When Am I Ready To Take The DAT?

This is arguably the most challenging question every pre-dental student faces during their DAT preparation journey. Here's the reality: you'll never feel 100% ready. Even after dedicating 3+ months to studying every available resource, most students still feel unprepared walking into the testing center.

How to Determine If You're Ready for the DAT

There are two methods to assess if you're ready, and ideally, you should use both.

Method 1: The Emotional Readiness Test

If you feel more excited to get the DAT over with than terrified about bombing it, you're likely ready.

This was my feeling on test day. While I didn't feel 100% prepared, I felt ready to take the DAT and get it over with. I knew that in 5 hours I'd have my freedom back—and that anticipation outweighed my nerves.‍

Key indicators of emotional readiness:

• The thought of taking the test feels like relief rather than dread
• You've exhausted your current study resources and motivation
• You feel confident in your test-taking strategies

Method 2: The Score-Based Assessment

If you're consistently scoring 420+ across all sections on practice exams, you're in competitive territory.

Score Benchmarks on the New Scale:

• 400: 50th percentile (average test-taker)
• 420-430: 70th percentile, competitive for most dental schools
• 440-460: 80th percenile, strong competitive range
• 470-500: 90th percentile, highly competitive
• 500+: Top 10% performance, most competitive

Feel free to take a look at our article: 2025 Changes to the DAT Scoring Explained.

What to Do If You're Not Ready

If your practice scores fall below the competitive range, resist the urge to take the DAT and hoping for the best. Instead, create a strategic improvement plan:

1. Create a Targeted Study Schedule

• Identify weak areas: Analyze which sections are dragging down your scores
• Set specific daily goals: Plan exactly which practice tests you'll complete each day
• Schedule focused review sessions: Dedicate extra time to your lowest-scoring subjects
• Set a realistic new test date: Give yourself 2-4 additional weeks of focused preparation

2. The Strategic Rescheduling Approach

When I rescheduled my original test date, I didn't just push it back randomly. I mapped out every practice test I would complete and scheduled specific review days for my weak topics. This prevented the rescheduling from becoming procrastination.

‍Final Reminders

• Trust your preparation: If you've put in consistent work over 2-3 months, you're likely more prepared than you feel
• One test doesn't define you: You can retake the DAT after 60 days if needed.

Remember, the DAT is just one part of your dental school application. While it's important to perform well, perfectionism can be paralyzing. Sometimes the best decision is to take the leap when you're "ready enough" rather than waiting for perfect readiness that may never come.

The key is honest self-assessment combined with performance data. Trust your preparation, trust your practice scores, and trust that you're more ready than you think.