07_18_2011 DAT breakdown by DK (Long and Detailed)

.Hello!.
.I took my DAT 7/18/2011. I didn’t do as amazing as some others posted (AA 100%!?!), but I’m pretty content with my scores. .
.Perceptual Ability Test (PAT)-23-96.2%.
.Quantitative Reasoning (QR)-26-99.8%.
.Reading Comprehension (RC)-21-88.9%.
.Biology (BI)-20-91.8%.
.General Chemistry (GC)-21-91.6%.
.Organic Chemistry (OC)-24-97.9%.
.Total Science (TS)-21-96.2%.
.Academic Average (AA)-22-98.9%.

.I will provide a long and detailed breakdown of the preparation and testing experience so bear with me. : ).
.General DAT schedule advice:.
.I bought a lot of materials from a previous pre-dent student in my school so I had a lot of material. What I didn’t have was time. I graduated 6/10 and settled into a new living place in 5 days or so and started studying since then. Originally I was scheduled to take the test 7/6 because that would align the release of my scores with the projected completion of my AADSAS, but I rescheduled to 7/18 because I didn’t feel ready. (So I had a little over a month of super intense studying.).
.This was such a life-saver decision. I recommend that if you don’t feel like you’re ready (and you know if you’re ready or not), postpone it, even you’re currently applying. You can’t retake the test for 90 days after take one, and better to do well in ONE than mediocre in one and a little bit better than well in another 3 months after. Remember: 2 BUSINESS days. So if it’s scheduled on a Monday, you have to call before NOON on Thursday to reschedule..
.First of all, I recommend any freshman or sophomore pre-dents in college to consider taking the DAT after taking such subjects as general chemistry and organic chemistry (usually such courses are required as core courses in many institutions). This has the advantage of taking the test when the material is fresh in your mind. I recently graduated and when I was learning orgo and general chem for the DAT, I had a lot of “Oh yea! I remember learning this when from frosh chem”. However, do pay attention to the validity period of your DAT score..
.This may be just me, but I was absolutely unable to focus and study sufficiently for the DAT during school year. I was quite busy with school work alone that DAT studying kept getting pushed back and pushed back. So I concentrating your studying period during the summer and getting it done before school year starts again. It’s important to CONCENTRATE, instead of dilly-dallying all throughout summer. I studied nearly 16 hr/day; watching Chad’s while eating and stuff even. It was painful, but at least, you get it done quicker and, in my opinion, more effective..
.If you’re taking the DAT during your application cycle, you DO have the pressure of trying to finish it early so that the schools start looking at your application as soon as possible. I definitely felt the pressure and if I had more time to study, I think I could have done a bit better..
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.The Test Day Experience.
.Sleep is super important. Make sure you get plenty of rest the night before. I was nervous and I had a hard time going to sleep, but I forced myself to go to sleep, because I knew I needed the rest for D-day..
.My test was far away and at 4:30pm because it was the earliest time I could reschedule to. I took a test for 5 days before the actual date at 4:30pm every day to accustom myself to taking a test at that time frame. I am uncertain as to the benefits of this, but I don’t see the harm in it either. I suggest that you try to schedule a time that is best for you. Some people are morning people and are able to think best before lunch while others, like myself, are not..
.I called to check my test in the morning. Then, I just started “running my mind” by reviewing the science subjects. I arrived at the test site rather early because I did not want to risk getting lost. I was not allowed to study in the Prometric Testing center so I came out and studied in the lobby, keeping myself on high performance pumped-up state, but at the same time calming myself to prevent a nervous break-down state. You will be nervous. It’s only natural. My advice is to tell yourself that it’s just another test and you just have to do your best. .
.Remember to bring TWO forms of ID. I brought my Driver’s License and passport. I suggest wearing comfortable, but be prepared for a slightly cooler temperature. I was comfortable in long sleeves..
.I signed up at 4pm (30min before the test) as I was supposed to and was only called in after 4:30pm so I had to keep myself pumped for 30 min. They are very strict with entering and exiting, but that’s fine. .
.I was a bit concerned about the erase boards, but they worked fine. They hand two laminated pink sheets with one side having a standard grid and the other side totally blank. I found two per section more than enough, though I was a bit space-conservative. They were also prompt with changing the sheets when I had them raised above my head. This may depend on the proctor in your testing center. If you’re worried, just switch them between each section. The section does not start until you press to continue. (These are good moments for you to take a 5-second breather and focus up again)..
