strategize and plan for your dental school application process, you’ll need to take a few things into account when deciding exactly what time is best for you to take the DAT.
The better prepared you are, the more likely you are to take the test once, and that means more time to work on your essays—a crucial part of your application.
Academic readiness
Your academic readiness is extremely important when deciding to take the DAT. Have you taken enough courses to adequately prepare for the exam? Furthermore, how do you feel about your preparation?
Some students take the prerequisites at their university and feel confident in their ability to succeed on test day, while others may still feel anxious. Additionally, you may feel assured in your biological knowledge but unsure about your perceptual ability. Take some practice tests to gauge your skills and see how you feel. You should only sit the test when you feel confident in your chances. Remember, you’ll be nervous enough on test day without some extreme doubts and what-ifs creeping into your thinking.
Personal circumstances
As a predental student, your personal life is inextricably linked to both your academic and professional lives. If there are any major shifts coming up on a personal level, it would be wise to delay taking the exam until everything is settled. Make sure you take into account how circumstances in your personal life will affect your test-taking ability.
For example, if there are any major shifts coming up that could prevent you from focusing on test day or distract you from studying for the test, you’ll want to avoid scheduling the DAT around that time. These could include things like scheduled doctors’ appointments or operations, a move to a new apartment or city, or even a day where you’re expected to take on new and important responsibilities at work as this could cause you anxiety.
Application timelines
Typically, you’ll want to apply to dental school one year before you plan to matriculate. Ideally, your application should be submitted and your DAT taken no later than the summer one full year before your planned dental school start date. Most schools begin sending out their decisions in December, so if you apply near the end of the spring semester of your junior year, you’ll have your decision in hand by the end of the fall semester of your senior year, giving you spring and summer to wrap up undergrad and prepare for dental school.
If you plan to take a gap year, your timeline will look a bit different. In this case, you’ll likely be applying during your senior year or even the year afterward if you want more time to bolster your extracurriculars.
However, you’ll still want your application completed as early in the cycle as possible—usually late May. If that coincides with your graduation, make plans to take the DAT earlier in spring so everything is ready to go and you can relish your achievement without distraction.
(Suggested reading: The Ideal Dental School Application Timeline)
Test registration fees and deadlines
It’s also worth considering the test registration fees and deadlines. The DAT fee is currently $540—a substantial sum for anyone. It is possible to request a partial fee waiver, but these are limited each calendar year and depend upon demonstrating severe financial hardship. Furthermore, it only covers 50% of the test fee.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your test date, you will incur a fee from $40 - $150 depending on how close to your test day you wish to alter things. Therefore, it’s important that you’re certain the test date you’ve chosen works for you when you register and pay the fee.
Since the DAT is offered from January to December, there’s no specific deadline for when to take the exam other than the application deadlines for the schools you wish to apply to. However, in order to have the best chance at getting the test date you want, it’s best to schedule it at least 60 days prior to when you want to take it.
How long are DAT scores valid?
DAT scores are typically valid for two to three years, but this depends on the school you are applying to. For example, NYU accepts scores that are a maximum of three years old, while UCSF will only take scores from no more than two years ago. The University of Tennessee will actually accept scores from as far back as five years ago.
It’s important to note that some schools count the length of time your score is valid from the opening of the admissions cycle while others count it from your expected date of enrollment. Among the schools mentioned above, NYU counts backward from enrollment, while UCSF counts from this application cycle. The University of Tennessee doesn’t specify. NYU and UCSF both accept scores from as far back as 2021, but this may not be the case with other schools, especially if one counts from this application cycle and accepts scores from three years ago.
It’s usually a safe bet that if your scores aren’t from more than two years ago, they should be accepted by the institution where you wish to apply. However, to be absolutely sure, check each school’s website and make a note of their policy when planning to take the DAT.
How does my graduation year affect the expiration of my DAT score?
Many students want to know if their DAT score’s expiration will be affected based on their graduation year from college. This is usually true of nontraditional applicants and those planning to take a gap year.
In short, your graduation year will not affect the validity of your DAT score. What’s really important in this situation is when you plan to start dental school, not when you complete your undergraduate education.
As mentioned above, most dental schools accept DAT scores within two to three years of being taken. Typically, this is two to three years from the current application cycle although some schools may set specific dates from which they will accept scores.
For the current 2023-2024 application cycle, your scores shouldn’t be any older than 2021 to play it safe. However, if you took the DAT in 2021, and you’re planning to take a gap year before applying to dental school, you will need to take the test again.
Final thoughts
Many students agonize over the best time to take the DAT, and given that this one test will weigh so heavily on your chances of acceptance to dental school, it’s understandable.
However, there isn’t a simple answer to this question as ultimately, it comes down to your subjective circumstances. These include your academic readiness for the exam and when you plan to start dental school.
Our best advice is to structure your overall plan around when to take the DAT. Remember that after the test, you’ll be tasked with writing the all-important personal statement and secondary essays which will demand your full attention to properly make a case for yourself to adcoms. If you plan ahead and take the DAT at the right time, you’ll be one step closer to success on your journey to dental school.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on dental school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into dental school using his exclusive approach.
