Just took another practice test scores are Still!!! AA: 12 Sciences: 12 ... I need 20's... Scheduled DAT end of Aug. Is their hope to get 20s by then? How much time do you think, I would really need to schedule with my studying time in order to make this goal. Non-traditional student. Working full-time and my job is all traveling. I want to get the DAT over with before Fall classes due to taking all upper division Biology courses. Really need to focus in getting all A's and B's this Fall. Watcha think? Weak areas QR/G.Chem and my other subjects are falling due to trying to focus on weak areas. How do I spread out these subjects to getting high scores? Feeling very overwhelmed, now. need some guidance and hope. help! :scared:

Do you have the destroyer? If not, I would invest in one. It helps you figure out what you dont know and each solution has a wealth of information. I went throught the book in about a week and saw a dramatic improvement in my ochem score.

Hope that helps...best of luck to you!

what materials have you been studying with?

what materials have you been studying with?

Kaplan Blue book, Barron's DAT. Have Topscore and Achiever programs.

Which practice tests are you referring to? I got 12s across the board on my Kaplan diagnostic, and only up to about 14s on the midterm... I've studied a LOT since then so I'll let you know what I get on the final (will take this weekend) but thought it might be helpful to let you know you're not the only one getting 12s! I seriously felt like such an idiot in my Kaplan class... but just let it motivate you to do better!

Yes- Destroyer is key for Bio, although for me it's too hard for Chem and is mostly problem-based. I'm going to keep at Kaplan for Chem and if I feel ready, do Destroyer Chem/Ochem as well. I'm done with the Bio there though and I think it was definitely helpful.

I'm taking test Aug 11th, btw.

Good luck!

Oh also I'm non-trad too, was a communications major :) Hoping my RC score will boost my average... I'm terrible at chem :(

Just took another practice test scores are Still!!! AA: 12 Sciences: 12 ... I need 20's... Scheduled DAT end of Aug. Is their hope to get 20s by then? How much time do you think, I would really need to schedule with my studying time in order to make this goal. Non-traditional student. Working full-time and my job is all traveling. I want to get the DAT over with before Fall classes due to taking all upper division Biology courses. Really need to focus in getting all A's and B's this Fall. Watcha think? Weak areas QR/G.Chem and my other subjects are falling due to trying to focus on weak areas. How do I spread out these subjects to getting high scores? Feeling very overwhelmed, now. need some guidance and hope. help! :scared:

I took the Kaplan Diagnostic and initially scored: 16AA ONLY because my RC and QR were high and my sciences were around the 14's. I haven't taken the DAT but I'm scheduled to take it on Thursday (so I hope how I'm doing is representative) and I am scoring 20's on topscore and 18-19's on Achiever. Don't worry too much there is still plenty of time to study...I gave myself 6 weeks to study using DAT Destroyer, Achiever, Topscore, and kaplan blue book. Everyone on the forums seems to agree that if you put the time in, the results will show. good luck studying!! :)

You will be ok...I have been afraid to take the ochem, gchem, and qr sections on achiever...simply because I know I will fail horribly! I have been doing ok on the pat and rc though. It's just the stuff that you actually have to study that is killing me! I started with a 14 in bio on achiever and have improved it a few points...that is without going through destroyer.

It appears that everyone on here loves destroyer...I own it and have been too busy with all of the other study material to jump into it. I need to though because I am taking the DAT on August 4th...

Good luck to you, keep studying hard...I know how difficult it is working 40+ hours a week while trying to prepare for the most important test of your life!

keep on keepin' on!

You will be ok...I have been afraid to take the ochem, gchem, and qr sections on achiever...simply because I know I will fail horribly! I have been doing ok on the pat and rc though. It's just the stuff that you actually have to study that is killing me! I started with a 14 in bio on achiever and have improved it a few points...that is without going through destroyer.

It appears that everyone on here loves destroyer...I own it and have been too busy with all of the other study material to jump into it. I need to though because I am taking the DAT on August 4th...