.I took a short break, only going to the bathroom and stuffing my face with some snacks. I didn’t want to lose the pumped-up mentality I had after the PAT..
.After you’re done, you should be proud. You’ve completed a long journey and you know you’ve tried your best. Reward yourself. I got an In-N-Out Burger. Yum. : ).
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.DAT Subject-Specific Experience:.
.Total list of studying materials: ..Doing all of this was rather difficult, but I chugged through them like a mad man: KBB*, Kaplan online test, Barron’s*, Cliffs DAT*, Cliffs Bio, Schaum’s, ¼ of DAT Destroyer GC, OC, Bio sections, full DAT Destroyer QR section, datQvault 10/10 tests, Chad GC and OC video and quizzes, TopScore 3/3 tests, ADA 2009 sample test, Crack DAT PAT (CDP) 10/10 tests, Crack DAT Reading Comprehension 5/10 tests (CDRC), acquired Kaplan WBB and lesson book but didn’t have a chance to look at it..
.1. ..KBB*: Not excellent, but it does covers its grounds. The newer versions have online sources as well. Go ahead and take a .
.2. ..Kaplan online test*: Sign up for this! If you go to Kaplan’s website and the DAT, you can enter your zip code and find free DAT practice tests that are held online. Follow instruction and take your free practice test with explanations. I found this to be a good free resource. They also have other things like 20-question rounds. The MCAT (minus physics questions) and OAT are also worth taking a look at. Note that all the practice tests are the same though..
.3. ..Barron’s DAT*: I only used it for a little bit, but it was pretty reasonable, especially for its price..
.4. ..Cliffs DAT*: Not super worth getting. The bio section regurgitates and abridges Cliffs AP Bio and it’s not like it covers anything new. Another annoying thing was that it was ridden with mistakes in math and reading sections. I regret my precious time on this instead of the Destroyer..
.5. ..Cliffs Bio: Good resource. It covers the material precisely and concisely. No need to look at the lab section. Important to note is that this does not serve the bio section alone. It’s probably smart go get another book..
.6. ..Schaum’s: Well organized and thorough. Didn’t have too much time to go through it. I was too pressed for time to really study it though. Went through the parts to supplement Cliffs Bio such as physiology..
.7. ..DAT Destroyer: I was dumb and started going through this book the day before my test. I wanted to get to it after I was “ready” because I was getting a lot of questions wrong when tackled it at the beginning of my study period. This book is great practice, especially for GC and OC. The Bio may seem difficult, but they’re great to tackle after you have finished your bio studying. I would say most questions are on par or harder than the real DAT. The Math section is pretty representative of the real thing in my opinion. I didn’t get Math Destroyer so I can’t comment on that..
.8. ..datQvault: Good investment for $20. Even if you don’t want to get it, go to their site and look at the practice questions and do the first Benchmark Test. They have great handout-type notes on taxonomy and plants that I used to refresh before the test. They have 500+ bio questions and give you a nice breakdown of what areas you need more work on. Note: Taking the 10 Benchmark Tests does not mean you will see all 500+ questions since they are given randomly..
.9. ..Chad GC and OC videos: Great investment. The man knows what he’s talking about. I got the one-month access version, which is very affordable. The good thing about Chad is that he covers EXACTLY what will be covered. I studied my orgo class notes before, but I later realized that it was overkill because I didn’t know mechanisms and stuff. Chad will tell you exactly what you need to know and, more importantly, what you don’t need to know. I found his QR videos unnecessary, but based on the Statistic and Conversion ones I saw, I’m sure he’s great with QR too..
.10. ..TopScore: Good practice, except their PAT is poor quality and the RC is unlike the real thing. The passages are more difficultly technical and the questions are purely detail-oriented. Still good practice..
.11. ..ADA 2009 Sample Test: This is most representative of the real DAT. Some of the question formats such as having two statements and which combination of True and False is correct. I got the paper version, but the computer version would be more realistic (I don’t know how many times you can take it though). I saved this for last..
