COVID-19: When Should I Schedule My Test?
As if studying for the DAT wasn’t stressful enough…
Studying for the DAT has always been challenging and stress-filled, even before the unique circumstances and challenges introduced by a pandemic. We at DAT Bootcamp understand how this situation has the potential to add more stress to an already stressful situation, and we’re here to help. In this blog post, we will address the all-important question of when to schedule your DAT during this time.
When should I take my test?
In recent weeks, many of you have reached out asking for advice about how to manage your studying during this situation. Some of the most common questions we’ve been asked include:
- “Should I reschedule my DAT?”
- “When should I schedule it for?”
- “How do I manage to stay on my study timeline when I’m not sure when I’ll be able to take my test?”
These are really good questions, and tough ones to answer. Above all, you choose whether to reschedule your exam based on your personal preference and what makes you feel most at ease.
Prometric recently released an updated COVID statement extending test center closures to May 31st. However, given the uncertain nature of this unprecedented situation, it’s hard to say for sure when testing centers will truly open. Additionally, due to social distancing measures, Prometric centers are limiting how many test takers can take an exam at the same time during the first few months after it opens. This means that even some test dates in June and July, which are after the official reopen date of May 31st, are being cancelled and rescheduled.
If your exam was scheduled for a date during these closures, Prometric should be emailing you with instructions for how to reschedule your exam. Since they are dealing with hundreds of students in this situation, unfortunately, it may take a little bit of time for them to do so. For students who haven’t yet scheduled their exam, it can also be tough to decide when to schedule it – earlier in order to grab test dates before they’re taken up, or later to avoid COVID closures as much as possible. At this time, some testing centers are completely booked through the end of July. You can check out your local Prometric centers’ availability through Prometric’s website.
In general, we recommend that students schedule their tests for July or later. Some of our students have chosen to schedule their exams as early as possible after the official reopening date in the hopes of getting their exams over with as soon as possible. Based on the number of extensions of the Prometric closures that have been put in place thus far, though, it’s probably best to schedule your exam further out in order to avoid having it postponed again. The date you schedule your test is ultimately up to you, though, and should be based on your comfort level.
We know it can be difficult to stay on top of your study schedule when you’re unsure when you’ll actually be able to take the exam. The best thing you can do to combat this is continue to study as if you’ll be taking it on your scheduled test date as planned. Try to stick to your ideal study timeline as much as possible, and if Prometric later postpones your test, you can get in some extra review to boost your score.
Whenever you decide to schedule your test, studying in quarantine can pose some unique challenges. To help, we put together some helpful tips for how to maintain focus and reduce stress while studying in quarantine in a blog post here.
And as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or need advice – we’re here to help!
