Is the DAT harder than the MCAT?

DAT overview. The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is a timed exam for dental school admission. It assesses the candidate's knowledge and suitability for a dental program. It is made up of mostly multiple-choice questions in four areas of concern, including:

• Survey of Natural Sciences

• Perceptual Ability

• Reading Comprehension

• Quantitative reasoning

Regarding the average amount of hard and easy-to-medium range questions, the DAT typically has five to 10 questions considered hard or very difficult and 30 questions in the easy-to-medium difficulty range. DAT is scored on a point range of 1 to 30. The average score of a DAT test-taker in the US is 19.

Applicants can take the test up to three times but must take a minimum of a 60-day break between each DAT exam.

The DAT costs over $500 and is administered by Prometric, a testing and assessment company. Passing a DAT exam is a requirement for entry into all United States dental programs and schools.

MCAT overview. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a multiple-choice, computer-based, standardized test that students must take to be admitted into medical school.

It determines a student's overall knowledge and suitability for a medical school program. Here are some of the areas it assesses and touches on:

• Problem-solving ability

• Written analysis ability

• Knowledge of scientific principles and concepts

• Natural science knowledge

• Behavioral science knowledge

• Social science knowledge

• Chemistry

• Biology

• Organic chemistry

• Psychology

• Sociology

Students who want to prepare for the MCAT are encouraged to take coursework in these areas. The MCAT costs over $300 and a little more for late registration. The MCAT consists of lengthy passages of text that can be quite complex.

A strong score for an MCAT is obtaining a 127 out of 132 in each section or a 508 out of 528 in the entire MCAT exam. The average score for students admitted to medical schools in the United States is 508 out of 528.