.12. ..CDP: Great practice for the PAT. I would consider it worth the money. The angles are more difficult than the real thing, but the 3-4 degree questions definitely train you. Also, the cube counting is more difficult than the real thing because CDP uses illusions. .
.13. ..CDRC: Because I needed practice in Reading I got CDRC. I know the general sentiment is that CDRC has too many inference questions, but I felt the passages were more representative of the real DAT than others like TopScore. The subjects on the DAT seem to be more scientific though..
.14. ..Kaplan WBB and lesson book: I didn’t have time for these, but they have a lot of questions and I imagine they’re good practice..
.15. ..Predents.net: Great general resource for predents, including for DAT-studying. Specific guides and links for DAT studying are present. Take a look..
.*Important to note: If it’s the same company, but a different year version, they are the SAME. Unless it was a version where they made big changes, the companies (Kaplan, Barron’s, Cliffs) reuse their stuff including the tests. So don’t feel like you have to get the latest for the best, just go on Amazon, get a new-like condition of the previous year’s version for cheaper and you’re set..
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.PAT..: The PAT section was not as bad as I thought (may have just been lucky), but I do have a good spatial sense, so this may not be the case for you. The keyhole and TFE are definitely figure-out-able. There is at least ONE distinguishable error that makes a choice incorrect in almost all the questions. .
.Angles are not a cake-walk, but it’s definitely not impossible. There were a few 3-4 degree comparisons like in Crack DAT PAT (CDP), but I would say the others were OK..
.Hole-punching and cube-counting are doable. Remember that they don’t have hidden cubes and only have everything is cemented together with a flat-on-the-ground base..
.Folding had a good number of “shape” ones, where you just have to figure out what shape it folds into rather than “pattern” ones that twist your mind, so I would say it was do-able..
.CDP is great practice for PAT. .
.Quantitative Reasoning: ..It may be just me, but math is pretty do-able. I would say you do have to know what you’re doing if you want to finish in time. If you’re stuck in a problem, best to mark, move on, then come back later. Didn’t run into time issues, but I would dare claim to be proficient in mental math. Read the questions carefully. Most mistakes in math are stupid ones..
.I hear Math Destroyer is great practice. So consider it if you feel like you need more practice. I found the DAT Destroyer one to be sufficient..
.Reading Comprehension: ..RC was my most worrisome and worst-performing section. I don’t read very fast and, sadly, don’t absorb that much either. I think the CDRC was good practice, at least for reading and absorbing information. I was relieved to have three scientific passages, though I’m about the same for “humanities” passages. I do not employ Search and Destroy (S&D) because I am not skilled at it and I can’t remember all the questions. Hence, I read through 5 or so questions, read some of the passage and answer what I can, doing so back and forth about three or four times. You can go to sites such as Scientific American or New York Times Science to practice as well. .
.Biology: ..I think pre-dents have to admit that Cliffs AP Bio is no longer self-sufficient for the bio section. Because of the growing “randomness” of the Bio section, I utilized other sources such as datQvault and Destroyer Biology. I am glad I did. The Cliffs does not cover such subjects as the visual, auditory, and skeletal systems. I recommend supplementing your Cliffs AP Bio with something else, perhaps Barron’s, Schaum’s, datQvault, or a straight up Campbell textbook..
.General Chemistry: ..I must agree that Chad is great. As mentioned above. He covers exactly what needs to be covered so you feel safe about what you’re learning. Do supplement your Chad concepts with the Destroyer problems. One of my regrets is that I didn’t have enough time to go through even a fourth of the GC problems and they would have helped nail down the concepts. Know the concepts, not just the calculations..
.Organic Chemistry: ..Again, Chad is great. However, just watching his video does not mean those reactions stuck in your head. So do some problems and when you’re ready to move on, challenge yourself with the DAT Destroyer. I would say that Destroyer is on average a bit more difficult than the actual DAT, but nevertheless great practice..
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.I also want to take a moment to give a big “THANK YOU” to Student Doctor Network (SDN) because I learned a lot and was encouraged immensely through this great community of pre-dents. It’s great to know that I will be joining such awesome fellow pre-dents soon (hopefully). I hope this information, or at least some part of it, was helpful. I tried to be thorough, detailed, and comprehensive..
.Concentrate and study hard for the DAT. It will pay off! ; ).
.Thanks!.