Good luck to you, keep studying hard...I know how difficult it is working 40+ hours a week while trying to prepare for the most important test of your life!

keep on keepin' on!


I bought the "Destoryer" but like you overwhelmed with too much materials to look over and study. I took test 1 on Achiever got PAT 16, QR 13 (guessing mostly B's :0) ) RC 18, Bio 14, GChem 12, O.Chem 12. What do you do when you get so overwhelmed with all the material? Do you throw out all notes and start over with the Kaplan Blue Book.? I think I need a good schedule plan but not sure what is best at this point. I feel like throwing out all notes and extra materials and starting over with just reading the book over again. I have a HUGE bile of note books.:eek:

it seems that you are not studying EFFICIENTLY and EFFECTIVELY. you have been studying for months and are scoring well below average on practice exams. you need to adapt your studying to your lifestyle. you say you travel a lot? great, download uc berkeley's bio lectures or buy audio osmosis. make notecards of all ochem reactions and concepts and flip thru these any chance you have (between patients, during lunch, sitting on the pot, waiting in line at the bank, post office, etc). studying needs to become apart of your life and normal routine, just as sleep is. spend your weekends doing chemistry problems. when you get burnt out on sciences, practice PAT.

repetition is key for the DAT. get a hold of kaplans subject exams and do every problem. mark problems you get wrong and review, review, review. understand which answer is right and why all the other ones are wrong.

finally, spend a week going through destroyer --> at least 3 times. it can be done. take a week off work if you have to.... you should not question this if getting into dental school is your #1 priority.

we sympathize for you b/c you are non-trad, but remember being non-trad means you have to go to extraordinary lengths to succeed.

we all you know you can do it, so prove it to us!!!!!

best of luck, jb!:)

ps- i studied for the DAT while working full time as a teacher. i was worn out everyday after work, but i forced myself to study 6 hrs a day for a month and it paid off--> 22/22/18

I would agree with everyone and reccomend you get Destroyer http://orgoman.com/. It is a REALY smart investment. You get one-on-one Q/A sewssions with Dr. Romano if you dont understand the material. He is a fantastic source for preparing for the DAT. I mean, thats all he does, prep kids to ace the DAT. I really dont think you can get better than that!

it seems that you are not studying EFFICIENTLY and EFFECTIVELY. you have been studying for months and are scoring well below average on practice exams. you need to adapt your studying to your lifestyle. you say you travel a lot? great, download uc berkeley's bio lectures or buy audio osmosis. make notecards of all ochem reactions and concepts and flip thru these any chance you have (between patients, during lunch, sitting on the pot, waiting in line at the bank, post office, etc). studying needs to become apart of your life and normal routine, just as sleep is. spend your weekends doing chemistry problems. when you get burnt out on sciences, practice PAT.

repetition is key for the DAT. get a hold of kaplans subject exams and do every problem. mark problems you get wrong and review, review, review. understand which answer is right and why all the other ones are wrong.

finally, spend a week going through destroyer --> at least 3 times. it can be done. take a week off work if you have to.... you should not question this if getting into dental school is your #1 priority.

we sympathize for you b/c you are non-trad, but remember being non-trad means you have to go to extraordinary lengths to succeed.

we all you know you can do it, so prove it to us!!!!!

best of luck, jb!:)

ps- i studied for the DAT while working full time as a teacher. i was worn out everyday after work, but i forced myself to study 6 hrs a day for a month and it paid off--> 22/22/18


Thanks! I do have the audio osmosis cd's, I'm a Colgate Sales Rep. and I am driving back and forth to AR, MO, TN, AL and this leaves me a lot of alone time so this is a great idea. I will ask for a week off, I do have some vacation time. In the meantime will focus on subject exams and destroyer also make some note cards. I will try this studying method and I'll let you know how I am doing on my progress report at the end of the month. I believe when we get overwhelmed and frustrated with ourselves we start losing all hope in our direction. And, it's nice to have outsiders see our errors and guide us back on the right path, again.. Round two! Ding, Ding.