FCIllini
07-23-2005, 02:46 PM
Just walked back in the door from taking the DAT & I am very pleased with my scores:
AA: 23
TS: 22
PA: 22
Bio: 22
GC: 26
OC: 20
QR: 24
RC: 21
I couldn't believe my scores when I saw them. Again, I want to thank everyone in this forum who have answered my questions & helped me in preparation for this exam.
My thoughts about the test....
Biology - Didn't have as many plant/ecology questions as others have seem to have had on this forum. I did have the sea urchin question (again, I thank you). Overall though, this section was very random with certain questions that I had never seen in Kaplan. I did read AP Kaplan Bio review which I would definitely recommend - it fills in a lot of the gaps left out by the DAT Kaplan book.
GChem - Very easy. Surprised I got a 26 though - I had been averaging 18 on Topscore & 19 on Kaplan in this section. Very basic questions. Minimal calculations with simple math. Know terms. Know key concepts. Thought the Kaplan review of gchem went real in-depth as compared to this test (better be safe than sorry though).
OChem- My lowest score and I was worried about this section. I had been getting 18's in Kaplan and 16 on Topscore Exam #1. Once again, it was a relatively easy section where basic knowledge of general concepts is needed.
QR - Simple. I was worried about Trig, but it was VERY BASIC on the exam. Probability was also ver simple.
RC - My reading passages were long & detailed: one on the brain, one on medical imaging, & one on the solar system. I thought I had done better on this section than the 21, but I'm happy with it. I had been averaging 22's on Kaplan.
PA - Time can easily get away from you in this section. The appertures were not too difficult; top/front/end had some weird shapes - you could figure them out though if you studied them enough (time went by quick though); angles were just stupid (I didn't use the paper ruler. I just extend the lines and try to imagine which angle could fit inside the other); hole-punching had some tough folds but you could figure them out by process of elimination; cube-counting was easy (I start on one row of blocks, move left to right, back to front); paper-folding was easier than any Kaplan or Topscore I had done. I had been averaging 22's in both Kaplan and Topscore.
This test is doable. The anxiety & fear building up to it is the worst thing about it. In regards to my study patterns - I have busted my tail off for the past 3 months, studying when I get home from work at 6p.m. I have a 6-month old baby girl, put in 60-70 hours/week & so I had to make the best use of every spare second I had. For the past three weeks, I have averaged 4 hours/weekday & 6-7 hours/day on the weekend. I used Kaplan white book, Kaplan online questions (enrolled in the online class just for the practice questions, & took one Topscore exam.
Again, thanks to everyone. This is a great forum!!
AA: 23
TS: 22
PA: 22
Bio: 22
GC: 26
OC: 20
QR: 24
RC: 21
I couldn't believe my scores when I saw them. Again, I want to thank everyone in this forum who have answered my questions & helped me in preparation for this exam.
My thoughts about the test....
Biology - Didn't have as many plant/ecology questions as others have seem to have had on this forum. I did have the sea urchin question (again, I thank you). Overall though, this section was very random with certain questions that I had never seen in Kaplan. I did read AP Kaplan Bio review which I would definitely recommend - it fills in a lot of the gaps left out by the DAT Kaplan book.
GChem - Very easy. Surprised I got a 26 though - I had been averaging 18 on Topscore & 19 on Kaplan in this section. Very basic questions. Minimal calculations with simple math. Know terms. Know key concepts. Thought the Kaplan review of gchem went real in-depth as compared to this test (better be safe than sorry though).
OChem- My lowest score and I was worried about this section. I had been getting 18's in Kaplan and 16 on Topscore Exam #1. Once again, it was a relatively easy section where basic knowledge of general concepts is needed.
QR - Simple. I was worried about Trig, but it was VERY BASIC on the exam. Probability was also ver simple.
RC - My reading passages were long & detailed: one on the brain, one on medical imaging, & one on the solar system. I thought I had done better on this section than the 21, but I'm happy with it. I had been averaging 22's on Kaplan.
PA - Time can easily get away from you in this section. The appertures were not too difficult; top/front/end had some weird shapes - you could figure them out though if you studied them enough (time went by quick though); angles were just stupid (I didn't use the paper ruler. I just extend the lines and try to imagine which angle could fit inside the other); hole-punching had some tough folds but you could figure them out by process of elimination; cube-counting was easy (I start on one row of blocks, move left to right, back to front); paper-folding was easier than any Kaplan or Topscore I had done. I had been averaging 22's in both Kaplan and Topscore.
This test is doable. The anxiety & fear building up to it is the worst thing about it. In regards to my study patterns - I have busted my tail off for the past 3 months, studying when I get home from work at 6p.m. I have a 6-month old baby girl, put in 60-70 hours/week & so I had to make the best use of every spare second I had. For the past three weeks, I have averaged 4 hours/weekday & 6-7 hours/day on the weekend. I used Kaplan white book, Kaplan online questions (enrolled in the online class just for the practice questions, & took one Topscore exam.
Again, thanks to everyone. This is a great forum!!