DATAdvice2240
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Hi All,
I just wanted to share my recent experience taking the DAT and give a brief breakdown for those who plan to take the test in the future. I used both DAT Booster and Bootcamp to prep for the exam, but I want to start off by emphasizing that you do not need to buy multiple prep courses to do well on the test – In hindsight, I truthfully feel my own score outcome would have been similar had I invested all of my time into one course or the other. With that being said, I used DAT Bootcamp for content review and relied on Booster for practice exams. Here’s my overall take:
I just wanted to share my recent experience taking the DAT and give a brief breakdown for those who plan to take the test in the future. I used both DAT Booster and Bootcamp to prep for the exam, but I want to start off by emphasizing that you do not need to buy multiple prep courses to do well on the test – In hindsight, I truthfully feel my own score outcome would have been similar had I invested all of my time into one course or the other. With that being said, I used DAT Bootcamp for content review and relied on Booster for practice exams. Here’s my overall take:
- PAT (20): Out of all of the practice tests I took, I got a score of 19 a few times, a score of 21 maybe once, and a score of 20 95% of the time (on both DAT Bootcamp and Booster). All in all, I felt both prep courses give you an accurate representation of the types of questions you’re likely to encounter on the DAT as well as a good ballpark range for the score you can expect to get. Once I got enough 20s (a score I was content with), I honestly stopped studying PAT. I never really got the gist of TFE, and I’d recommend mastering sections that come easier to you, tackling these first on the exam, and saving the sections that take you longer or you struggle with for the end of time. This section isn’t just about skill, it’s about time management and strategizing how to most effectively use the time you’re given. Both Booster and Bootcamp will prepare you well for this portion of the test, and the effort you put into it will be what you get out of it.
- BIO (27): I used Bootcamp notes to study bio, as well as the QBanks, Video reviews, and Cheat sheets. I was a bio major in college, so bio was not only easier for me to study, but a fair amount of the information was review for me. Although I did use the Bootcamp notes, I briefly skimmed the Booster notes as well and feel either resource will prepare you extremely well for bio. I know many people have said these resources can even “overprepare” you for what you’ll encounter on the test, but bio is an extremely broad subject; you’ll appreciate having a breadth of knowledge so you can move through test questions seamlessly without being thrown off guard. At the end of the day, anything the prep courses give you really is fair game. I was scoring high on practice tests for bio from the beginning. I scored a little higher on the actual exam than on the practice tests, but never scored below a 22 on a practice test. I definitely devoted the most time to bio, which was made easier because it was the subject I found most interesting to study. My recommendation is if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated to study, find that one subject that is “easiest” for you to start with and devote even just a little bit of time towards it to get you going. You’ll still feel some sense of accomplishment, and one exceptionally high score can pull up your AA/TS so it still serves to your benefit.
- CHEM (22): I used Mike’s videos (Bootcamp) to study Chem. I felt the videos were adequate to get a score in at least the lower 20s on Chem. I think getting exposure to as many practice questions as possible is the key to doing well, as well as time management. It’s easy to get bogged down on questions or calculations, and because it’s right in the middle of the science section, I would recommend not spending too long on any one question and even saving the questions you know you’ll need to devote more time to for the end. Another recommendation would be to move a little faster through the bio section in order to have more time to tackle Chem and OChem.
- OCHEM (20): I struggled with OChem in college and felt Bootcamp sufficiently prepared me in terms of content review. As with Chem, my practice scores largely fluctuated between both Booster and Bootcamp. I would recommend using either resource to drill as many practice problems as you can as this will save you time and a whole lot of stress come test day. Both resources seem to be great for anyone daunted with the task of relearning OChem. While I wish I had done a little better on this section, I would’ve never imagined getting an 18 in it, nevermind a 20, at the beginning of studying.
- RC (25): This section was very similar to PAT for me in the sense that it was a section I did not devote a whole lot of time to and efficiency is key to doing well. My practice scores fluctuated, with my highest being a 23 and my lowest being a 15. I think this is a section where you really just need to “get in the zone” for test day and give it all you’ve got. I had originally tried the search and destroy method while studying, but then began reading the whole passage and highlighting and saw a jump in my scores. Try a few different methods until you find one that works for you and stick with it so you become really comfortable with it. No one method is wrong or better than the other, but there is a method that is likely the best for you. I think Booster will prepare you better for this section than Bootcamp.
- QR (20): Again, practice makes perfect with this section! I was always good at math, but not quick at it — the ultimate travesty for a test like the DAT, where time is of the essence. I can say that Bootcamp really stressed me out for QR. I was convinced I would be lucky if I got above a 19 on this section, though Booster gave me a more representative and optimistic outlook in hindsight. I would strongly recommend Booster over Bootcamp for QR. If you’re looking at Bootcamp material and are stressed or overwhelmed, I would caution you not to go into the test feeling like you’re doomed or destined to run out of time. While I felt I could’ve done better in this section on test day, I think if you devote enough time to practice, you’ll do just fine.
